Saturday 10 September 2011

Nautical Birthday Presents

Subtle hinting and emailing an Airfix link brought about this first birthday hit. HMS Repulse in 1/600. A kit I "touched" in 1995 but decided not buy (and regretted), so second time around I didn't want to miss the boat (literally) again. I know Trumpeter have produced a nice version too, but the 1/600 Airfix version fits in nicely with the KGV 1/600 (aka HMS Prince of Wales) Airfix model I also have dating back from the 1995 era too. Perhaps subconsciously I am planing some sort of a "Sinking of Force Z" game in a local school playground/hall.


The second birthday hit was a eBay (store purchase not bidding war) birthday present bought for myself on the excuse of an older brother saying I had to "get something I wanted for myself". Mission accomplished with the Airfix 1/1200 "Sink the Bismarck" waterline model set (shown below). I can also blame Tim Gow and David Crook for this with their blog reviews, though if truth be told I didn't need that much encouraging at all.


I didn't have this as a kid and it was yet another feeling of "the one that got away". It also fits in nicely with the Revell Mini-Ships series I have, plus an eclectic set of "metals" (1/1200 or 1/1250) scale I picked up on eBay recently. Another bonus was that a benign Airfix "Packing Elf" included two packs of HMS Suffolk, which is quite handy (aka the RN, HMS Norfolk and HMS Suffolk Greenland Gap/Denmark Strait cruiser patrol pair). All I now need is another "pair of Tribals" for Vian's boys, but they seem to be over-priced on eBay (am I making an excuse for buying another boxed set?)

Well they are 'both' on the "winter projects to do list" :)

8 comments:

Tim Gow said...

Sounds like you'll be ordering another set! Good presents.

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

I've set myself the task of at least "making" the ones I have first

I figure that:
KM Prince Eugen (albeit larget) has the Hipper and Blucher as sisters)
KM Bismarck has the sister Tirpitz (although I have both already in Revell kits, but then there was always the Z Plan)

Another RM "County" class cruiser will never go amiss (HMS Suffolk, Norfolk and HMS Dorsetshire)
The Tribals would be forever useful

Only the Ark and Hood are "duplicates" as such, but the Hood was originally in a class of four. The Ark being the first aircraft carrier experiment, but must have conversion potential ;)

How to make a game out of them is another matter. I am thinking I need:

HMS Reknown
HMS Repulse
HMS Sheffield
HMS Victorious
HMS Rodney
HMS Ramillies

As PoW and KGV I have in the Revell kits (and six H class destroyers)

But I have all the above in 1/3000 so I am thinking 1/1200 representing your ships and 1/3000 representing the enemy

Paul said...

A very tasty haul indeed.

Happy birthday by the way!

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Cheers Paul

" I see to be in a Nautical WW2 1/200, Renaissance 28mm and WWII land 1/300 cycle at present

I feel I should break out of it and somehow get some 20mm WW2 land done but the clubs and fellow wargamers seem to be very quiet on that just now

west1871 said...

Looks like you will be busy for a while!!!
My Great uncle was on the Repulse when it down,I don't think he ecer got over it.

Cheers Rich.

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Hello west1871,

To get off alive was a lucky thing!
It must have been horrific, from the accounts I've read the Japanese attack was very professional and (unlike ours) mathematically pretty much assured of hits and kills.

Best Wishes

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

1/1200 Scratch build HMS Rodney see:

http://www.coatneyhistory.com/index.html

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Another 1/1200 ship site
http://miniaturemodeling.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Ships