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Carl_Brisgamer
05-04-2013, 22:07
My WGS Project #13 for 2013 is a flight of 1/200 AIM Douglas A-24-DE Banshee dive bombers. I've had these resin miniatures sitting primed in a box for nearly two years, and it was Marechallannes (Sven) who prompted me to finish them off with his plans for a New Guinea WGS campaign.

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The success of the Stuka in 1940 prompted the USAAC to order the US Navy's SBD Dauntless dive bomber. The first deliveries were transferred Navy SBD-3 aircraft, designated A-24-DE Banshees. With the start of the Pacific War A-24's were sent to the Philippines, but were diverted to Australia. These aircraft were used to equip the 91st Bombardment Squadron sent to Java, with the remaining Banshees in Australia used to equip the 8th Bombardment Squadron of the 3rd Bombardment Group. From 1 April 1942 the 3BG was involved in combat operations flying out of Port Moresby New Guinea. On 26 July 1942, seven A-24s attacked a convoy off Bun, but only one survived. The Japanese shot down five and damaged the sixth so badly that it did not make it back to base. Regarded by many pilots as too slow, short ranged and poorly armed, the remaining A-24s were relegated to non-combat missions.

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These A-24 Banshees represent the following three aircraft assigned to the 8th Bombardment Squadron.

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41-15773 was lost at 0740hrs 11 April 1942 during an airstrip strike on Lae. 2nd Lt. "Lou" Gus Kitchens and Sgt. George F. Kehoe crewed the aircraft. Also lost during this strike was Curtiss P40E A29-38 of 75 Squadron RAAF flown by Sgt. Don S. Brown. Both of these aircraft were shot down by Zeros. The escort totalled seven RAAF P40E's (A29-12/15/30/31/38/ 41&48). Despite sustaining damage F/O John Piper in A29-41 managed to shoot down a single Zero.

41-15797 was lost on 29 July 1942. Crewed by Major Floyd Rodgers and Cpl. Robert E. Nichols, the aircraft was shot down 20 miles north of Buna.

41-15798 was lost on 29 July 1942. The aircraft was came down in vicinity of Lae with Lt. Henry G. Swartz and Sgt. John Stevenson, who were captured by the Japanese and beheaded.

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8BS A-24 Banshees escorted by Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawks from 75 Squadron RAAF.

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Upper surfaces are olive drab, undersides neutral grey, national decals are AIM and tail numbers are Microscale. The models were finished with a couple of coats of Tamiya TS80 flat clear.

Game stats for the A-24 Banshee are from the Fire in the Sky Boxed set:

Manouver Deck: I
Damage Points: 19
Firepower: Short range B / A, Long range A / A
Top Altitude 9
Climb Rate 5

Marechallannes
05-05-2013, 07:45
A nice squadron, Carl! :eek:

Maybe we can develop some missions for the New Guinea Campaign mid 1942 - 1943 after the last Midway mission I have to solve.

I've got all the (official) planes we need and two additional AIM Dauntless dive bombers.

My plans are to transfer a Spitfire and a P40 from RAF/USAAF to RAAF to combine US- and ANZAC Forces.

Carl_Brisgamer
05-05-2013, 08:06
Sven,

I would be happy to collaborate on some missions.

I also have a couple of Bell P-39 Airacobras, a Lockheed Hudson, two Douglas DB-7 Boston bombers as well as Beaufighters, Kittyhawks and Spitfires for the Allies. For the Japanese I have G4M Betty and Ki-48 Lily bombers, a Ki-46 Dinah reconnaissance aircraft and some Ki-43 Oscar fighters just to mix things up a bit.

Thanks for the inspiriation!

Cheers,

Carl.

Jager
05-05-2013, 09:32
Nice work, Carl. As always, your work is a joy to see.
Good to see the New Guinea flights are growing. I have plans for something similar down the road.
I never read a convincing explanation on why the A-24s did so poorly, when the SBDs did so well in the same (and later) time period.
Training and maybe doctrine is the only thing that comes to mind.

Flying Officer Kyte
05-05-2013, 12:54
This is all looking very interesting chaps.
I can't wait to see this lot in action.
Rob.

gully_raker
05-05-2013, 16:16
:D I will certainly be interested in this campaign.
Ready for action are 2 RAAF 77 Sqd Kittyhawks, the two Beaufighters & I have 2 Zeros, a Val & two Kawasaki's.
Plus Carls great Mullumgimbi Island Games mat!:thumbsup:

Bring it on!:D

Carl_Brisgamer
05-09-2013, 03:43
Nice work, Carl. As always, your work is a joy to see.
Good to see the New Guinea flights are growing. I have plans for something similar down the road.
I never read a convincing explanation on why the A-24s did so poorly, when the SBDs did so well in the same (and later) time period.
Training and maybe doctrine is the only thing that comes to mind.

Training was likely a big part of it. USN aircrew had years to train on the Dauntless whereas raw USAAF aircrew were basically shoved into the cockpits of their Banshees and told 'Go bomb some Japs!'

In addition the A-24DE model Banshees were ex Navy SBD-3's, which were passed to the USAAF in poor repair. Well they were supposed to be SBD-3's, but some research indicates the Navy actually palmed off some older SBD-2's marked as SBD-3's. The SBD-2's lacked cockpit armour and self-sealing tanks! If that is true I will have to drop the damage threshold for the A-24DE from 19 to 17.

When they came to put them together "numerous problems were encountered during the assembly of the aircraft. The aircraft selected for transport to the Philippines had just completed War Game manoeuvres and were not cleaned or serviced prior to disassembly. Control cables and various items were not secured, sealed or locked down. This caused a fair amount of damage, both to these cables, instruments and various components by way of chaffing, corrosion, chinking and breakage. A high percentage of the engines were in need of overhaul. Materially deficient would be a fair description on their arrival."

Read the full story here, very interesting account: http://forum.armyairforces.com/A24-Banshees-of-the-27thBGLt-and-3rdBGLt-m59827.aspx

Cheers,

Carl.

Baldrick62
05-09-2013, 04:08
Thanks Carl, that's a great link!:thumbsup: