Royal Navy Airship scratch build

Found this fabulous scratchbuild by Mr Edward Garcia on Facebook, from a post some 10 years ago. I wanted to post here for reference (such things tend to disappear and be sadly lost):

Again this is NOT my work, but that of highly talented Edward Garvcia, who writes:

"Scaled at about 1/64 this model of a Mars based British aerial gunboat is based on those mentioned in the old roll playing game Space: 1889. I extrapolated considerably on the small tree view drawings available online at the time (over ten years ago) and created a scale models that fit the story line but also reflected actual elements of Victorian naval architecture. The model measures about 32 inches (81cm) long and is crewed by about 15 hand painted 28mm crewmen. For the most part the model is made from scratch with the main exceptions being small parts such as ship’s guns, fittings and crew figures."

Again, this is not my work, and the original post here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18RhWK1FmB/

This is first of a few "internet rescue" posts. Having gone through a bunch of my VSF links I was sad to see so many sites have dissappeared and their contents gone. I will ensure that such posts are very clearly and appropriately credited, and only done to ensure that great material isn't lost.

Aginclank: a VSF refight of the Battle of Agincourt

As part of my recent blog clear-up, I was truly sad to find that 90% of VSF links that I have collected over the past 2 decades are dead. Shouldn't be surprised: there were old yahoo groups, geocities sites, webrings (remember them?) and all up many a great VSF Blog has gone as enthusiasm faded. Sad but natural.

Some of them were really great, and most inspirational. Some I found in the Wayback machine and one here I really wanted to capture for posterity from the blog "Articulated Rot and Steam Launched drivel"

Again, this is NOT my work and is posted here because such great creativity deserves to endure. I present this as originally posted - enjoy!

Aginclank

Henry V's famous battle reimagined in a Victorian Science Fiction setting.

May 28, 2011:For Kublacon this year I ran a VSF refight of the Battle of Agincourt. Below are pictures from the game with some descriptive commentary.

The English Line.

The City of London Post Office Volunteer Rifles in the woods open the English left flank.

Henry, The King, in his tank Racquets, knights by his side.

Uncle Exeter in Harfleur leading the Royal Marines.

York and Gloucester in their tanks with more English foot knights.

The King's Royal Rifles in the woods on the English right flank.

The line of French knights with Martel in the tank Oriflamme.

French Knights seen from the woods.

The French Foreign Legion, part of the French rearguard.
On the right is the French Old Guard forming the infantry center.

Oriflamme proves to be an early casualty while the French knights get stuck in the mud.

 

The English move up to the edge of the muddy field.

French knights led by the Duc de Alencon threaten the Rifle brigade in the woods.

York and Gloucester

Richard Beauchamp, The Earl of Warwick. This is a figure I converted but was painted in masterful fashion by my closest friend Mr. Thomas Foss.

Exeter and the Marines.

Montjoy, the French Herald moves up to offer terms to Henry while a French tank burns most ironically in the background.

Warwick and his squire move up the center.

The Royal Marines and the Post Office Rifles give volleys to the French Knights.

The Duke of Alencon, with the aid of French sailors from the rearguard assault the rifles and force them back into the woods.

More of the rearguard moves up.

English foot knights advancing.

Montjoy, the French Herald.

Exeter.

Having extricated themselves from a particularly deep patch of muck, the French knights turn and charge the Post Office Rifles.

The Rifles hold fast and the combat draws on.

The French Foreign Legion advance in support of the chivalry's attack.

One company of the Rifles withdraw slowly back into the woods while another come out and threaten the Dauphin's flank.

The third company of the Post Office Rifles and their Velocipede, the mighty McPhilleagh.

The English foot knights, ed by Warwick, engage the French line in a series of back and forth skirmishes in the center of the line.

Warwick makes for the French Center.

The Duc de Alencon lies defeated and the French rearguard considers the formidable task of rooting the Royal Rifles out of the woods.

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I'll try and resuurect some of the other great posts 

from  "Articulated Rot and Steam Launched drivel" in the future

SALUTE 2011 Aeronef Photos

Posted in 2026 In the spirit of Internet rescue, Jon of "Arbuthnots' Aeronautical League of Gentlemen" blog (https://arbuthnotsleague.blogspot.com/) was a valued White Wine Sauce member back in the day. Sadly his blog has gone untended for many years with his last update being in July 2011. Hope you're well out there Jon.

Jon ran the Aeronef game at SALUTE 2011 which looks absolutely amazing

He then did some followup posts in 3 parts on his blog with detailed pics of his creations. So they don't get lost to time, like so many others, here they are all together and unchanged from Jon's original posts.



Here are the first of a series of photo's generously donated by Alan Daniels and Dominic Hutton, cheers guys, of the Salute Game, i'll be adding them to the blog over the next week, but hope you enjoy!

