Blackhawk UP! Brown Water Navy's 3D printed gunboat model in 1/600 scale

I know, it's been a while since I've posted. Lots of projects that pull me in different directions.

Regardless, I found some motivation with a new batch of ACW ship models I acquired from Matt at Brown Water Navy. Today's focus is one of the new models, the USS Blackhawk.

A large sidewheel tinclad, Blackhawk served as Admiral Porter's flagship for the Mississippi River Squadron. Spacious, with room for Admiral Porter's horse, Blackhawk served in multiple campaigns including the Red River and Vicksburg.

For nearly 20 years my gaming needs for a Blackhawk were filled by pretty much the only game in town in 1/600 - Peter Pig. Models aimed squarely at the gaming market, The Peter Pig model cleaned up into a serviceable model with good painting and the addition of some boom and masts. Now the Pig has a competitor for this model - Brown Water Navy. You can check out the websites of the each respective products, but what really works here is pictures. So here you go...

Here's the BWN model in the forefront

and with the Peter Pig model up fron

Both compared to a Thoroughbred City class ironclad

And overhead view. You can see that there are variations between the two models is cabin length, the texas, sky lights and stack location

 More to come!

Assembling the Manassas, part 2

Completing the assembly of the Manassas. Cutting the stacks off the sprue and filing the ends flat was straightforward.

The mount for the stacks was a little more complex. The mount has a hole for each stack to sit in. It's a good design and it's spoiled by one thing. Either each hole contains a mounting post for the stack, or there was a bit of flash in each hole. Either way, the metal had to go. A Goldilocks trial and error process of sorting through the drill bits found one that fit without being too big or too small (a #44 for those wanting to know). Slowly and carefully I used the drill to bore out the offending metal.

With that resolved, a good thick, heavy duty CA adhesive was applied to the end of the stack and inserted into each hole. It was a little tricky as the hole was not a tight fit, but the stacks did stand up.

With that - assembly is completed.*

And here's the assembled model.

With the stacks installed! 

View from the forward port quarter.

Port broadside view.

Hmmm...what's the tiny guide hole? Uh oh - I've misaligned the stacks! 

Here the BAY model (on the right) next two the Thoroughbred Figures model on the left.  Two interpretations of the same model. 

From the images you should be able to see that the Thoroughbred model sits higher above the water than the BAY model. Both show many of the same types of details, though they vary slightly in terms of position. 

* I may come back and add the jackstaff for the flag later.

See how the painting went in part three! 

ACW Naval - Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

Earlier in 2016 I finished building and painting my back log of 1:600 scale American Civil War naval models. What an accomplishment! I was able to move forward and wrap up the 1;144 WWI airplane project and begin focusing on the 25mm Sikh War project.

And then, that quote from the Godfather III pops up.

While at Fall In 2016 in November, I found two 1:600 Ellet Ram models in the flea market. Okay, great - I could use more rams.

A Thoroughbred Miniatures ram, but with different stacks than the stock kit. Still a good gaming model. 

And a stock Ellet ram, with a good primer coat laid down. 

And then a few weeks ago, a friend gifted me with his unpainted, mint in box collection of 1:600 Thoroughbred Figures kits.

Huzzah! A third Ellet Ram! 

Another one!

You always need more tugs and barges! 

Another Sassacus class double ender! 

Again? Guess we'll have to reinforce the Carolina coastal squadron. 

Back to the Mississippi! 

And just like that, I've got a backlog of ACW models to work through again. It's a good thing there were 28 ships in the Sassacus class, because at this rate, I may end up with all of the them!

The ACW Naval building project 2015 - 2016. The final posting.

It's done.

I've completed the assembly and painting of all the ACW naval models in my collection. If took more than half a year, but it's done.  The last two models - USS Kearsarge and USS Minnesota were stubborn. The standing rigging on Minnesota took the better part of a month. I don't want to think about how many feet of wire are on the model.

Port beam of the Minnesota from Bay Area Yards. Stripped down for combat with her boats lowered away. 

 Bow quarter view of the model. The steel wire really helps stiffen and support the masts - just like the real standing rigging! 

USS Kearsarge from Thoroughbred Models. Ready for action! 

Now I can do two things - reorganize the painting table for the next project and start playing some games using these models!

ACW Naval status update - week 16

Week 16?  Seriously?

This plan is seriously working. Much progress was made this week. So much so that the end of the project can be visualized. But enough of that, get to the models!

What's done! 

CSS McRae and USS Miami are done and join, the fleet!

USS Miami

USS Miami quarter view. Fine model from Bay Area Yards.

