AKULA's Little Wars thread - Pg2 - Merchantman, another sub & fleet photo

[AKULA]

Very much looking forward to what you do with Mark's Little Soldiers, and
only sorry (from a VBCW point of view) that you don't have another 10 foot
aircraft carrier planned!

Not 10 foot... but today's offering is an aircraft carrier...its actually about 12" in length.

I think that the original toy probably dates from the 1950s...it had certainly seem better days, having lost its superstructure, most of its paint and started to corrode away. 

The lack of the superstructure actually made it better suited for my plans... it reminded me of the Argus (funnily enough, this was the carrier that I based my ten footer on for VBCW).





The planes are a couple of Wings of Glory (1/144th scale?)...I'll probably add a proper air complement of Red Eagle Models rather than repaint these.

[leadboy]

Ah, a more manageable carrier, lovely. A suggestion for the air component:

https://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/2020/04/aircraft-reach-for-vbcw-sky.html

Very cheap on Ebay (although not as cheap as they were), easily convertible, camouflage
as you like:

https://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/2021/01/lifting-off-out-of-lockdown-raf.html

At 8cm x 11cm, should be able to get the right "look" when parked up as an air wing on the carrier!

[AKULA]

A suggestion for the air component:

Very cheap on Ebay (although not as cheap as they were), easily convertible, camouflage
as you like:

At 8cm x 11cm, should be able to get the right "look" when parked up as an air wing on the carrier!

Thanks mate, will check them out... potentially small enough that they can sit on the carrier but also take part in games without looking odd size-wise.  If I went with the 1/144 scale planes I'd limit them to the naval games, and use other models for operations over land, so a "one size fits all" option would be good 

[carlos marighela]

Size schmize. I just purchased a 1/144 B-52 for shits 'n' giggles. It ain't small.

Carrier looks good, very Argusy. I'd be tempted to make a simple island that you can add or leave off and get double use from the hull.

[FramFramson]

You'll have to update the title to AKULA's BIG Wars thread! 

[AKULA]

 

Carrier looks good, very Argusy. I'd be tempted to make a simple island that you can add or leave off and get double use from the hull.

A good idea…I might do exactly that, although I’ve got my eye on another potential carrier as well

 

You'll have to update the title to AKULA's BIG Wars thread! 

Hmmm….perhaps the  “ (not so) little wars thread “

 

[AKULA]

A couple more additions today … more vintage toys repurposed.

Managed to find another sub and a merchant vessel for a reasonable price… possibly amongst the last of the original tin toys I’ll be able to add as the others I’ve seen are really crazy prices….fortunately I’ve plenty of the armoured cruiser variety to be going on with.




Group shot so far

[Silent Invader]

Those subs are especially brilliant

[leadboy]

Lovely ! BTW, I can't find a reasonable source for the "armoured cruiser" - all the ones that I can find on EvilBay at the moment seem to be £25 or so (upwards). Is there a search secret, or has a glut of them passed, explaining the price differential ?

[carlos marighela]

Quite a flotilla you have there! I'm digging this Retro thing.

Just don't start stalking Fiona Bruce OK?

[AKULA]

Lovely ! BTW, I can't find a reasonable source for the "armoured cruiser" - all the ones that I can find on EvilBay at the moment seem to be £25 or so (upwards). Is there a search secret, or has a glut of them passed, explaining the price differential ?

Well the cheap UK ones have {cough}  mysteriously disappeared {cough} but there is a nice chap in Spain selling them for £5.99 a pop, which if you want more than one makes sense postage-wise....just search " tin armored boat paya "   

Quite a flotilla you have there! I'm digging this Retro thing.

Just don't start stalking Fiona Bruce OK?

 

[leadboy]

Ah....a Spanish seller ! How splendid and thanks for the tip.

In the same vein, have you looked on Ebay under "Lego Vintage Ship" - it
turns up old hulls (Lego Tug, Lego Police Boat, Lego Freighter). These hulls
come in two to four bits, and you can therefore make your ship as short or
long as you want.

Admittedly, the deck is covered in lego pimples, but that is easy enough to
cover with plasticard. A free rein for scratchbuilding a superstructure.

The good thing is that the Lego collectors don't want bits of these ship kits,
but only the complete thing. Most of the time, therefore, the old hulls come
up pretty cheaply (i.e. about £5 - £6).

[AKULA]

In the same vein, have you looked on Ebay under "Lego Vintage Ship" - it
turns up old hulls (Lego Tug, Lego Police Boat, Lego Freighter). These hulls
come in two to four bits, and you can therefore make your ship as short or
long as you want.

I have indeed, although I must confess that I've focussed upon some of the larger hulls on offer... keeping those for another project