What if Lt Colonel George Custer was instead assigned to the 5th Cavalry on Mars....
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| From GDW's "The Soldier's Companion" |
Wonderful conversions in 15mm (not mine!)
And some 28mm USMC Infantry on patrol (on Venus in this case)
Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts
Thursday, 16 May 2024
Monday, 24 August 2015
US Naval War College Museum
As the original college building, there is where Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, USN, second War College President (1886-1889) and subsequently a renowned naval historian, first delivered his lectures on sea power—lectures which were first published in 1890 as the epochal The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783.
While relatively small, the Museum has some great artefacts, particularly noting that Newport was also the US Navy's torpedo facility and training school. Here are a couple that caught my eye:
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| The US Navy Protected Cruiser USS Chicago. |
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| The USS Stiletto (1885) - wooden torpedo boat used for experimental torpedo development |
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US Navy Torpedo Boat No 1: USS Cushing (1890). The first steel hulled, ocean going TB
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| Newport has been key in USN torpedo development |
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| Full size Fish and Howell model torpedoes - nose aspect. Quite different to the better known Whitehead design |
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| Full size Fish and Howell model torpedoes - stern aspect |
https://www.usnwc.edu/About/NWC-Museum.aspx
Saturday, 18 July 2015
Flying Airfield takes off!
Brigade has released a new Nef, and a monster it is!
Today we’re unveiling a new Aeronef model, and our largest to date in this range. The Langley is an American carrier which supports up to 18 fighters in its capacious hangars. It’s well equipped with anti-fighter batteries for self-defence, although with nothing in the way of offensive armament.
The model has been computer designed and 3D printed, but styled to fit in with the existing models in the US fleet.
The Langley is available on its own, or in a pack complete with escorts, fighters and bases. The new anti-fighter turrets are also available in a pack of 12, along with a second circular AA turret – ideal for conversions or upgrades to your existing models.
Today we’re unveiling a new Aeronef model, and our largest to date in this range. The Langley is an American carrier which supports up to 18 fighters in its capacious hangars. It’s well equipped with anti-fighter batteries for self-defence, although with nothing in the way of offensive armament.
The model has been computer designed and 3D printed, but styled to fit in with the existing models in the US fleet.
The Langley is available on its own, or in a pack complete with escorts, fighters and bases. The new anti-fighter turrets are also available in a pack of 12, along with a second circular AA turret – ideal for conversions or upgrades to your existing models.
Tuesday, 16 September 2014
War Plan Red: Part 4
The US Plan to defeat Great Britain, based on their assessment of the likely British plan to blockade the Atlantic and invade through New England to threaten the vital industrial heartland of the US (for more detail see here).
Having assessed the likely British plan, US planners broadly concluded that:
Having assessed the likely British plan, US planners broadly concluded that:
- Naval situation in the Atlantic would at best be a standoff with neither side having no significant advantage, OR the British would sabotage the Panama Canal and gain a decisive advantage
- British efforts to lodge an invasion force would likely be staged using Canada as a forward operating base
- British Cruiser and submarine forces operating out of Canada and the Caribbean would be sufficient to blockade the majority of merchant traffic, and
- British threats to the North East of the US would likely be effective before the American industrial and manpower superiority could be mobilised.
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| Allied convoy assembles in Halifax: Exactly what the US planners wanted to prevent |
In consideration of these factors, the US planners concluded that the answer to defeat Great Britain was to immediately go on the offensive and remove the British ability to utilise Canada and other forward operating bases, by seizing “Red bases in the western North Atlantic, the West Indies, and the Caribbean.” The strategic priority was Halifax, Nova Scotia and its all important naval base which would be critical in supporting a forward deployed Royal Navy operating on the East Coast of the US. The US estimated it had a maximum of 14 days before the combined RN Home and Mediterranean Fleets would be operating on their doorstep. Use of this time would be critical.
The US Army had only limited initial resources but those available would strike north rapidly. Within 3 days of mobilisation, a Corps of 3 Divisions (some 25,000 troops) would muster at Boston. Depending on the situation, they could move north through Maine using the rail network to enhance their mobility, or proceed north under fleet escort to conduct an amphibious attack on Halifax. In considering the lessons of WW1, US submarine warfare would also be waged to interdict Canada from British shipping and deny the buildup of the forces required to undertake an invasion of the US and deploy accordingly.
