For Command at Sea gamers that want to use aircraft miniatures, typical options include the 1/2400 and 1/1200 aircraft available from GHQ and Hallmark. The problem with aircraft in this scale is that details are hard to discern, making identification between types difficult (is that a Hellcat or Avenger?). The detail-rich, popular scales for aircraft and micro-armor gaming, 1/285 - 1/300, are too large for use on the table with 1/2400 - 1/6000 ships. A suitable compromise is needed to find a scale for aircraft that is pleasing to the eye, easy to detail paint, and best of all cheap! Our group in the Houston area has begun using the 1/700 scale planes produced by several Japanese model companies for use with their 1/700 waterline ship models. These kits are made by Aoshima, Fujimi, Hasegawa, Pit Road/Skywave, and Tamiya. The kits consist of solid molded plastic resin planes, and include 16-32 planes per box. Prices are cheap, $4.00 for most in the US and no assembly is required (exception: Pit Road/Skywave). The Pit Road/Skywave models are super detailed (propellers and gear), require assembly for the larger flying boats (Francis/Emily), and cost a bit more ($20.00). Example Assembly Process Planes I usually work on groups of an entire type at once. Example: in Tamiya pack T31516, there are 12 Zekes, 8 Judys, 8 Jills, 2 Graces, and 2 Myrts. I’ll work on all 12 Zekes at once. Cut planes from the sprue. File off the landing stubs and flash. Drill a ventral mounting hole. Cut a 2” strip of 1/32” brass wire and glue into ventral hole. Mask the brass wire with tape. Prime the plane white (it’s usually molded in dark green). Paint the fuselage, leaving a white primed spot for decals (they darken against dark fuselage colors). Paint cockpit and engine cowling. Detail cockpit framing with 0.25mm black pen. Apply decals, finish fuselage paint, and spray with clear gloss or matte coat (gloss looks great!). Bases I made 1 large batch of 20 bases, sufficient for most games (you can reuse them). Cut 3/8” sections of 1/16” brass tubing using a miter box and saw. Other techniques are harder. If you cut the tube with wire cutters, the ends will be crimped and you’ll have to drill them out. Seal one end of the tube with Elmer’s glue, silicon sealer, or putty. If this is not done, glue can fill the tube through capillary action and ruin the tube. Using Super/Krazy glue gel or with Kicker, fix the tube on the center of a penny, sealed end on the bottom (to prevent glue filling up the tube). Paint the base to match the blue base of your ships. Gloss-cote the base. Storage To store the bases and planes, I use a cigar box with the plastic inserts to separate the planes from the bases. It travels and protects well. Procurement The 1/700 kits are available for the USN, USAAF, IJA, IJN, Luftwaffe, and RN from Japanese kit makers. Other WW2 types (French, Italian, and expanded RN) and postwar to modern aircraft (suitable for Harpoon) are available from a European source. Good sources from which to purchase are your local hobby/model shop, Hobby Link Japan and White Ensign Models on the Internet. Dibble’s Hobbies, ask for Jeff. 210-735-7721, or dibbles@satx.net Hobby Link Japan www.hlj.com BT Back to The Naval Sitrep #20 Table of Contents Back to Naval Sitrep List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by Larry Bond and Clash of Arms. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com