DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Syrian Aircraft (Pt1)

The Syrian airforce at this time appears from my simple research to be mainly MiG-21 and MiG-23s.  I have the Osprey for the MiG-21 in Arab Service which has some good shots but have had to rely on help to put together something for the MiG-23.

I had four MiG-23 which had been undercoated for my Iran-Iraq project.  I had completed a range of MiG-21 and Su-2x series aircraft but hadn't progressed the MiG-23.  So downside is that need another set of MiG-23 to Join the Iraqi Airforce.

In the meantime the four have been pressed into service as Syrian fighters for some late 1970s - Early 1980s themed games.

Simple scheme

• White Undercoat
• Iraqui Sand topcoat
• FS 30219 (Vallejo 874)
• FS 34102 (Vallejo Panzer Aces 348)
• Wash with Agrax Earthshade
• Second coat on the Vallejo 874 and PA348)
• Canopies in GW Shadow Grey (which I still have plenty of)
• Nose cone
• Light Blue undersurfaces
• German Cam black brown for the Exhaust exterior
• Orange and Yellow on the afterburners/jet effect
• Varnish
• Doms Decals (36" Syrian Roundels)
• Homemade Syrian flash
• Varnish
• Dullcote

RHS View

 Jet Effect

 LHS View

Close Up

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Concept (Pt 5)

Apologies for these short notes.  It is an attempt to keep track of my thoughts over the next couple of weeks.

I mentioned earlier that Mole Cricket 3 appeared in some narratives.  I found this little snippet in the 69 Squadron History accessed via wikipedia today:

"Tensions over Lebanon flared once more in 1981, and on May 29, 1981, the squadron carried out Operation Mole 9, striking Libyan SA-9 batteries protecting PLO bases near Beirut."

I also came across this little nugget of information:
"69 Squadron participated with 13 Tadmit and four follow-up free-fall bombers sent against the Syrians. The former operated individually, targeting Syrian fire control centers and radars, in all engaging seven SAM batteries." 

The Tadmit is an EOGB and takes me back to individual aircraft operations which isn't helping the model count on a small table.  The article does seem to indicate that the free-fall bombers didn't operate individually but that needs to be tested.

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Concept (Pt 4)

So...

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Lead to the idea that I need a lot of models.  More research ie idle browsing lead me to an article in the IDF News which mentions 60 flights of aircraft being involved.  As Mole Cricket 19 also includes the attacks on the GCI later in the day I am not sure which element this refers to.  If I take the 60 to include EW and CAP flights as well then I think this needs to be broken down into playing each game as a wave to keep the model count down.

More to ponder. 

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Concept (Pt 3)

Painting and modelling on hold while I sort out some paint and more research.  I did a quick check and found the following on the whiteboard (which is where all my aircraft are stored when not actually being used during a game).

9 F-4E Painted with decals
4 Skyhawk Painted with decals
2 F-15A Painted with decals
4 Kfir C2 Painted but need decals

So taking the numbers from Part 2 and some narrative of four ship flights I am somewhat at a loss.  I have around 50+ aircraft attacking somewhere between 9 and 19 Targets. This means that the effort descended into two ship packages (say one package of each type per site).  So I either have 13 Targets to be hit (out of 19 possibles) which means I would need a shed load more aircraft! just for the first wave.  The second wave of another 40 aircraft worked over the targets to make sure everything was destroyed which equates to another 2 aircraft per site or another 20 models.  Maximum numbers then for this are:

13/9 F-4E
13/4 Kfir
10/4 A-4
10/0 Kfir

So I need
4 F4-E
19 Kfir
6 A-4

Or I break the aircraft up into a number of 2 and 4 ship flights.  The 4 ships basically are loaded for bear and can deal with a number of sites with a smaller number of 2 ships to go after each site and finish it off.  Seems reasonable.  The only saving this gives me is that I don't need anymore F-4E but still need plenty of Kfir and A-4s so doesn't save me a great deal.  Next option is to go half and half.

