Meteor and P-80....

[Lucky13]

Now, not really about them as such but more a Allied version of JV44's "Platzschutzstaffel"...(and me being bored earlier this week).
Had the air war been more even '44 and '45 and maybe continued into '46, I've started to toy with the idea of making a USAAF and a RAF "Protection Squadron" for their own jets....keeping them safe at take off and landing from marauding Luftwaffe fighters...
Now, which crates would suit best for this, first the obvious choices for USAAF is the P-51D and the P-47M, question is though, would they be good enough to do the same job as the Dora-9, is there a better choice?
I'm not so sure about the RAF fighters though...Typhoon, Tempest, Spitfire Mk XII (type 366)...??
It'll be the same idea as with JV44, a separate unit within the unit, so of course these will be numbered "13"...
Won't use red and white undersides either as it might cause confusion with the Dora's....



So, any suggestions?

[Airframes]

Probably the Spit LF.XIV would suit the task admirably Jan old bean!
Or, of course, as it is a 'what if', how about the Tempest II, or the Martin Baker MB5? You could do the Tempest from a Sea Fury kit in 1/48th scale.

[Colin1]

Had the air war been more even '44 and '45 and maybe continued into '46, I've started to toy with the idea of making a USAAF and a RAF "Protection Squadron" for their own jets....keeping them safe at take off and landing from marauding Luftwaffe fighters...
Now, which crates would suit best for this, first the obvious choices for USAAF is the P-51D and the P-47M, question is though, would they be good enough to do the same job as the Dora-9, is there a better choice?
I'm not so sure about the RAF fighters though...Typhoon, Tempest, Spitfire Mk XII (type 366)...??
It'll be the same idea as with JV44, a separate unit within the unit

The reason the Allies strived hit the German jets in their landing pattern was because that that was their best chance of hitting them in a prop job; this eventually became near-suicidal once the Germans got wise to it and 'flakked up' the approach corridors and introduced fighter cover.
If the Allies have managed to get their own jets into the game, the playing field has been levelled again notwithstanding a minor advantage here or a minor disadvantage there ie not much different to when both sides were flying prop jobs.
The Germans would likely realise that the Allies, from bitter experience, are going to employ similar tactics to protect their own jets on approach and I doubt the Luftwaffe would try to catch them there any more than one side's prop jobs would try to catch another side's prop jobs in a similar situation, unless it presented itself as a target of opportunity; in this case it would likely be a fast, single pass and the only thing likely to catch them would be - another jet.

I'm differentiating here between attempting to catch a specific aircraft type on approach and a flight/squadron sent out to beat up an enemy airfield.

With jet on jet, prop jobs would be largely superceded (though I doubt they'd be absent yet) in the ETO for anything that involved going one on one with a jet.

If there has to be an answer, well, it's 1945-6 so P47-M in both USAAF and RAF liveries although even that isn't going to catch them.

I read this post at work as a New Post, got home, couldn't find it again! I didn't think to look in the Modelling section!

[Lucky13]

1-2-3-4-testing-testing-1-2-3-4......

I'm stuck between the Spitfire MkXII and the MkXIV. The XIV you can buy from Academy, to do the XII, you need a few bits and bobs from Aeroclub and it still looks like a Spitfire both in 1/48 of course!
The Tempest II sounds and looks interesting though, can you get it in 1/48, is it much work to have it changed?
As for the underside, think that I'll just go with the black/white like those used around D-Day, but in different style....

(Test reading, spell check....hmmm...looks ok....*Post Quick Reply*)

[Clay_Allison]

The P-47M. Even better, a P-47 with 6x 20mm H.S. 404 Cannon.

[Glider]

Your looking at Low - Medium performance and the Tempest is a serious contender in these areas as well as being well armed.

[109ROAMING]

My thoughts exactly Glider , I also think the Spitfire MkXII and the MkXIV would suit the job very well

A Tempest would proberly have better low level performance than a Thunderbolt as well (even without the added weight of 6 20mm's)

[Glider]

Obviously I considered the Spits but have them down as being better at altitude. The RAF had a good combination in those two.

