A question for 25/28mm aeronef/airship builders...

[Red Orc]

... what minis do you use for crew?

Way back in the misty eons of long ago, I was looking for inspiration for an airship I was going to make. Long story short, I discovered LAF and its lovely VSF board, but  haven't made the airship (or aeronef), and I really should.

I have some Ironclad British and a few Artizan (I think) Victorian/Old West minis that look fine with them, scale-wise. But I need some airship crew to go with my soldiers and adventurers. Any suggestions for minis that will scale well with the Ironclads?

Thanks awfully chaps. Any suggestions gratefully received.

[Malamute]

I use these boys from Redoubt Miniatures:

They are sold as ACW sailors but seem to do the job.

[OSHIROmodels]

I'm afraid that you just have to trawl through the respective figure catalogues and look for those type of figures.

Pulp minatures have some useful ones (if a bit late sometimes, period wise)

Reduobt have some useful figures

Foundry are worth a look

Ironclad have a wide selection of VSF figures but not too sure on their crew offerings.

Pretty much anyone who manufacturs figures for this era shold have something suitable

cheers

James

[Gluteus Maximus]

The gun crew from Eureka are very nice, but may be too small for larger figures like Ironclad, depending on how much of a "perfect match" freak you are. They seem to fit in well with Perry, Foundry and Copplestone naval types and are pretty close to Redoubt ACW (which are only slightly bigger). They could easily be used/converted for less warlike poses. Available from Fighting 15s in the UK, and there are also some nice fixed-mount small guns to go with them.

There are (were) some from Reviresco in the USA, but I think they are to the smaller end of 28mm and probably too small for Ironclad.

It's a shame some of the excellent companies producing VSF figures don't add a range of generic naval crewmen hint hint

 

[fastolfrus]

Why not email Ironclad and ask if they are making crew to go with their vehicles etc ?

[Fuzzywuzzieswiflasers]

I used Eureka Colonial gunboat crew for both my landship and aeronef. Eureka's naval landing party are okay but perry brothers and copplestone are better.

Don't bother with reveirsco sailors they are awful but you can get some very nice naval guns from them.

Not many make general sailors so yes it would be good if someone made them : 0

cheers
Fuzzy

[S J Donovan]

You might try Parroom Station, they had some very nice British Sailors with goggles and weapons.

[Thunderchicken]

You might try Parroom Station, they had some very nice British Sailors with goggles and weapons.

Dont get me started on that! Grrrrrr!

Glad you asked this question Red as I'm looking for the same. I'm also thinking of ideas for troops/marines attached to 'nef fleets. Something different to the normal ground troops and as Donovan said something with a helmet and goggles. Apologies for hijacking your thread Red but is anyone aware of a manufacturer who produces Camel Corps or other figs actually wearing their goggles, could be good candidates for head swaps. 

[Red Orc]

Hijack away TC - the point is to elicit information about suitable minis for nef crews, whether people are using naval minis, something less historical with goggles and masks, or something totally Pulpy with improbable breathing apparatus etc; and 'marines' (or whatever the nef equivalent would be... 'aerines' or 'aetherines' maybe) would be quite in keeping with that.

I'm going to be lazy and use standard British infantry or my aetherines, I think... my projected 'Royal Aeronautical Corps' is going to be a part of the Army, but using blue jackets instead of red. But as soon as I have my British aeronef (or maybe airship), I want a pirate one too (Kapitein Van Dango, the dashing but deadly Dutch sky-pirate, needs a ship too...) so I want crew for that as well... and they'll probably be a bit more fantastical; so any info is gratefully received.

And to all who've offered suggestions, or gorgeous photos, so far... thanks very much!

[Tommy20]

RAFM do ACW naval gun crew as well:

http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RAF&Product_Code=RAF06638&Category_Code=ACW

[Sinewgrab]

Well, I used Pulp Figures Air pirates and Island Hoppers, given my Norwegian forces having a more haphazard background than many of the other forces, but mixed in some of the belgian officers from Brigade Models for more bodies.

[steders]

Why not email Ironclad and ask if they are making crew to go with their vehicles etc ?

When I spoke to Ironclad at Deby last October they had the scout aeronef and said they were releasing a crew for it. Looking on their website there is a gun crew, but no others. I wonder if he has anymore planned.