British Pacific Fleet Avenger/Corsair/Hellcat paints?

**JensOle** · August 6th, 2015, 00:42

Hi,

I have been reading the book “The British Pacific Fleet – The Royal Navy’s most powerful strike force” in the last days it really is an interesting read about how the RN did a “comeback” in the pacific and provided a quite powerful support to the Americans in the last months of bitter fighting against the Japanese in the Pacific.

I would like to ask if any here at the SoH have painted or know about BPF textures for the Vertigo Avenger and Hellcat and the A2A Corsair (maybe John has done a Corsair paint?). I have myself done a Seafire III paint and will maybe do a few more.
For the carrier we already have the great “Flying stations” HMS Victorious in her actual BPF configuration.

**JensOle** · August 6th, 2015, 02:58

I just found Johns "Goodyear FG-1D Corsair "Vintage Wings of Canada" which is painted to represent a RN Corsair II. John, any chance of making a dedicated wartime BPF Corsair MK.II/IV?

**T Square** · August 6th, 2015, 07:08

http://www.flyingstations.com/repaints-corsair.html

This one at "Flying Stations" site for Corsair.

**NickB** · August 6th, 2015, 21:37

I did this recently. It wouldn't take much to put BPF markings on it. (It's Real Flight, I think that's Vertigo's Hellcat isn't it?)

I think this sqn attacked the Tirpitz in Norway but without the red on the nose.

***jankees*** · August 6th, 2015, 22:13

Corsair:
http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/files/file/3580-a2a-f4u-1a-corsair-royal-navy-136-hms-victorious/

http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/files/file/1926-a2a-f4u-1a-corsair-royal-navy-7-l/

http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/files/file/1925-a2a-f4u-1a-corsair-royal-navy-t8-b/

http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/...-x115-lt-grey/

Hellcat:

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php...rp&DLID=138622

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php...rp&DLID=138621

**JensOle** · August 7th, 2015, 12:43

Great stuff! Thank you for the info/links!

Nick, a BPF Hellcat with the FAA camo scheme would be great!

Jankees, great work on the corsairs!

Now we just need a bpf avenger!

**dhasdell** · August 8th, 2015, 02:14

There's a pic on the Flying Stations Facebook page of a BPF Firefly, but I don't know whether it is actually available.

**NickB** · August 8th, 2015, 08:51

I think the fuselage markings need resizing and repositioning, and a few other bits. Can't find where the tail wheel door texture is.

**JensOle** · August 8th, 2015, 10:03

Thank you so much!

Is it possible to do a typical 45' hellcat as well? On 24 January 1945 Sub Lt RF Mackie RNZN of 1839 nas from HMS Indomitable flying Hellcat JV141 "116/W" shot down a Japanese Ki44 aircraft at Palembang.

http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/F6F-3/RN-...le-1945-0A.jpg

If you google Indomitable and Hellcat you should find more pics of similarly painted Hellcats

Thanks!

**Mach3DS** · August 8th, 2015, 10:56

I'm working on an all metal version...fictitious...but I love all metal! if anyone is interested...it's been sitting on my HD collecting dust for a few months now...maybe I'll finish it.

**norab** · August 8th, 2015, 14:06

one thing to bear in mind is that Fleet Air Arm Corsairs had clipped wingtips to allow British carriers to carry more. A F Scrubb has modelled this variant at Flightsim, but I don't know if anyone else has

FS2004 (ACOF) - FS2004 Warbirds FS2004/FSX British FAA Vought Corsair I [ Download | View ]

Name: vought_corsair_british.zip Size: 10,858,873 Date: 06-13-2012 Downloads: 1,481

FS2004/FSX British FAA Vought Corsair I. Britain's Fleet Air Arm took delivery of ninety-five F4U-1s as Corsair Is and 510 F-4U-1As as Corsair IIs, under Lend-Lease arrangements. Initial deliveries of the Corsair I to the F.A.A. began on June 1, 1943, when No. 1830 Squadron formed at Quonset, and before the end of the year seven more F.A.A. squadrons were working up on Corsair Is and IIs. These underwent several modifications in British service, and sorne 16 inches was clipped from their wingtips to permit below-deck stowage on the smaller British carriers. Gmax model by A.F. Scrub.

**norab** · August 8th, 2015, 14:13

Here is a shot

**dhasdell** · August 8th, 2015, 21:28

Reading list:
"Carrier Pilot" - Norman Hanson (1833 squadron)
"The Forgotten Fleet" - John Winton
"Aircraft Carrier" - John Winton (fictional tale of a BPF Corsair squadron)

**NickB** · August 9th, 2015, 12:53

Originally Posted by JensOle

Thank you so much!

