WW2 Unit Graphics

[techumseh]

Whichever faction is the first to research the contract with the US gets 3 P-26 units via events. The Communists and the Kwantung Army are not eligible.

[fairline]

Originally posted by cousarmy0001

anywho, paint schemes on airplanes were more about looking pretty than being effective in combat. this attitude started to change in the late 30s and early 40s, though. i have a picture somewhere of a P-38, P-40, P-35, P-39... and a couple others i can't think of right off hand, half of the airplanes (to include the P-38, surprisingly) were polished aluminum, which makes for a very pretty airplane, but isn't effective in combat, while the P-40 and P-39 were both olive green, reflecting a realization that war may be on the horizon and we probably shouldn't stick out like sore thumbs when it arrives.

so there's my essay.

The bare aluminium aircraft were from '44 onwards - prior to that all USAAF aircraft were painted olive green in WW2. The US had gained air superiority over Europe by this stage and figured they didn't need to camouflage their aircraft any more. Pretty much all USAAF aircraft in the last part of the War were ali finish. One upside was a reduction in weight and friction losses, giving nominally higher top speeds. The RAF had painted its aircraft silver prior to the War and also reverted to bare ali after the War finished.

[cousarmy0001]

I doubt the Chinese actually used them in combat. My thinking is that they were more of a training aircraft. I could be wrong, though, because my knowledge of the Nationalist Chinese air force (if you could call it that) is somewhat limited.

If they DID use it in combat, though, they would've been up against aircraft such as the Zero. I'll give you two guesses as to how such a fight would've ended...

[Dr Kellogg]

The Chinese Peashooters were shot down in the air battle above Nanking in 1937 ...

[cousarmy0001]

Pre war, the aluminum skinned aircraft were often bare aluminum. I could be wrong, but I believe the Peashooter was mostly fabric skinned. After 44, though, you're right, most of American aircraft had bare aluminum.

The Germans had a saying about air support. They said that if it was green or silver it was American, if it was brown or tan it was British, and if it couldn't be seen at all, it was German...

[curtsibling]

Those P-26s are the business....!

How about that He-51?

(only kidding, any new fairline unit is cause for a huzzah!)

[curtsibling]

Originally posted by cousarmy0001
Pre war, the aluminum skinned aircraft were often bare aluminum. I could be wrong, but I believe the Peashooter was mostly fabric skinned. After 44, though, you're right, most of American aircraft had bare aluminum.

The Germans had a saying about air support. They said that if it was green or silver it was American, if it was brown or tan it was British, and if it couldn't be seen at all, it was German...

"Where is the Luftwaffe?" was a common saying at the last stages of the war...

But early on, there was no shortage of German warplanes filling Europe's skies...!

[jim panse]

Say folks, has anyone any idea about the equipment, weaponry & uniforms of the following minor powers in the interwar period?

Belgium, Sweden, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

I think Belgium pretty much used more or less the same equipment as the French ... any ideas?

[Arthedain]

Sweden had an army?

[Broken_Erika]

Here are some Swedish tanks,
their main armament is written below their names

[Eivind IV]

I heard a good joke the other day about the Swedes in WW2. Everyone laughs at the Danes for not lasting more than 2 hours or so before surrendering to the Germans. But the Swedes only lasted a phone call, before they granted the invaders total military access and use of their infrastructure.

[Sarsstock]

That is pretty funny Eivind when you think about it. My question however is for what do you need these units here Steph? Some interwar project perhaps?

[Patine]

Say, could I request some air units? First, I need these speculative Luftwaffe designs done up:

http://www.luft46.com/fw/ta183-ii.html

http://www.luft46.com/junkers/ju488.html

http://www.luft46.com/mess/mep1110j.html

As well, I need the US C-54 Skymaster bomber and H-19 Chickasaw helicopter from the Korean War. If anyone could PLEASE create these units for me, I'd be eternally grateful. Thanks in advance!

[cousarmy0001]

er... the C-54 was a cargo plane, not a bomber- hence the "C" at the beginning of the destination.

if you're looking for an advanced American bomber from that time period, though, you'd probably want a B-29/B-50 or a B-36.

here's a B-29 somebody made that I had saved (whoever's signature if GB, I give them full credit), the B-50 was essentially the same aircraft, but with different engines, and I think the turrets were removed.

[fairline]

Originally posted by cousarmy0001
... (whoever's signature if GB, I give them full credit)...

Some bloke called 'Gooner Ball'. His units are pretty average.