Lesser Known Forces GB. *** Complete/Archived ***

[fredk]

Having completed my Finnish A/F MiG15 I was wondering if we ever had a GB for 'Lesser Known Air Forces'.
Exclude the main five [UK, USA, Germany, Soviet Union*, & Japan] which are usually well covered by us in models.
One model to represent a smaller country, perhaps two if they changed markings during their history, eg Finland - Blue swastika to 1944, blue/white circles -1944 to now
*Soviet Union, but allowing pre & post CCCP Russia
Many kits give optional decals for smaller countries, again eg Airfix Hurricane 1 - Belgium, Gladiator - Eire, F51D - Dominican Republic, so searching out decals need not be a big job or cost.
From 1903 to now, as long as its one of the smaller countries, the more obscure the better.
Any ideas, any mileage in this?

Head count;
1.. fredk
2.. lancfan
3.. jssel
4.. TobyC
5.. K5083
6.. Old Tonto
7.. Dazzled
8.. Splash
9.. philp
10. TimJ
11. Molly-new
12. PaulBradley
12a Brickie
14. TomW
15. despondman
16. kitaholic
17. Przemek
18. Barry
19. Purplethistle
20. Marek

A tweaking of the idea;
Any small or lesser represented country - extra kudos for the more obscure it is.
Any model subject as long as it can be clearly seen to be of that lesser represented country.
Only one modeller and one model per country - a modeller can do as many countries he/she chooses but no-one else may do that same country then. As there are around 160 counties and only a few of us there are plenty to go around. The idea is to do as many of these lesser known countries as we can.

Please let me know if this sounds ok, or needs changed.

Modeller.................... Country/ies
1.. lancfan...................Dominican Republic, Cuba
2.. fredk......................Finland, North Vietnam
3.. Old Tonto...............Burma
4.. TimJ......................Singapore
5.. philp......................Jordan
6.. jssel.......................Kenya
7.. Splash....................India, Rhodesia
8.. TobyC....................Manchukou
9.. Dazzled...................Mali [hopefully, ]
10. K5083.....................Bolivia
11. Molly-new...............Israel, Switzerland
12. PaulBradley.............Croatia
12a Brickie....................Zimbabwe, Costa Rica
14. TomW....................Angola
15. despondman............Belgium, Eire
16. kitaholic..................AURI [Indonesia]
17. Przemek..................Poland
18. Barry......................South Korea
19. Purplethistle..............New Zealand
20. Marek......................Turkey

[lancfan]

Count me in for this, this is a good excuse to use some of the Esci & Plasty decals in the stash.


David.

[Chris]

I proposed this a few months ago, didn't get 6.

[fredk]

You did? Sorry, I missed it.
I did a quick search and nowt showed up.

[jssel]

I would sign up for this. I also have gobs of ESCI decals.

[fredk]

Actually, this need not be confined to just aeroplanes. Ships and AFVs could be included.
The Ajax which took on the Graf Spee in 1939 was Australian was it not, the Finns used German AFVs with a funny shaped cross marking, Israel used Shermans, the Irish Army used Cromwells, HMS Campbeltown could be done as the USS Buchanan....that sort of thing.
As long as the subject can be identified as being not from the big 5 by way of markings [usually] then I think it could be included.

[VickersVandal]

I'd be keen to add a 1930s Chinese Nationalist AF build into the mix.

[fredk]

4 interested so far.
I'm encouraged.

[TobyC]

4 interested so far.
I'm encouraged.

Make that 5

[TimJ]

Count me in, I've got quite a few that would qualify.

[K5083]

I would jump in, I think.

Not sure exactly what "little known" means. Nationalist Chinese? Wasn't China already the biggest country in the world then? But whatever, I'd find something.

August

[Old_Tonto]

Sounds like a good idea to cover what we use to call 'Gonzo' armies.

I have a plan to build a Burmese Spitfire so count me in.

[JohnRatzenberger]

...... HMS Campbeltown could be done as the USS Buchanan.....

???? Campbeltown was Buchanan for about 25 years before she was Campbeltown ????

[splash]

This sounds like a good idea put me down as a possible.

Regards Splash

[fredk]

oh, wow guys, I'm encouraged by your responses.
A head count gives
1. fredk
2. lancfan
3. jssel
4. VickersVandal
5. TobyC
6. K5083
7. Old Tonto
[8. Splash] penciled in.

Thats one [or two] more than the minimum required.
Shall I set up a poll for a possible date? I'm thinking it may have to be late next spring at the earliest. Any suggestions folks?

K5083/August; 'little known', or under represented on our modelling shelves. How many of us have put the chrysanthemum of Nationalist China on a model? Put that marking on any model and very few if any of the public would know what country it is - therefore 'lesser known'.

...... HMS Campbeltown could be done as the USS Buchanan.....

???? Campbeltown was Buchanan for about 25 years before she was Campbeltown ????

Ah, my mistake. In my eagerness I forgot the plan is to exclude the US as one of the big 5.