US Army Air Corps GB - Deadline extended again to June 30, 2009

[Aggieman]

Hello all!

The US Army Air Corps was the air arm of the United States Army from 1924 - 1948, when the United States Air Force officially came into existence. This group build will be for any aircraft that flew for the USAAC during the time period of 1924 - 1948. Rules will be simple:

1. Must have flown with USAAC units from 1924 - 1948.

2. Any scale is allowed.

3. Simple OOB build or add to your build with scratch-built or after-market goodies. Your choice

4. Multiple entries welcome.

5. Entries from other group builds are welcome so long as they fit within the rules here.

6. Time frame: September 1, 2008 through May 8, 2009 (the beginning of war in Europe to VE Day). Can join at any time. DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JUNE 30, 2009

7. And finally, have fun!

For a list of aircraft of the USAAC, visit this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_aircraft_of_the_United_States There are a lot of aircraft on this site that will not qualify for this GB.

This is the badge I came up with. If anyone has a better idea, I’m open to suggestions.

-or-

the badge that Darth Trader created

Airman		Kit		Status
Jeffrey (new1)		Revell 1/48 P-40B Tiger Shark		Not started
IL2windhawk		AmTech 1/48 P-40F 57th FS, 64th FS Mediterranean theater of operations		Completed
Hans von Hammer		Monogram 1/48 B-24J Liberator		Scratched
		Pro-Modeler 1/48 A-26B Invader		Scratched
		Monogram 1/48 SBD modified as A-24 Banshee (tentative)		Not started
Aaron (sfcmac)		Academy 1/48 P-36A Hawk		Completed
Charles (Mucker)		Hasegawa 1/48 P-51D Mustange		Completed
lewbud		Revell 1/72 P-26 Peashooter		Not started
Matt (USArmyFAO)		Monogram 1/48 P-61 Black Widow		Not started
Rob (viper_mp)		Academy 1/48 P-36A Hawk		Completed
arki30		Hasegawa 1/48 P-38J Lightning		Started
bspeed		Hobbycraft 1/72 Beech C-45 Expeditor		Not started
John (tempestjohnny)		Academy 1/72 P-51D Mustang		Completed
WarHammer		Tamiya 1/72 P-47D Razorback		Not started
BigSmitty		AMT/ERTL 1/48 A-20G Havoc		Scratched
		Tamiya 1/72 P-47D Razorback “Sleepy Time Gal” 5th AF, 58th FG		Completed
Darth Trader		Revell 1/48 P-38J Lightning		Completed
		Hasegawa 1/48 P-40N Warhawk		Completed
		Academy 1/48 P-47N Thunderbolt		Possible
FeldMarSchall Model		Monogram 1/48 B-17G Flying Fortress		Started
Steven (Aggieman)		Academy 1/48 P-36A Hawk		Completed

The Squadron:

IL2Windhawk P-40F

Big Smitty P-47D

sfcmac P-36A

Darth Trader P-38J

Darth Trader P-40N

viper_mp P-36A

arki30 P-38J

Aggieman P-36A

Mucker P-51D

[arki30]

Uh, can we assume you mean May of 2009? Otherwise the build time frame might be hard to achieve! [:D]

[Aggieman]

Ooops! Further proof of the need to proof-read before releasing written work. Thanks for the catch, yes, I did intend for 2009 and did not assume that everyone here has access to a Delorean with a flux capacitor.[;)]

[new1]

not sure how or where to do this… but i would like to join

i have the 1/48 Revell P-40B tiger shark

[IL2windhawk]

My next build will be a P-40F, serving with the 57th FG in Africa. I’d love to enter this GB with this kit, but as I understand it: this P-40F flew for the USAAF. Is that somehow part of the USAAC? Confused [%-)]

[Hans_von_Hammer]

I’d love to enter this GB with this kit, but as I understand it: this P-40F flew for the USAAF. Is that somehow part of the USAAC?

Actually, the US Army Air Corps became the US Army Air Forces in 1941.

http://www.aafha.org/aaf_or_aircorps.html

U.S. Army personnel have traditionally been assigned to branches: Infantry, Artillery, Air Corps, Quartermaster Corps, Corps of Engineers, etc. Branches were generally responsible for training and materiel, although their roles changed from time to time. Operational commands, such as combat divisions and corps, integrated personnel from multiple branches; e.g., Infantry, Artillery, Quartermaster and so on.

**

The Army Air Forces (AAF) came into being on June 20, 1941, six months before Pearl Harbor.** As war approached, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson and Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall saw the need for a stronger role for Army aviation. Consequently they created the Army Air Forces with General H. H. (Hap) Arnold as its head.

