A4 E Skyhawk in 1/144

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

In 61 Cuba was still flying Sea? Furys

[Raider4]

P-51s were still being flown in 1984 by the Dominican Republic, and plenty of other Latin American countries were still using them in the 60's and 70's.

So it's possible Cuba was still flying Sea Furys (Furies?) in 1961.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Cuba certainly had them, this I think news reel film of one, just not certain if it was the land or naval version. There is also the football war, one side with P51's and the other F4U's

[Sunray]

Cuba certainly had them, this I think news reel film of one, just not certain if it was the land or naval version. There is also the football war, one side with P51's and the other F4U's

Yes Cuba used Seafurys and T-33 Shooting Stars in repelling the abortive Bay of Pigs adventure. Both sides used the B26.

Grayson L. Lynch ,Decision for disaster (Virginia, 2000) is a good read, and plenty of maps for a gamer.

[Steve J]

Sounds very cool and would love to see a pic of the carrier, just to whet my appetite as it's the sort of thing I love seeing in a wargame . Takes me back to being a kid I suppose when we used all sorts of kit for our games.

[Sunray]

Sounds very cool and would love to see a pic of the carrier, just to whet my appetite as it's the sort of thing I love seeing in a wargame . Takes me back to being a kid I suppose when we used all sorts of kit for our games.

Leon has a jpg - I will ask him nicely to post it.

[Steve J]

Looking forward to it .

[Sunray]

Looking forward to it .

Should be in your "in" tray

[Steve J]

Received James and it is so cool .

[Leon]

All sorted and attached to Sunray's earlier message, and again here!

[Sunray]

Leon, that you very much indeed. 

If you could also convey my apologies to old Monkeynut, over our communications screw up, I would very much appreciate it.

[Ithoriel]

Ha! Very cute!

An updated version of the "jeep" carrier like those in Taffy 3, maybe.

[Leon]

If you could also convey my apologies to old Monkeynut, over our communications screw up, I would very much appreciate it.

I've dropped him an email, no worries.

[mmcv]

Very good!

[Sunray]

Ha! Very cute!

An updated version of the "jeep" carrier like those in Taffy 3, maybe.

Yes, fits the bill for an escort carrier - apart from angled flight deck - which was a post war Royal Navy innovation. Originally I had planned the game with a piece of ply board painted to represent the deck.  Then I spotted the toy carrier in Argos , and did a scratch build conversion.  It was a lot of fun for the game - a scenario set loosely in the Balkans circa 1990s.  After the game, it was mothballed to the stables loft until I spotted the Skyhawks deal.   I have an original  Pendraken corvette ( a  Wendy version of Flower class ?) upgunned as an escort.

The US Carrier loitering off shore with complete air superiority brings a "sword of Damocles" factor to the game.  The red Aggressor is always conscious that factors like a Soviet  arms shipment of say T54s  or MiG 17s , which would tilt the  balance of power and run the (dice thrown) risk of US intervention.   Militia type battle groups with low levels of discipline always carry the risk of running amuck and committing war crimes against civilian population.  They have  a low points value and are boots on the ground, but a disciplinary throw with a -1 after being fired on by sniper, can   
result in an atrocity that sends in the Marines.

I have a 1/300 scale carrier that performs a similar function.  She has actually made it on  to the wargames table !