D-Day 70th anniversary event 2014

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

There will be a notice in the Compass 360 page in Model Boats magazine (you know the one) concerning this "event". The compass notice is really geared for seeing if other clubs may like to organise something. A massed LANDING around the country at , say 1100 would surely be worth a few photos in the mag I am sure, if there were sufficient events. After all, publicising the hobby has to be a good thing.

As Trevor says, we normally get there for 0900 ish. The car park has been filling up lately with cars for runners and so on…if it is a nice day, the car park normally gets to be fairly full by 1000.

Toilets are 5 mins walk away and there is a catering van permanently on site for hot/cold drinks cakes hot dogs etc.

This is an entirely INFORMAL event gathering, The aim is simply to get a good showing of landing craft and so on, as many as poss so we can try a bit of formation flying/landing "en mass". I would not want anyone turning up thinking we will have stands and banners and all that sort of thing. It is about fun at the pond, and we will have lots of it. There is a grassy knoll (as seen in the photos in Today`s Boating) where no doubt I will try and get the chaps and others to bring WW2 related models along for a bit of interest. Every one must have a PT boat in their collection surely?

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

LCT4 now has stanchions/railings..courtesy local garden centre. One inch garden mesh. £8 for a 4 foot by two foot bit, cut so that there is a 1/2"gap below the bottom rail. It is about the right size and is dead sturdy. I marked the edge of the deck with a pencil, crossed off at one inch intervals, drilled little holes with my Homebase fake Dremel, and literally tapped the railings into place with a small hammer until set according to my space blocks.

The blue/grey camo patches have bought the craft to life now, and I just have a few more items to add before it is substantially complete.

I had a bit of a eureka moment in a charity shop last week, I spotted a tractor and suddenly though that this would be just to the thing to pad out the load on the boat. They used substantial amounts of bulldozers during the landings, for beach clearance, recovery and so on. UNFORTUNATELY I have a Massey-Ferguson tractor and even when painted green doesn`t look….quite right, HOWEVER I am sure a bit of diligent searching on E-Bay will furnish me with some bulldozers. Britains farm series toys are a nice 1/32 scale

So…so far, easily available gear for your landers…. Jeeps/landrovers, Airfix soldiers, Airfix "infantry support group" (for naval crew, when painted dark blue) , any cheap tanks ….£1 shop for instance..suitably painted and if necessary, draped with camo netting, STUFF …..unidentified boxes and barrels, accompanied by soldiers.

For the more inventive…rocket loads…cotton buds (for the rocket warheads) dipped in dope or sealer and when dry painted and loaded into straw "launchers"…would look impressive on a stretched LCM.

I did think we could do landing craft football on the day.Those souls having built 4mm ply boats will have no fear (as they are indestructable) about a few bumps and it could be massive fun.

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

I like your Landing craft, Ashley

Nice colour scheme too, looks really nice on the blue sea

Would be nice with some realistic wash, fore and aft?……How about an aquarium aerator stone underneath with a source of compressed air….Somehow?

Just an idea

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Bob. They only did about 9 knots so not much wash as such. Not going full speed there.

Yes, pretty, the grey/blue mix is very effective further out on the pond.

Ashley

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

MyTimeMedia have just announced the imminent publication of a 'Bookazine' titled Normandy Landing Beaches Today. Just click on the picture on the website home page for more details.

Colin

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Will look out for that.

The poundland in Surbiton has had toy tanks in for some weeks and a pretty sad sort of thing they are too. However it is cheap and of a reasonable size so I have purchased a couple to see what can be down with them. A bit of trimming here and there, painting and even the addition of a camo net may just make it useable, and then iot will be a useful "filler" .

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I have shifted three bare LCM hulls now, one of them to a nice chap who comes down to the pond now and then with his daughter and wife and who have a couple of RTR type speedboats.