Army Air Forces attained quasi autonomy in March 1942, a few months after the we entered the war. Acting under authority of the War Powers Act, Secretary Stimson approved a major War Department reorganization. Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces were made co-equal commands. Significantly, as Commanding General of the AAF, General Arnold became a member of the WW II Joint Chiefs of Staff along with the Army Chief of Staff (General Marshall), the Chief of Naval Operations (Admiral Ernest J. King), and President Roosevelt’s principal military adviser (Admiral William D. Leahy).

The AAF expanded rapidly. It initially had two subordinate organizations, the Air Corps for training and materiel and Air Force Combat Command (replacing GHQ Air Force) for operational forces. As the wartime build-up proceeded, more commands were added – Flying Training Command, Technical Training Command, Ferrying Command, the numbered air forces and so on.

In the course of wartime expansion and reorganization, the Air Corps ceased to be an operating organization. All elements of Army aviation were merged into the Army Air Forces. Although the Air Corps still legally existed as an Army branch, the position of Chief of the Air Corps was left vacant, and the Office of the Chief of the Air Corps was dissolved.

The Army Air Forces thus replaced the Air Corps as the Army aviation arm and – for practical purposes – became an autonomous service. All World War II Army aviation training and combat units were in the AAF. About 2.4 million men and women served in the AAF. Around 600,000 of these were members of other branches, such as Engineers, Ordnance and Quartermaster. (The official history published after the war is entitled The Army Air Forces in World War II.)

World War II Air Corps personnel had a strong sentimental attachment to their branch. The Air Corps had an aura about it that seemed to set it apart from other Army branches. Now, sixty years later, many WW II servicemen still proudly identify themselves as veterans of the Air Corps. However – although the Air Corps was their branch – they actually served and fought in the Army Air Forces!

In honoring Army aviation in WW II, the most appropriate and inclusive identification is Army Air Forces.

Bottom line is that if it’s an Army bird, it’s a go…

[Aggieman]

Thank you for the clarification, Colonel.

For purposes of this group build, USAAC = USAAF.

[Hans_von_Hammer]

Put me down for a Pro Modeler 1/48th A-26B, Aggieman… Tentative Monogram 1/48th SBD modified to an A-24 Banshee may follow…

[mucker]

Steven:

I’m pretty sure my 1/48 Academy P-47N would fit the bill. I’d like to enter it into the GB if it does.

Charles

[Aggieman]

Charles,

Yes, that P-47N fits the bill. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

[lewbud]

Steven,

Would like to join, but have few irons in the fire. Perhaps something from the interwar period will let you know when I know.

[lewbud]

Steven,

Would like to join, but have few irons in the fire. Perhaps something from the interwar period will let you know when I know.

Ok, I know. Revell 1/72 P-26.

[Aggieman]

Today I’ve finally decided on my build for this GB … the 1/48 Academy P-36 Hawk. Sure it’s the big brother of the P-40, of which I’ve built 5 recently, but it’s not a P-40! It’ll be a Pearl Harbor defender after I research the -36s that were assigned to USAAC squadrons on Pearl Harbor. And I’ll probably want to get a set of aftermarket decals as I’ve long heard that the Academy decals leave a lot to be desired.

I’m also leaving open the possibility of adding a second and perhaps third build for this GB, but those will only come as time allows.

[IL2windhawk]

Excellent. I’ve always like the P-36.
Did any P-36s get airborne during the melee of Pearl Harbor?

[arki30]

Aggieman, I’m in with a 1/48 Hasegawa P-38J. It’s been in my stash for a very long time and needs to get built!

[USArmyFAO]

If at all possible I have the Revell P-61 I would like to enter…

[Hans_von_Hammer]

Excellent. I’ve always like the P-36.
Did any P-36s get airborne during the melee of Pearl Harbor?

Wiki says five P-36As got airborne out of 39, with a loss of one, and two Zero kills… This ain’t Army Air Force, but the P-36 was credited with Wildcat kills as well. Vichy French P-36s scored on the US Navy during the opening of Operation Torch in N. Africa…

http://www.aviationarthangar.com/fel02.html

[arki30]

Little more than a week before the start of this GB. [:-^]

[lewbud]

Anybody know a good match for the gloss olive drab color used on the P-26 in the interwar period?

[Aggieman]

Buddy, sorry but I don’t have an answer to your question. Still reeling over the loss last night I witnessed first hand in College Station. Most displeased.

In other news, tomorrow is the first of September. For everyone in this group build, it’s time to start! At least for those of us who are ready. I for one am in the middle of two other group builds so my launch point will be delayed some.