The US Army had only limited initial resources but those available would strike north rapidly. Within 3 days of mobilisation, a Corps of 3 Divisions (some 25,000 troops) would muster at Boston. Depending on the situation, they could move north through Maine using the rail network to enhance their mobility, or proceed north under fleet escort to conduct an amphibious attack on Halifax. In considering the lessons of WW1, US submarine warfare would also be waged to interdict Canada from British shipping and deny the buildup of the forces required to undertake an invasion of the US and deploy accordingly.
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| The best defence... |
This track would also be supported by spoiling attacks along the eastern boarder. As troops became available, an advance would be made from upstate New York against Montreal and Quebec while another force would advance to take the hydro-electric plants on the Niagara River. Other moves would be made to safeguard the Detroit industrial region and capture other key infrastructure such as the Sault St marine canal and its locks. The occupation of Canadian territory was a priority, weather and logistic wallowing. Realistically, in these early stage there would be little that Canada could do without British reinforcement, though aggressive aerial attacks were expected with little that could be done to prevent them.
Back at Sea, the short period before the Royal Navy appearing in strength was critical. The US Atlantic fleet (4 Battleships plus cruiser support) would be used to strike British possessions. Initial targets were Jamaica, the Bahamas and Bermuda, to be followed up if possible with attacks on Trinidad, St Lucia and British possessions in the West Indies. These would reduce the use of these bases to interdict merchant traffic and help safeguard the Panama Canal. On the great lakes and in the pacific Canadian ports would be blockaded.
With the British ability to invade the East Coast significantly degraded, the US Army would focus on dislocating the Canadian Eats and West coasts to prevent a buildup of Indian or ANZAC troops from the Pacific coast. Capture of the Winnipeg rail centre, a crucial rail node, was key in this, followed by the occupation of Vancouver and British Columbia.
Overall, the US plan was to strike quickly to remove Canada as a staging point, prevent a British buildup and allow US mobilisation efforts to come to fruition. As unlikely as the situation was deemed, it was deemed to be a valid strategy.
Should Japan enter the War on the British side, a join War Plan Red-Orange would be activated (War Plan Orange being the contingency plan for war against Japan). British Naval strength was seen to be the biggest threat and the intent was to prosecute a "Red First" policy, analogously prescient to the 'Europe First' policy of WW2.
One point to consider - War Plan Red was developed in 1927 after the Geneva Naval Conference of that year, and was approved in 1930. Transplant this scenario to a VSF setting and a few different aspects come into play. The demilitarisation of the US-Canadian boarder, key to the US twentieth century plan, started in the late 1870s. Residual infrastructure could still be present and even be reactivated in a period of tension. Use of such facilities for aeronef raids into the US might degrade or delay the initial thrust into Halifax. Alternatively, an RN aquanef blockade could be established off the East Coast prior to hostilities, nullifying the initial US freedom of acton. Lots of possibilities.
Alternatively, if it appeals to you as is then there is a board game from Avalanche Press you may wish to investigate (thanks Michael P, for the information).
Back at Sea, the short period before the Royal Navy appearing in strength was critical. The US Atlantic fleet (4 Battleships plus cruiser support) would be used to strike British possessions. Initial targets were Jamaica, the Bahamas and Bermuda, to be followed up if possible with attacks on Trinidad, St Lucia and British possessions in the West Indies. These would reduce the use of these bases to interdict merchant traffic and help safeguard the Panama Canal. On the great lakes and in the pacific Canadian ports would be blockaded.
Overall, the US plan was to strike quickly to remove Canada as a staging point, prevent a British buildup and allow US mobilisation efforts to come to fruition. As unlikely as the situation was deemed, it was deemed to be a valid strategy.
Should Japan enter the War on the British side, a join War Plan Red-Orange would be activated (War Plan Orange being the contingency plan for war against Japan). British Naval strength was seen to be the biggest threat and the intent was to prosecute a "Red First" policy, analogously prescient to the 'Europe First' policy of WW2.