He has no experience of building anything like this, so it should be interesting. He has the hull and Dave m`s excellent diagram of how to connect the Rx,servo, ESC and battery. You could not have an easier project, but even so the list of parts I sent him for outfitting the hull did look perhaps EXTENSIVE to someone who knows nothing. He will get to know the joys of the test tank, and endless sanding and filling for that perfect surface. He may well have to buy a whole raft of tools to complete this little baby…a Stanley knife, junior hacksaw …and…er.. a Stanley knife, well you know. he will need a PLETHORA of materials to finish it off (Grey paint, sandpaper, araldite) and he may even be able to incorporate some hardboard, for that special touch.

Fortunately he will be able to see a completed craft, and I have sent piccies to him. You only have to do one to get the hang of it, and who knows he may get the bug and attempt to do something on his own after this.

In any event this means another three craft for D-Day.

Glad to see our new forum person, Robin, on the team, and he is a military modelling man, so obviously he will be the man for the job (1st June) and will no doubt suggest a good line in cheap vehicles and personell to fill everyone`s landing craft using his extensive contact base….

Ashley

NB the poundland tanks are a bit small, but I aim to have a couple of spare landers for children to try out (or boaters to join in the foot ball match) and I can have two of these tanks in each to up the interest factor.

 

Edited By ashley needham on 31/03/2014 19:44:25

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

##### please see the news item in the compass 360 page in this May`s MB magazine. ######

[Robin Buckland 2Participant @robinbuckland2]

Hi Ashley,

Sorry for my delay in replying to your query. From the looks of the example in your photo it seems to be approximately 1/32, as those look like Britain's figures. If anyone has the old Airfix 1/32 ready made Cromwell that would be one solution, but for a bit more detail then the Tamiya range do a good variety such as the Cromwell which is not too expensive and easy enough to build. An alternative might be a Sherman or a Jeep, which are also available in the Tamiya range as well as from Italeri. For figures, then the 1/32 soft plastic Airfix ones are well priced though not ready painted like the old Britains figures, which are another option.

Hope that helps, and best of luck with the event

Robin

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Robin. Oddly enough the Airfix Poly Cromwell is of course collectible now and not so readily available. I did discuss with Paul T a card Churchill tank to print, cut and fold which would look ok, or to honest anything would do under a camo net!.

The issue is cost of course ….populating even a simple LCM with decent tanks and men would end up doubling the cost…..and that would not do for likely a one off event. Yes, I had forgotten about the ready-painted Britains WW2 British army chaps, easy to come by and a good size.

This is why Pauls CAD LCM plan is available….no design or testing work required, buy ply, cut ,glue, put in very cheap gear and it is guaranteed to work. A camouflage net will cover anything inside if desperate or simply fill a stretched lander with ack-ack guns.

Quantity not quality needed to effect a massed landing

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Chaps at the pond. I will need a couple of spare radio sets , as I will have perhaps three landing craft for others to "have a go" with on the day. This will beef up the on-the-water contingent and involve some kiddies, or their Dad`s even (or Mum`s i suppose).

I know you all have old 27 or 40 sets at home as everyone has gone giggy now.

I think I have said it before but it would be a good idea to take every normal week a spare or two landing craft for onlookers to play with, to foster the boating spirit, and act as rescue boats!! Landers are good at that…..manouverable because of the low length/beam ratio and also having a nice wide flat front.

I may equip my landers with some closed cell foam at the front end for the purpose and also to stop first timers doing too much damage and give the craft a bit of grip for the football…

For those working in larger specially equipped workshops, a couple of large foam "Mulberry harbours" for towing and so on would not go amiss….

Ashley

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

I will have a count up of 27meg transmitters vs receivers vs D-day craft, I may have a spare.

Will try to get the Corvette down again next Sunday.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I was going to motorise the LCVP I made for the U.S Marines, but it is a bit small…not tooo small,, but fiddly and I cant be bothered. Unless someone wants to have a go I may cut the bottom off to make it a waterline exhibit (I have two currently). The original is filled with Airfix US Marines and looks the part. I have no more Marines but some other troops…perhaps some Aussies might be fitting?

I have used the last bit of ply to make another LCM, so I will have three spare, or at least, extra, craft for others to man (or woman…or child) on the day.

I need a 6 inch plastic ball for a landing craft knockabout, a long line with strops on for tug`o`war, and we will see what to do about the towing event, although Trevors Corvette may be the very thing….

