1/1,200 Dutch 76 gun Eendracht (Unity)

I like to keep this Anglo Dutch wars project ticking over or else it will get left behind and forgotten so two more 1,200 scale Langton ships done to oppose the two English finished already. In this case the Eendracht and the Zeelandia.

Eeendracht was built from 1665 to 1666 for the Maas Admiralty, one of the five naval forces of the Dutch Republic, as a replacement for the earlier ship of the same name that had been sunk in June 1665 at the Battle of Lowestoft. The new ship was the flagship of Lieutenant-Admiraal Aert van Nes at the Four Days' Battle of 1666 and at the subsequent St James' Day Battle.

Zeelandia was a fourth rate 58 gun warship built in 1683 and captured in 1690 by the French.

Again both ships painted to a wargames standard as anything more is really too much for my limited skills but they look fine. Oh by the way I have added the small pins set into the base of all of the models so that any markers may be added while gaming with them, no idea what but I will decide when I find a set of rules I like.

Need to assemble and paint the ships first of course!

Dave.

1/1,200 HMS Mary, English 3rd rate.

 A second Anglo Dutch War ship completed, in this case HMS Mary an English 3rd rate. Originally commissioned as Speaker and built in Woolwich by Christopher Pett in 1650, re-named in 1660 she was a 50 gun frigate, re-built in 1688 and wrecked in 1703.

Langton as usual.

Dave.

1,1200 HMS Prince 1670, Anglo Dutch wars

 While since I last posted folks but what with holidays (good), work (bad) and life in general (meh) these things happen. I am soon to complete a huge 15mm Austrian 1859/66 army but more of that in another post.

In the meantime I have finally bitten the bullet and have begun constructing and painting both sides of the Anglo Dutch wars sailing ships purchased from Langton Miniatures about three years ago which have lain neglected in a box since then. There are about twenty of these beautiful models to do and I must admit to being somewhat daunted about beginning this particular project. If I say so I can paint figures to a good standard, I'm not immodest that way but hey there you go, but I'm a crap modeler, no two ways about it I hate making houses, terrain and bloody ships! I have done some in the past and did a reasonable job but I must say that I didn't really enjoy it. The end result was fine, love the end result but man the process of fiddling on doing sails, shrouds, ratlines etc does my head in. So there I sat looking at twenty fantastic Langton models knowing what must be done, well here is the first.

She is HMS Prince, built in 1670 a one hundred gun 1st rate and during the Third Anglo Dutch War served as the flagship of The Lord High Admiral The Duke of York.

Still learning as I go so a few mistakes but not too bad. The rigging is kept to a minimum as it is a wargaming model plus I haven't the skill or patience to do more. I had asked Rob Anderson of Northumbrian Painting Services to rig the ships when I finished just to piss him off cause I know he hates it but as I seem to have drilled the holes for the rat lines just behind the shrouds I have modelled the ratlines with brass wire myself. Got out of that one mate! Flags hand painted by myself as usual.

Dave.

A naval gazing interlude.

We've all been there, looking in one of the random boxes of unpainted figures for one thing that we were sure we put in there 20 yrs ago. "I remember putting it there in 1982 for f***s sake, why isn't it still there" even though you've moved house three times since then. Oh well.
But sometimes it works out, with dementia rapidly kicking in I searched and searched, never found the thing I was looking for but did come across two Langton Napoleonic kits 1/1200 scale. Haven't done anything like this for years says I, (Whilst doing the rigging I remembered why!) but the end result whilst not anywhere near some of the fantastic models I see on other sites wasn't too bad.
These can be classed as good standard wargame model ships, I know the flags are blowing the wrong way when compared to the sails but aesthetically this looks better and I also know that the union flag on the original British frigate is in the wrong place but to be honest I couldn't be arsed to take it off and replace it! Oh yes and cotton thread doesn't look great after it's been spray varnished but you live and learn.
I may take this further I don't know, but here are the pictures:

I have had a couple of these ships for a while but decided to tart them up, might end up getting about ten per side, we'll see.
Dave.

Ahoy chaps.

Three additions to the WW2 1,2400 GHQ collection, HMS Rodney, Dorsetshire and Suffolk. These will complement the ships I already have, HMS Prince of Wales, HMS Hood, Prince Eugen and of course Bismarck, allowing me to re-fight the sinking of the Bismarck scenario in the Naval Thunder (Battleship Row) scenario/rules by Steel Dreadnought Games Here

 HMS Rodney (just noticed the dog hair on the ship - Bugger):

HMS Dorsetshire:

HMS Suffolk:

All three together:

Pleased with the results.
The scenario itself, with the Bismarck vs King George V, Rodney, Dorsetshire and Suffolk will be somewhat one sided but I'm sure that Neal won't mind being Zee Germans - going round and round in circles and getting crushed, nothing new there! (unfair, he's bloody good actually).
Going to the clubs AGM next week, I'll ask Tom if he's ok with putting photos of the 15mm SYW Russians I'm painting for him on this blog. If so then I'll get the ones I've done so far on here next week.
Dave.

"There's something wrong with our bloody ships today"

Tom, a very good friend at the club asked me to paint his 1,2400 GHQ WW1 British and German ships for the opening phase of Jutland. I thoroughly enjoy painting these exquisite models and he has kindly given permission for them to be put on here. Unfortunately the pictures came out a bit yellow for my liking (crappy lighting) but here they are anyway.

The British.
Light cruisers to the front, heavy in the second column:

The Germans:

No doubt we shall be having a game of Naval Thunder at the Boarder Reivers club sometime soon.
Dave.

Jeeze that's a big un

Mooching through some old wargame photos on the external hard drive I have for my laptop I came across some pictures of a few 1/600 scale Old Glory pre-dreadnought ship models from their 'Shipyard' line that Rob Anderson and I did for a customer quite a few years ago. I know that Andy is a mercenary git and would have no objection to me putting them on here!

Truthfully I can't even remember which ships they are, I think Andy has them now (which ones are they mate?).
I do however remember going down to the Durham show where the Tan Toby reprobates were having a game with these monsters which were on a huge (relative to the space at Durham) table, they were about a foot apart blowing seven kinds of crap out of each other, much to the amusement of everyone concerned.
It being a glorious sunny day outside I did suggest (after donning straw boaters and picking up the old champers) taking the game onto the local bowling green just outside the rear exit door. Now that WOULD be a large playing area. But I think the members of the bowels club wouldn't appreciate commoners interfering with their balls!
Well two posts in one week, you know how it is, no buses, then loads come along at once.
Dave.