January 2 - Part Two - A proposed layout for the harbour

Quote

Strike while the iron's hot.

Pre-amble

Began planning a suitable layout tonight while trying to recover from this nasty flu that's been with me for over a week now. First proposal. As pointed out in header description, this will be subject to (much) amending, mind-changing, and revising. 

Hopefully...

Otherwise, I am happy to go with this layout design if there are not too many objections or revisions. There is also the time constraint, i.e., the time schedule of my 2024 Makeover Project plan as posted earlier. I should add though that the Makeover Project plan was only ever a guideline to help me focus and not really a commandment. 

Port description

Natural deep water that is able to cater to nearly all types of ships. A typical Pacific island overtaken by the enemy. Much construction made to improve and strengthen its function as a main harbour for the region. And it's a major threat to the Allied command as they strive to regain control of the region. 

Capital Ship Pier

For future use. Specifically for use by big ships like Yamato/Musashi. When not used, handles several lesser capital ships - battlecruisers, cruisers, etc. Can even handle aircraft carriers (which I do have but not revealed yet - the Shokaku). 

Piers

To handle all the vessels plying their trade in these waters. 

Port Facilities

Storage warehouses as well as some limited manufacturing, repair shops, and administrative buildings. Includes accommodation for large military contingent.

Oil Storage

Self-explanatory

Fuel Storage

Also self-explanatory

No-Go Area

Sizeable local/native population areas clustered around a small headland. I may add more later on. It all depends on how complex or cluttered I make this board. This is marked on the map above in RED for a reason: don't target it.

Green hatched areas

Yes, you guessed it. Targetted areas for the Allied bombers and attack aircraft. 

Construction

Will likely use styrofoam on a hard board base as foundation and then layer-up amd shape the landscape using some type of suitable modelling paste to give physical form. Then add some jungle foliage to add an element of "realism". But not going overboard.  

Port Defences

Not started because the items are not yet acquired or assembled. Can use proxies to represent at a pinch (flat tic-tac toe counters for example) or can even scratch-build something suitable (time-willing).

Airfield

Considering whether to have an airfield (off-map) on the island or opt to have them stationed on a nearby island within reach. A harbour of this importance will have aerial coverage for certain. And that will be the case as I have both Naval and Army airplanes. 

1 January 2024 - Part One of Harbour set done

 Happy New Year and all that jazz. 

Sat down and painted up a few things to complete the first part of this Harbour set build. 

These painted ships should suffice for the solo combined naval/air wargame that will take place later on this year. From left to right the "bigger" vessels are the destroyer Akatsuki, the destroyer Sakura, the Type 19 Minesweeper, the Type 13 Sub chaser, and the Hiroshima-class Minelayer (according to the Tamiya site). Heavy black wash finished off the painting. Used both Vallejo and cheap craft paints.

The port facilities and surrounding buildings including enough for a small town or couple of local villages. Just added another coating of paint on the main structures. Not going to improve the oil storage tanks. They'll probably get bombed anyway by the American attack aircraft.

With that done, Part One is complete. Part Two consists of the remaining terrain elements - part of the island for a backdrop and the port itself. Maybe add a nearby military airfield.

Correction: While I acquired Tamiya 1/700 Waterline series aircraft (Early War), I also acquired Trumpeter clear plastic aircraft (also 1/700). I have yet to drag them out and start painting. Will add them to Part Two's to-do activity. Needing more 20mm round bases as well. Cheers.

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29 December 2023 - Japanese naval base in the South Pacific

Went into studio today to attempt to locate my missing WW1 Albatros D-IIIs & IVs. Did not get far. Instead, I revived this old project started many years ago. It is based on the Tamiya Harbour set designed for 1/700 waterline ships. Not sure if I bought the one kit or several as the basic kitset these days features only the one large crane.

Adding this project to my 2024 Makeover Project.

Remembered that I bought a Tugboat set consisting of several harbour vessels easily found in a bustling seaport.

 

And a box of auxiliary vessels to complete what was conceived then as my grand plan for a Japanese naval base set somewhere in the Pacific. Target for a US naval force to attack using my General Quarters III ruleset.

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Started colouring-in the windows on the storage/workshop sheds.

 

Used black texta fine tip pen. May repaint the building but then it looks good enough for now.

 

As seen I have three large cranes and three storage/workshop buildings which leads me to believe I acquired three kits. The group of four structures to the right are scratchbuilds using off-cuts of balsa. All I've done today was apply a thin wash of watered-down black acrylic primarily to give definition for the next stage of painting.

 

Lots more scratchbuilds. This time I create towns/villages built-up areas to both surround the port and showcase centres of population. Fuel or storage tanks are to the right. And to the right of those three tanks are four more "proxy" storage/fuel tanks - actually old plastic lids from large litre containers. Necessity is the mother of invention, they say.

 

Floating moorage buoys(?). Missing little orange round items (description eludes me at the moment). I know they exist but can't remember where I placed them. 

 

Combination Tugger and Auxiliary kitsets given black wash prior to further painting. 

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Got a bit carried away as I decided to bring out the 1/700 airplanes that go with this project. Did not realise I had so many. 

Corsairs on the left and Mitchell bombers on the right. About two squadrons in total. Part of the intending US attack group.

 

Silver-coated Dauntless torpedo/dive bombers on the left. To the right are the Hellcats. Again, around two squadrons worth.

 

Have to excuse me as my Japanese aircraft recognition is poor to non-existent. I only know just the one aircraft - the famed Zero (left). As for the others, I've had to do some quick internet searching, and make guesses. Please correct me if I am wrong. The two groups in different colours to right of the Zeros are what I reckon are Val dive bombers. The wing tip shape is my clue to believing this so. One group is in Japanese Army colours while the other is Imperial Japanese Navy. 

A number of Vals are missing their aircraft markings (did not have enough decals at the time). May simply apply red dots using a suitable paint pen. 

 

Second group (above) are what I believe to be Kate torpedo bombers. Both Army and Navy versions. Enough for one combined squadron. On the foam strips are two groups of mostly Val planes needing completion. Ran out of 20mm round plastic bases hence why they're still on their foam strips. 

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Objectives: 

Two parts. Part One will be to finish off what's started. This involves painting up the harbour vessels, finishing off the dockyard facilities - workshops, storage, and administration, completing the airplanes and finishing off their basing, and finalising details on the local accommodations and associated village/town buildings. 

Part Two will be to construct or create an occupation harbour along with constructed piers able to handle large military vessels. Maybe even have a large cruiser docked taking on supplies and making repairs. 

Thoughts: 

It's still the tail-end of December so I am definitely jumping the gun. But the early bird catches the early worm, as they say. And I kind of feel there's a quite a bit of work involved to get the momentum happening. Once that happens, then the project will generate its own momentum; it's just getting started.  

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