French Landship Completed!

   The French landship is completed, after receipt of replacement starboard drive units. Also, tricolors and a personalization icon have been added. The cock is the symbol of French athletics, in this case, the French National Rugby Football team (better known as Les Bleus). I think I will call this little scout ship Les Bleus.

The missing starboard drive unit, in place.

FFR Logo, rear of landship.

Oops! Blurry.

  A wall of paint bottles shields from view some of my Lead Painters' League entries still in process. No peeks! I will hint and say that there will be some VSF elements in my LPL entries. Big surprise.

Replacement Parts Arrived

  The aethership in highport today unloaded replacement parts for the French landship that has stalled due to incorrect pieces. Engineers have unpacked the parts and begun removing the packing grease. Once the solvent has dried, the pieces can be painted, assembled, and attached to the steamtank. A fast enquiry at the Victoria Steamworks indicates that the professional opinion for the time to complete this project as less than one week. At that time, the French should have an operable scouting vehicle.

[Editor's Note: Ironclad Miniatures rapidly despatched my replacement tracks and they arrived today. I washed the necessary part to remove any residual mold release, and I'm waiting for it to dry. I should be able to prime it tonight. Painting tomorrow, and then attachment on Monday. And then it will be done!]

French: Steam Tank Development at Halt

French Engineers Stymied as Compagnie du Char Drops Ball

   Reliable sources in the French demesne report that the project to supply their armed forces with a small scouting landship (or steam tank) has come to a sudden halt. Apparently, the manufacturer supplied the government with two portside drive trains and no starboard!

From this angle, it seems okay...

An idea taken from another: smokestack supports.

Just some L-iron Plastruct, cut and painted to match.

Now we see the problem...

The logo for the French National Rugby team.

I am considering putting this on the tank, along with a tricolor.

[Editor's Note: I bought this tank back at Historicon, and just got around to putting it together. Lo and behold: two left tracks and no right one. I've contacted Ironclad Miniatures (the manufacturer) to correct it. I am sure they will - they have a good reputation and I've had one similar issue with them previously which they corrected immediately and with good spirit. On the other hand, I think it is going to look quite good when it is finished!]

The Huns Field a Tank!

   Although British science and engineering admit no peers, it seems that the German Empire has finally fielded their first armoured vehicle. A crude design, naturally, but it might frighten the natives, or perhaps an unsteady Frenchman. Reportedly rather uncomfortable inside (hot and noisy), it does sport a rather effective Krupps gun and thick riveted plates of armour. I am certain that Her Majesty's valiant Tommies have nothing to fear, however.

The Imperial Ritterkreuz Emblazoned!

A Long-Barreled Cannon for High Velocity Shot.

[Editor's Note: This is an Ironclad Steam Tank, although I forget exactly which of their models it is off the top of my head. Perhaps Steam 7? I purchased it at Historicon over the summer, and just got around to painting it up. I think the green looks rather nice. I considered some splinter camouflage, but decided against it (obviously). Some projects finally moving ahead!]

New (to me) from Ironclad Miniatures

   As those of you who have been following for a while know, I occasionally just go strolling through the catalogs of some of the fine folks who make toys designed for Victorian Science Fiction gaming. I just pop in, see if there's anything new about the place, you know the sort of thing that I mean, right?

   So today, after returning to the lair following a grueling day administering tests to the children, I hopped on the interconnected differencing engine system and visited Ironclad Miniatures. And, lo and behold - something new! Actually, a couple of things that I do not recall having seen on their site previously. I thought they looked awfully interesting, and so I thought I would share them with you. Enough blathering, here they are.

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The Mole Emerges!

   Listed under the innocent title of Steam 16, this is the emergent version of the tunneling machine. I think it is quite the thing, and Professor Otto Maton may simply have to obtain one.

A Martian kite!

   A native Martian flying craft, fitted out with sails and stabilizing rudders aft. I will have to get one of these soon. I would like to add a set of sails to the lower hull as well, in order to more efficiently catch the hot, dusty winds of Mars.

Armed Staff!?!?!?

Just the thing for when Johnny Mrtian the Rioter comes calling, at any other time this is  a downright unsettling sight! 

Butler: "Mrs. Skinner, could you send down the potted meat, please, and how is that pie crust coming?"

Cook: "Be a bit late today, Mr. Burnes. Seems the locals had a bit of dustup over the placement of our dustbins. Had to sort them out, you see. Thomas and Amelia helped, of course."

Ironclad Characters

  I have mentioned Ironclad Miniatures before now, I am certain, because I really like their range of 28mm vehicles for Victorian Science Fiction. In addition to some very nice resin vehicles (I own two, and want more), they also make a line of 28mm figures. I dropped by their online store this evening and found these offerings, and a few others that didn't catch my eye quite so well, that have been added since the last time I checked in.