[Lucky13]

Just noticed that the MkXIV had a "normal" and a cut down fuselage. I've always thought that the XIV only had the cut down style.....when did this change?
D*mn.....choices, choices!

[Airframes]

The MkXIV went through the same 'evolution' stage as the MkIX/XVI Jan, so both appeared around the same time. The first production was the normal rear fuselage, followed very quickly by the 'low back', with both being in service at the same time. I would think that, for your intended scenario, the LF, with clipped wings, high back, would be the main contender, available from Academy.
I think there was a Tempest II kit in 1/48th, but can't remember who did/does it. However, it's a fairly easy conversion from the Sea Fury and, bearing in mind your scenario, and the possible/probable developments for the period, a little 'artistic licence' would be allowed; for instance, the 5 blade prop could be retained. Kits in 1/48th were (possibly still are) available from Hobbycraft, and the relatively new Airfix kit of course.
For the underside ID colours, how about 'Invasion' stripes underneath only, wings and fuselage, but in the Suez colours - yellow and black? Should look rather spiffing, what?
BTW, the Mig21 kit you have, is it the Academy 1/48th, and if so, what's it like.
Also, how come you aren't wurring your slurds?!!!

[Lucky13]

Need to check out the Spits then old bean..thanks! Email sen to you with pics of the Mig-21 that I have...
I say, Suez colours of yellow and black sounds rather spiffy indeed, splendid old boy absolutely splendid!

*checking*

As I can only find the Mk. XIV's from Academy in either "clipped" wing, cut down fuselage and the "normal" wing with the high fuselage in 1/48, I guess that it means that I'll have to buy them both to do a LF Mk. XIV with the high fuselage, right? I can't find the Airfix one that you mention.
Working hard with spell check my son, working hard with the spell check!

[Airframes]

Sorry old bean, my mistake in not being precise! I meant that both versions are available, but you'd need to remove the wingtips on the XIVC, and file/sand to shape; very easy. Or, of course, you could get both, and swap wings, as they are bound to be the same fitting, and then you'd have a normal span low back to play with also. It may well be that the wing-tips are separate compaonents, which I have a feeling they might be. I might be wrong re the Airfix Sea Fury,it might be 1/72nd, but I'm fairly sure it's 1/48th. I'll check and let you know.
If you really want to do a Tempest II, and can't get a Sea Fury, I have the old Hobbycrsft kit, which I started years ago, but haven't progressed. All I have done is cut one wing, ready to build with wings folded. This would easily 'repair' for unfolded wings. The moulded joint line would nee filling anyway. If you would like it, we could do a swap for something perhaps? The kit is basic, but crisply moulded and quite nice. The only downside(s) are the canopy, which is one piece and a little thick in one part, and the RN/RCN decals, which are cr*p. I also have plans (1/72nd scale) showing the Tempest II, to help with the conversion.

[Airframes]

Just checked Jan. My mistake, the Airfix kit is 1/72nd, and the Canadian Hobbycraft kit isn't listed, although some of their kits from the same period (circa 1990) are starting to re-appear.

[Lucky13]

Academy's Spits are "only" 14 of our Queens hard earned quid and 23 for Tamiya's P-47M....
So, that's a go at a later point me think....

[Airframes]

You could do a P47 as well Jan. Academy do a late model, either 'M' or 'N'; I've done their 'D' bubbletop, and it's a lovely kit, with lots of 'extras', including your favourite in the THREE sets of wheels, 'weighted' tyres! OK, it hasn't got separate flaps, but that's about the only thing that's really different from the Tamiya kit. The detail and finesse of the mouldings is superb; it was my first Academy kit, and got me to trying more.
This could be good, a 'what if?' theme with a SpitXIV, possibly Tempest II and P47 ! See my Future GB thread!