HMS Engadine - 3d Printing Tis t'Future

How to solve a problem called Engadine (A Project Jutland mini Update)

From the beginning of Project Jutland there was always going to be a few problem ships that people either don't make or only a US company make them (Viking Forge Nymphe) who then make it so difficult and expensive to buy from them (just the $40 for 1 ship to the UK).

Thankfully I found a UK supplier of CinC models so I could get the British Destroyer Leaders which only they do and the wonderful WTJ covered some of the gaps in their range (who says email harassment doesn't work ;-) whilst the Project was ongoing.

That left the German Light Cruiser Frauenlob which I used a very similar GHQ model for (yes, I know I forgot to take the front funnel off, thank you TMP pedants) and Engadine.

All you need is a friend who is also a Naval Wargamer, a Draughtsman and wizzo CAD operator who owns a 3D printer, that's everyone then ! Step forward Andrew Dickinson, who fits in all the above categories as well as financing the British Dreadnoughts for Jutland, top man.

I would love to describe in detail what's going on in the picture above, it's some form of computer based magic. You clearly get a scale drawing of the ship and then ....... well you know. Hopefully Andrew will join in any discussion later and can provide technical details.

This sort of thing would have had your burnt at the stake a few hundred years ago.

You then send your plan by wireless witchcraft to the magic printy thingy which over the next few minutes  (I think it was about 45) produces a basic ship model.

So there it is the freshly printed 1/2400 scale HMS Engadine, it's then a case of removing the thin flash base the printer makes and trimming the funnels and the basic models is complete.

So there we have the final model in all its glory, nothing different done painting wise just my standard method. Tutorial HERE. I have added a bit of detail on the roof and the rear of the hangar with ink just to bring out the finer points. Strictly the deck around the funnels should be wood but there was a bit of flash there which was impossible to move with damaging the model so I stuck to grey.

I am very happy with our little representation of Engadine and she won't look out of place amongst the other Project Jutland ships. Hats off to Mr Dickinson for the design and build, Engadine Miniatures anyone ?

This is my first foray into the world of printed miniatures and without Andrews technical abilities and access to kit etc it would not have been possible to make this myself, but 3d printers are dropping in price and the availability of model templates for stuff is becoming readily available. How it will impact on traditional figure companies will be interesting to see, hopefully they will modernise and adapt.

I have seen the future and it's called Engadine.