Wednesday 25 October 2017

1941 Battle of the Denmark Strait Project: 1/1200 scale and Fletcher Pratt Rules

Courtesy of the old Airfix "Sink the Bismarck" kits (and the re-release some years back), Revell Mini-Ships (aka KGV) plus a strange eBay acquisition of some "destroyers" I have gathered the ships required for both the 'historical' and 'alternative historical' screening destroyers present battle (see below):


It is just a matter of finishing the started paint jobs. The Prince Eugen is almost completed, HMS Norfolk and HMS Suffolk next then those strange destroyers that look "close enough" to be A-H" class RN destroyers of the period. Note: They are are actually supposed to be Brazilian RN pattern destroyers sold by British shipyards on the export market. I cannot remember the manufacturer!

11 comments:

David Crook said...

Hi Geordie,

This should be fun and certainly you have the right scale for FP! The Airfix 'Sink the Bismarck' set is certainly great value and has spawned a whole heap of naval ideas.

I shall follow this one with interest!

All the best,

DC

Service Ration Distribution (Hobby) said...

Sounds good. What scale are the ships please?

CelticCurmudgeon said...

If you want to really get extreme, you could have the Bismarck run into the US BB New York which was on patrol in the North Atlantic. Bismarck should win that battle easily unless damaged by a previous encounter.

Ian said...

Can't wait, Skipper!

Chris said...

The Airfix models are 1/600 scale. I have the same ships in 1/2400, but I really prefer 1/720 or 1/600, so I will probably turn what I have in and follow my heart (he said dramatically...)

Best regards,

Chris Johnson

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Cheers gents this certainly stirred some interest.
Maybe it's that classic black and white film ;)

The models are in fact 1/1200 and far beyond what I would have thought my boyhood Airfix chums were capable of. In fact they stand the test of time exceedingly well as Mr Kipling said.

1/600 and 1/700 or 1/720 are even bigger projects to undertake! Not that I am saying they are impossible but just needs determination and an assembly hall to play Fletcher Pratt with!

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

CC the US scenario is an interesting twist
As it stood a poor lowly US Coastguard cutter nearly "copped it" from the RN Navy (HMS Norfolk, HMS Suffolk and The HMS Prince of Wales almost engaged her!)

As Churchill stated to FDR, "You find her and we will finish the job!"

Chris said...

The Airfix models are 1/1200?! I wasn't aware they ever came out with ships in that scale (I'm on the far side of the pond and all). I guess I will have to give eBay another look!

Thanks for the info.

CelticCurmudgeon said...

Yes, Airfix made the set in Plastic and it provided nicely done models which were relatively easy to assemble. The figures actually began my "fleet" in 1/1200 ships which has been supplemented over the years by metal ships mainly from Alnavco. I actually played out an imaginary encounter which had been proposed by Admiral Lutjens of Bismarck, Prinz Eugen, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau breaking out and encountering elements of the Home Fleet. Quite a shoot out!

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Hello Chris,

It is an "odd" scale for Airfix to do
It goes back a long way
Check out:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sink+the+bismarck+airfix&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwioq-6rqI7XAhWEnRoKHaaUA54QsAQIJw&biw=1584&bih=767

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

CC

I like the sound of that EPIC battle ;)