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Friday 9 October 2020

Ghosts of Projects Past #2

 Recent nautical posts by David Crook reminded me of a 6mm project that I started years ago. It was going to be a sort of Victorian Colonial / SciFi affair, some of which was going to take place in Africa, and involved a river war between the British Empire and a sinister foreign power (plus, naturally, some steam powered flying machines). Among the models I started making was this proto-type Iron clad. She was balsa wood with plastic tube for funnels and a plastic plug for a gun turret with a cocktail stick gun. The SS Certain Catastrophe. God bless all whole venture aboard.





22 comments:

  1. Maudlin Jack Tar,

    This is a simple but very effective model. I do hope that you’ll make more ships that you can share photographs of with us.

    All the best,

    Bob

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    1. Thanks Bob. There are a surprising number of half started projects in my past and all sorts of strange constructions lurk in drawers waiting to be rediscovered!

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  2. This looks great, Maudlin. Just the thing. Gunboats and steamers of that period are quite easy to make (I reckon), certainly if takes an 'impressionistic' (or perhaps 'expressionistic' - or maybe a combination of both?) approach.
    Cheers,
    Ion

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    1. Cheers Archduke. She did have the impression of an Ironclad!

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  3. Hello there Maudlin Jack Tar,

    Very nice indeed old chap! VSF is great fun - you should look at Aeronef and Land Ironclads by Wessex Games as they are great fun for this genre.

    All the best,

    DC

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    1. Thanks David. 12+ years ago I bought the Aeronef Rules, and, being a bit short of loose change, I started making a few flying machines out of balsa and other bits from the bits box!

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  4. This has worked really well. It would be great to see you make some more...

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    1. Cheers Tradgardmastare. I've been looking at some of the 6mm models and scenery I have for possible use with 10mm figures so I may yet make a bit more!

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  5. Looking good sir, I certainly wouldn't want to be at the business end of it!. Sounds like a great idea for a setting too.

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    1. Cheers Mr Sprinks. How's things chez Sprinks? Everyone ok I hope.

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  6. All good ta, not much hobby stuff going on as I'm back to work but all good. You and yours keeping well?.

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  7. A wonderful piece of how wargaming used to be, cheap effective and quick to make. I don;t know if contemporary gamers would accept this. though I certainly still do !

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  8. The SS Certain Catastrophe, hmmm... hope it's not a sort of premonition.

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  9. I like her lines Sir! If I could enter the 'Man Cave' (I am reliably informed that it is now Gender Neutral), I would start work immediately in emulating your shipwright skills. Thanks to annoyingly slow work on the extension, it will be a while. But ONE day......

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  10. Thanks John. Hope you get established in The Cave soon!

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  11. Brilliant scratch-built ironclad. Love the name!
    Regards, James

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