Monday 19 October 2009

Warlords of the Air










As part of my ongoing house cleaning of projects and gaming ideas, I came across my assembled but as yet unpainted Ottoman Turkish Dirigible Fleet. The models are really nice and originate from Brigade and are in need of some time and attention. I have had a bad time with the models for the Turks as whilst I really like the models Brigade have produced (they have a HUGE range for this period) I have often thought that they don't quite tick the boxes for how I envisage the Turks to look. It is a personal thing I am sure and no reflection on the Brigade design team! I have, in the past, scratch built many dirigibles - they are really easy to make - and every so often I get the urge to create some original models. All of my first generation dirigibles are now in the collection of Steve Blease of Wessex Games, the originators of Aeronef (along with Matthew Hartley), THE Victorian Aerial wargames rules that are fast approaching a second edition. Finishing the models I have would be a quick win as painting them is an easy task - unlike the Aeronef that need a little more work. In the meantime I shall mull over the future of the Turks I have - whether to finish them or build them from scratch - and also the fate of the opposition I have for them. I had planned to fight a VSF version of the WW1 Arab Revolt and to be honest, probably will still do so at some point, and the opposition consisted of a Royal Naval Air Service Red Sea squadron consisting of old aerial colonial cruisers and monitors - very much a second division force but sufficient to show the flag and keep the natives honest.




A bit of a ramble I know but in closing I have added a couple of pictures of some of my old scratch built kit for the Balkan Wars with the hope it will inspire readers to inspire me to get on with it! The names on the bases are taken from actual naval vessels of the period.

4 comments:

Paul O'G said...

Are these your original Turk fleet vessels? The ones now in Mssr Blease's esteemed collection?

Feel free to cross-post them over at WWS mate! Love em :-D

David Crook said...

Will do - I think I still have the pics of most of them. I was surprised to see that they are now some 4 years old!

SteelonSand said...

Ogre, those are the absolute business, the Messudieh carrier in particular is brilliant!
You've got to do one with the launching arms extended and a couple of fighters dangling from them, ready to go...that would really top them off.
Keep up the good work!

David Crook said...

Thanks SoS - it was inspired by those wonderful WW1 dreadnoughts with wing turrets. It was a lot of fun to do and I must confess that I find myself hankering after making a load more - especially as Brigade Models produce some really nice metal accessories like turrets and masts etc. I have three boxes of Hasegawa USAF bombs and missiles to play with (2 in 1/72nd and 1 in 1/48th)so watch this space.......;-)