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Monday 1 October 2018

6mm Marine Air Wing for Arctic Strike

This weekend I've been putting together the Marine Air Wing which will support NATO forces in Norway for our upcoming Arctic Strike megagame in Grimsby in a couple of weeks.  The MAW could have been operating from a carrier task force offshore or taken from POMCUS storage facilities in bunkers set up in Norway.  Bv206 transports for the leg infantry would have been provided by Norway and made available to the USMC troops upon arrival in-country.

First up, not USMC aircraft but 4 Marineflieger Tornados, displaced from northern Germany and now relocated in Denmark or southern Norway.


One of the West German Tornados in more detail.


Top cover for the USMC task force, a pair of F-14 Tomcats.


A long range Shackelton AEW/ECCM aircraft operating out of RAF Lossiemouth.


A U2 spyplane, again available for high altitude surveillance and ECCM tasks.


A pair of Broncos, able to provide transport for a commander, forward air controller of artillery observer.


A pair of Douglas A-4 Skyhawks, long obsolete by 1985, but these are in trainer livery and could plausibly represent trainers pressed into active service.


A flight of three F-8 Crusaders.


AV-8B Harrier II jump jets in USMC service.


F-4 Phantoms, two marine aircraft in green and brown camo and one navy jet in sea grey.


F-18 Hornets.


A-6 Intruders, the most potent aircraft available to the USMC.  Because they were capable of carrying nuclear weapons, they were prohibited in Norway, although I am assuming all restrictions were off in the event of a hot war and these aren't going to be used in the nuclear role.


F-16 Fighting Falcons.


Again, operating from RAF Lossiemouth, a flight of 3 RAF Tornados.


A pair of RAF Harriers, possibly operating from a RN Commando carrier or converted cargo vessel.


Ageing, but still available, a flight of 3 Buccaneers, two RAF and one in RN colours from the 1970's.  Most likely relocated from the U.K. to Denmark or southern Norway.


A flight of 3 Jaguars, either flying long range from Lossiemouth or from airbases in southern Norway.


That's it for fixed wing aircraft, sadly, I can't locate the rotor USMC aircraft, which should include 3 AH-1 Sea Cobras, 4 CH-46 Phrogs and 2 CH-53 Sea Stallions.  I have managed to find three Sea Kings in RN 1970s livery and 2 CH-47 Chinooks from the US Army, so can press these into service providing lift for the USMC at a pinch.  I'm going to have to have another search for the box with the correct aircraft though.

Looking forward to seeing these in action in a couple of weeks.

10 comments:

  1. Great work. Lovely aircraft.

    Cheers,

    Pete.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Pete. Just wish I could find the helicopters!

      Cheers, Andy

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  2. Awesome, Andy, and quite an eclectic mix! I’ve always been a bit partial to the F-8, ‘Last of the Gunfighters.’ Of course, Marine Phantoms, Harriers, and Broncos are cool, too.

    V/R,
    Jack

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    Replies
    1. The Bronco always looks cool. Having read Lonely Warrior a few years ago, they seem so cool.

      Cheers, Andy

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    2. Andy,

      I've never heard of Lonely Warrior, I'll have to look that up. When I was a kid I lived on a base that had OV-10Ds, I thought they were pretty cool, too.

      V/R,
      Jack

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    3. My mistake, "A Lonely Kind of War" by Marshall Harrison

      https://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Kind-War-Marshall-Harrison/dp/1456834959/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YZ8CD7N8AQ8W9YBGMED0

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  3. Looking good Mr C. We'll need all the aircraft we can get considering the rate that we NATO players lose them at these big games!

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    Replies
    1. LOL, know what you mean. Still given CVs of 8, we should be able to call in a few strikes. Just need to suppress the darned air defences with artillery I guess.

      Cheers, Andy

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  4. Great stuff Andy looking forward to seeing them line up in Grimsby.
    Cheers, Richard P

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    Replies
    1. Cheers Richard. Found the rotary aircraft and raiding boats - just had to do a bit of repair work.

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