One point to consider - War Plan Red was developed in 1927 after the Geneva Naval Conference of that year, and was approved in 1930. Transplant this scenario to a VSF setting and a few different aspects come into play. The demilitarisation of the US-Canadian boarder, key to the US twentieth century plan, started in the late 1870s. Residual infrastructure could still be present and even be reactivated in a period of tension. Use of such facilities for aeronef raids into the US might degrade or delay the initial thrust into Halifax. Alternatively, an RN aquanef blockade could be established off the East Coast prior to hostilities, nullifying the initial US freedom of acton. Lots of possibilities.
Alternatively, if it appeals to you as is then there is a board game from Avalanche Press you may wish to investigate (thanks Michael P, for the information).
Thursday, 11 September 2014
War Plan Red: Part 3
The British Plan
...or at least, the US planners' assessment of the likely British plan...
The War in the Atlantic
This was assessed to be the dominant, but not only, theatre of maritime operations. The RN would initially seize control of the North Atlantic by combining their Home and Mediterranean Fleets and operating from a forward base at Bermuda. British cruiser and submarine forces would try to cut US Atlantic lines of communications from bases in Halifax and Jamaica. The Royal Navy would blockade the East Coast of the US, disrupt commerce, harass coastal areas with bombardment, and conduct Air and Amphibious raids to further degrade the economy and, ultimately, popular will of the US people for the war.
The British would expect the US to immediately redeploy the bulk of their Pacific Feet to the Atlantic via the Panama canal, and generate a Fleet in being with which to contest this blockade. If this was achieved, no decisive engagement would be sought initially as both sides were well balanced and the result could go either way.
Accordingly, the US Navy would remain in a defensive posture concentrated in the Western North Atlantic, threaten British lines of communication, wear down Royal Naval strength and await favourable opportunity for Fleet Action. Of course, if the Panama Canal could be disrupted or sabotaged, this would be a different story...
The War in the Pacific
The British Asiatic Fleet would be concentrated at Singapore with only light, inshore forces remaining at Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. Indian troops would muster and link up wight he Fleet before for assaulting the Philippines to neutralise the US naval facilities holdings in Manilla. This would safeguard threats to British trade and commercial interests and subsequently, the Asiatic Fleet would be utilised to destroy any residual US Naval island holdings throughout the Pacific.
With the bulk of Empire assets investing the US East Coast, Hawaii was expected to remain a safe bastion and while it might be attacked to disrupt and commerce raiders operating from there, no invasion or landing was expected.
Alaska was expected to be raided from Canada, but only lightly and this was seen as acceptable.
...or at least, the US planners' assessment of the likely British plan...
The War in the Atlantic
This was assessed to be the dominant, but not only, theatre of maritime operations. The RN would initially seize control of the North Atlantic by combining their Home and Mediterranean Fleets and operating from a forward base at Bermuda. British cruiser and submarine forces would try to cut US Atlantic lines of communications from bases in Halifax and Jamaica. The Royal Navy would blockade the East Coast of the US, disrupt commerce, harass coastal areas with bombardment, and conduct Air and Amphibious raids to further degrade the economy and, ultimately, popular will of the US people for the war.
The British would expect the US to immediately redeploy the bulk of their Pacific Feet to the Atlantic via the Panama canal, and generate a Fleet in being with which to contest this blockade. If this was achieved, no decisive engagement would be sought initially as both sides were well balanced and the result could go either way.
Accordingly, the US Navy would remain in a defensive posture concentrated in the Western North Atlantic, threaten British lines of communication, wear down Royal Naval strength and await favourable opportunity for Fleet Action. Of course, if the Panama Canal could be disrupted or sabotaged, this would be a different story...
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| Panama Cana - a vital Strategic link |
The British Asiatic Fleet would be concentrated at Singapore with only light, inshore forces remaining at Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. Indian troops would muster and link up wight he Fleet before for assaulting the Philippines to neutralise the US naval facilities holdings in Manilla. This would safeguard threats to British trade and commercial interests and subsequently, the Asiatic Fleet would be utilised to destroy any residual US Naval island holdings throughout the Pacific.
With the bulk of Empire assets investing the US East Coast, Hawaii was expected to remain a safe bastion and while it might be attacked to disrupt and commerce raiders operating from there, no invasion or landing was expected.
Alaska was expected to be raided from Canada, but only lightly and this was seen as acceptable.
