Monday, September 26, 2011

48FN07 French Navy's La Galissonniere-class light cruisers of 1940 now available


48FN07 FN La Galissonnière class Light Cruisers (x3)
48FN07X2 FN La Galissonnière class Light Cruisers (x6)
Scale: 1/4800
These are 3-ships and 6-ships pack respectively of French Navy's La Galissonnière-class light cruisers in their 1940/as built configuration. Armed with 152mm (6") guns, secondary 90mm (3.5"), 13.2mm AA MGs and 550mm torpedoes, the ships of the class were considered "fast, reliable and successful ships". The class is comprised of six(6) ships named as follows:La Galissonnière, Montcalm, Georges Leygues, Jean de Vienne, Marseillaise, Gloire.

Each ship measures [L x W x H] 37.33mm x 4.15mm x 6.28mm (approx. 1 1/2" x 3/16" x 1/4")

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Galissonni%C3%A8re_class_cruiser
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/france/fr_cr_la_galissoniere.htm
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNFR_6-55_m1930.htm

Actual 3D printed product may vary from the preview image/render

Shapeways store links:
48FN07 FN La Galissonnière class Light Cruisers (x3)
48FN07X2 FN La Galissonnière class Light Cruisers (x6)


Above photo courtesy of Shapeways

Above photo courtesy of Shapeways

Friday, September 23, 2011

48FN06 FN CV.Bearn1939(x1) and DD.Mogador1939(x2) now available...

Before everything else, I would like to inform anyone and everyone about Shapeways' upcoming pricing update:
http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/1012-An-Update-to-the-Shapeways-Pricing-Structure.html
To summarize with regards to TTh:
- no price increase for the 1/4800 ships
- no more minimum order of USD25, but...
- shipping fees will be applied per order:

Shipping Cost as of October 1st
United States, Canada and The Netherlands: $6.50
EU Countries: $9.50
Rest of the World: $19.99

In lieu of this, I will have the following next packs sooner in case anyone would like to avoid the upcoming fees:
48FN07 La Galissonniere1940(x3)
48FN07X2 La Galissonniere1940(x6)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...AAAaaand the main event:

48FN06 FN CV.Bearn1939(x1) and DD.Mogador1939(x2)
Scale: 1/4800

Contains the French Navy aircraft carrier Bearn as she was during 1939.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_aircraft_carrier_B%C3%A9arn

Also combined with the 2x Mogador-class Contre-torpilleurs (roughly translated as large destroyers) in their 1939 configuration; and representing the two ships in the class: Mogador and her sister ship Volta.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mogador_class_destroyer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_destroyer_Mogador
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_destroyer_Volta

Click on the images below to see the sprue up close (that brown circle thingy is 3/4inch diameter, with the grid spaced 1" x 1")

Image below courtesy of Shapeways:

Actual 3D printed product may vary from the preview image/render

Store item link:
http://shpws.me/3ldV

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

48FN06 WIP: French aircraft carrier Béarn and Mogador-class destroyers

Preview renders show grids spaced 1-inch apart, with a 'coin' 3/4" in diameter (the size of a US penny)

French Navy's aircraft carrier Béarn(1939, single ship in class)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_aircraft_carrier_B%C3%A9arn
Yes, an aircraft carrier... and by it's wartime career: an aircraft carrier in it's simplest definition
...or a CV2 for you NavyFielders


French Navy's Mogador class destroyers (1939, two ships in class: Mogador and Volta)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mogador_class_destroyer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_destroyer_Mogador
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_destroyer_Volta
... a DD3 in NavyField, ingame performance is waaaaaay beyond this destroyer class' WW2 career


The pack will contain 1x Bearn1939 and 2x Mogador1939...

(Edited Sept. 23, 2011: more detailed/close-up renders/preview images)

Cheers!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

48FN05 French Navy Heavy Cruisers now available

Please note that the actual 3D printed product may differ from the CG/preview renders...

48FN05A: Suffren(1927), Duquesne/Tourville(1939) and Dupleix(1930)
http://shpws.me/3kJH

48FN05B: Foch(1929), Duquesne/Tourville(1939) and Colbert(1928)
http://shpws.me/3kJC

For those who prefer to get all the Suffren- and Duquesne-class cruisers in one go:
http://shpws.me/3kJx

Friday, September 16, 2011

48FN05(A & B) WIP: Ships of French Navy's Duquesne-class cruiser/s...

Having 2 in the class, the Duquesne and Tourville were part of the squadron in Alexandria, Egyt; having fared better than their fellows in Mers-el-Kébir (see Attack on Mers-el-Kébir) through peaceful disarmament of the squadron (includes the battleship Lorraine, heavy cruisers Suffren, Duquesne, Tourville, Duguay-Trouin light cruiser, the destroyers L'Fortune, Basque, Forbin and lastly the submarine Protee

French Cruiser Duquesne c.1939(source)


French Cruiser Tuorville in 1937 (from French Warships of WWII - J.L.Couhat/I.Allan)


Below: Preview render for 1/4800 Duquesne/Tourville in her 1939 appearance (part of the 48FN05A and 48FN05B release soon)

Monday, September 12, 2011

48FN05(A & B) WIP: Ships of French Navy's Suffren-class cruiser...

