5 Attachment(s)
WIP: FSX Solomon 1943 -- long --
Guys,
well, somebody just had to do it.
After reading many books and researching, I started my first scenery design project and I'm about half way through.
Outline
The Solomon Islands were the showplace of a huge effort of forces from the US, New Zealand and Australia to push back the Japanese movement towards the south Pacific and New Zealand. It is also the showplace of great despair, suffering and violent battles. After reading books like “Jolly Rogers”, “Baba Black Sheep” or “Black Cat Raiders” I started to fly over the Solomon in FSX to get a feeling of the area. In the beginning I was disappointed, because the landclass was way off and the mesh not at all like the real thing. FSGlobal mesh and third party landclass did some good corrections on that part, but now the meager or non existing airports started to annoy me. Thanks to www.pacificwrecks.org (please donate, Justin Taylan is doing some great work and without this information FSX Solomon 1943 would not have been possible) and ADE – airport design editor – I was able to do some vital corrections and additions here.
Most of my photographic reference data for the airfields date around the fall of 1943, so I chose the scenario to be around September 1943. The Americans had taken Vella Lavella already and were pounding Bougainville and Rabaul. The next airfield of the Japanese navy, the Ballale airfield island off the coast of Bougainville, was knocked out already (left to "wither on the vine") and the two airfields on the south coast of Bougainville were badly damaged.
Recommendations
I strongly suggest using a decent mesh for the area, like FSGlobal, FSGenesis or freeware. Also a correct landclass product is needed, the original FSX is horrible.
Surprisingly, some of the nicest payware aircraft fit right into the scenario:
Aerosoft PBY Catalina
A2A P47-D Thunderbolt
A2A WOP A6M Zero
A2A WOP P40 Warhawk
A2A F4U1-D Corsair
A2A B17 Flying Fortress
Vertigo Studios F6F Hellcat
Vertigo Studios SBD Dauntless
Sky Unlimited / Aeroplane Heaven P38 Lightning
MAAM Sim C-47 Skytrain
MAAM Sim TBF Avenger
MAAM Sim B-25 Mitchell
Alphasim B-24 Liberator or B-17
There are also a lot of free aircraft to be had, e.g. a very nice H6K Mavis, a Mitsubishi Claude, Grumman Wildcats / FM2, Kingfisher and Grumman Duck, and so on.
Unfortunatly a decent P39 Airacobra is nowhere out there…
I left Vella Lavella / Barakoma out, because Jim Dhaenens did a great job of constructing this already. It can be downloaded from http://www.simviation.com et al. See http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...akoma-Released .
You might want to download the FSX WW2 aircraft carrier group, which also comes with a nice FM2 (GM built F4F Wildcat). Historically it is dated after September 1943, especially the camouflage used later in the war, but it still fits nicely into the scenery and gives the opportunity of Coral Sea carrier ops.
Special Scenery
Thanks to the outstanding work of Justin Taylan from http://www.pacificwrecks.org, I was able to place all the important and still visible shipwrecks and even some aircraft wrecks
Airports or Seaplane bases - Status
The airfields have tower frequencies, prominent ones have NDB transmitters, and static planes in revetments and vehicles as well as other contemporary objects. They are designed after original maps and photographs of late 1943.
already completed:
Name Location
Bomber 1 / Henderson Field Guadalcanal
Bomber 2 / Carney Field Guadalcanal
Bomber 3 / Koli Field Guadalcanal
Crash Strip Guadalcanal none
Fighter 1 / Lunga Field Guadalcanal
Fighter 2 / Kukum Field Guadalcanal
*
Renard Field / South Field Russell Islands P38 and P39 bomber units
Banika Field / North Field Russell Islands fighter units, F4U, F6, F4
*
Segi Airfield New Georgia fighter units
Munda Airfield New Georgia fighter and bomber units
Ondonga Airfield New Georgia fighter units, P40, RNZAF
*
Vila Airfield Kolombangara not used, destroyed
*
Gizo Airstrip Gizo not used until after the war
Gizo seaplane base Gizo USN PBYs
*
Barakoma Airfield Vella Lavella F4U, F6F USMC, USN
*
Ballale Airfield Ballale Japanese Navy
*
Kahili Airfield Bougainville Japanese Navy
*
These are left to be completed:
Tulagi Seaplane Base - Florida Islands - ex Japanese, small RNZAF base
Halavo Seaplane Base - Florida Islands - RAAF, USN, RNZAF PBYs
*
Rekata Seaplane Base - San Cristobal - Japanese Navy
*
Tonolei Harbour - Bougainville - Japanese navy / seaplanes
*
Emergency Strip - Guadalcanal - n/a none
Seaplane Base - Russell Islands - small PBY base, and ferry traffic
Other work to be done:
- I need to populate the airfileds - this is step 2 in my workflow
- Ive never programmed AI traffic, so I have to do some learning on that part
- I've never designed scenery objects... I will have to learn how to design and texture 3d objects
- I need to gain some knowledge on how to define landclasses and redesign shorelines or build small islands and such. There is much to be done here.
