6mm US Naval Aviation

While starting aimlessly at the shelves of Lord of the Rings product at one of my local stores yesterday, my eye was tempted over to the plastic model kits. They were where I first started, my first two kits were a F-4 Phantom and a Bristol Bulldog biplane.

But that wasn't the reason for the post. The reason is that Tamiya had a 1/350th scale box of US Navy aircraft! So I quickly snapped it up, and after giving them some paint last night, here are three fixed wing aircraft to cover my US Armoured Cavalry Regiment.

First up, an EA-6 Prowler. An electronics warfare airframe, the Prowler is tasked with jamming enemy radar, gathering intelligence on enemy AA defenses and also destroying enemy SAM sites with HARM missiles (anti-radiation missiles, which home in on radar signals). Will I use it in our games or Epic Moderns? Maybe. I wouldn't mind making rules for 'Wild Weasel' strikes (anti-SAM), but they will be in the future.



The next two aircraft are both F-14 Tomcats. The US Navy's multi-role fighter, equipped with a variety of Anti-Aircraft missiles and can also be equipped with ground attack weapons. I was young the first time I saw Top Gun, but the F-14 has stayed with me as one of my favorites! These two aircraft have been painted in the scheme of VFA-103, the Jolly Rogers, who acted as interceptors for strike packages in Desert Storm. One aircraft was lost, to a SA-2 missile. They also claimed the Tomcat's last kill, an Mi-8 Helicopter.



And a close up of the Skull and Crossbones on the tail...



The actual Jolly Rogers scheme



So, not bad looking at all for a few bucks! Apologies for the bad photos, the skies are dark down here in NZ. The pack had a few more aircraft in it, I will pass a couple on to one of the locals, and might turn one or two of the others into objectives.

Epic Moderns game tonight, I am thinking that the Tomcats might have to make an appearance...

CP