Night fighters, unappreciated by kit manufacturers for so long, have staged something of a comeback in recent years with the Great Wall P-61 only the latest example. I know I have several very nice kits gathering dust in the old stash.

That said, would anyone be up for a Night Fighters campaign starting in early 2013? We'd be talking any aircraft specifically meant to hunt down other aircraft at night, whether originally designed for that job or pressed into special service. What do you you all think?

Michael

I would DEFINITELY be in... night fighters are probably my favorite modeling subject.
Good idea!

Regards,
Tom
Wisconsin, USA

I'm with Tom, night-fighters have a certain mystique about them. The last NF Campaign was back in 2009, Campaign thread , Gallery , Campaign details are all worth a look.

Cheers, D

What time period are we looking at? Is this strictly WW II, or can the all-weather jets come out to play? I have a Sabre Dog sitting mournfully on my shelves...

I'd be interested,
I see a Ju 87 in my future.

Chris

Also in!
WWII night-fighters are my prime interest for too long and (what a surprise) none built.
I think a time frame from 1939 to 1950 or 55 is appropriate so planes like F-82 and F4U-4N can enlist, or even Meteor or Vautour.

And now a message to a manufacturer: Revell, bring our He-219 quick! We need it for this campaign!

Oooo im in Not sure I have anything in the stash but Im sure I can find something

Tomcat31 (Allen) said he is in as well

Wow, that's 7 responses so far! Not bad!

Jessica asks a pertinent question. When I first thought of this WWII is what I was thinking of, but I don't see any reason why it can't expand a bit. There were a few really interesting attempts at night fighters in WWI and some pretty cool designs in the late '40s and early '50s too. I wouldn't want to go too far, by the late 50's most new fighters had radar and could fight at night too. Shall we cut it off at 1955 or so? What do you all think?

Michael

I have a BF110 that I won on this site that is collecting dust!

Wasn't Devil in the Dark one of the original great Star Trek episodes, starring the Horta? I would like to participate in this campaign as well. Might buy a Japanese night fighter like an Irving to play in this one. Russell

Russell,

Nice one! I was waiting to see who'd notice!

Michael

Well if that's the case they'll all have to be unarmed, because Mrs Horta said "NO KILL I".

Nice one!

No need for armament, "Lady in the Dark" scored the last 2 kills of WWII without firing a shot, so perhaps we should all just build Black Widows ???

Well, my first thought was an old Airfix P-61 I was saving for the Ancient Airfix Assemblers. But I have an OS2U I could use there or maybe go for the RoG F-82. Decisions decisions....

Id definitely would make room and time for night fighters! I think it should be expanded to any purpose built or converted night fighter. That would embrace some interesting WWI aircraft. And Im no expert but the idea of a night fighting specific aircraft kinda fell by the way side in the 60s giving way to multirole all weather aircraft that became the norm, so the proposed cutoff date seems good.

I have a couple in the stash such as R/M Bf-110G4, Tamiya He-219, a revelle hurricane IIc(already planned as an intruder build) and I also just picked up a set of eaglecals with a neat blacked out scheme for a Bf-109G6 during the "Wilde-sau" days.

Just bought myself an Early Gekko Nightfighter for this campaign

No, not again, Damian! I've spent all my Widows for your Twin Boom Campaign ..... Just wait to get the new GWH glas nose Widow "Moonhappy".
But I will certainly join the party here next year. I could come out with a dual combo again. I have a Night Hellcat here and I might even have a "Fernnachtjäger", a Ju 88 deep down in my stash ..... Or what about a Night Beaufighter and an awesome .... TIGERCAT ....????
Anyway I have lots of stuff to choose from!

Torsten

Well, I believe we're over 10 for sure! I'll get ready to submit but still not sure about the time period covered. Everything through 1955? Does that make sense to everyone?

Michael

Night fighters? Great idea! It's just that it seems to me that every time I join in a campaign some thing happens and I am either later or I have to drop out Take the nose art campaign underway right now. I am still trying to just buy a kit for that one.

That being said, and being a past secretary of the IPMS chapter of Vero Beach Fl, aka The Nightfighters of Vero Beach, I don't see how I could possibly resist this one. So Count me IN
Later

I also have a passion for night fighters. Have a slew of decals and aircraft. Just to pick one will be hard. Thus with that all said I am in. Will see if I manage to get it built with school and such going on.

i'm in

People keep jumping in, I seem to have hit a chord! How do these look for rules (I'm not proud, feel free to suggest changes):


1. Entry must be a dedicated night fighter aircraft, either designed as such or modified for the job.
2. No what-ifs.
3. Any scale, any nationality, any time period up to 1955 (after that time almost all new fighters had radar and were capable of all weather operation).
4. Campaign will run from 1/1/13 – 7/31/13.
5. Models can be stand-alone or in a diorama.
6. Enter as many as you like but each modeler will only get one ribbon.
7. Models must be unstarted at beginning of campaign.
8. At least one in progress shot of each model should be posted in the campaign thread and at least one finished shot in the campaign gallery.
9. Honor those crazy pilots and crew members who actually voluntarily flew around in the dark and have fun!

Michael

Hello,

I only can wish, But I wish to be on this one too...!!!

I hope the things on my job alows me to get some "Campaings" under my belt the next year...

Thanks any way i'm learning a lot...

Diego