- I want to build a "destruction library" that will include bomb craters, destroyed planes and other equipment or scenery to populate the airfields with
- I want to build "used look library" to make the airfields more lively (oil stains, sand heaps, wheel marks etc)
AI traffic
I will include traffic at many airfields (CAP combat air patrols), as well as long distance patrols or other missions. You will see PBYs patrolling the coasts of the islands, and Corsairs flying high altitude CAPs, as well as B-24s, B-25s or B-17s flying missions.
You will also see high speed torpedo boats on patrols, as well as Fletcher class destroyers and supply ships on their missions. Submarines and small ships will also be seen, this includes Japanese traffic!
A landable aircraft carrier with destroyers will cruise between the islands of Vella Lavella and Kolombangara.
Japanese shipping will cruise around southern Bougainville and there will be some action around Tonolei harbour and Kahili.
I have one plea to make: if anyone knows a source were I can obtain some decent static or AI planes or ships of that era, please let me know.
Timeline:
I guess I need some 6 to 8 weeks to complete this project. I hope !
But now, here are some pictures of completed basic airfields.
Cheers,
Mark Schimmer
Units based around the Solomons in 1943
Thanks for the contributions everybody. Work is going on daily and I might release a "beta-version" in the very near future.
Just for the record, and as a baseline for which units and which aircraft operated during 1943 (and only then) in that area, here is a compilation of what I have found (Source: www.pacificwrecks.org et al ). If anyone has an addition to make, I would gladly edit it in the post.
Guadalcanal
Bomber 1 / Henderson Field
USN
VF-5 (F4F), VC-40 (Avenger), VMSB-131 (Avenger),
VF-26 (F4F), VF-27 (F4F), VF-28 (F4F)
CAG 11 (Carrier Air Group 11)
VF-11 (VB-11), VB-21(SBD), VT-11 (TBF Avenger)
CASU-11 (Carrier Aircraft Service Unit)
VS-54 (SBD, OS2U)
USMC
VMTB-233 (SBD / TBF)
VMF-122 "Wolf Pack" (F4U)
VMF-124 (F4U)
VMSB-132 (SBD)
VMSB-143 (TBF)
VMSB-144 (SBD-3)
MABS-1 (Marine Air Base Squad-1)
USAAF
44th FS
38th BG, 70th BS (B-26)
42nd BG, 69th BS (B-26, B-25)
42nd BG, 75th BS (B-25)
38th BG, 70th BS (B-25)
347th FG, 67th FS (P-39)
42nd BG, 390th BS (B-25)
RNZAF
3 Squadron (6 x Hudson)
1 Squadron (PV-1) replaced 3 Squadron
Bomber 2 / Carney Field
3th AF :
42nd BG, 390th BS (B-25C)
307th BG, 371st BS (B-24D)
307th BG, 424th BS (B-24)
307th BG, 372st BS (B-24D)
307th BG, 370th BS (B-24D)
5th BG 394th BS (SB-24)
USN Units
VB-106 (PB4Y)
VB-101 (PB4Y)
VB-102 (PB4Y)
VB-104 (PB4Y)
Bomber 3 / Koli Field
13th AF, misc units
Crash Strip
none
Fighter 1 / Lunga Field
VMF-123 (F4F)
VMF-124 (F4U)
VMF-212 (F4U)
VF-38 (F6F)
Fighter 2 / Kukum Field
USAAF 13th AF:
347th FG, 68th FS
18th FG, 12th FS (P-39, P-38)
347th FG, 339th FS (P-38)
USN
VMF-124 (F4F)
RNZAF
15 Squadron (P-40)
14 Squadron (P-40)
16 Squadron (P-40)
Florida Islands
Halavo Seaplane Base
USN
VP-12
VP-14
VP-24 (PBY Catalina)
VP-44
VP-54
VP-71
VP-74
Santa Isabel
Rekata Japanese Seaplane Base
E13A1
F1M2
A6M2-N
F1M2 Petes
Chitose Air Group (five A6M2-N Rufes and nine E13A1 Jakes)
Other ships provide two more F1M2s, two E13A1s and nine E7K2 Alfs.
