Ship Models

The Queen Mary has a ship model museum.

The ships are about 1/48th scale.

They are highly detailed and would make great wargame pieces.

Many of the ship models are sliced in half so on one side they are regular ships, and on the other side they are open rooms.  Each ship is about 15 feet long or more.

The models are all highly detailed with bunks, kitchens and people!

The carpets and windows are just some of the excellent details.

Queen Mary

MRS Bunkermeister and I visited the Queen Mary, in Long Beach, CA.

We took a tour and stayed a night on the ship.

Besides being one of the most luxurious ship ever to sail the seven seas, it was a troopship in WWII.

The ship is 1930's era technology; this is the movie theater.

This is our humble stateroom.

Foosball Twiki

While at a dollar store I saw this little game.  It's a sort of miniature Foosball.

I think the figures will get cut off and repainted.  The look a bit like Twiki from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century TV series.  I think they will be a good investment.

Observe and Report

PT boat with crew.

Everything is a blur as a possible enemy ship is sighted.

Break radio silence and send a signal to HQ.

PT boats often were in place to observe the enemy.

Planes can scramble and be on the enemy ship in minutes.

In the meantime the PT boats can attack, watch the action from afar if the ship is not within striking range.

PT boats have limited fuel and so their range is not long.

Sometimes you have done you job if you have only observed and reported those observations.

Crusing

The seated figures feet fit into special holes in the deck to secure him in place.

Tim Mee dog, I like my troops to have a mascot.

Helmets and accessories are typically silver but I did pick up a few green ones in the 1970's.

Very old MPC figure in trench coat, some of the very old ones don't have the hole in the base.

He is a slot hand figure and pre-dates the ring hand figures.

PT boats can fight each other, larger boats, barges, and deposit landing parties on the beach.

A small patrol of four PT boats has eight torpedoes, enough to sink a battleship.

Cruising along.

PT Boats

Four boats patrolling in line.

The torpedoes can take a rubber band and actually fire!

Ring hand figures by MPC some with life jackets.

Some wear helmets and ammo belts.

Figures have a hole in the base so they attach to the ship and don't fall overboard.

Doggie is Tim Mee and he has no base.

A great set with a lot of play value.

Fifty Caliber

When battle stations sounds, even the cook has to drop his frying pan and man a gun.

.50 caliber machine guns were originally conceived as anti-tank guns.

Enemy fire from the jungle side!

Prepare to return fire.

Fire!

Those big .50's fire a 1/2 inch in diameter bullet.

It does not take long before the enemy is silent.

Patrol Boats

That may be a scruffy little dog, but it's a great big machine gun.

On patrol, in green uniforms in case they form a landing party.

Sailor with a frying pan.  Sailors gotta eat.

Patrols can get long, even a day or two.

Crew with small arms.

Dog keeps watch from the highest deck.

Four boats make up the patrol.