I never thought I'll be able to finish these quickly, but luckily most of them have similarities apart from their hulls :)

You've met the cruiser Dupleix, the youngest (1930), in my last post:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cruiser_Dupleix

Next is the cruiser Foch, launched 1929.
Unfortunately, the tripod mast doesn't converge at the top, thus they're supported with props instead of filled like the rest's. Armed with secondary 90mm/50cal mod1926 in 8 single mounts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cruiser_Foch

Here's another of the class, the cruiser Colbert (1928)
Luckily her foremast is (almost) the same with Dupleix's, and the bridge as Foch's (with additional equipments). Apart from the aft mast and a couple of details, I was able to save some time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cruiser_Colbert_%281928%29

Here's the (eldest) lead ship of the class, the cruiser Suffren. Launched 1927, notice the bridge/blockhouse is different from the rest of her siblings; also the derrick/crane, the Suffren only having one, as well as the general layout midship... thickened the aft mast considerably, with additional supports towards it's foot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cruiser_Suffren

Lastly the Suffren-class pic (pun?) with, from top to bottom: Dupleix, Suffren, Foch and Colbert

During the week I'll be working on the FN Duquesne-class cruisers, luckily (yet?) I haven't seen any change on the design (on launch or during the war) on either of the two in the class.

*please note the the actual printed model(s) may be different from the rendered model(s)

Cheers!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

French Navy Suffren-class Cruisers in 1/4800

Four in the class; the Foch, Colbert, Dupleix and Suffren, are all visually different from each other (same case as the Richelieu-saga for me.).

To know more about French Navy's Suffren-class cruisers, please visit the links below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffren_class_cruiser
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cruiser_Colbert_%281928%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cruiser_Dupleix
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cruiser_Foch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cruiser_Suffren

The CA.Suffren(x2)+CA.Duquesne(x1) release will now be done into two: 48FN05A with Dupleix, Foch and Tourville1936; and 48FN05B, with Colbert, Suffren and Duquesne1936

Below are preview renders of the French cruiser Dupleix which will be part of 48FN05A release

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

MN Fantasque-class destroyer now available

Marine Nationale's Fantasque-class destroyer (aka Malin-class) is now available. Three per pack.
(please note that the actual product may differ from the CG renders)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Fantasque_class_destroyer




Image courtesy of Shapeways:

Store link:
http://shpws.me/3du9

Sunday, September 4, 2011

1/4800 French Capital Ships Now Available

Updated Richelieu1943+JeanBart pack, hopefully not much hiccups regarding thin walls, as well as some details (lacking and excess) that I missed for JeanBart1942

Also, uploaded the Alsace+JeanBartBBCV pack

You could visit the shop via the link:
http://www.shapeways.com/shops/tinythingamajigs


Couldn't help but have a render of the Richelieu-class hulls :)


Cheers!

P.S. Up next weekend: MN.DD.Fantasque/Malin-class

Saturday, September 3, 2011

1/4800 FN Capital Ships Pack 3 WIP.2: Jean Bart Hybrid (Battleship/Aircraft Carrier)

The French Battleship Jean Bart "What If:" Theoretically, after her engagement at Casablanca, Morocco, she was brought to the US for completion. And for some unknown reason, the plan to have her converted to an aircraft carrier "didn't quite go well" (though there is picture of the proposed conversion somewhere over the net...), thus her ending up as a hybrid BB/CV (akin to the IJN.BB.Ise class; see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ise_class_battleship#Conversion_to_aircraft_carriers)

My version (see pics below), based on an illustration in Sea Power: A Modern Illustrated Military History (L.Casey, A.Preston & J.Batchelor) has her second 15" quad installed. Instead of her usual triple 6", I opted to "re-use" her dual 4", now fully enclosed (or perhaps dual 5" like the turrets found in the MN.BC.Dunkerque-class). Would've installed dual 5"/38cal but it would require the Mk37 FCS as well ("recycling" as much equipment as possible from the original ship). Quad 40mm Bofors tubs are also installed (instead of dual/quad 37mm) like was done to Richelieu, as well as 20mm Oerlikons.

She has two hangar deck levels similar to Royal Navy carriers at that time. Mainly done to have the flight deck clear the #2 turret. To add, the flight deck's area is only as large as a US escort carrier (CVE); offset to port side to compensate for the large superstructure (see MN.CV.Joffre link below). Aircraft facilities include two elevators and a catapult, considering the short flight deck.

Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_battleship_Jean_Bart_(1940)
http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Power-Illustrated-Military-History/dp/0896730115
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_aircraft_carrier_Joffre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joffre_class_aircraft_carrier






Thursday, September 1, 2011

1/4800 FN Capital Ships Pack 3 WIP.1: Alsace Complete

FN.BB.Alsace done; primarily based on the drawing by Stephen McLaughlin (http://xoomer.virgilio.it/bk/NWS/Marine_National/image-html/Alsace.html. It boasts 3x quad 380mm/15in turrets, 4x triple 152mm/6in gun turrets, 8x dual 100mm/4in turrets and 8x dual 37mm AA gun turrets (compared to Wikipedia's 8x quad 37mm AA mounts). Wikipedia even lists 450mm torpedoes under her armaments which I left out, mainly because I find it odd for a battleship to have torpedoes, and I can't find any reference as to where/how it'll be mounted. Aircraft/recon planes are stowed in hangars below the main deck, like the case of Gascogne (where I based the position of the catapult and crane; other sources indicate the both along the centerline, others with missing catapult).

Follow the link below for further readings about the French Navy's Alsace-class WW2 battleship:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alsace_class_battleship