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Trevor had the corvette down today and stunning progress!! The deck is completed, the rear bulwarks fitted and all the odd missing planks have been glued in, the superstructure trimmed more to size and perhaps the most noticeable difference, the wire-mesh railings have been applied.

The odd camber and so on evident in earlier pictures has disappeared (in part due to some saw-work previously) and it is coming together nicely. Actually, he has now cut it in half, so the coming together bit is more appropriate than it might be! The scale of the build is a bit frightening, and Trevor has his work cut out to complete before 1st June, but at least it is running well now…

In contrast, my LCT4 which, although of substantial size, was completed fairly quickly…you cant beat a flat tray for a hull!!

Third spare LCM fairly advanced now. I should have three spare landing craft for use by others/visitors on the day.

We need some WW2 era boats or whatever (I have the Nelson, Sunderland and LFM) for an "interest display" on the grassy knoll, for anyone visiting (along with your landing craft of course). Tin helmets optional!

Ashley

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Yup, progress on the corvette, as mentioned above its "coming together" cut line is visible, hopefully can be masked with camoflage and deck clutter including the lifeboats.

Next step is a coat of grey all over to visualise the overall look.

[mike farrellParticipant @mikefarrell21522]

Now then Ashley .How do you feel if I bring down my band "The Tetley Tea Boys" There would be no charge as we only require a cup of tea as payment , if none available we will bring our own.

If your water is deep enough we might be able to give a display on water other wise we will give a static display on the shore line .

Hope you approve of our style of music .I will not be playing as I only play Heavy Rock and my wife hates wearing Ear Plugs in Public in anticipation Michael

[lnvisiblemanParticipant @lnvisibleman]

Hi Ashley

Do you have any plans ( don't laugh ) ?

I have a fancy to knock one up quickly and show up at your do even without an invite !!

PM me if you need an email address

Mike

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Mike,

If you go to the first post there is a link to the lander plan desisgned by Ashley, drawn up by Paul for a £5 donantion to the British Legion a down loadable pdf is sent. A very simple but effective design it is too.

The password for free entry to the event is "Good morning" to which you should hear the reply "Good morning to you too."

[lnvisiblemanParticipant @lnvisibleman]

Posted by Trevor Holloway on 02/05/2014 09:54:15:

Mike,

If you go to the first post there is a link to the lander plan desisgned by Ashley, drawn up by Paul for a £5 donantion to the British Legion a down loadable pdf is sent. A very simple but effective design it is too.

The password for free entry to the event is "Good morning" to which you should hear the reply "Good morning to you too."

Thanks Trevor, Plans should be on the way to me soon so all I need to know now is where and when. It could be useful information.

Mike

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Bushy Park (Hampton Court Rd, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2EJ) is a public park, the carpark next to the pond is free of charge but gets popular / full reasonably early.

Discussions at the pond are currently to turn up on the morning of 1st June (usually from 9am) with the boats and have a play, probably with a ceremonial fly sail float by on each hour weather permitting.

The pond is open to all electric or sail boats (no infernal combusting allowed) the more the merrier and plenty big enough.

Then repeat it all again the following Sunday.

We may get to play Lander football, towing and steering "competitions" are also in discussion.

[lnvisiblemanParticipant @lnvisibleman]

That's about a 2 hour run for me so no problem there.

Is there disabled parking near the pond?

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

There are limited disabled bays very near the pond but obviously first come first served.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Mike (and this goes for anyone else visiting) Feel free to bring any WW2 era craft down to bump up the collection. Although we will be running the landing craft on and off, no doubt the fast boys will want to try out their torpedo boats and certainly the Sunderland will be running anti submarine patrols.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Gosh only 4 weeks build time left chaps. I have almost finished the third spare LCM, and invited one of my mates down to pilot one of them

(yes they do exist).

The secret code password for joining the event will be "Let me buy you a beer" to which the correct answer is "oh alright if you insist old chap"

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 03/05/2014 18:18:30

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Ashley

Imaginary friends don't count as mates.

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