Official Thread

Very sorry to everyone, my trip to Manila has been cancelled due to personal issues plus the coup which has made it difficult for me to leave Australia. I'm very disappointed and sorry to anyone I may have let down. Remember there are members on this site who live in the Philippines who may be able to help with info regarding vegetation, battlegrounds etc.

On a positive note, that starting date is drawing nearer and nearer! Hobby Link Japan seems to have run out of stock in a few types of Japanese armour. I wonder why that is then?!! Everyone seems to be snapping up everything Jap they come across!

Bye for now,
Chas

It wasn't me! I bought my WW2 Japanese armor kits earlier this year. The FineMolds Type 97 Light Tank is quite a kit with a full interior.

It seems like that everywhere! My LHS had a large number of kits last week. I went in yesterday after cashing some checks and to my dismay they had ALL been bought!

-Mike

On another note... does anyone wish to submit ribbon ideas? I would be more than glad to see some ideas!

-Mike

How about the Pacific Star at the bottom for the campaign ribbon? Seems most apt.

[url=http://www.medals.org.uk/united-kingdom/united-kingdom-ribbons4.htm[/url]

I know what you mean about all things Jap vanishing. I keep checking e-bay for more Airfix multipose Japs and they're non-existant now and when they do appear they go for the same price as in the shops! Some bargain! Think I'll have to order a couple of boxes from NetMerchants. I'm actually enjoying this campaign before we even start as I've been scouring the net for research stuff and have found stacks of piccies to work from. Now I just want my Xmas books! Counting down...LOL

I cannot wait to get started on this one. My Chi Ha is ready to get build! Maybe also a BT-7 - maybe in a diorama together.

Happy D-day ya'll! Good luck with your builds. Remember, any questions, comments, observations just feel free to PM me or better yet post them here in case others share your concerns. Have fun everyone!

-Mike

PS. off topic note: Generation Kill, one of my favorite books, is now being put into production by HBO. It is an amazing look into my generation's fighting men and the war in Iraq.

I was up at the crack of dawn starting on my build. It's going to be a pretty exciting campaign, especially the possibility to see 27+ pacific builds coming in on a subject vary rarely seen in modelling.

Congratulations Mike so far, for your work to get this very successful campaign underway. You have attracted a lot more modellers than I expected!

Chas

Thanks Chas. I did not do too much really. I think people just got curious!

-Mike

Hello Guys,

I started my Alligator (1/35 Italeri) a couple of days ago...

Hey guys. I just signed up for this campaign. It's an interesting one seeing as you rarely see any models of Japanese tanks. I decided to go for the Type 95 Ha-Go tank from Fine Molds just so there wouldn't be too many Chi-Has around.



I'll probably commence work on this kit in February seeing as I'm signed up for two other campaigns at the moment. I'm sure this'll be a lot of fun!

LoL! We don't call it a coup or rebellion. I personally call it something that might not go too well in this forum. But I'm disappointed that it has affected your trip in some way.

Philippine vegetation: most of the 60-100cm grass are very shall we say, crayola green. Shrubberies and tree foliage are darker shades of green. Rice fields were abundant where most of the battles occurred. Stalks of rice become brown when nearing harvest. If you can remind me what month the battle occurred and I can tell you if the rice was still growing, thus green, or if it was near harvest.

I don't know any detailed battlefield account. Maybe you can find websites of those Pacific units that fought there. Rule of thumb, Philippine rural areas rarely had stone /cement buildings. Wood was the general material even for government sites. Only Churches used stone. There were paved roads but most of the national highway did not have asphalt or cement yet. Abundance of grass huts. Note, long stretches of road usually had the image of the Virgin Mary or a cross at intervals. I think much like some places in Europe during the same period. I think that would make a stirring idea. A war machine passing by an image/symbol of peace.

I have a book back in the Philippines of photos collected by some American of the war in the Philippines. I'll see if I can get you the title and author. I bought it at the souvenir shop at the old Spanish fort which the Japanese used to torture, execute and incarcerate Filipinos and Americans. Pretty much everything American was used, DUKW's, SEEP, BEEP, Willys', ma duece, Sherman even those huge 8 inch guns were used to level the commonwealth building.