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| Landings by ANZAC and Indian troops on the West Coast of the US where seen as acceptable risks |
The Land War
The pivotal US territory was seen to be the industrial North East region of continental US. Possible landings by ANZAC and Indian focus on the West Coast or striking south from Canada could and would be tolerated in order to maintain a strong defensive perimeter to safeguard the industrial heartland of the USA.
Should the Royal Navy manage to defeat the US Atlantic Fleet and establish sea control (either though battle or should the Panama Canal be disputed and the Pacific Fleet trapped) it was expected that invasion would come via sea with amphibious landings in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. These forces would then strike westward through Connecticut, disrupt the region generally and threaten New York. This would greatly shorten the period of conflict and try to overcome the US mobilisation effort while also degrading industrial capacity.
War planners concluded that the British Empire could achieve this outcome, the US choice would be reduced to what kind of terms to ask for in their surrender...
The pivotal US territory was seen to be the industrial North East region of continental US. Possible landings by ANZAC and Indian focus on the West Coast or striking south from Canada could and would be tolerated in order to maintain a strong defensive perimeter to safeguard the industrial heartland of the USA.
Should the Royal Navy manage to defeat the US Atlantic Fleet and establish sea control (either though battle or should the Panama Canal be disputed and the Pacific Fleet trapped) it was expected that invasion would come via sea with amphibious landings in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. These forces would then strike westward through Connecticut, disrupt the region generally and threaten New York. This would greatly shorten the period of conflict and try to overcome the US mobilisation effort while also degrading industrial capacity.
War planners concluded that the British Empire could achieve this outcome, the US choice would be reduced to what kind of terms to ask for in their surrender...
Thursday, 4 September 2014
War Plan Red: Part 2
Having discovered the 1920/30s era US Military plans to engage in hostilities with the British Empire (here), I had to delve deeper. Admittedly, neither side considered such a war remotely probable, but it was certainly not impossible should issues regarding international trade route and overseas territories come to a head.
Archives were searched, journals read and the odd book discovered. For the discerning strategist, the following detail is provided. Note that the UK never committed such plan to paper, but some good guesswork assessed their likely operations.
Pre Conflict Comparison
The Royal Navy had slightly more naval power, with the main battle line spread between the Home Fleet and the Mediterranean. It would be able to rapidly concentrate and venture across the Atlantic to have significant presence at Nova Scotia within 13 days. In comparison, the bulk of the US Navy battlewagons were in the Pacific and the timely use of the Panama Canal was critical in being able to face off against the British fleet in the Atlantic.
Royal Navy US Navy
Battleships 16 18 (12 in the Pacific)
Battlecruisers 4 0
Aircraft Carriers 6 3 (larger capacity than RN equivalents, all in the Pacific)
Cruisers 62 18
Destroyers 175 221
Submarines 57 68
Air Force strength was significantly in favour of the British, though redeploying it to Canada would take significant sea lift capacity. The British could muster such lift capacity but it would have to be balanced with other priorities, such as ground forces.
RAF US
Fighter Squadrons 12 3 Pursuit, 2 Attack
Observer Squadrons 5 9
Bomber Squadrons 11 2
Manpower wise, the British Army could rapidly mobilise more soldiers from across their dominions than the US, but the US could build a greater land force over time.
British Empire
Regular Forces 100,000 man Expeditionary Force (4 Divisions, 2 Cavalry Brigades)
Deployable to Nova Scotia within 30 days
Overseas Forces Canada: 52,000 (increasing to 120,000 in 11 Divisions in 30 Days)
India and ANZAC forces: 13 Divisions available at short notice
Territorial Army 13 Divisions available within 6 months
US
Regular Forces 100,000 men at home,
9 Divisions
Overseas Forces 40,000 in Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico and Hawaii
National Guard 175, 000 (60 days to mobilise)
18 Divisions (understrength), 9 Cavalry Brigades
More to Follow...
Archives were searched, journals read and the odd book discovered. For the discerning strategist, the following detail is provided. Note that the UK never committed such plan to paper, but some good guesswork assessed their likely operations.
