19.04.2009, 05:47
Czech,
I don't actually have "Hurricanes over Burma", only "Hurricanes over the Arakan". From memory I believe Hurricanes over Burma" is a pilot biography, so probably of limited value to an historic map-maker?
Airfields; difficult to find much detail save from original photos. "Airwar for Burma" does have a very basic contempory diagram of the jungle strip named "broadway", drawn by a Spit pilot, but that's about it. You've already got this anyway.
There are some quite sharp pics in the Japanese Army Airforce book, these show mostly grass airfields with dirt strips. One pic. on p.57 shows a line of aircrew in front of a grass covered earthern revetment - fighter size. Nearby buildings are made solely of wood/bamboo with what we would describe here in the UK as "thatch" roofs - dried grass or reeds/rushes and of 1 level only. Many trees are scattered about and these are often used to conceal aircraft - or perhaps keep them shaded. However some of the other JAAF fields look literally that - fields, bit like some of the strips in New Guinea, with quite long grass too, with trees only in the backdrop.
According to "Spitfires over the Arakan" RAF airfields were at Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Maungdaw, Buthidaoung, Rothedaung, Akyab and Toungup, all on or near the coast. The Japs operated from Magwe, Hiegu, Mingaladon, and Ma-Ubin, Heho and Loilem.Some near Rangoon, others much further inland.
From photos in the Arakan titles, RAF strips look mostly pretty basic and seem to mirror the Japanese pics in many ways - not surprising as these bases often changed hands! The Hurricane book has one pic of Hurries operating from "Red Road" in Calcutta, and this seems to be literally a metalled road somewhere on the city outskirts!
Can't see much concrete in the pics. mostly compacted dirt and grass areas, although obviously there must have been some all-weather strips because of the rains this region has. Most likely these were the already established bases prewar. Some prefabricated huts/small hangers are in evidence on some of the RAF strips, usually near the treeline. Plenty of tents are in evidence. Trees are both conventional types and palms.
None of the airfields seen in the pics resemble anything in the original game really.
Hope that helps a bit.
I don't actually have "Hurricanes over Burma", only "Hurricanes over the Arakan". From memory I believe Hurricanes over Burma" is a pilot biography, so probably of limited value to an historic map-maker?
Airfields; difficult to find much detail save from original photos. "Airwar for Burma" does have a very basic contempory diagram of the jungle strip named "broadway", drawn by a Spit pilot, but that's about it. You've already got this anyway.
There are some quite sharp pics in the Japanese Army Airforce book, these show mostly grass airfields with dirt strips. One pic. on p.57 shows a line of aircrew in front of a grass covered earthern revetment - fighter size. Nearby buildings are made solely of wood/bamboo with what we would describe here in the UK as "thatch" roofs - dried grass or reeds/rushes and of 1 level only. Many trees are scattered about and these are often used to conceal aircraft - or perhaps keep them shaded. However some of the other JAAF fields look literally that - fields, bit like some of the strips in New Guinea, with quite long grass too, with trees only in the backdrop.
According to "Spitfires over the Arakan" RAF airfields were at Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Maungdaw, Buthidaoung, Rothedaung, Akyab and Toungup, all on or near the coast. The Japs operated from Magwe, Hiegu, Mingaladon, and Ma-Ubin, Heho and Loilem.Some near Rangoon, others much further inland.
From photos in the Arakan titles, RAF strips look mostly pretty basic and seem to mirror the Japanese pics in many ways - not surprising as these bases often changed hands! The Hurricane book has one pic of Hurries operating from "Red Road" in Calcutta, and this seems to be literally a metalled road somewhere on the city outskirts!
Can't see much concrete in the pics. mostly compacted dirt and grass areas, although obviously there must have been some all-weather strips because of the rains this region has. Most likely these were the already established bases prewar. Some prefabricated huts/small hangers are in evidence on some of the RAF strips, usually near the treeline. Plenty of tents are in evidence. Trees are both conventional types and palms.
None of the airfields seen in the pics resemble anything in the original game really.
Hope that helps a bit.