The 9th AF and the LW defends: Normandy and across France

[kettbo]

I've been working on some low altitude air combat miniatures rules off and on for ages. In addition to dropping in on 3 or 4 air forums, I read Dorr's Hell Hawks! several months back. He got through Normandy rather quickly. I'm left lacking on day to day operations, how they fought, the nuts and bolts. I'd also like more of the "how to" on tactical plans for FB strikes mid '44 and on. Cruise altitudes, strike details, etc. I'll re-look the book to ensure I did not miss anything.

Weal briefly introduces the reader to the Normandy air operations in his BF 109 F/G/K Aces of the Western Front.
I have all the excellent JG-26 books, excellent top to bottom. Are there others out there that I have overlooked?
To clarify, I'd really like to hear about the units transferred WEST and how they coped with the entirely different air war at the lower altitudes.

I have miniatures to prepare:
o Did any of the Bf109G units transferred West have R-6 cannon pods? Did they keep them on or remove them?
o I know 'late war' greens reappeared in more of the camouflage and the shading was brought further down the side of the LW fighters. When would one expect to see RLM 82 Green replacing or at least supplementing RLM 74 gray green? It gets 'old' doing 74/75/75 schemes when you do 12 fighters at a time.
o any 'favorite' unit request?

 

[kettbo]

Foreman. Over the Beaches: The Air War Over Europe June 1st-30th
I'll have to hunt this book down, might be interesting

 

[kettbo]

Thanks for looking in Gents. Looking for rules source materiel; good accounts of some of the missions from both sides. Bowman's DUELs Bf109 vs Thunderbolt also glosses over the intricacies
Meanwhile I have a lot of aircraft to paint. For all you modeler guys, here is the MOTHER OF ALL GROUP BUILDS, but tiny scale.
I have 16, yup, 16 P-47s coming together. Rough paint work done but a long way to go.
Shown are 12 Gustavs with gun pods that may or may not see action here. They are further along, canopy framing done, spinners painted. I have another dozen without gun pods. Note, I painted a most RLM 74/75/76 but a few got 74/83/76 like in Aero Detail #5. All still require shading, side mottle, etc.

Anyone have any favorite units to suggest?

the pics point out a few spot fixes already in the paint work

 

[bobbysocks]

that's pretty cool. "i fought you in the skies" by willi heilmann. might give you some more details of day to day operations. i did find several glaring "mistakes"....missed IDs on ac....maybe an exageration or two...could have been a translation problem. so i wouldnt take it as historical fact but might give you ground work to build on or compare to. i bought "the german aces speak" but havent cracked it open yet....that is for this summer.