I am about to make the transition from airplane building to some ship building, and got this set consisting of an LCT, an LCI and two LCM’s. After searching through the internet, I haven’t had much success identifying the specific types, although I have found that they were built in particular “marks.” I just can’t tell which “marks” these might represent.
Can anyone please supply more information or sources for me to consult? I appreciate any assistance.
Start here at NAVSOURCE, the number one photo archive site for the USN
http://www.navsource.org/archives/phibidx.htm
Quick & dirty ID without pictures:
LCT with conning on the stern MK4, with conn on the starboard is MK5
Most LCMs in WWII were LCM-3. The -5 made its apprarance very late. LCM-8 was post-war into Vietnam
LCI – round-bridge early vs angular/square bridge late. The later square-bridge versions morphed into gunships, rocket launchers, and some vehicle landers with bow doors
Edit – went & did some resarch & found a picture
Its a LCT MK 4
The LCMs look like they may be early LCM-2 or RN version
The LCI looks like it may be an early low square-bridge version built in the US to RN specifications
Ed, thanks. That’s exactly what I have. And I will specifically check out the website. I had just done a Google image search before and didn’t find anything useful. Thanks again.
I’ve done some more searching through the web and it appears to me now that all of the vessels in this set were used more by the Royal Navy than the US Navy. The box, though, is clearly labeled: “WWII US Loading [sic] Craft.” However, the search results across the net show most of these in RN paint.
The LCT is indeed a Mark 4, which does not appear to have been used by the USN.
The LCI (L) is said to be a “short bridge British design.” I found some photos of this type, said to have landed troops of the Highland Light Infantry of Canada on Juno Beach.
The LCM includes both an LCM (I) and an LCM (II).
It seems that all of these type vessels were used for the Normandy invasion, so I will probably paint them that way (I had originally intended them for the Pacific Theater, in US Navy markings).
Proper paint seems to be available from White Ensign Colourcoats: RN white, B30 Medium Blue Green and MS2 Dark Grey.
Still, if anyone out there has any further information or clarity, I would appreciate hearing it. Ships of any kind are an entirely new venture for me. In comparison, OD over Neutral Gray is simple.