Sunday 11 May 2014

The 'Not Quite So' Grand Fleet

I had hoped to have had the eight 1/2400th scale Royal Navy dreadnoughts ready to unleash against the Kaiser but alas whilst the models are painted (with the first coat of varnish drying) the bases are yet to be completed so it will be a few days yet before the photo shoot. The models represent four of the classes used by the Royal Navy - the Bellerophon and the follow on St. Vincent classes (virtually the same as the original H.M.S. Dreadnought) the King George V class and a pair of the Iron Dukes. I have a pair of Queen Elizabeth class 15" gunned battleships ready to go but I wanted to get another pair of 12" armed earlier types and a pair of Orion 13.5" armed ships just to keep the balance somewhat. The Germans are going to get outnumbered very quickly at this rate - which I suppose has a certain degree of historical accuracy. The Grand Fleet is currently very modest but it will be a beast and a half when at full strength.


I have a modest order to go to Panzerschiffe in the US for some gap fillers - primarily early battle cruisers - and will post bout these as and when they arrive.


In the meantime though, the next part of the project will be the destroyers - of which I have 56 in total - but luckily these will be straightforward to tackle. In any event they are all based and undercoated and the names and numbers have been assigned.


The plan as it stands will be to have the entire collection - including the Panzerschiffe models - completed by the end of next month although this does not include the additional armoured cruisers and pre dreadnoughts I will add in due course. The core collection though will be more than sufficient to be going on with!


I will also need to start thinking about rules again but I have deliberately avoided doing so for the moment as the painting is the thing.

10 comments:

Robert (Bob) Cordery said...

David,

Only 56 destroyers! A piece of cake!

It sounds as if you have really made some excellent progress with this project, and I look forward to seeing the completed fleets.

All the best,

Bob

David Crook said...

Hi Bob,

They certainly seem to be rattling along - for which I am highly delighted! There are currently 24 German and 32 British destroyers although I can see these numbers increasing in due course - possibly to 36 and 48 respectively as I would to add some other classes for variety.

I hope to the completed battleships on the blog later in the week - all that needs doing are the bases.

All the best,

DC

evilleMonkeigh said...

How do you base your models?

Been thinking of a few ways including using microscope slides.

But if you've based 56 you must have a good production method for basing?

CelticCurmudgeon said...

David,
Sounds like a great project. Congrats...will you be doing either the French or Americans for the period?
56 destroyers? A piece of cake!
Jerry
A/K/A The Celtic Curmudgeon

Simon Quinton said...

Brilliant shall look forward to seeing some finished!

David Crook said...

Hi Evillemonkeigh,

My basing technique is very simple - cheap offcuts of artist's mounting board (used for framing). I purchased a bag of offcuts a couple of years ago for £2 which is showing no signs of running out anytime soon. It is quite thick and takes paints nicely so will do for the size of models I am painting.

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Hi Celtic,

Depending on the Panzerschiffe stuff I may prepare a token US force for the North Sea. The French are a distinct possibility (I used to have a huge 1/3000th navy back in the early 1980s)as are the Austrians and of course, the Turks - which means Black sea Russians as well....;-)

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Hi Simon,

I hope to have the dreadnoughts finished in the next couple of days or so - with pictures to follow.

All the best,

DC

Paul O'G said...

A splendid plan to lay out a palpable hit or two! Looking forward to seeing them after builder's trials are completed

David Crook said...

Hi Paul,

They are underway and I have made sure that commonwealth has been represented....;-)

All the best,

DC