Pre Conflict Comparison
The Royal Navy had slightly more naval power, with the main battle line spread between the Home Fleet and the Mediterranean. It would be able to rapidly concentrate and venture across the Atlantic to have significant presence at Nova Scotia within 13 days. In comparison, the bulk of the US Navy battlewagons were in the Pacific and the timely use of the Panama Canal was critical in being able to face off against the British fleet in the Atlantic.
Royal Navy US Navy
Battleships 16 18 (12 in the Pacific)
Battlecruisers 4 0
Aircraft Carriers 6 3 (larger capacity than RN equivalents, all in the Pacific)
Cruisers 62 18
Destroyers 175 221
Submarines 57 68
Air Force strength was significantly in favour of the British, though redeploying it to Canada would take significant sea lift capacity. The British could muster such lift capacity but it would have to be balanced with other priorities, such as ground forces.
RAF US
Fighter Squadrons 12 3 Pursuit, 2 Attack
Observer Squadrons 5 9
Bomber Squadrons 11 2
Manpower wise, the British Army could rapidly mobilise more soldiers from across their dominions than the US, but the US could build a greater land force over time.
British Empire
Regular Forces 100,000 man Expeditionary Force (4 Divisions, 2 Cavalry Brigades)
Deployable to Nova Scotia within 30 days
Overseas Forces Canada: 52,000 (increasing to 120,000 in 11 Divisions in 30 Days)
India and ANZAC forces: 13 Divisions available at short notice
Territorial Army 13 Divisions available within 6 months
Regular Forces 100,000 men at home,
9 Divisions
Overseas Forces 40,000 in Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico and Hawaii
National Guard 175, 000 (60 days to mobilise)
18 Divisions (understrength), 9 Cavalry Brigades
More to Follow...
Tuesday, 26 August 2014
Imperial Germany's Invasion plans for New York
Apparently, this increasingly ambitious series of late 19th Century plans included dispatching a significant fleet to cross the Atlantic, conducting a decisive engagement in the vicinity of Norfolk Virgina, dashing north to shell Boston, and then sending battalions of Prussian chaps ashore in New York to install panic and plunder the city.
Cheeky Blighter!
Not sure how successful that might have been but there has to be some games in that!
http://europeanhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa050902a.htm
http://www.americanheritage.com/content/german-plan-invade-america
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/may/09/kateconnolly
http://en.potiori.com/Imperial_German_plans_for_the_invasion_of_the_United_States.html
http://io9.com/the-secret-german-scheme-to-invade-america-before-the-f-1628063060
Saturday, 23 August 2014
War Plan Red
In doing some research into the US War Plan Orange this week, I stumbled across some other interesting plans developed in the aftermath of WW1, mostly to exercise War Planning and Strategic staffs learning, but also useful as the basis for contingencies.
Of striking interest to me was the US War Plan Red, which was to fight a war against England, and potentially Japan also as per the provisions of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. War Plan Red had a number of subset plans, notably War Plan Scarlet against Australian, New Zealand and Commonwealth interests in the Pacific, and War Plan Crimson against Canada. Interestingly, War Plan Red had the US assume a strategically defensive posture against what they saw would be a mostly Atlantic affair and prepare for a landing of British Troops on the east coast of the Continental USA. At the same time, the planner saw that a invasion of British interests in Canada and the Caribbean would be the best way to reduce British interests on the continent.
All very interesting, particularly when one then lays on top of that the Canadian Defence Scheme Number 1 which was for a counter invasion of the US to stall for time and allow British support to cross the Atlantic. The Canadian plan saw flying columns seizing territory along the Pacific and Atlantic US coasts. An audacious plan indeed but one that was seen as sufficiently desperate it might just succeed if the dice rolled correctly.
And so were laid the plans of what might have been, but more interesting is to consider them being executed in the 1890s...with a few VSF elements thrown in...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Plan_Red
http://tarpley.net/online-books/against-oligarchy/britains-pacific-war-against-the-united-states-in-the-age-of-the-anglo-american-special-relationship/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_Scheme_No._1
http://www.glasnost.de/hist/usa/1935invasion.html
Of striking interest to me was the US War Plan Red, which was to fight a war against England, and potentially Japan also as per the provisions of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. War Plan Red had a number of subset plans, notably War Plan Scarlet against Australian, New Zealand and Commonwealth interests in the Pacific, and War Plan Crimson against Canada. Interestingly, War Plan Red had the US assume a strategically defensive posture against what they saw would be a mostly Atlantic affair and prepare for a landing of British Troops on the east coast of the Continental USA. At the same time, the planner saw that a invasion of British interests in Canada and the Caribbean would be the best way to reduce British interests on the continent.
