Thursday 17 December 2020

First of the Russo Turkish Warships


So far, so good. The masts, bowsprit, turrets and funnel are not yet fixed in place as I prefer to paint them ‘off piste’ so to speak. 

 Depicted above is the first of the two sea going monitors - the Luft-u Celil class - the Turks employed along the Danube during the war of 1877. The second of the class is at the same stage of construction. I opted for the reduced rig as these were used primarily inshore (where one of the two was sunk by Russian shore based heavy mortars) and I have made a conscious decision to reserve the full sailing rig for ocean going vessels. In due course this will mean that the half dozen or so Turkish ironclads will have the full sailing rig. The models are loosely based on the picture from the Illustrated London News but as usual, the emphasis is on the ‘based on’ rather than being strictly accurate representations.


As featured in the Illustrated London News

These will be sealed and undercoated today with the plan to have them painted and varnished in the next few days. I then have a further six gunboats to build - two for the Russians and four for the Turks - before tackling the spar torpedo boats. At this point I may add a couple of Russian armed steamers but for the most part that will be it until I can get the pieces I need from Warbases in the new year. Even the two circular Russian gunboats will need to wait as well....

All in all then it has been a positive start to this ‘side hustle’ and to add to the fun I have settled on a source of some quite superb data for my rules plan. No details on this as yet but it will save me a huge amount of time - time that can used to build even more models!

8 comments:

Maudlin Jack Tar said...

That's a very nice model David

David Crook said...

Hello there Maudlin Jack Tar,

Why thank you old chap! I want to get these two completely finished and then I mass producing six gunboats - a class of four and one of two. Once they are done it will be spar torpedo boats and a tender of some kind. That will complete this phase of the project as the Turkish or clads and the other Russian bits and pieces will need some pieces from Warbases.

Whilst I am waiting on them I shall build a further half a dozen or so ACW types.

I have to keep going because I know I will hit a wall at some point so I am making the most of the enthusiasm at the moment!

All the best,

DC

Peter Douglas said...

Looks great David!

David Crook said...

Hi Peter,

Cheers old chap! I am enjoying the process at the moment so long may that continue!

All the best,

DC

Bob The Old Painter said...

You have captured the shape really well. Should look great when painted.

David Crook said...

Hello there Bob,

Many thanks old chap! I am just about to give them their second undercoat and will be painting them tomorrow - in fact I should be able to finish them.

All the best,

DC

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Let battle commence!

David Crook said...

Hello there Geordie,

There is a way to go before I get there but the progress is encouraging!

All the best,

DC