1/32 Decal Sheet(s) for Early (Sept '43) VMF-214 Crates???

[lesofprimus]

Tryin to find some aftermarket decals for an 1/32nd scale F4U-1 flying with VMF-214 in September, 1943... Not been so lucky on this search yet...

Any ideas guys???

Cutting Edge CED32037

 

[Catch22]

I tried looking before and couldn't find much unfortunately. I MAY have some 86's kicking around downstairs that I could send you, but I'm not sure.

 

[Lucky13]

I take it that you're out after then numerals Dan, right? See if you can hunt something down here....
FlightDecs Hobby Shop Decals

 

[lesofprimus]

Lookie lookie, I got hookie......

Cutting Edge CED32037

 

[lesofprimus]

Anyone got the hook up with Fuselage and Bu No's for F4U-1A's on hand with VMF-214 Late Sept-Late Oct 1943???

 

[lesofprimus]

Since the 86 flew in Nov, I cant assume it was on hand on Oct17th...

 

[Catch22]

It may have been, they had Corsairs that were there for quite a while. I will check in my Black Sheep book to see if it has Bu Numbers or anything.

 

[lesofprimus]

I got the book by Bruce Gamble and it lists some BU No's in the loss appendix, but no aircraft #'s, ie white 883....

 

[Catch22]

I got the book by Bruce Gamble and it lists some BU No's in the loss appendix, but no aircraft #'s, ie white 883....

Alright, I won't be able to help from any books that I own, as that's the one I was going to look in.

 

[lesofprimus]

OK, Im in dire need of some of that "Fabled" ww2aircraft.net assistance....

I cannot purchase ANY 1/32nd VMF-214 decals.... There are none that I can find for sale... ANYWHERE, even overseas... The numbers have to be correct on the side of this bird, as well as the red bordered star/bars, and there is nothing I can find thats similar....

HELP!!

 

[Catch22]

Hmm, let me look downstairs this afternoon and see what I can find. I probably won't have any serials, but I may the the red-surround stars.

 

[Airframes]

Dan, can you let me know the approximate size of the white numbers - they don't look too big in the pic on your siggy - I've got various sizes in 1/48th scale. The larger ones might just do the job in 1/32nd scale. Sorry, but I know sod all about the markings for that theatre/period.
I'll measure some numbers tomorrow, as I'm trying desperately to get some sleep at the moment, without much luck- too much pain.
Terry.

 

[lesofprimus]

Well I got my small little package from Jan.... Thanks again so much Brother..... I appreciate the whole set u sent....

I owe u more than 1 pint man....

 

[Lucky13]

Anytime Brother, glad to be of any help....

 

[lesofprimus]

Well sh!t........

As I was re-reading The Definative Account of VMF-214 by Bruce Gamble, for the 20th time, I found this on page 359:

This was on Christmas Eve, 1943.....

Miller, Bolt and Holden flew 3 Bird-Cage Corsairs to Guad and returned with 3 new -1A's, two of which Boyington would use exclusivly for the remainder of his missions.... The rest of his missions were flown in either side numbers 883 or 915.... 915 was the crate Boyington was shot down in....

My Grandpa couldnt have flown 883........ It was alotted to VMF-214 on the Second Tour of The Black Sheep...

Fu*k me in the goatass..... Back to square one with this....

Anyone else have ANY pics or profiles showing F4U-1A's with numbers from the Black Sheeps FIRST Tour???

 

[lesofprimus]

The loss listings I have show the following -1a's were lost in combat during the First Tour, from Sept 12th - Oct 21st.....

127
916
828
876
16
679
844
889

The decals that Jan was so kind to send me have the 883 as well as a 777 that could be used as they are of the right size and shape....

Heres a shot I just took...

We could do 838 or any combo of the 2 sets of numbers and I think it would work, but I need to get confirmation that one of these numbers was assigned to the Black Sheeps First Tour...

 

[lesofprimus]

Found this info in the Osprey Book, Corsair Aces of WW2.... Thanks again Paul....

Page 51 quoted by Lt. Olander

"We had no ancillary personnel, and no planes assigned to us- thoughout our 2 combat-tour existence we "borrowed" the Corsairs we flew, and the services of those that cared for them. Having no planes of our own, we simply climbed into any machine made available to us and took off."

Interesting info... But where did the planes they borrowed come from then??? The previous VMF-214 Squadron called the Swashbucklers??? The First Tour Black Sheep flew mainly from Munda in New Georgia.... Im still trying to figure this one out...

Were there other Corsair units on Munda?? I dont think so...

Anyone have a battle order for the Solomons Sept-Oct 1943???

 

[Lucky13]

"Maintenance was a headache; many of the Corsairs leaked oil badly. Finding enough of them was another problem. On June 23, the squadron only had 3 on hand. But more arrived in early July, and pace of familiarization picked up."

Can only think that they may have borrowed from other units, like VMF-124, VMF-213, VMF-215, VMF-221, VMF-222, VMF-223....which I think was in the neighbourhood at that time....

Edit: -215 was on Vella Lavella late -43, VMF-124, -221, -222 on Guadalcanal, -212, -121 Solomons, -211, -213 Russells,

 

[Airframes]

I might be wrong Dan, but I read that as individual pilots weren't assigned a specific aircraft, as would be standard practice. So, instead of 'Fred Bloggs' always using BuNo '813' for example, he'd fly whichever ship was ready for him for a particular mission. I think it means that the unit just 'pooled' the available aircraft, without having specific ships assigned to specific Flights or pilots, rather than overall borrowing from other units. I might be wrong of course!

 

[lesofprimus]

No u are right Terry, even Boyington flew whatever was available for the flights...

Jan, good info there... Somewhere in those Squadrons is the BuNo. Im lookin for.... Remember, the dates are from Sept 12th-Oct 21st, 1943... Quite possibly they used some of the F4U's that the original VMF-214 used and left when their Tour was over.... The Swashbucklers lost their name while on leave.....

It seems that all the pics and profiles I can locate for VMF-214 are from the Second Tour.... Anyone have pics from the other units stationed in the area around the same time...

Heres a map of the area in question....