All very interesting, particularly when one then lays on top of that the Canadian Defence Scheme Number 1 which was for a counter invasion of the US to stall for time and allow British support to cross the Atlantic. The Canadian plan saw flying columns seizing territory along the Pacific and Atlantic US coasts. An audacious plan indeed but one that was seen as sufficiently desperate it might just succeed if the dice rolled correctly.
And so were laid the plans of what might have been, but more interesting is to consider them being executed in the 1890s...with a few VSF elements thrown in...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Plan_Red
http://tarpley.net/online-books/against-oligarchy/britains-pacific-war-against-the-united-states-in-the-age-of-the-anglo-american-special-relationship/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_Scheme_No._1
http://www.glasnost.de/hist/usa/1935invasion.html
Friday, 15 August 2014
Maine Maritime Museum
The Maine Maritime Museum in Bath is mainly focused on the old wooden schooners built there in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. However like the great Museum in Paris (see here), there are some lovely warship models and these caught my eye during my visit last week:
USS Katahdin
Built in 1893, she was an innovative ironclad ram designed for inner harbour defence. Armament was four 6pdrs but the maim weapon was the ram. Rendered rapidly obsolete she was decommissioned and sunk as a target vessel in 1909.
USS Machias
Built in 1893 this was a schooner rigged gunboat. Her main armament was eight 4 inch guns, backed up by four 6 pdrs and four 1 pdrs. She had three separate commissions and ranged far and wide before being sold to the Mexican Navy in 1920.
USS Katahdin
Built in 1893, she was an innovative ironclad ram designed for inner harbour defence. Armament was four 6pdrs but the maim weapon was the ram. Rendered rapidly obsolete she was decommissioned and sunk as a target vessel in 1909.
.jpg) |
| pic from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Katahdin_(1893) |
Built in 1893 this was a schooner rigged gunboat. Her main armament was eight 4 inch guns, backed up by four 6 pdrs and four 1 pdrs. She had three separate commissions and ranged far and wide before being sold to the Mexican Navy in 1920.
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| pic from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Machias_(PG-5) |
USS Dahlgren
Coastal Torpedo Boat built in 1900 she was fitted with four 1 pdrs and 2 torpedo tubes
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| Pic from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Dahlgren_(TB-9) |
Monday, 28 November 2011
US Aero-navy Conversions
Have a look at these great conversions by Nic at "Fen Edge Wargaming" - some great new takes on Brigade's designs:
http://web.me.com/n.j.hawkins/Fen_Edge_Wargaming/Fen_Edge_Wargaming/Entries/2011/3/22_USN_Aeronef_Conversions.html
http://web.me.com/n.j.hawkins/Fen_Edge_Wargaming/Fen_Edge_Wargaming/Entries/2011/3/22_USN_Aeronef_Conversions.html
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Confederate Aquanef
Hot on the heels of the Tsar's designers are the Confederate Aquanef builders!
Confederate inventors were the first on the board when William Cheeney developed a small three man submersible in the James River of Virginia in 1861 shortly after the outbreak of hostilities. A second, larger craft was developed by the same team and was similarly experimental. Cheeney’s craft were unsuccessful and were poorly documented although their existence was reported by Union spies. They were the first of a long line of curious craft...
Read more at Suite101: Confederate Submarines of the Civil War: From The CSS Hunley to the CSS David | Suite101.com http://christopher-eger.suite101.com/confederate-submarines-of-the-civil-war-a121370#ixzz1cXvIhRTT
http://militaryhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/confederate_submarines_of_the_civil_war
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| CSS David Charleston 1865 - public domain image |
Read more at Suite101: Confederate Submarines of the Civil War: From The CSS Hunley to the CSS David | Suite101.com http://christopher-eger.suite101.com/confederate-submarines-of-the-civil-war-a121370#ixzz1cXvIhRTT
http://militaryhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/confederate_submarines_of_the_civil_war
Thursday, 21 April 2011
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
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
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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.
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