[] http://photos.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/20939



Link to your official gallery.


Have fun

It's an honor for me to join this Campaign today on this "Day of Infamy"

mondo-

I wasn't really worried about the coup, or whatever you call it. My mum was going to take me, but got a bit worried about leaving the family over christmas, especially the grandparents. The coup just put the icing on the cake really. I suspect the eager philippino soldiers were just looking for an excuse to drive a tank through a hotel! Sounds quite fun really.

Michael-

Thats a great kit you have picked up, I've got one and might squeeze it in as a second entry for this campaign if I have time. It was a fantastic little tank and if you ask some veterans about it, the first thing they'll tell you is 'those bloody lights'!

Hope everyone started off,
I pretty much spent today just cleaning up the resin for the first LVT (A) 1, I'll actually get started putting it together tomorrow, just had a couple of minutes before we have to leave for socializing during this great Christmas Holiday season.

This is what the pile looks like;


Various kits being used;
Trakz LVT (A) 1 Detail Set Exterior
Trakz LVT Up Armor
Trakz LVT (A) 1 Cargo/Fighting Compartment
Verlinden Update Set for the Turret and Engine Compartment
Hard Corps Models for the Bloody Trail Transfers
Archer transfers for info plates
And the Revell LVT (A) 1

All for just one of the 2 LVT’s in the Diorama

I’ll be switching off between this and moving over to the base when I have to wait for something to set or dry.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and Merry Christmas;
Bob

Talkin about LVT's my original plan was to submit the one from Nitto(Bluetank) but then it came out as an LVT(A)5 which happen to come to service in 1946! grrrrrr! way out of the campaign timeline!

Now I gota find another vehicle to start on

Looking good so far everyone. I personally have only cracked the box open on my Marine riflemen. I am leaving for winter break soon so I simply left everything back home. I have alot of kits... too many to name for now. I think I might do two dios... or one big one!

-Mike

Not much of a start on the 1st kit but here is the progress;


Have to let that dry I switched to my base and have a basic set up of the hill;


This is the view direction from a birds eye type thing. top of the hill is center left slooping about 5 feet down to the right, (2" tallest point) Camera man will be just to the left of the center clamp;


This being the final ground level view.

Love this stuff, Thanks for looking and good luck,

Rei; if you need any help with finding a location for a vech you might have let me know,
Bob

Looking good Bob. I use this stuff called MDF board for my bases. It is really easy to work with. It comes in varying thickness and size. I find that it does not warp as much as plywood does. You can get it anywhere wood is sold too for cheap. I like your method for hill construction. I used to layer plaster or wall filler. That proves to be too much... I will have to try a wood framing first I think.

-Mike

Thanks Mike,
If it's one thing we have plenty of here in Florida its plywood, or particle board. These are my old shutters from 3 years ago, just recycling.
I was thinking of covering this with metal screen then plaster. I'm going to have to work in each piece and I thought this was the easiest way to go.
I was hoping to see more start ups, but I'm sure everyone is busy with the Holidays so hopefully mid Jan we'll see some more. As it is I can only work on this on the weekends.
Thanks for getting this one going,
Merry Christmas,
Bob

I hear you on the start ups. I'm about to go start my 3 hour history final... then thursday at 9am I have my 3 hour long French final... . Friday I am picking my brother up from Boston and sunday is devoted to model building only!!!!!!!! I get to test out my new airbrush too. I am looking forward to the weekend and hopefully some more builds!

Merry Christmas to all!
-Mike C

Wow Bob, looks great so far. This will definently be a project to follow.

I am about to start on my Chi Ha from Tamiya. An old kit, but it looks quite okay so far. There are even some decent crew figures included. Instructions are quite good with some B/W pictures and a lot of marking options. More will follow when I get started.

Thanks Jesper,
Any specific location for the Type 97 Chi Ha? I might be able to help with some photos.

Mike, good luck with those exams!
Just remember about USMC & USN painting, you have to use large swipes with the mop to cover everything proper.
Bob