Welcome to Geoff’s D-Day 80th Anniversary tribute chat thread.

[Geoffers]

I’m away on holiday this week so won’t be able to start until I get back next week.

Bad planning which would not have been tolerated on D-Day :flushed:

Thought I would share what I intend to start with though.



I’m going to build the “Tiffie” as in my mind it is one of the icons of D-Day and the Normandy campaign.

This is the Airfix club edition of their 2013 tooling but is done in the newer type plastic they now seemed to have switched to.
More later when I start the build thread :thumb2:

Geoff.

[Lee Drennen]

Bad planning which would not have been tolerated on D-Day

Good thing “Ike” isn’t around Commander.

[Tim Marlow]

Good thing “Ike” isn’t around Commander.

Ike’s probably off playing golf again…..

[stona]

So, I was perusing t’interweb, seeking inspiration, and saw this.



I can do that I thought, in a moment of unhinged optimism.

It turns out that the kits to do this, or something similar, are available and I’ve only gone and bought them, haven’t I.



Apparently, this Horsa kit is not the best, but it can be beaten into submission. AS for the Jeep, it comes with paints and glue I won't use, though I know a seven year old who will take the paints off my hands to paint the plaster of Paris dog poos he seems to enjoy making



I don’t fancy my glider infantry in action, so may ditch the figures that come with the glider. I was checking out the seller that Tony linked to (for his BoB aircrew waiting for a scramble in the Hurricane GB) and found figures for exactly this idea. Less than a tenner, so I bought them – what could possibly go wrong?



The only things I’ll have to make myself are the ramps for the Jeep, and maybe some missing detail around the Horsa door.

Anyway, I’m now all set for this GB and will get going as soon after the start date as I can.

[Tim Marlow]

Wow! Two things jump out at me. Those struts under the door aren’t exactly huge are they….and how on earth did they get the jeep to turn into the fuselage…..it will look great as a dio though….

[Guest]

Apparently, this Horsa kit is not the best

Not like you have much choice if you want one in 1:72, of course

how on earth did they get the jeep to turn into the fuselage

I suspect with great difficulty, given that the Horsa Mk. II deleted the side door but had a hinged cockpit and detachable tail instead (I built one like that years ago as a wargames model. Magnetised rear fuselage, cockpit on a small hinge, and no undercarriage.)

[stona]

Not like you have much choice if you want one in 1:72, of course :smiling3:


I suspect with great difficulty, given that the Horsa Mk. II deleted the side door but had a hinged cockpit and detachable tail instead :smiling3: (I built one like that years ago as a wargames model. Magnetised rear fuselage, cockpit on a small hinge, and no undercarriage.)

I found a picture of the nose hinged version. Even there a Jeep is a very tight fit!
I might build this one like that rather than having to cut out the large cargo door and scratch build the door itself. Sawing of the nose, if that's what it takes, might be easier and will be close enough for government work.

[Guest]

Something makes me think I remember that the AS.58 Horsa Mk. II only came into use after D-Day, though I’m having a hard time finding out if this is correct or not. Oh, wait … the first series Mk. IIs were delivered in February 1944, so I guess they could have been used in Normandy already.

As for the kit, the door outline is inscribed on the inside of the fuselage and the nose/cockpit section is separate anyway. You need to shorten the fuselage for the Mk. I, IIRC by sawing off a section at the front. Ah, yes, found the photo I thought I had taken of this when I built mine, about ten years ago:

[ATTACH]510463[/ATTACH]

[stona]

Wow! Two things jump out at me. Those struts under the door aren’t exactly huge are they….and how on earth did they get the jeep to turn into the fuselage…..it will look great as a dio though….

They must have man-handled it around the corner. A Jeep is fairly heavy, about a tonne unloaded, and it such a confined space it would be difficult to get enough lads around it. It must have been a right old jostle - and then you don't want to break the glider.

[Guest]

To reduce weight, airborne Jeeps were stripped of absolutely everything they didn’t need, down to cutting off the sides of the front bumper, removing the handholds, etc. You can partly make this out in the photo of the one being loaded.

[Ian M]

In those days men were Men. They would have just picked up the rear of the Jeep and swung it round.
Getting it out was easier. just drive it out the busted fuselage.

I must admit I am finding the "It had to have take part" bit a bit of a problem. I have about six kits of things, Version/type all correct for the time in question, just dont have the correct serials or codes... Will jeep/Trucks/tanks also need to have the correct serials and or plates.
Surprised that the Sawn off Daimler never got a red flag, or did I miss that?

[Andy T]

Surprised that the Sawn off Daimler never got a red flag, or did I miss that?

It was brought up in Latest Acquisitions, the resulting chat cleaned up I believe.


I have no idea if the particular aircraft I'm building was actually used on the day, if the markings match exactly or whatever. It has invasion stripes and similar planes were used on the day, so I'm going with Geoff's thoughts :smiling3:

Go for it Colin :thumb2:

If it’s got full D-Day stripe markings it’s allowed as far as I’m concerned.

Geoff.

I may be wrong but since this is supposed to be fun rather than an exercise in perfect historical accuracy, near enough should be good enough.

[Tim Marlow]

In those days men were Men. They would have just picked up the rear of the Jeep and swung it round.
Getting it out was easier. just drive it out the busted fuselage.

I must admit I am finding the "It had to have take part" bit a bit of a problem. I have about six kits of things, Version/type all correct for the time in question, just dont have the correct serials or codes... Will jeep/Trucks/tanks also need to have the correct serials and or plates.
Surprised that the Sawn off Daimler never got a red flag, or did I miss that?

The SOD did get a red flag, which was cleaned up in the chat purge by yourself Ian. Therefore only the Daimler armoured car will get in as part of this group build. It will be built as an Inns of court machine, which were landed there on D0, using the codes and markings from one of the IOC SOD variants. That’s close enough for me. A vickers machine gun crewed by paras in Dennison smocks will also get done as part of this GB.

[Guest]

Getting it out was easier. just drive it out the busted fuselage.

IIRC the intended way was through the back, after the tail had been detached:

[ATTACH]510521[/ATTACH]

I must admit I am finding the "It had to have take part" bit a bit of a problem. I have about six kits of things, Version/type all correct for the time in question, just dont have the correct serials or codes...

That was basically also my point about the Mosquito: how do you know a specific thing took part, or not? OK, it’s probably easier with aircraft because with some research I guess you can find out if a given squadron took part or not — but still then, what if you stick aircraft letter D on it and it turns out that that squadron’s “D” aircraft was destroyed pre-D-Day and only replaced in September? (OK, OK, that’s a bit of an extreme example. But still.) For ground vehicles, this can be just about impossible: unless you’re building a model of a vehicle you’ve got a photo of, you will have to just take a stab at markings and especially registration numbers. Even if you have a photo, the registration number is usually the marking that’s least likely to be visible and/or readable.

Surprised that the Sawn off Daimler never got a red flag, or did I miss that?

It forms an example of why I object to the anti-chitchat nonsense.

[Geoffers]

For the most part it is going to be difficult to pin down if an actual vehicle, tank etc was involved on the actual day hence the time frame up to July.

If a what you want to build was used by a unit/ regiment etc which was involved in the campaign within this time frame then that’s fine.

I appreciate it is easier with aircraft due to the D-Day markings. The aircraft weren’t used with the markings before the actual day and discontinued over the following months so the example cited above is unlikely.

As I’ve said on a previous thread I’m not an armour or vehicle builder so am relying on you who are to keep within the guidelines.

I’m not sure how else we can frame it, it’s a tribute build to those that took part in the D-Day invasion when all’s said and done.

Geoff.