 

  The first is named "Phileas." Phileas has apparently met with an unfortunate mishap, depriving him of the use of his natural arms. British engineering - the marvel of the worlds! - to the rescue! He now has two steam-powered mechanical arms. Appears to have a bit of a temper, as well, from the grimace on his face.

The micro-steam engine.

 

   The second figure of interest is a lovely lady named "Constance." A woman of unimpeachable virtue, she is prepared to defend said virtue with the aid of her Galvanic Emission Pistol. Sized just right for a lady's handbag.

   Third and last for now, this fellow goes by the nom de guerre of "Tobias." Obviously an agent of some governmental agency, one only hopes that his loyalty is held by Her Majesty (God Bless Her!), rather than some nasty, sneaking foreign king, like the Tsar or Kaiser. Or, Heaven preserve us, the French! His sidearm seems to operate on some Fluidic Phlogiston or Essential Alkali.

 

   All three can be found here.

 

Unnamed Scout Nef Project

  A few shots to see what has been going on. I decided to go with the rope and stanchion railing as suggested by the poll. The first photo shows how I did it. Simply, it is some 1/16" brass tube cut with a razor saw to about 20mm lenght, inserted into holes I drilled in the model with my Dremel. To that, I used superglue to attach some beading cord that looks like braided manila. I had thought to use some small brass rings glued to the stanchions and then run the cord through them, but could not find any that I liked well enough.

Rope Railing Closeup

Upper Hull Section

   You may note the change in color scheme. I decided to match a historical pattern of the Victorian Royal Navy, with black hull, white superstructure, and yellow ochre stack. Also, questioning the use of ventilators. It came with a pair, but I don't know that I want to use them.

   The tail I am considering painting a blue-white-red roundel upon the upper half. Also need to figure out how to do a decal for the name - which I need to decide upon! Check out the poll for that, please!

Tail section assembled, needing more paint. Roundel?

Newest Lower Hull. Help from a Mad Man in a Blue Box?

   Changed the lower hull plan from the original idea. Originally it had two resin portholes on each side, but the starboard pair were damaged at some point, so I cut them all off. Then I added round gunports over the four portholes, going to fit each with a Hotchkiss rotary cannon. But once I looked at it, I decided that it was over-gunned at that point. Cut off those ports, added a washer to each side for a single porthole - that's the engineering area, not a passenger lounge, after all!

  Plenty of work still to go. Need to finish cutting the stanchions for the main deck's railing, finish painting the deck gun and the Nordenfelt for the pilot house deck, need to make a hatch for the roof of the pilot house, finsih painting the details, and then there is asssembly! Oh, and a line for the ensign, of course! I was thinking smokestack to rear of the armoured boiler box. I've some small-ish eye pins I could set in for that.

Scout Aeronef, Part I

   I recently obtained a 25mm scale Scout Aeronef, made by Ironclad Miniatures, from someone on TMP. The casting looks very nice, but has a few flaws. The worst of these was the portholes on one side of the lower hull were about half gone. I don't know if it was a casting problem, or if they were chipped at some point afterwards. Either way, they were not going to work. So, I got creative.

Stock, primed gray.

   Here is my 'creative' solution: I cut off all four of the lower hull portholes and replaced them with these plastic fittings. The fittings are from my wife's O2 tanks, and I have been saving them as I could for something just like this! However, these do not match the perfectly good portholes on the upper hull or superstructure. So I decided they would be gunports instead!

   The plan is to make a set of four revolving barrel cannons to protrude from the gunports. 3-pdr Hotchkiss Revolving Cannons for a broadside armament! Huzzah!

As you can see, it needs more rivets. And some replacement rivets.

Starting to paint the upper hull and deck. Not glued yet.

   I had to do a few other minor repairs to get started, but the project is on! I should finish in a few weeks, as I am easily distracted by other projects and a massive "Honey-Do" list from the memsahib. Silly me, I thought that I had the summer off from work, being a teacher and all!

   Oh, does anyone recognize that piece in the background? It is not going to be fitted to the scout aeronef - too heavy. But it will see use.

Now on the Table: Scout Aeronef

   I have just primed (in dark grey, if you must know) the casting of the Ironclads Miniatures Scout Aeronef that I purchased last month from Messer Skrapwelder. Soon it will be receiving the attentions of a brush!

Ironclad Miniatures's File Photo

   I like the model, but it has some casting flaws, especially around the portholes where it is thin. I am going to remedy this on the lower deck by making the portholes into gunports! A pair of Hotchkiss Revolviing Cannon in each broadside will teach Johnny Martian a bit of respect for Her Majesty's imperial authority!

   I also want to install a railing around the deck, a QF deck gun, another railing around the superstructure, possibly armoring the (currently) open superstructure instead. Maybe add a Nordenfelt up there as well? Any tips on how to do the railing would be appreciated.