3 Four Ship F-4E
7 Two Ship F-4E
3 Four Ship Kfir
7 Four Ship Kfir
2 Four Ship A-4
1 Two ship A-4
2 Four Ship Kfir
1 Two ship Kfir

This cuts down the number of A-4 and Kfirs in the second wave but still has in excess of 26 aircraft over the table.  The benefit of any of this is that they don't need a raid flight path as they are all SEAD tasked aircraft so can fly however and wherever they need.

Still doesn't save me a great deal in number of models :( but the upside is that two packs of Kfirs (8 aircraft) is under £5.  The Air Superiority Eagles and Falcons reading the narrative were committed in flights of four which also helps to keep the model numbers down.

Just musing at the moment but as I have a good chunk painted already it isn't that onerous and if I keep the scheme simple on the Kfir (ie two tone) it wont take too long to get underway.  Just need February to get out of the way so I can spend the money (on more paint) ;)

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Concept (Pt2)

Following on from Part 1.  I found some useful information on Operation Drugstore which was the defence suppression mission flow in June 1982.  Not sure how MOLE CRICKET became DRUGSTORE or if one is the overarching name with sub elements. 

For now, however, it means that I have the start of some numbers to work with:

• 26 F-4EII Phantoms
• 26 Kfir C2
• 40+ A-4 Skyhawk & Kfir C2s
• Top cover from the F-15 and F-16 Squadrons

There is a need for new stats for the F-15 and F-16.  I think that the existing stats for the F-4EII, Skyhawk and Mirage can be adapted for the older airframes.

In terms of Syrian Targets we have a mix of SA-2, SA-3 and SA-6 batteries.  I find it strange to find there is no integration with AAA either fixed of SP mounts, but that means I can add those in as variants or random events add to the difficulty.

If I take the standpoint this is a "SAM Day" in game turns the MiGs didn't come up to play until the F-4E phantoms returned to work over the remains from the first two waves.  So I can play this out without having to worry about the A2A element just yet.

Model wise I need to check on the Kfir paint scheme.  Mine are in the later 2 tone grey scheme but I do have A-4 and F-4E already to go.  The F-16A will have to wait as I definitely don't have the lighter green sorted out yet.

More to follow as usual:)

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Concept (Pt 1)

With so many projects on the go my gaming is a bit haphazard.  After spending last night at my best mate's house where we played Spearpoint 1943 and MNB GW I ended up coming back to the idea of the Bekaa Valley variant for Downtown (sparked off by a discussion over my recent Vallejo paint additions from Minibits.

I had been involved in some discussion on 1983 era games with Dan Cyr a while ago however I think I had overdone the airplanes things and needed a break.  As a result it hasn't gone anywhere.

So...back to 1981 when the IAF first began planning a SEAD missions against Syrian positions in the Bekaa valley.  The mission was orginally called MOLE 3 which was the number of SAM batteries it was designed to counter. As the number of SAM Batteries increased so the name continued to change according to popular press.  It eventually became MOLE CRICKET 19.  A little ahead of ourselves here as in 1981 the orginal planning was called off due to bad weather.

For a gamer it means that I could base a couple of scenarios in 1981 to gauge the ideas needed etc before committing to the Large operation. 

Table size in all things is the limiter for most gamers.  I am no different and as a result of needing to keep the footprint down I have decided to drop to a 1 1/2" hex size.  This reduces the foot print no end.  To start with I want to try and keep the action in a 3' x 4' area (90cm x 120cm) which is my dining table.  This gives an airspace box of 96km x 128km (or 24 x 32 hexes).  If I turn it through 90 degrees it means that Damascus can be included and the southern edge becomes the Israel - Lebanon border..

So far so good.  Down to forces.  My Israeli airforce will need some additions for this as they are most 1973 or earlier.  My spares box yielded four F-15 Fighters, 3 Kfirs and 6 F-16 Falcons.  I have enought MiG-21 and MiG-23 from the IrAF that can be pressed into service while I am playing around.  Ground Targets can include PLO and Syrian Regular units which means that I can add the odd SA-7/14 as well as ZSU-23-4 from the Elusive Victory ruleset.  The SA-6 and SA-8 Batteries will need some new stats to be developed.  Also need to do some research on CSAR capability.