The Specialists II - We have 30!!

[trickyrich]

Ok I proposed this and ran it 6 years ago, it was really quite a successful GB, plus it opened up some themes that would never have made it into their own GB's.

 

So why not do it again, so we will have the following 4 categories, I am open for suggestions to modify/add/remove particular themes to make it more interesting.

 

Here are the 4 categories: 

 

1, Recon/AWAC’s/ECM/EW:

Not so easy to define, but basically something that was built or primarily designed for Reconnasance role air or ground craft. ELINT and AWACs similarly, Ground based Radar equipment would be fine as well. Plus I will allow Growlers/Prowlers/Wild Weasels (and any other electronic warfare equipment) as they do sort of loosely fall under the ECM category as well.

 

2, Nightfighters:

This group is pretty straight forward, must have been an operational nightfigher.

 

3, Tank Busters:

For tank killers/busters, these must have primarily been designed as killing tanks, they were designed or used primarily in this role and or configured for this role. AFV’s need to be the specialist tank killers/hunters. (see Wiki Tank Destroyers)

 

4, Ship Killers:

Ship Killers, for flying things they can be Dive Bombers/Torpedo Bombers, or any aircraft that was configured for Anti-Ship hunting duties. I may include Anti-Sub operations to in this if there is interest. For Naval vessels, these are, Torpedo boats, fast attack missile boats (OAS-1 etc), ships specifically with Anti-shipping missiles as well as Subs are ok though excluding SSBM’s. Kamikaze craft are ok as well.

 

Anyway let me know if there are any tweaks needed.

 

Ok da list:

 

1, trickyrich   -  Host

2, dnl42

3, Corsairfoxfouruncle

4,zebra

5, Marklo

6, Chrisj2003

7, vppelt68

8, Col.       - Co-Host "Batman"

9, Toryu

10, Jabba

11, Courageous

12, modelling minion    - Co-Host "Robin"

13, Wings unlevel

14, 2996 Victor

15, theplasticsurgeon

16, stevehnz

17, Tim R-T-C

18, Dave Klaatu

19, silverfox63

20, Stefan Buysse

21, Richard Humm

22, CliffB

23, Dennis_C

24, bianfuxia

25, Rafwaffe

26, TEMPESTMK5

27, Keeff

28, Colin W

29, Geo1966

30, Bobby No Mac                                    

31, Ragtag

32,

33,

34,

35,

 

 

[dnl42]

Quite a diverse collection group!

 

My stash could supply:

Nightfighters: Tamiya 1/48 Boulton Pail Defiant Mk.I, Tamiya 1/48 Mosquito NF Mk.II

Tank Busters: Tamiya 1/48 M10, Tamiya 1/48 M10 IIC

Ship Killers:: HB 1/48 TBF-1C, AM 1/48 TBM-3, Revell 1./72 PT, Cottage Industries 1/72 David

Anti-Sub:: SH 1/48 AF-2S, SH 1/48 AF-2W, SH 1/48 AF-3S

 

I think destroyer escorts also fit the anti-sub role.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Ive got something for three of the four and could find something for anti-armor/tankbusting. I’d love to build an M18 Hellcat or an M36b1 Jackson

 

https://www.amazon.com/Academy-U-S-M36B1-Vehicle-Building/dp/B00OFQ94MU

[zebra]

I'm in, particularly for recon/AEW/ECM. Would this include electronic aggressors? 

[Marklo]

I’ll bite. I think category 1 could be  defined as COIN in which case I’d be inclined towards a Bronco, plenty of night fighters in the stash but including two Sopwith Comics and a Blackwidow.

[Chrisj2003]

I’m in, give me a GB where my RQ-4 Global Hawk would fit. 
 

Chris

[vppelt68]

Is it already six years? I'm in

[Col.]

Aye, alright you sweet talker, let's go for it.

[Toryu]

I‘m gonna find something!

[Jabba]

 I can find something for this one.

[Courageous]

Recon with float planes and ship killers with submarines, I'm in.

 

Stuart

[modelling minion]

This was a really good GB last time around, definitely up for a second round of it.

[trickyrich]

11 hours ago, vppelt68 said:

Is it already six years? I'm in

 

Sadly yes......gosh what a scary thought!

 

The worse part is that over that time the models have gotten so much better when the opposite ture for a lot of members here..........just look what has happened to Col and Enzo!!!!       

 

Well I've had my nana/grandad nap, got a cup of tea so guess I'd better start a list...... 

[trickyrich]

I'm actually willing to go so far with this GB that if it goes ahead I'll build this beast with it's Robots fitted!

 

 

...or this beast....

 

 

...both 1/32nd resin beasties!

[Wings unlevel]

Did someone say ‘RF-4 Phantom’? I’m in!

[2996 Victor]

Hi Rich,

sign me up for this one, please, there are several possibilities in my stash, particularly recce subjects.

Cheers,

Mark

[Col.]

12 hours ago, trickyrich said:

The worse part is that over that time the models have gotten so much better when the opposite ture for a lot of members here..........just look what has happened to Col and Enzo!!!!       

Aye. Hanging about with you has ruined me 

[vppelt68]

I thought a lot about an extra challenge in the previous Specialists GB: One single plane type, a true MRCA, capable of and also deployed to perform in all four tasks. I came up with a few planes that ticked three (photo recce, nightfighter and ship busting) of the four boxes, but not plausibly the fourth - tank busting. They were the D.H. Mosquito and the Ju 88. One could of course specify the Ju 88 A-4/Torp or A-17 torpedo bombers as dedicated ship killers and the regular A bomber variants (and some C heavy fighters used on the Eastern front) as tank busters

[Graham Boak]

Beaufighters were also used in the PR Role. Hurricanes did all four.   B-25s saw varied uses.  Does PR include FR?  A-26s with Highball (not operational, but tested).  P-38s did at least three, tank busting would be the fourth with the bazookas underwing.  I think Blenheims only managed three, but wonder what targets those with 20mm in the nose were attacking?  Italian tanks would seem to be the likeliest targets.  Bf.110.  There are of course other combinations of  four roles where many of the twins, heavy fighters or light (even medium) bombers practiced their trade.  Plenty of tanks were destroyed and ships sunk by conventional bombs.  Marylands and B-26s were flown as long-range fighters.

 

 

[vppelt68]

Was there a recce A-20/Boston?

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

31 minutes ago, vppelt68 said:

Was there a recce A-20/Boston?

F-3

 

https://www.daveswarbirds.com/usplanes/aircraft/f-3.htm

Edited December 1, 2024 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[vppelt68]

Actually, searching the ultimate MRCA:s is just the opposite for the theme of Rich's group build proposal - the specialists. A specialist is someone or something that's of no use outside its own specific niche. Like the SR-71 or the U-2, the ultimate recce aircraft, that would have a short and useless service life if deployed to bust a tank or a ship; or the Ju 87 instead of dive bombing to bust ships or tanks, trying to enter Kent airspace in daylight on a photo recce mission or trying to catch a nocturnal Lancaster-stream over the Ruhr; etc etc.

 

The Swiss Army knife- type machines would better be a theme of a dedicated group build of their own. V-P

[theplasticsurgeon]

For Recon/AWAC’s/ECM - I've got this:

 

For  Nightfighters, this:

Boxart showing an encounter with Tempests, described in the Operational History section of the Wiki page.

 

3, Tank Busters:

 

4, Ship Killers:

 

Can't promise them all, but can support with something.

[stevehnz]

Definitely a yes from me. 

[Tim R-T-C]

I'm on a bit of a nightfighter kick at the moment so I'm sure I'll have something available for this GB.