Cruisers, lights and a heavy...

Cruisers, the flavor(s) for the 2nd half of the month (in order of recency)...

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     The French heavy cruiser Algerie [1941] was built in response to the Italian Zara-class CAs and was considered to be the best [Washington] Treaty cruiser in Europe. She is unique in many ways; more so being the only one built, has flush deck, tower foremast and improved armor. Her speed is maintained despite of her lower power output (vs. the preceding Suffren-class) due to the improved hull form.
      The flying boat Loire 130 (close enough in 1/4800) will take up reconnaissance duties for her.

She will be included with the other 1/4800 MN cruisers 1st half of April
1/1800 MN CL Algerie[1941] will be available soon

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     The Pluton[1938] (to be renamed as La Tour d'Auvergne by 1939) was a french mine-laying cruiser before World War II. Shortly after commissioning, she received modifications to allow her to be also used as a gunnery training ship.
     She was lost September 1939 when her embarked mines accidentally exploded while being landed at Casablanca, Morocco.

She will be included with the other 1/4800 MN cruisers 1st half of April
1/1800 MN CL Pluton[1938] http://shpws.me/51W4

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     Jeanne D'Arc[1935], a training cruiser, armed similar to the Duguay Trouins (4 x dual 6.1"/50cal), but the turrets are visually different. I also made a 1/4800 CAMS.37 flying boat (at this scale, could also be used to represent the FBA 17 the Duguay Trouins used some time during WWII)

She will be included with the other 1/4800 MN cruisers 1st half of April
1/1800 MN CL Jeanne D'Arc[1935] http://shpws.me/4IK2

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     The French cruiser Duguay Trouin [1937] (sister ships La Motte-Piquet and Primaguet). She subsequently joined the allies (FNFL) in 1943.
     La Motte-Piquet was at the Far East during WWII and was part of the French squadron during Battle of Koh Chang (speaking of the Battle of Koh Chang, check out Arun Rodriguez's Objects May Appear.... for he made the rest of the combatants available in various scales).
     Primaguet was lost during the Naval Battle of Casablanca vs. USS Massachusetts (BB-59) and USS Wichita (CA-45) (seriously... <_< )

She will be included (x3) with the other 1/4800 MN cruisers 1st half of April
1/1800 MN CL Duguay Trouin[1937] http://shpws.me/4rjP

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     Brooklyn class light cruiser as she appears in 1942. This can represent the first 7 ships (CLs 40-43; 46-48). Boasting 15 6" guns in 5 turrets, the layout was similar to the Japanese' Mogami class cruisers (before the Mogami's triple 6s were replaced with dual 8s, upgunned to heavy cruisers)

Included in 1/4800 US CL Brooklyn class CL [1942] (7+2) http://shpws.me/4rdC
1/3000 US CL Brooklyn[1942] (x2) http://shpws.me/4Slh
1/1800 US CL Brooklyn[1942] http://shpws.me/4rb3

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     USS Helena[1942], the sister ship to USS St. Louis (CL-49), sub-class of the Brooklyns with 4x2 5"/38s instead of 8x1 of the preceding ships (note that in the later years, some ships of the Brooklyn and Phoenix subgroups had been refitted with dual 5"/38)

 Included in 1/4800 US CL Brooklyn class CL [1942] (7+2) http://shpws.me/4rdC
1/1800 US CL Helena[1942] http://shpws.me/4rba

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     Regia Marina (WWII Italian Navy) Capitani Romani class light cruisers. Built in response to the Contretorpilleurs of the French Navy (Marine Nationale). Pretty much summed up the Italians with this one (except for the submarines o_O )

1/4800 IT CL Capitani Romani[1943] (x6) http://shpws.me/4tbV
1/1800 IT CL Capitani Romani[1943] http://shpws.me/4jxn

Regia Marina: Their aircraft carriers of World War II...

Please visit the link below for some background on Italian aircraft carriers during World War II http://www.regiamarina.net/detail_text.asp?nid=56&lid=1

The next 1/4800 release, aircraft carriers...

