Gloster Gladiator - model rewolucyjny

 

Co za czasy! Teraz model dostajesz pocztą elektroniczną. Mając drukarkę 3D sam sobie rzecz drukujesz w tylu egzemplarzach ile wola. Żadnych pudełek, żadnych instrukcji składania, gotowy model wychodzi z maszyny. Nie mogę wyjść ze zdumienia ...

Dwupłaty były dla mnie zawsze sporym wyzwaniem ze względu na konieczność równego sklejenia zastrzałów i obu płatów. Ale nie tutaj. Gladiator jest modelem jednoelementowym. Tu zastrzały i płaty stanowią od samego początku jeden element. Niepojęte ... 

Teraz eskadra Gladiatorów będzie broniła Grecji, a może Malty przed atakami Regia Aeronautica. 

P40E - natural born Shark

P40 without shark mouth is only half of P40. I was happy to hear that Warlord is going to publish resin model of P40 for Blood Red Skies. That gives me a chance to ... use in a battle my Armament in Miniature's models of Kittyhawk I bought before. There was also a chance to compare Warlord and AiM miniatures.

Fortunately there is a good selection of decals for this plane in 1/200 (at least two positions, both by Miscmini and none by Warlord!). I was hasitate between AVG markings from China (where mjr. Urbanowicz fought against Japaneese on P40M) and 112 RAF squadron from Africa.
Finally I had chosen desert markings of 112RAF squadron for few reasons: Firstly - each of 6 shark smiles is different, secondly: Urbanowicz fought in China on P40M in 1943, (when the aircraft markings were USAAF rather than Chinese) and last but not least: there were Polish pilots practiced on P40E in 112 RAF squadron.

Kittyhawk squadron begins a new Operational Theatre project: Africa (I definiatly need another playmat for it).

It is not easy to see the differences between AiM and Warlord Kittyhawk models. Both have more or less correct dimensions, AiM with a bit more slim fuselage. Warlord model is better detailed (more panel lines, nice cast air grip). Unfortunately Warlord's resin quality is not as good as David's from AiM. On the other hand the higher cost of transport from US convince me to Warlord model, but AiM have very wide offer, very hard to resist.

Kittyhawk in play is a typical US fighter: heavy armed, robust not very agile plane (as well as Wildcat, Corsair or Thunderbolt). I'm looking forward to try it against Friedrich (a typical German fighter), or during straffing missions. I'll keep you posted!

Typhoon Mk I - Blood Red Skies

 

I must confess: I love invasion stripes. That's why I decided to buy a couple of Typhoons to make them black and white. Even though the Polish squadrons have never used them during WWII. 

But this project was on hold for a long time. Although I have a Typhoon stats card from British expansion pack I put them for the long rest into my To-Do box. The things have changed when the Airstrike premiere was announced. After reading an Airstrike supplement book the work was speeded up. Now I have my first fighter-bomber squadron ready to Strike from the Air the German positions in Normandy. A chance for jont game of Bolt Acion and Blood Red Skies is going to appear soon in our local wargame club.

   

 

Typhoons models are from Armament in Miniature range, decals of 174 RAF squadron by Miscmini, models painted with Hataka RAF dedicated paints, invasion stripes painted with an airbrush using masking tape. 

Vickers Wellington - 305th bomber (Polish) squadron.

305 polish bomber squadron was formed in August 1940 as a fourth polish bomber squadron within RAF. It was initially trainded with somewhat obsolete Fairey Battle light Bombers to be finally reequipped with more valuable Vickers Welington which have been used till autumn 1943. Its first target were the fuel tanks in Rotterdam in 25/26 April 1941. Together with other three polish bomber squadrons 305th took part of bomber offensive against German industry and port infrastructure. In September 1943 it was transferred to 2nd TAF and reequipped temporarily with medium bombers N.A. Mitchells Mk III and finally Mosquitos Mk VI.

Due to its tough construction Wellington Ic in a game of Blood Red Skies has a Robust abillity. Twin MMG  rear turret supported by additional side guns gives Weelington real good firepower from back.

My Wellington models came from Armaments in Miniatures resin range and were decorated with miscmini water decals. For painting I've used Hataka range paints dedicated to RAF .

DH98 Mosquito - 305 Fighter Bomber (polish) squadron

305 polish bomber squadron was formed in september 1940 as a fourth polish bomber squadron within RAF.

Initially armed with Fairey Battle bombers was reequipped into Vickers Welington and was involved in bombing offensive tasks against German industry.
Due to heavy losses in 1943 was redesigned into light bomber and rearmed with Mitchells Mk II.

In december 1943 squadron was finally rearmed with DH Mosquito MkVIFB and moved to 2nd TAF for fighter-bomber purposes . Ranger and intruder missions carried out against german infrastructure in France within 138 Wing perceded Allied invasion in June 1944. 305 polish squadron fought on
Mossies until the end of the war.

In Blood Red Skies fortunately we have a good quality plastic models run by Warlord Games. Mosquito in BRS is extremely heavy armed, multiengine airplane.
I'm still waiting for my own impressions of playing Mosquitos in Blood Red Skies

Spitfire Mk IX - uczciwy rzemieślnik

Wraz z biegiem wojny zmieniał się pożądany profil samolotu myśliwskiego. Oczekiwanie doskonałej zwrotności i możliwości walki kołowej ustąpiło miejsca walce dynamicznej w pionie. Wraz ze wzrostem mocy silnika zwiększyło się również uzbrojenie ofensywne.
Dobrym przykładem ewolucji myśliwca jest Supermarine Spitfire.

Pierwszy model Mk II z okresu Bitwy o Anglię to samolot wedle starej szkoły dość szybki niezwykle zwrotny i słabo uzbrojony. Model z roku 1944 to konstrukcja dojrzała: potężny silnik RR Merlin 61 o mocy 1565KM dawał możliwość współzawodniczenia z niemieckimi konstrukcjami w walce pionowej, a 2 działka 20mm w skrzydłach znacząco zwiększył siłę ognia samolotu.

W grze Blood Red Skies Spitfire Mk IX to model, który jest w stanie przystopować zapędy potężnie uzbrojonych Fw190A. W porównaniu z niemieckim myśliwcem jest nieco szybszy i nieco bardziej zwrotny, a dzięki cesze Great Climb jest w stanie zablokować wznoszenie wrogich samolotów. Dzięki różnicy w cenie cenie tego samolotu w stosunku do Fw190A można - grając przeciw równorzędnej wielkości przeciwnikowi - wystawić dwóch wyższej klasy pilotów. To spory handicap, który może zdyskontować nieco gorsze (w stosunku do Foki) uzbrojenie Spitfira.

W moim pojęciu Spitfire Mk IX to dobry rzemieślnik w walce z latającym czołgiem jakim jest Fw190.