Joining the flotilla of gunboats are two more vessels from Langton Miniatures - a galley gunboat, with two guns, and a 'large' gunboat, with three guns on pivots. Both of these craft can be portrayed with sails or oars, but I prefered the former. These are pretty simple kits, but still with nice detail, and brass sails. As with most Langton kits, they sit pretty high in the water, so I have sanded them down a bit.
One of the fun aspects of gunboat models is all of the interesting rigs they display - they get fairly exotic. It's a fun break from the standard three-masted square-sailed ships of the line.
The bases are trimmed-down sections of Langton resin sea bases, with black acrylic underneath, and the rigging is made of nylon bristles from a paintbrush. I replaced the white metal masts with brass rods, for strength.
For size comparison, here are the two gunboats in front of GHQ's HMS Cleopatra:
Here is the flotilla in its entirety - so far:
Perfect as always James. Now figure out a way to put a crew in them like the rowed boats. Any ideas? I have all of these 2MM troops, if I could just cut a few away from the formations......Keep on inspiring the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Vol
I stand in awe – these thingies are bloody tiny! Can't comprehend how to paint them, let alone how to do handicrafts at that level. Stunning!
ReplyDeleteCheers, SG
mountainsoflead.com
Thanks very much Sire Godefroy. One little strand at a time!
DeleteYou have astonishing work.
ReplyDeleteI think - while looking at the to be assembled large gunboat - that it should actually be lugger rig (hence the asymmetric sails). Lugers, as far as I have understood were quite common small craft.
Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate it. I think you're definitely right about the rear sail of the "Large Gunboat", that's definitely a lug sail. I think they're capable of swinging that far forward when the wind is astern, but I'm not certain. The main sail is definitely a square sail though.
DeleteRegards,
James
Actually, you are absolutely right. I bought number of gunboats (among with other tiny stuff) some time ago and now that I check them with renewed interest, it appears that most large gunboat models of mine have clearly symmetrical main sail.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in one oddity, main sail is clearly asymmetrical (spar is on the short side of the sail and angles are asymmetric) and appears quite much like lugger sail (first one I checked) - no wonder I had tough time identifying that some time ago. :) Perhaps there has been older generation(?)... Funny curiosity that.
Anyways, very pretty tiny things.
It sounds like you got a special edition one :)
DeleteI love the variety of the sail types these models display, so it sounds like you were lucky to get even more variety. - James
I am once again in awe of your craftsman ship and simply love what you are doing- So Freaking delicate!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration.
Cheers,
Thomas
Thanks very much Thomas, that's very kind. They're great little kits, and I'm glad you've enjoyed seeing them. - James
DeleteSo nice and so little...beautiful work!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliments Phil, I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures. Hopefully they'll hold their own well enough on the table to be worth the time :)
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