First up the rather Flash Gordonesque Zurich Class Dig Cruiser, far too sexy for the Swiss, so here it is in the colours of the US Pathfinder squadron. For those interested in such trivia the original designer of this craft was sequested from Switzerland by the long arm of the PBI ( Pinkerton Bureau of Investigations), provided with a new false identity as a slug juggeling artist in the Hollywood Hills under the name of Mr C Chaplin!, and set to work on the next generation of US nef.

Lethally fast these ships are armed with Samuel Colt's patented Torpedo revolver device and are the eyes of the Fleet.

This the elderly but much vaunted USS Maine, Flagship of the Picket Squadron commanded by Commodore Lewis Armistead II, representing as she does post ACW Nef design she hails from a bygone age, however  with her turret mounted 13 inch Armstrong muzzle loading Naval rifles she still packs a punch. Commanded by Armistead, a true patriot of the Southern Cause, with her band playing Dixie, she was last seen firing to the last amidst the Japanes naval line, the "stars and bars" still flying proudly from her mast, her crwe crying "One last time boys, for old Bobbie Lee!" ( This model still reqires rigging)

Supporting the USS Maine are the Michigan Light Cruisers, converted with extended stacks and boilers for long distance patrol, these are the predecessors of the Pathfinder Digs above, again due to their age, they did'nt stand up to the might of the newer Japanese classes of Nef.

Aagain many thanks to the talented photography of Alan and Dominic, hope the macro lens has'nt shown up too much of the dodgy paintwork The game is very much a work in progress as are these models, most of them require rigging to be fully completed.

I would like to take this opportunity to honour a true master of the art and "Godfather" of naval gaming in Rod Langton, having admired his models and craftsmanship for many years, his Napoleonic ships are things of wonder and he was a major inspiration in this project, the aim being to "do a Langton" on the Pre Dread Nefs, so hats off to you sir and a big thanks!

Salute Photo's (2) - The Imperial Japanese Navy

Here are a few extra shots of the Japanese fleet to balance out the earlier US shots, yhis is the Mikasa Super Dreadnought, Admiral Togo's Flagship, yet to be rigged, but it represents state of the art Japanese Dreadnought design.

This shot shows the effect of rigging using thread cotton, as mentioned previously, i was really trying to emulate Rod Langton's amazing modeling when doing this and i think the effect adds to the ships.Rigging along the side is to represent torpedo nets, and again adds toi the overall feel of efficiency I wanted to convey with the Japanese models. Stripes along tail indicate class, 4= Battleship/ Dreadnought.

My own personal favourite amogst the Japanese models, the Light Cruisers, work horses of the fleet and the eyes and ears of the fleet. Searchlight just visable above the wheelhouse is a superdetailing extra from Waterline-models.com, an outstanding service supplying all sorts of bits and pieces that help to add a little extra to the models.Small boats are from the Revell QE2 kit, 20 boats at £5.00, again add as little extra something. 

Here we have a line astern shot of the Japanese Battle line as they bring the big guns to bear.....

Still more to add to this force, a couple more light Cruiser squadrons and then the Super Carriers Kaga and Akagi..

Salute Phot's (3) - Dewey's Pride and Joy!

Here she is, the USS Langley, America's first attempt at Carrier design, an escort class carrier she representrs America's first steps in evolving carrier borne support for the fleet. With a limited capacity of 1 Squadron of P24 Pursuit fighters she lacks punch. Lexington, Yorktown and Sarratoga are on the workbench, and i'm hoping to work on America's Super Carrier Enterprise over ther next few months which will give them a bomber capacity....

Anway here she is, Dewey's pride and joy, "The Flat top wagon" - USS Langley

.

Front on and looking mean....any similarity to a certain graceful lady by the name of Galactica, is as they say....purely coincidental!!!

Here she is from above, colour scheme is based on a combination of the Great White Fleet colours, and authentic  Naval Air markings for the early 20's

Detail shot showing the aircraft, here I used Dom's Decals for the roundels and I carn't recomend them highly enougth, they are superb and really make the models as well as taking a lot of the hassle out of the painting.

Again side on shot of the aircraft....

For those interested in how it all went together, the core of the carrier is the Russian Aeronef Tender from Brigade Models used for the hull and the lower work deck, this is then built up with Plasticard, as are the tail fins. One of the Brigade Models Bombers was added from their generic range to indicate a an Observer plane capacity. Langley is an Escort Carrier class, small with a relativly limited range, she carries no Bombers at this time, being restricted to a single Pursuit Fighter Squadron.

The Introduction of the later Enterprise class will provide the Great White Fleet with airborne torpedo capacity, but that's for another day......

Anway back to the build, the upper Flight deck is made up of several layers of standard and embossed plasticard from 4D Models, with brass rod added to represent torpedo netting. The airbags are W H Smith Illumo markers painted up with some 1-48th scale US Early Pacific War roundels from Hannants model supplies, available over the internet. Side gun barbettes and funnels all bits and pices from the Brigade range. A tougth one to build but well worth it, i think, hope you enjoy, comments and suggestions always welcome.