Flights of Fancy

The latest additions to the Angels 20/Bandits High collection. From left to right: top row - two each of Typhoon, Spitfire 9 and Yak 1, middle row - two each of Zeros, Oscars and, joy of joy, Stukas. Bottom row - two each of FW190A, Me109F and Me109G.

This morning saw the arrival of a selection of reinforcements for my Axis and Allies Angels 20/Bandits High collection from the US of A. There are eighteen models in total and the only new types are the pair of JU87 Stukas. These will be handy for the RAF to use as target practice! The collection is now in a very healthy condition although still with a few holes that will need filling in due course. As it currently stands I now own the following:

4 x Spitfire 1 - used for the Battle of Britain

4 x Spitfire 9 - used for raider purposes or as escorts for Typhoons

8 x Hurricane 1 - two of these are planned to be painted in Soviet Union colours, I am unsure about another two and the remaining four will be in Battle of Britain plumage

6 x Me109E - two of these will be painted in an Eastern Front scheme whilst the other four are for the Battle of Britain

4 x Me110 - two of these will also be used for the Eastern Front whilst the other two will be for the Battle of Britain

4 x Me109F - destined for the Eastern Front

4 x Me109G - defence of the Reich

8 x FW190A - four of these will be used on the Channel Front whilst the other four are for the defence of the Reich

2 x FW190D - defence of the Reich

2 x P38 - daylight bomber escort

4 x P51B/C - daylight bomber escort

8 x Wildcat - four for the Pacific and four to be repainted into FAA Martlets

2 x P39 - early Pacific

2 x P40 - early Pacific

2 x Sturmovik - Eastern front

4 x Yak 1 - Eastern front

4 x Oscar - Pacific

4 x Zero - Pacific

2 x Zero “Hamp” - Pacific

4 x Tony - Pacific

I do not own any French or Italian aircraft - perhaps a later project - and there are still a few holes to fill in this part of the collection. I would like to pairs of the following types - La5, P39N and P40 lend-lease for the USSR and a pair of P51Ds.

I rather fancy a modest desert set up but the choice of aircraft available from the official ranges is a little thin. I guess 3D printed options maybe a good shout and indeed, that very nice gentlemen Mr David Manley has been dipping his toes into 1:100th scale aircraft and recently sent me a brace of Boulton Paul Defiants and a pair of Westland Whirlwinds. I am sure there are others to be found if one is prepared to look long and hard enough.

The map from TSR’s Dawn Patrol. Hardly “No-mans Land” - nary a trench to be seen!

Winding the clock back from WW2 to WW1 I am happy to announce that all the German and Austrian aircraft counters from Dawn Patrol have now been mounted on 3mm thick 25mm squares. All that remains from this stage of the project is the thirteen assorted AA counters as well as a pair of observation balloons - one for each side. Once these have been mounted I can then look to edge the aircraft and balloon counters in sky blue with green for the AA and balloon bases. 

A lone SE5/5A on patrol. Note the dice frame used for a D6 to denote the altitude level from 1 to 6.

I mentioned previously about using Angels 20 as the basis for a set of rules for the Great War. I have had a bit of a think about this and have come u with a better idea, thanks to the esteemed Mr Huband. He had developed a very simple Portable Wargame style game for the infamous “Fokker Scourge”. After having taken a look at what he had produced for this I reckoned that with a little tweak here and there, a set covering the latter stages of the Great War should be straightforward enough to tackle. So, with his blessing, that is what I am looking at doing.