ACW Naval Progress

The three models currently under construction. The stump of a bowsprit is on the cutting board simply because it became very camera shy and refuse to stay in place unless glued! Forget scale and accuracy but they are fine for what I am going to be using them for.

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that work on the next batch of ACW ships had been progressing, albeit very slowly. This was true for a couple of reasons. First of all the situation with my brother and his family - they are recovering slowly but surely which is really good news - and from a more practical perspective I was waiting on some bits and pieces from Warbases. To be honest I could have furnished these pieces myself if push came to shove but having the requisite items laser cut and above all accurately so, meant that waiting it out was a far more attractive option! There was also the fact that I had changed my mind as to the identities of the two Confederate ships I was building.

The Warbases order duly arrived yesterday and so I was able to attend to the details I needed to in order to get the ships back on track.

The small grey squares you see are cit from what Warbases call ‘greyboard’ - it is basically 1mm thick cardboard - of which they have a small supply. I will let you into a secret at this point. No matter how straight I measure a line I always seem to mess it up when cutting it - mainly for small items. The gunports you see above and things like hatch covers (usually) are the worst offenders for me and over the years I have lost count of the number I have messed these up and had to start again. Having someone else doing this for me meant that a potential headache could be avoided which is no bad thing - as an aside I also have problems painting straight lines so things like cross belts etc are a special form of torture....

The models above are not completed as the funnels are not fixed, neither are the two turrets/gun houses (I have gone with the turret option) and the light pole masts. I mocked these up so that you could see the bare bones of what I am building. The sailing rig for the two turret rams will be fun to do but durability will be the aim rather than accuracy. 

As a reminder the broadside battery ship is loosely based on the U.S.S. New Ironsides whilst the two Confederate ships are inspired by the C.S.S.Stonewall although strictly speaking the turret should be a fixed gun house. In a sense then, that are a fusion of two types that the Confederates COULD have had - namely the H.M.S. Wyvern/Scorpion and the two C.S.S. Stonewall types. I don’t think it is stretching the historical situation too much and besides, it will be fun to use them!

I also took the opportunity to add some hatches to the Confederate ironclads (two on each, one on the foredeck and one aft) and a single hatch to the U.S.S. Roanoke - there was little space to add anything else on this model.

Once these are built and painted I will have ten ships ready for the ACW. I will add a further pair to bring it up to the dozen and then this phase will be complete. I am not finished though as I need to add around a dozen lesser types - gunboats of various sorts mainly although a couple of specials may appear.

My next building project is something altogether different as there is the small matter of some nefarious dealings along the Ogopogo river that need attending to....

To be continued....