The Menards "Nose Art" Boxcars make for an interesting train on a layout. Have you found and incorporate WW II planes on your layout to accompany the boxcars? If so, what scale(s) work well with your style of layout? "Plug and Play" airplanes might be awesome!
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Dennis, a 1:48 scale B-17 will take up a huge amount of space on a layout. I guess one could always use the 1:72 scale and have them in the background somewhere or have them hanging from the ceiling someplace. Good thought, I've seen some guys pictures of their layouts and they had incorporated some WWII aircraft.
JEM,
Thanks! I suspected that would be the case. On an earlier layout, I worked around the sizing problem by making the item a roadside attraction with people viewing it from the side. In this regard, the Mustang fighter plane might be more user friendly. I recall a pre-Mustang WW II film where the Flying Fortress Commander radioed, "Goodbye Little Buddies", when the fighter escorts had to peel off from the bombing run due to their limited fuel capacity.
So, a few of the fighters and a hanger and landing strip might be more suitable depending on space constraints. I'm contemplating a 7' to 8' wide layout with wide radius curves, and no duck-unders. I thought that by keeping the track more on the perimeter, I could use building and other details in the center, so that derailments or other operating faux pas would be easily accessible.
A WW II airport scene might be ideal for that type of interior space.
Ha! I have my own rivet counting moment...
Martin Aircraft never built any B-27's...
I like the idea, wish some manufacturers would mak a realistic flatcar with fighter loads. This is from marklin set with 3 fighters and separate wing flatcars.
not on...but my sky is well protected...
Remember The Bomber on the Gas Station? How about The Bomber on the Roundhouse
Super O Bob posted:
I like the idea, wish some manufacturers would mak a realistic flatcar with fighter loads. This is from marklin set with 3 fighters and separate wing flatcars.
Just remember, during WW2 except for engines, and parts shipped by rail. Planes were fully assembled at factories and then flown to USAAF sites, not shipped by rail. This is were many WASP besides ferrying planes to bases or overseas did their duty.
Super O Bob posted:
Bob,
My father left training in Kearney, Nebraska with 35 planes, a crew of ten per plane, plus support personnel, and flew to England. I presume, without knowing that they refueled in Iceland. I suspect the planes were also flown to Kearney first after their manufacture. (I never even thought about the "B" reference in "B-17", until much later -- as TIMDUDE posts later, properly a reference, "Bomber" and, not to the manufacturer Boeing.)
Can you elaborate about your Martin post, above?
Steamer posted:not on...but my sky is well protected...Remember The Bomber on the Gas Station? How about The Bomber on the Roundhouse
Dave,
That's really cool!
you could do captured aircraft
Me-109
RAF Hurricane
Mosquito going to a museum
I had a model of a P-51 Mustang that I had intended to build with my young son. Well, "young son" is now 33 with a family of his own. So, I sadly put it together myself and decided to build some of the other famous World War II era planes. Here they are on the layout.
I built them all with their landing gear down before I had decided to hang them above the layout. The Corsair above actually is above an area where potential expansion might be. I do believe I have all of the Menard's Nose Art Boxcars, though I do not believe any show in these pictures.
Rick
Dennis GS-4 N & W No. 611 posted:Super O Bob posted:
Bob,
My father left training in Kearney, Nebraska with 35 planes, a crew of ten per plane, plus support personnel, and flew to England. I presume, without knowing that they refueled in Iceland. I suspect the planes were also flown to Kearney first after their manufacture.
Can you elaborate about your Martin post, above. On a humorous note, I suspect rivet-counting on the exterior of an airplane would be a difficult task, but, you would know much better. Also, my father and and his close friend from the 100th Bomb Group who lived nearby us, and regularly stayed in touch, always made reference to B-17's, and B-27's. I never even thought about the "B" reference until much later -- obviously a reference to the manufacturer Boing, and, a touch earlier than the "767"!
The "B" has nothing to do with Boeing. It is the designation for bomber. P was for pursuit, F was actually for photo recon, T for trainer etc. The number was for the design or contract number. This is why some many numbers are missing. Who remembers the B-18 Bolo or the famous B-19 of Bugs Bunny reference, a real prototype actually. All the way up to the B-52 and presumably beyond. At some point the Air Force or someone in the Government determined the numbers were getting to high, hence the B-1 and B-2 and whatever else we don't no about. The Navy is a totally different story. When the Air Force was formed out old the Army Air Corps, the designations were modified. F is now for fighter and R is photo recon.
Dave,
Great ideas, and, great original pics. Those are really unique.
Rick,
Your layout is beautiful, and, I love the planes and the way that you have displayed them! The clouds and sky in the background really highlight the nicely detailed planes -- especially the Corsair. And, by "flying the planes", you avoid their size and scale compared to trying instead to display the planes on the layout.
I have references with photos of p-47d's being uncrated and finally assembled in england. So they shipped also. But a bunch of crates marked 'Republic' isnt as exciting as a full airframe on flats...
I remember the Bolo...
Martin was the designer of the B-27 medium bomber, but it never progressed past design work. Martin produced the B-26 Marauder medium bomber.
Steamer posted:
Nice to see the Chow Hound flying there!
TIMDUDE said:
"The "B" has nothing to do with Boeing. It is the designation for bomber. P was for pursuit, F was actually for photo recon, T for trainer etc. The number was for the design or contract number. This is why some many numbers are missing. Who remembers the B-18 Bolo..."
Thanks Tim,
Looks like I was misinformed, and appreciate the correction. I've edited that part of the post so I won't be misinforming others.
Super O Bob posted:Steamer posted:
Nice to see the Chow Hound flying there!
I don't have a good pic, but along with Nine O Nine and Chow Hound, The Wabash Cannonball is in formation.
Ranger Rick posted:I had a model of a P-51 Mustang that I had intended to build with my young son. Well, "young son" is now 33 with a family of his own. So, I sadly put it together myself and decided to build some of the other famous World War II era planes. Here they are on the layout.
I built them all with their landing gear down before I had decided to hang them above the layout. The Corsair above actually is above an area where potential expansion might be. I do believe I have all of the Menard's Nose Art Boxcars, though I do not believe any show in these pictures.
Rick
I was just at Menards looking for those scale length flatcars from another post. I have never checked out Menards for train stuff before. They didnt have any flat cars, but i was shocked to see O96" o gauge track! How cool is that? I also like the buildings...
I did see the noseart box cars! Really liked them!
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