Accurate placement for battle maneuvers/ background scale (pacific dogfight diorama)

[Guest]

Hi, I'm currently planning a diorama of a WWII pacific dogfight with a 1/48th scale Tamiya Corsair F4-U and a Mitsubishi Zero fighter. I plan to make it a wall-mount shadow box, approx. 3ft x 2ft. x 1/2-1ft. I have a few questions:

* I am clueless when it comes to aerial maneuvers. I realize that it would be more accurate to have the corsair downing the zero, but I wanted it to be mid fight and maybe have the zero shooting at the corsair (I am going to try and scratch glowing bullet trails from end-glow fiber optic filament), which would be in mid-evasive maneuver. Ideally I would like the two planes to be a fairly accurate distance apart, but I do not know how far away they would actually be. I watched a video documentary and the fighters were very far apart, so I may have to vastly exaggerate their proximity. Any ideas?

* I am also concerned about the altitude at which they would be fighting. The higher the altitude, the more scaled down the background will need to be. I would like it to be an oceanic scene, possibly with a battleship in the ocean. Do any of you know any specific battles that would help me nail down some specifics?

I would greatly appreciate any info or input! I will try and keep this post updated as I progress. I currently have the Marine-detailed Corsair very nearly completed, and the Zero parts all primed and ready. I will begin the shadow-box soon, and the fiber optic parts are en route. Thanks!

[Guest]

Your idea sounds really interesting! As a 'tankie' I think there are people better placed to help with the modelling but from the books I've read of WW2 pilot accounts, although many dog-fights took place over a large patch of sky, when it came to 'guns,guns,guns' the key thing was to get in as close as they could! I remember a Mustang pilot who had his guns bore-sighted for less than 50 yards-that would be pretty close with a closing speed of maybe 400 mph!

So your dio need not be huge ;-) I'd like to see how it turns out as I have similar ideas for a couple of aircraft that I plan to build (sometime in the next 20 years!)

Good luck with it

Patrick

[PJP]

The better pilots got as close as possible before opening fire typically, down to 100 yards or less.

Most dogfights took place between 250 and 400 yards according to the histories I've read.

By the time the F4U was in action the Japanese, rather like the Germans in the latter stages in Europe, were either very good or indifferent to poor, hence the Kamikaze attacks.

You could realistically model them quite close in, but in any event, don't forget the effect of turns and "G" on bullet drop, even close in.

For battle histories, you could do worse than Leyte Gulf, but if you've modelled the F4U as a Marines aircraft, they'll be land based so any of the island hopping battles (Guam, Saipan, Tinian) should give you some facts.

Let me know if you struggle for info and I'll look some up for you, I have a reasonable air war library.

The Zero could be Army or Navy, you have a choice there and it does affect the markings and some colours although again, the Navy aircraft were land based latterly as the Japanese carriers had mostly been sunk and there were serious fuel shortages for ships.