Useful Map Link

Courtesy of an excellent posting Graf Spee Game the game creator kindly passed on this great map link from the University of Texas:

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/index.html

A nice one for those of a naval persuasion seeking to sail the Seven Seas

CV 5 USS Yorktown in 1/1200

Seeing as I won't be having so much free time to post in the coming months (see previous post) I think I will make the most of a few spare minutes I have as everybody downstairs is blissfully sleeping ;)

Already having passed through the 1:1200 painting yards (aka my desk) is CV 5, "USS Yorktown" of Coral Sea and Midway fame, courtesy of the Revell Mini-Ship range.

The natural lighting is from a sunny day outside. I still have to give her some decals and flight deck markings. Sadly the angle I chose to take the photograph neglects to display any of the camouflage pattern of which I adorned her side with!  :)

I continued while the sun was out to play with US Pacific Fleet

As far as I know this is an impossible meeting, as I think the USS Yorktown had been sunk by the time USS Iowa was commissioned on active duty (however I do stand to be corrected if this was not the case).

This leaves me at a modelling milestone, I have now completed one of each of the 1:1200 warship classes modelled by Revell. True, I do still have several sisters in each class to paint (i.e. a raining day modelling project IMHO).To go further and extend my range, I will have to go into expensive metals or hope Airfix release their old 1:1200 "Sink the Bismarck" range :)

My one regret was not purchasing a Revell Mini-Kit version of the IJN Shinano when I was visiting the Hannants shop in London over ten years ago, I literally had it in my hands! Since then I never had the opportunity (bar eBay) to buy it. There is a moral there. I am also missing the IJN Yamato, but don't feel too let down as I already have the Musashi. Technically I could buy another two KGV (for HMS Anson and HMS Howe), another Roma and another Iowa, but I must confess the urge is not all that strong ;)

A St.Georges Day Addition

We are pleased to announce a new edition to the family:

Born on St. Georges day
Weighing in at 9lb and 7oz
Quite a chunky, but very chilled chap

Most importantly of all mother and baby (as yet unnamed) are both doing well

"The Big Stick" in 1/1200 BB61 "USS Iowa"

The USS Iowa (Revell 1:1200 Miniship) was very satisfying to (eventually) paint. Seen here photographed in natural light outside, on a very sunny day.

A mighty American battleship, possibly the ultimate in modern battleship design. I did not appreciate what a nice vessel she was until the undercoat black turned into the grey and deck. Must remember to add the BB61 decals on later. :)

Moving onto the Japanese Carriers in 1/3000

My ongoing naval adventures in 1/3000 scale:

Moving from the IJN dreadnought battle-line to the real "war-winning (or losing)" Pacific battle-line, the IJN carriers prove an interesting research problem. With the dreadnoughts it is a question of which bit is deck tan and which bit is grey, whereas the IJN carriers are a bit more customised and individualistic.

Hence a Google Image search on a carrier by carrier basis is called for. The Pearl Harbour "killer" six (search template = " aircraft carrier") are first up:

Kaga (Name is a province of Japan):

My first attempt at painting this, as seen from a reconnaissance Catalina:

Then lower down from from some attack aircraft angle (the large yellow sun denoting The Battle of Midway marking):

Not bad for a first attempt, but I may rework some of the white lines, possibly adding a few more. The sea is another experiment, this time an oil painted canvas. Too bright blue at the moment for my liking. I plan to play around with mixing some oils for sea-effect later :)

Akagi (Name means "Red Castle" and is also a name of a Japanese mountain):
Soryu (Name means "Blue or Green Dragon"):
Hiryu (Name means "Flying Dragon"):
Shokaku (Name means "Flying Crane"):
Zuikaku (Name means "Fortunate Crane"):

One down, five more to go :)
 
These searches turned up an interesting company specialising in 1/6000 ships:
http://www.toshachminiatures.com/figurehead.htm

Before I get carried away with all the 1/250 and 1/700 scale detail I must remind myself I am working with models of 1/3000 scale :)

Anyone also else getting visits from unseen Chinese "Friends(?)"

A curious tale to tell, especially since I was just listening to a Radio 4 program yesterday describing the activities of Chinese Internet hackers (state-sponsored or not), particularly as I was looking at the different countries making access to this blog.

English speaking ones I can understand (even as second or third language), but I ask you who in China would want to read this blog?

The timing also ties in with the "comments" I rejected as obvious spam in the past few days or so. In my log I see various entries from China, one of which I show below:

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Chinanet-zj Hangzhou Node Network (61.164.40.14)
www.qq829.com/web_stat.asp?dn=exiledfog.blogspot.com
(Don't go there folks just search on "qq820" in Google) 

Perhaps if I paint my 1/72 IMEX Chinese Liberation army kits I'll get a few more! Security wise anything has to be done on the Server as they host the pages.

Your thoughts and comments appreciated.

Ancient Campaign Update: Politics and Greek Opportunism

Rome survives. Offerings of thanksgiving plume their way up to the heavens, the endurance and fortitude of the citizens of Rome conquers (once again) the reckless move of a bold captain of antiquity.

What is there now left to fear?

Answer: A Greek bearing gifts!

Blatant Greek opportunism at its best or worst (delete as applicable). The ancient Greeks were never a united nation as we know it. Factional disputes and petty City State one-upmanship was always their downfall. So with the eastern borders aflame and crumbling to Seleucid expansion, for want of an effective army to counterbalance the Seleucid pike and shield, an adventurous general with such a force leads a fleet west, beaches itself in the lee of a friendly Italiot City State and marches unannounced and unopposed to the very Gates of Rome.

The citizens of Rome stare in disbelief at the advancing column. How can "The Fates" curse us so?

The walls of Rome as yet not repaired, the surviving citizen legions outnumbered 4:1 were but capable of a mere token resistance as the great city fell ingloriously to "Son of Phyrus" in a tame and feeble fashion. (Not even making it to a token tabletop game.)

As the wet clay hardens for this Greek scribe there has little of worth or note to add to affair. Rome is now under the protection of the Greeks while those Romans still bearing arms are now confined to a region in the north of the country. The Greek success can only be seen as a desperate gamble to grab the short-term wealth/plunder of Rome to fund the large mercenary army needed to successfully confront the Seleucid Empire.

Carthage too prospers as its influence and empire consolidates, its army intent to stay on in northern Italy and hunt down the last defiant Romans that remain. The western Mediterranean is now her lake and even the fierce Gallic/Germanic tribes pay her tribute.

Diplomats usher forth on secret missions as the powers of the east (Seleucid) and west (Carthage) exert great pressure on the diminished powers of the middle (Greece and Rome). One senses now is the time for careful or artful diplomacy.