Armed Clyde puffer aka "monitor" (of some sort - VBCW 1938)

[Geudens]

VBCW (in this case being "Very Belgian Civil War"...):

http://www.tsoa.be/html/titelblad_to_arms.html

The Clyde puffer's hull bottom has been strenghtened with steel plates to take the weight (and recoil impact...) of a WWI howitzer. It is the ultimate siege weapon (if a river or canal is at hand...   ). The only problem is that the hull must point lenghtwise in the direction of the target in order to fire the gun.

This does not only open some "brown water navy" possibilities, but also a number of scenarios, e.g.:

- the besieged realise that the "monitor" (  ) anchors each night in the same bend of the river to take aim and tonight they will lay in ambush...

- rumours are that the "monitor" is on its way to flatten our fortifications! Better save than sorrow: a barge is sunk in the waterway and we will attack the gunboat from behind. We'll have to take into account the enemy covering force, but we will succeed!!!

Cameras can do tricky things (or is it me?   ). The 3rd pic shows about the correct colours of the hull as painted, the same goes for the second one (the wheelhouse in that case).

Why is the ship so rusty?  Simple: it has been laying idle near a railroad bridge, waiting (in vain...) for Papa Midnight's new train to cross and blow it to kingdom come...  

Before you ask   : the gun is ref ACVW003 SF howitzer from Armourcast (9 USD). Very little "SF" about it, but ideal as a WWI-ish heavy piece!

Rudi

[Captain Blood]

Lovely work, Rudi 

[Bravo Six]

Wow Rudi, very cool! 

Is that a scratchbuilt ship?

-Todd

[Geudens]

Wow Rudi, very cool! 

Is that a scratchbuilt ship?

-Todd

Thx, guys!

Nope, it is a recent release from Minimi:

http://www.minimi.co.uk/product.aspx?product=model28puffer.inc%20&title=28mm%20Cargo%20Ship

Rudi

[Lowtardog]

Beautiful work Rudi

[Helen]

Lovely paint work Rudi! 

Helen

[commissarmoody]

Vary nice

[postal]

another very nice from me too!

[Admiral Benbow]

Seems I missed this, Rudi. That's a real showpiece. I just had a look at your club's site and can't wait to see that game in the flesh at Crisis.
 

[Geudens]

Seems I missed this, Rudi. That's a real showpiece. I just had a look at your club's site and can't wait to see that game in the flesh at Crisis.
 

Thx, Admiral, but our Crisis game this year will be Tunnel Rats, I'm afraid...  I just finished the rules whilst Willie and Johan are dealing with the figures and the scenery...

CU at C09!

Rudi

[Chuckaroobob]

    My, that's a big one!

[commissarmoody]

   My, that's a big one!

....Thats what she said!   

Ok I will go crawl back in the my cage now.

[bigredbat]

Very nice indeed!  One shot and that boat will go into submarine mode, though...  ;-)  Simon

[Geudens]

Very nice indeed!  One shot and that boat will go into submarine mode, though...  ;-)  Simon

Thx, guys! Nope, it won't sink  (see original posting):

"The Clyde puffer's hull bottom has been strenghtened with steel plates to take the weight (and recoil impact...) of a WWI howitzer"

Rudi

[bigredbat]

I did see the original post, Rudi.  I think the naval engineer may have been a tad optomistic...