Part Three SS Dollar Tree

Rear view, I kept the net to use for salvage operations.  Note the life ring on the cabin.  Bollards also added at the bow end.

More progress on carving out the entrance door.

Antennas for communications, direction finding and radar.

Small anchor at the bow.

1943 forward antenna array with radar.  Note small light on the front top.

Pre 1943 antennas with direction finding and communications.

I made two removable inserts so the ship can serve for a long number of years.  Small craft like this are often used in harbors and in close to shore for all sorts of routine work.  Small diving and salvage jobs, cargo and personnel transfers, message delivery.
 

Part Two SS Dollar Tree

Strelets WWII US Navy sailors man the SS Dollar Tree.

Here I have made some improvements to the ship.  I used my Dremel tool to buzz off most of the chian.

I added a bumper, anchor, ladder, box of cargo, a pump for a hard hat diver, and various antennas and lights.

View without the crew.

The air compressor pump is removable so I can have the live bait tank or pump in place as the scenario demands.

I am also making the rear window into a split window with a doorway on the starboard side of the ship.
 

Pegasus Landing Craft and Airfix

Airfix LCM landing craft poly plastic.

Airfix and Aurora side by side with Airfix Marines.

I build my LCVP landing craft without the rudders or screws since they will likely be broken off in game play.

The Pegasus LCVP with Airfix crew.

The LCVP is too large to fit in the LCM.

Pegasus LCVP with it's semi-clear plastic water base, very cool I think.
 

Draftee

That helmet looks a bit large for this GI.

He is PVT Billy Nelson they youngest member of the platoon.

Rather a maniacal look in this view.

But in reality he is quite tame.  In fact, he is Barbies boyfriend Ken, drafted into the Army when my daughter stopped playing with dolls.

He wears the standard Third Squad gear, the shirt is so old it has faded in the light.
 

Second Squad

This figure is from my Second Squad.

He is a newer GI Joe figure you can tell by the bigger hands.  They grip better than the originals but I don't think they look as good.

He also is wearing 21st Century Toys field gear, his suspenders, pistol belt, canteen, canteen cover, first aid pouch are all from 21st Century Toys.  I found a bunch of the US Airborne uniform and equipment sets on sale at Toys R US when 21st Century Toys folded.  So I got all of them I could find and got enough for two squads.  I don't do paratroopers but the rifles, grenades, and web gear are the same.  It looks more realistic than the GI Joe stuff, but I have a soft place in my heart for the GI Joe gear.

I think it looks pretty good on him.  Note the shirt is probably Formative.  I have been gradually buying GI Joe shirts be still don't have quite enough.

First aid pouch and ammo pouch are resin I think.

Canteen and cover are one piece molded together.
 

GI Joe Action Sailor

GI Joe Action Sailor sitting on the breakwater at high tide.

He has a bit of down time.

Take off your boots and relax.

Gather a few starfish.

And soak up the sun.

Strelets US Navy 1/72nd Scale

The set includes a water cooled .50 caliber anti-aircraft machine gun.

 These massive .50 caliber machine guns were used by the Army and Navy, both on land and on ships.

The crew was mostly composed of men who would handle the large ammo boxes.

It takes a lot of firepower to bring down enemy planes.

This set from Strelets gives several crewmen for the gun and an aircraft ground crewman with fire extinguisher.

US Navy

I have wanted these figures for as long as I have collected 1/72nd scale figures.

US Navy figures for WWII from Strelets.

Sailor with his sea bag.

Every sailor had one to carry all his personal belonging inside.

The US Navy fought may battles in WWII on the water and on land.  At Bataan they formed a Naval Battalion and fought as infantry.

Train Show Airfield

That hanger in the background is sold as an O Gage building, yet works perfectly for HO.

I like the mixture of aircraft types, typical of a busy base.

Guards at the gate are ready for German or Japanese spies.

Of course, even in war, civilian train traffic still continues.

An impressive pile of naval power to be sure.