Thursday, 14 May 2009

Balkan Wars Afloat

Following recent completion of the 1/3000th scale ships for the Balkan wars of 1912/1913 I thought it might be useful to list the models I used from the Navwar catalogue. Many of the smaller types (DDs, TBDs and TBs) required substitutions from other nationalities and this would not have been possible without the help from various people in identifying suitable models. Neil Fox and Chris Hardman; together with Tony at the Navwar shop were most helpful in this regard and I would like to thank them for their efforts.

Turkey

N8P10A Mesudiye
N3112 Worth (Germany) - for Torgud Reis and Hayreddin Barbarossa class PB
N8P33/33A Hamidiye and Mecidiye PC
N8p32 Peyk-i Sevket (x2) Torpedo gunboat
N2521 Durandel (France) - for Samsum class TBD x4
N3508 S/T 165 (Germany) - for Muavenet-i Milleye TBD x4
N4702 Saffo (Italy) - for Akhisar/Antalya class TB x8
N5722 Type 67 (Japan) - for Demirhisar class TB x4. I also used this model for the Bulgarian TBs (x6) as they are very similar in profile. Basically it is a 100 ton turtle back twin funnelled affair.

Greece

N8732 Averoff AC- the scourge of the Sublime Porte!
N8704 Hydra Coast defence PB x3
N8754 Aetos TBD x4
N8152 Huszar (Austro Hungary) - for Thyella class TBD x4
N3511 V1 (Germany) - for Keravnos class TBD x2
N1529 C Class (Great Britain) - for Niki class TBD x4

As you can see it was very much a case of a cast of thousands in sourcing the models! All the TBDs and TBs were based in pairs in a line ahead formation - all bases are 3cm wide and I allow 1cm off the bow and the stern with a 1cm gap on a multiple base. As soon as I m able I will get some pictures posted - my camera struggles to pick out detail in this scale!

As mentioned previously, I shall add to these fleets to bring them up to 1914 vintage and the scope for adding ships ordered and not delivered or sold elsewhere is huge with both fleets - I suggest reading the Mediterranean Naval Situation 1908 to 1914 by Paul Halpern for a great insight into the arms dealing shenanigans of the period!


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2 comments:

  1. Robert (Bob) Cordery15 May 2009 at 10:31

    A very impressive list of ships!

    The Eastern Med is a great area to fight naval wargames in as there are so many islands where ships (or even fleets) can hide.

    By the way, don't forget that the Italians also fought the Turks for control of Lybia in the run up to WWI, and this might also make for an interesting naval campaign (Turks trying to intercept troop convoys; Italians trying to detroy Turkish cruisers and TBDs).

    Bob

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  2. David Crook15 May 2009 at 12:30

    The first run out the Turks had was against the Italians and they came away with a bloody nose! Brasseys Naval Annual for 1913 mentions the naval side of the Italo-Turkish war but I certainly agree with the campaign potential - historically though Turks put up little in the way of meaningful opposition. I just wish I could get some pictures uploaded!

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