I have just completed the three Cairo class gunboats for my ACW scratch built naval collection. The models were fairly straightforward to build although adding the 13 gun ports to each one was a little tedious (I have 16 to put on the Benton!). I did not attempt to accurately model the pilot house - the original was a hexagonal shape tapered to the roof - as it is too small for my rather crude model making ability! Still the finished article looks suitably imposing and will ceratinly give the Confederate ironclads something to think about. The Benton will make an appearnce tomorrow and be warned - she is BIG!!!
4 comments:
David,
Very nice models! You seem to have hit on a winning method for modelling this type of ship. I am looking forward to seeing the next ... and biggest ... of the 'fleet!
All the best,
Bob
Fantastic work, there, David - I was just about to say how well you had done with the pilot houses - I think they really look good, properly angled and in proportion - this whole fleet is going to turn out as quite the showcase of your skills - I would never have the guts to try and replicate those angled casemates, particularly in such quantity!
Can't wait to see more, especially when they're painted up and en masse......
Hi Bob,
Many thanks for the kind words - aside from the gun ports I really enjoyed making these! Thankfully the next lot will be the side wheelers - with plenty of straight lines and a cunning plan re the paddle boxes....;-)
All the best,
DC
Hi Sos,
Cheers old boy for the most generous comments! I can manage 45 degree angles easily enough which is OK but many of the historic ships had angles of 35 degrees which I did not fancy at all!
I have really enjoyed this project so far and although the models are not true scale representations the final result looks close enough to the real thing to all but the die hard purist.
I have around three more ironclads to make (not including the half a dozen monitors) and the dozen or so assorted side wheeler rams and gunboats.
First of all though, I need to get the paint brush out!
All the best,
DC
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