Beginnings, Airplanes

[Arcticman]

So, I am hooked on yet another project.....

Here are two airplanes I finished in the last couple of days:



Painted as A White Russian plane, in a generic pattern. This one, however, is stationed in Dzungaria c:a 1920.

The other one is:


(pictures don't seem to work so here are the links:
http://s314.photobucket.com/albums/ll402/arcticman101/?action=view&current=SopwithCamela.jpg
http://s314.photobucket.com/albums/ll402/arcticman101/?action=view&current=SpadXiiia.jpg

Oh I haven't based Mlle de Colombville yet, because I have decied to do this period with washers, only I have no idea where to get them)


This one is a Spad XIII C from the Gansu Republic (nominally in the Republic of China as can be seen by the tail fin, but with the republican colours [which are based on East Turkestan's colours]).  Purple stripe indicate the Jiuquan squadron (Jiuquan means Wine spring) this one piloted by Mlle. Dianne de Colombville (hence the C1).

The story so far:

In 1915 an American, Walther Wittenberger, and a Frenchman, Georges de Colombville, were on a geological expedition in the Gansu region and found rich oil deposits near the city of Yumen. This lead to two things.
First the creation of Allied Oil Company and second to the creation of the Republic of Gansu under the benevolent leadership of Generalissimo Li Zhoufeng, who with his newfound wealth and a long distance away from any other significant warlord, decided to create his own state. So, buying up surplus materiel from the west, Li has created quite an army to defend, and hopefully expand his realm. The Ma clique in Qinghai do not like this.

Meanwhile in 1919, the army of general count Alexander Dmitrovitj Afansiev has set up a new power base in Dzungaria. Here they can strike north into Siberia and hopefully link up with other White armies. Oil fields would be nice to have for Afanasiev.

Tibetans are carrying on trade with Gansu, specially since there are some Lama monasteries in  Tsaidam basin, now controlled by Gansu. One problem is that this area is also the home of the notorious bandit Grandfather Wu and his large band.

The scene is set. What will happen next?

[twrchtrwyth]

Here are the above planes.


Nicely done by the way.

[Sendak]

Good fluff is good beginnings, I awy's say.

I admire your 'model building' prowess.

Thas some nice paint also.

Thanks for giving us a peek.

[Ignatieff]

Nice stuff.  I use 2p coins for bases.  They are heavier than washers and hence give more stability.  And they are easier to get as hold of (if you live in Blighty!)

S

[Arcticman]

Thank you for the positive feedback.

twrchtrwyth: thanks for making the pictures work, I still don't get the techology of it 

Ignatieff: Unfortunately I don't live there but in Sweden and our coins are useless, at least as bases 
Your League of Extraordinary Kriegspielers posts have been a great inspiration, those setups are fantastic.
Do you have any tips on how to make those oil derricks from the Baku game?

Cheers

Eric

[meanderthal]

Nice stuff.  I use 2p coins for bases.  They are heavier than washers and hence give more stability.  And they are easier to get as hold of (if you live in Blighty!)

S

Makes me think of when I was planning on using metal washers about the size of nickels to weight some bases.  Turned out the nickels were cheaper.    So my minis in that group are all worth at least a nickel!

[joroas]

Peter Pig sells washers for basing and then I noticed that I could get small one 100 for a £1 and larger ones 50 for a £1.  So the Royal Mint got my business, as they were cheaper.

[Ignatieff]

The oil derricks were made in two way. The first was simply using wooden dowl and balsa sheets.  Contemporary photos show these incredibly crude strucutres from around the Baku area.  The second, more sophisticated way is to use the same building template, but use model girders, which most railway modelling shops use.  The wood ones are easier, because they are more rigid, but the the girder versions give a more pleasing look.  Both however are authentic

[Arcticman]

Thank you Ignatieff for the useful information. I'll try my hand at it and see if I can actually build something.

Cheers

Eric