Russell Islands
Renard Field / South Field
347th FG, 67th FS (P-39,P-38)
North Field (Banika Field, Sunlight Field)
USMC
MAG-21 HQ
VMF-124 (F4U)
VMF-213 (F4U)
VMF-214 (F4U)
VMF(N)-531 (PV-1)
USN
STAG-1 (TDN's drones)
Seaplane Base
PBYs
New Georgia
Segi Airfield
925th AAA AW BN
47th Construction Battalion, C company
VF-38 (12 x F6F)
VF-40 (12 x F6F)
VF-33 (24 x F6F)
Fotos of F4Fs in Segi also exist, SBDs got serviced there at a CASU outfit
Munda Airfield
USN
VC-24 (SBD x 24)
VC-40 (TBF)
VF-33 (F6F)
VF-38 (F6F)
CASU 14 (Carrier Aircraft Service Unit)
VB-148 (PV-1)
VB-140 (PV-1)
USMC
ComAir New Georgia
VMSB-236 (SBD)
VMF 124
VMF-213 (F4U)
VMF 214 (F4U)
VMF 215 (F4U)
VMF 221 (F4U)
VMSB-142 (TBF)
VMTB-143 (TBF)
USAAF 13th AF
307th BG. 370th BS (B-24)
307th BG, 371st BS (B-24)
307th BG, 372d BS (B-24)
307th BG, 424th BS (B-24)
Ondonga Airfield
American Units
VMF-216
VF-33 (F6F)
VF-17 (36 x F4U)
MABS-1 from Henderson Nov 43 - May 26, 44 to Munda
RNZAF
15 Squadron (P-40) C.O. SL S.G. Quill
18 Squadron (P-40)
14 Squadron (P-40) C.O. SL J. H. Arkwright
16 Squadorn (P-40)
17 Squadron (P-40)
Kolombangara
Vila Airfield, not used by allies, destroyed
Japanese aircraft stationed there:
B5N Kate
G4M1 Betty
D3A2 Val
A6M3 M32 Hamp
A6M2 Model 21 Zero
Gizo
Seaplane base Gizo USN PBYs
Vella Lavella
Barakoma Airfield
VMF-221
VMF-212 (F4U)
VMF-214 "Black Sheep" (F4U)
VMF-215 (F4U)
VMF-321
VF-40 (F6F)
VMF(N)-531 (PV-1 Ventura)
Ballale
Ballale Airfield Japanese Navy
IJN) Japanese Naval Units Based at Ballale
2nd Carrier Division (Vice-Admiral Kakuji Kakuda) HQ in Rabaul, staging base for Guadalcanal attacks on Ballale
Zuiho Sentouki-tai (18 A6M)
251st Kokutai Detachment
702nd Kokutai Detachment (G4M1 Betty)
705nd Kokutai Detachment (G4M1 Betty)
204th Kokutai Detachment (A6M Zero)
(JAAF) Japanese Naval Units Based at Ballale
11th Sentai (Ki-43-I)
Base Defense Units
18th Construction Group
6th Kure Chinjufu (Talahashi Group - 3 x 12cm Guns, Kanehara Group)
7th Yokosuka Chinjufu Miyake (4 x 7cm Guns)
13th Anti-Aircraft Group (Imoo Group)
Bougainville
Kahili Airfield Japanese Navy
Units based at Kahili (Buin):
Navy 11th Air Fleet
201th Kokutai (A6M Zero)
204th Kokutai (A6M Zeros detachment)
582nd Kokutai (D3A Val detachment)
Kara Airfield
??? Unit, A6M3 Zeros