A pair of 1/700 O Class Destroyers

 

Another quick update to show off two O class Destroyers which have been  completed and commissioned into the Yarkshire Navy over the last few days.

The ships are 1/700 Tamiya kits, they are pretty old mouldings and lacking in Hull detail but at two for 10 quid in this scale, I ain't complaining that much !

First of the two is Pennant number G17 HMS Onslow, this kit has been fitted with 4.7" Guns which were pretty much standard for British early war Destroyers.

Onslow was very active during the war escorting numerous convoys. She was heavily involved in the Battle of the Barents Sea being badly damaged by shells from the German Cruiser Admiral Hipper. Her Captain, Robert Sherbrooke was awarded a VC for his actions that day.

With the second O Class kit I had I decided to use the optional 4"QF Turrets to make HMS Obedient Pennant Number G48

The ship is in the same Camouflage pattern as Onslow but with reversed colours.

I've experimented with a bit of heavier weathering on this model, I am very conscious of not going over the top with it but some pictures of ships that have been at sea for a while look scruffy as he'll so I'm trying different things to get a good effect.

I've got 4 British Destroyers done now and 2 German with another 2 under construction, hopefully I will get a tester game on table in a couple of weeks.

1/700 WW2 Naval Project Video Series Part 1

 

The latest Project at Yarkshire Gamer is gaining a bit of interest and added to that I am enjoying it emensly. So I've decided to do a series of videos as I go along.

Here is the first video which is the start of a series of videos following my build of the 1/700 Revell Bismark kit. I will follow the progress all the way to the table.

I plan to do kit reviews, kit builds, tutorials, ship histories and maybe even some gameplay when I get this on the table. I plan to keep the majority of videos to 10 minutes or less.

Please subscribe to the Yarkshire Gamer Utubes Channel so you don't miss one.

Hope you 

1/700 HMS Hood

 

The 1/700 WW2 Project rolls on and while I've been concentrating on the easier to game with Destroyers, I have had this monster being worked on in the background.

The ship is a Tamiya kit and is based on a 420 x 100 base. I haven't used any fancy photo etch extras or additional wooden decking, I've just painted and weathered the basic kit.

It even looks pretty good in black and white !

I've done very limited amounts of weathering on the ship as it was pretty pristine when it set off on its final journey, I would like to give a special shout out to the HMS Hood Association website which has loads of details on colour schemes for the ship

http://www.hmshood.org.uk/hoodtoday/models/tips/hoodpaint.htm

I've added a small spar to the rear of the rear mast and run a rigging line down from it for the Ensign, the flag just won't face backward and just seems to have a mind of its own !

I've said it before and will reiterate it here, I am having so much fun with this Project, maybe I needed a break from constant figure painting but I have found myself going back to the ships time and time again.

I've got a pair of O Class Destroyers already finished and will be working on a couple of German Destroyers next, as well as making a start on the Bismark.

28mm North Star / Artizan Italian Wars Spanish Review

 

Morning all, back to normality with a review of @NorthStarFigs #Italianwars #Spanish range, I've included size comparison and a discussion on how plan to use them. Link below

#wargaming #tabletopgames #Hobbies #tabletopgaming #miniatures #28mm #History 

And a quick update on the WW2 Project 

Campaign to End Cruelty to Teddy Bears for Wargames Terrain

 

There's a dangerous trend spreading through the #wargames hobby, a cruel & harmful trend which is making Teddy Bears (& Beardogs) endangered species. It's time 2 put a stop 2 Teddy Bear Fur Terrain, it's Time 2 Stop the Shave

Please watch the video below

#wargaming #tabletopgaming #warmongers #stoptheshave

1/700 Z33 German WW2 Destroyer

 

A very quick post today Yesterday I presented the #German Destroyer Z32, today I've gone one better, yes here is Z33 ! 😆 ......I'll get me coat 😁

#WW2 #wargames #Wargaming #Naval #tabletopgaming #tabletopgames #miniatures #painting #History #Kriegsmarine

 Z32 and Z33 together, just to prove they are two different ships !

And finally the Project to date 

Update - The Hood is in Progress and its Big, O Class Destroyer for scale next to it

1/700 Z32 German Destroyer

 

Today's philosophical question is "Is it possible to have too fun with a Wargames Project" ? because I am with these WW2 Destroyers.

After catching the dreaded lurgy and missing Crack Con (much to my annoyance) I treated myself to finishing off a model and doing some photos.

I've added Z32 a Mob 1936 German Destroyer to the Fleet, I've put a single gun turret on the front as although it was supposed to have a dual turret, but they weren't avaliable when it was first commissioned. It was retro fitted with the two gun version in 1944.

This is my first ever attempt at using masking tape to do a Camouflage pattern and I'm pretty happy with it, I've learnt loads doing it. I struggled a lot with the camo on the upper structure and in the end I went free hand with that in the end. I've also bought some more weathering juices and I've had a bit of a play with without (I hope) going over the top.