But, wait, there's more!  USS Lackawanna and her sister are completed as well!

Beam shot of USS Lackawanna

Lackawanna, again.

What's in progress? 

So what's in progress? Basically what is left in the queue - USS Susquehanna, USS Kearsarge and USS Minnesota. Susquehanna is close to complete needing just a little touch up on the paint.

Nice beam view of Susquehanna.

So much wire...

Seriously, that's a lot of wire. Several feet at least.

Overhead view of Susquehanna.

 

USS Kearsarge.

USS Minnesota with  the early 1862 armament. (Plus the full gun deck under the spar deck.)

10" pivot forward with 8" guns on the spar deck. Guns are mostly from Bay Area Yards, but there are four Thoroughbred guns mixed in on deck.

What's Next? 
Get cracking on finishing this project up! Install the last of the guns, touch up the paint and get busy installing the rigging for Minnesota and Kearsarge!

ACW Naval status update - week 12

A quick post for this week. Good progress was made this week. Several models moved through the painting queue fairly rapidly. Rigging continues for USS Pawnee and a new unit joins the fleet!

What's completed
 One new model joined the squadron ready for action - USS Eastport. This model, from Brown Water Navy Miniatures, is a 3D printed model available via Shapeways.com.
 

Overhead view of the Eastport, base is styrene covered in Woodland Scenics Flexpaste and painted.

In this image you can see the deck planks that are printed into the model. A bit large for 1/600, but a nice effect.

More of a broadside shot. There are two gunports in the starboard broadside under the pilot house. The paint scheme used on this model is an effort to capture the Western Gunboat Flottila regulations for all upper works to be painted white. The muddy brown river is an attempt to model the Mississippi and the Red River waters - the typical environment in which Eastport operated.

 
What's in Progress
 Lot's of items in progress. Nothing left to assemble, so the work is either  painting or modelling rigging (which could count as assembly, but it feels more like finishing details.)

Painting of the Bay Area Yards model of USS Calhoun is underway.

Overview of CSS Calhoun. In hindsight, the cabin walls should have been painted before assembly. Thinking that the hogging beam needs to be repainted in a darker color.

USS Kearsarge is getting a little bit of paint. The interior walls need a second coat of white.

The twins are getting painted. Both are Bay Area Yards models of Lackawanna and her sister should be done in a week or two.

Another model from Bay Area Yards. CSS McRae is moving along. A little touch up work, then it's mount the guns and rig the masts. McRae sees service with the Mississippi River Defense Fleet at New Orleans and Head of Passes.

USS Pawnee is sucking in the wire. When done, there will be close to three feet of wire in the rigging.

This really shows off the wire rigging.

USS Pawnee is one of the many models of Union warships available from Bay Area Yards.

After languishing for years (yeah, that's right - years) USS Susquehanna is advancing toward completion.

The mizzen mast needs to be mounted in place.

USS Miami (Go Miami!) Getting her paint on. the paddle wheels may get a coat of red to celebrate the colors of her namesake university.

The model shows off the space reserved for the bow and stern semi-pivots. Most images of the Miami only depict the single mast forward. It looks a little odd, but steamboats in combat mostly relied on the steam engine for propulsion.

What's New? 
Not much - what's new with you? At this pace, the naval project may be finished by the end of April. The good news is there are two more big projects in the backlog - 25-28mm Anglo-Sikh War and the 15mm Sci-Fi / Traveller. It's a toss up as to which is next in priority. Leaning toward Sikh War if only to support a game for the fall convention season.

ACW Naval update - week 10

Good day and welcome to week 10!

As predicted in the week 9 update, very little was accomplished this week due to the demands of preparing for Cincycon 2016. However,  very little means something was accomplished. To wit - rigging on several ships is completed or nearly so.

Completed
Two ships have their rigging completed - CSS Patrick Henry and the USS Sassacus double ender.

CSS Patrick Henry with the standing rigging installed. A quick coat of black paint and this model is complete!

Slightly different angle of the Patrick Henry

Sassacus class double ender. The masts are from Bay Area Yards, so the rigging does help keep things in place.

In progress

CSS Jamestown / Thomas Jefferson. Need to finish up the rigging. Maybe four more wires and it's done!

Back to the yards
 Following the convention, USS Minnesota took a little damage to the forward standing rigging. It may be an opportunity to redo some of the standing rigging. The model was completed several years ago when the author's skills were not as developed.

USS Minnesota from Bay Area Yards.  The masts and rigging were one of the author's earliest attempts.