Is it possible to do a typical 45' hellcat as well? On 24 January 1945 Sub Lt RF Mackie RNZN of 1839 nas from HMS Indomitable flying Hellcat JV141 "116/W" shot down a Japanese Ki44 aircraft at Palembang.

http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/F6F-3/RN-...le-1945-0A.jpg

If you google Indomitable and Hellcat you should find more pics of similarly painted Hellcats

Thanks!

I made that as a 1/72 Matchbox model kit in about 1977. I can do that one.

Nick

**RobH** · August 9th, 2015, 16:21

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=180&id=7398

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...id=180&id=7397

Here are links to the 2 that I uploaded here a long time ago for the real flight Hellcat

**JensOle** · August 15th, 2015, 14:47

Great!
The British Pacific Fleet is forming up in FS..
Victorious masquerading as two Illustrious class carriers, 1 Escort carrier (CVE) and a destroyer (including C-class) and cruiser (including HMS Belfast,HMS Kenya and Dido class) escort.

**DaveB** · August 15th, 2015, 14:57

Nice one JensOle

Love that second shot

ATB
DaveB

**IanHenry** · August 17th, 2015, 04:28

Jen's if you enjoyed that book, you should read "THE KAMIKAZE HUNTERS Fighting for the Pacific, 1945" by Will Iredale. It's a very good book about the Fleet Air Arm written after the author met a 95 year old pilot who told him his story. It seems the Pacific fleet was virtually unknown here in the U.K whilst everyone was celebrating victory in Europe.

ISBN: 978-1-4472-8471-0

Ian

***UncleTgt*** · August 17th, 2015, 07:20

Originally Posted by dhasdell

There's a pic on the Flying Stations Facebook page of a BPF Firefly, but I don't know whether it is actually available.

"fireflymk1a" by AF Scrub at Flightsim. Paints by Morten.

Screenshot is my attempt at overpainting Mortens basepaint with BPF markings (for CFS2). 565 format bitmaps, should convert OK.

**JensOle** · August 17th, 2015, 11:00

I have always found the Firefly to be an interesting design, sort of a twin seat Spitfire..

The external model is not to bad, but my last experience with the VC/panel was not exactly what we have got used to these days. A shame as I would love to have a Firefly MK.1 for the BPF lineup.

**JensOle** · August 17th, 2015, 11:19

Any one of you which have any ideas about a realistic launch/recovery fleet formation used by the Royal Navy? Attached is a picture of the current formation, any feedback/ideas are most welcome!

I'm also trying to find information about the Hellcats flown by 885 NAS from the escort carrier HMS Ruler. There is one pic at this link http://www.ozatwar.com/navy/hmsruler.htm
From what I can see so are the Hellcats without any codes or letters. The bigger fleet carriers carried a carrier specific letter and a 3 digit number for recognition (ex W/166 for the Hellcat from 1844 NAS HMS Indomitable). My guess is that since HMS Ruler also brought up fresh airframes to make up losses on the bigger carriers, that the individual aircraft did not spend much time before being passed on.

***UncleTgt*** · August 17th, 2015, 12:29

JensOle,

Best formation description I have seen is on Page 187 - 188 of Hobb's book. Admittedly it's a tight formation whilst expecting Kamikaze attack, but populated with Tomcat pickets & CAP sections in orbit it would look really impressive!

4 CVs in a 2000yd diameter diamond formation. Each CV had a DD close in aft in the "goalkeeper position". BBs & CLs formate 2000yds out from their adjacent carrier. Presumably DDs screen further out. Tomcat pickets (1CL & DD each) to the North & WEst of the formation centre, each picket had a CAP section overhead. I think the Fleet CAP is described elsewhere.

I'm sure you're correct about 885 sqn on Ruler. The pace of replacement aircraft movements was such that they can't have held onto any aircraft long enough to put unit markings onto them.

Lastly, look at http://www.armouredcarriers.com/ Lot's of useful snippets of info here.

**JensOle** · August 18th, 2015, 10:35

Thanks for the input! That formation must have made ATC over the group a pretty difficult task when a complete strike group returned back to land on 4 carriers in close formation! Any idea about a good spot for the CVE (Ruler)? I would guess either part of/or trailing the 4 carrier diamond.

***UncleTgt*** · August 18th, 2015, 12:53

Unfortunately Ruler provided CAP for the separate oiler group, you'd only see them combined away from the combat zone during RAS ops.

Of course that would be a larger formation over a larger piece of ocean.

I think Hobbs describes that formation in some detail too...

Nice scenery if you want to recreate flying replacements to the big CVs...