Z33 is having its upper superstructure painted and should be done soon, Hood is going through the paint process but it's HUGE and will take forever. I've just built and undercoated 2 British O class Destroyers.

This is fun ! The first person to tell me something is wrong with the ship will be cursed to eat Jack Fulton Pies for eternity 😆

Final picture of the three finished Destroyers amazing how much bigger the German Destroyers are.

Regards Ken
The Yarkshire Gamer

Papal St Patricks Battalion

 

Sometimes you can trace a Project back to a long held burning desire and this is one of those, I have always been fascinated by those who leave their country of origin to travel far overseas (in a time when such a thing was uncommon) to fight for a cause they believed in. From the Volunteers of the International Brigades to the Irish Battalion in 1860. Add to that I'm a suckered for a lost cause !

I have been reading about the St Patricks Battalion for many years but never really had an excuse to buy any. These wonderful figures from Gringo 40s came on the market a few years ago and have always been at the back of my mind (link to figures below)

The Commander of the unit was Major Myles O'Reilly who I would like to think was some distant uncle 😉

http://www.gringo40s.com/papal-states-infantry.html

But with this Project I can also locate the exact amount that I started it. At the end of my Reet Big Wargames Podcast I get my guests to ask me a question. At the end of episode 6 with Utubes Star Von Ketteringham he asked me "what unit from history that you haven't painted would you like to ?" It was then that I remembered the St Patricks Battalion, next thing I had ordered the figures from the Internet and the rest is History. 

What a joy the Internet is for a Wargames figure addicts perspective 😀 

The unit was made up of Irish Volunteers and was only around for a very short space of time, many of the men went on to join the Papal Zouaves or returned home to Ireland after 1860.

If you want to learn more about the history of the unit and the men who volunteered then I can recommend the book "Victorian Crusaders" by Nicholas Schofield which is published by Helion, link below, with a link to my Utubes review of it.

https://helionbooks.wordpress.com/2022/08/10/victorian-crusaders/

For the pendants amongst you, 

The unit never fought as a single unit as depicted in my photos

Most of the unit never received the wonderful uniform the models I have painted are wearing.

The flags are not correct and I have added more generic Papal States flags until I get more information.

The green is a base of Vallejo Luftwaffe Green Camo, washed with a 50 50 mix of Army Painter Dark Tone and Military Shader, then drag brushed with a 50 50 mix of Luftwaffe Cam Green and USA Uniform, finished off with a light drybrush of USA uniform. Everything else is my usual style, no wet palettes or contrast Paints have been injured in the preparation of this unit 😆

A lovely looking and most unusual unit for the table, for the American readers this went no where near Mexico ! See you again soon when the blogging bug strikes again 👍

Yarkshire Gamer Podcast 31 - Giles Allison - Tarleton's Quarter

Something for the weekend Sir ? Or maybe a long drive to Newark 😉Yarkshire Gamer Podcast 31 with Giles Allison of Tarleton's Quarter is out on Podbean and other Podcast Hosts now

https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-31-giles-allison-tarleton-s-quarter/

Welcome to the 31st Episode of The Yarkshire Gamers Reet Big Wargames Podcast and today my guest is Giles Allison.

Giles had a big influence on my American War of Independence collection as I was building it up through his excellent blog Tarleton's Quarter, that influence was felt by many others and I would rank Giles blog as one of the best out there. Full of information and inspiration for the AWI and many other periods, all available for free at the click of a button.

The show is in the usual 4 part format and as well as talking about wargaming we tackle heady topics like, is Avocado a Vegetable or a Fruit as well as the exact location of the North / South Avocado - Mushy Peas Line

Hopefully the show has persuaded Giles to go back and keep adding to his blog and complete his AWI Collection. The blog can be found on the link below

Tarleton's Quarter (gilesallison.blogspot.com

Hopefully I will be back in a couple of weeks chatting to an old friend and reet proper Big Gamer Chris Flowers, however before then here is the last episode with Carlo Pagano 

Until then, Sithee

Regards Ken

1/700 HMS Echo, HMS Electra and a German Preview

 

A very quick update today as I've added a second Destroyer to the one I showed off a couple of days ago.

Both ships are E Class Destroyers one I bought separately and one came in the HMS Hood Box.

Both ships are painted and based in the same manner, although I have done a little more with the sea foam effect on HMS Electra to give the illusion of a faster speed than HMS Echo.

I really like the way the foam looks and how it looks as a bow wave as well as splashes along the side of the ship. Very effective. I still plan to do some rigging on the ships, ordering the line has been a bit of a challenge, the first time I got the wrong colour, the second time my dog got to the post before me and ate it !

The third roll is en route now.

And here's a preview of the next two ships Z32 and Z33 German Destroyers.