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(Almost) everybody knows the Aquila, a conversion from a passenger liner (SS Roma). She was almost completed by the time of the armistice. From a distance, her profile looks similar to the Kriegsmarine's CV Graf Zeppelin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_aircraft_carrier_Aquila
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/italy/it_cv_aquila.htm

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Sparviero, another planned passenger liner conversion. Simple enough design-wise, just hoped they improved upon the design to something similar to the Aquila
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_aircraft_carrier_Sparviero
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/italy/it_cv_sparviero.htm

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Bonfiglietti Project 1929 (see below)

There are a couple of WW2 Italian CV designs floating around, specially in one MMO naval game: Bolzano (post-war) conversion, Rota(1925), Gagnotto(1936), etc. (I have no idea the availability of the RM in that game when I did my list)

After some research, I've read that the design of the La Spezia model (Vian-Bonfiglietti Project 1928 CVL) in this link, was an earler design vs. the one below; which I tagged as Bonfiglietti(1929), but as per topmost/www.regiamarina.net link, falls under 1932. Notice the similarities of the bridge/island superstructure. Still, the project/designs were dropped some time around 1936.

Personal archive pic; credits to where I got the pic from (unfortunately I forgot already).

Considering the aircraft carriers I made available for Marine Nationale (French Navy): Béarn and the Joffres (x2)... and with Sparviero's stats near/similar to Béarn; I will be doing the Bonfiglietti as another fleet carrier (via 1929/1932 design).

WIP: The heavy cruisers of the Italian Navy

Just a few more sculpts left for the Regia Marina. Below are WIP pics of the 4 Zara-, 2 Trento- and Bolzano- class heavy cruisers as they appear in/around 1941.
Please note the pack will also include 16 of the scout plane IMAM Ro.43
*will be available some time over the weekend (February 11-12, 2012)

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Pola

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Fiume

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Gorizia

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Zara

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Trento

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Trieste

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Bolzano (Current WIP)

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Extra: Boeing P-26A 

(Note: Render shown for 1/900 scale)

Cycle WIP: Reconstructed BBs of the Italian Navy

48IT09 Caio Duilio[1941]

Her sister ship, Andrea Doria (background), has the Bredas on the dual 12" mounted nearer to the barrels

Source: Regia Marina - Italian Battleships of World War Two (E. Bagnasco & M. Grossman)
48IT09 IT BB Caio Duilio [1941] (x2; via Shapeways)  

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48IT07 Conte di Cavour[1940]

Guilio Cesare (background) has her #2 and #3 37mm AA guns positioned similar to that of Caio Duilio
(i.e. at the back of the turrets/closer to the bridge/mainmast)
Adapted from illustrations by F.Bargoni/F.Gay
48IT07 IT BB Conte di Cavour[1940] (x2; via Shapeways) 

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48IT(07+09) IT BBs Cavours and Duilios

48IT(07+09) IT BBs Cavours and Duilios (2+2; via Shapeways)

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48IT12 IT DD Navigatori
 Two versions: 1941 (Foreground) with 2x triple 533mm torp tubes; and 1943 with only one triple 533mm (platform of 2x single AA guns replaced the aft tubes)
sprue contains 4x 1943s and 2x 1941s
48IT12 IT DD Navigatori (x6; via Shapeways)

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1/1800 FN DD Mogador - dropped

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[Multiple scales] MiG 1.44 - postponed

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1/500 F-22 Raptor http://shpws.me/3D33

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Cycle Releases: Battleships of the Italian Navy: Littorio/Vittorio Veneto class

Italian Battleship Roma (c. 1943); also as Impero*
 http://shpws.me/3CMz

Italian Battleship Littorio (Italia c. 1943)*
also as Vittorio Veneto
http://shpws.me/3CMy 

*all four ships available as 48IT04 IT BB Littorio[1942] + Roma[1943] (2+2)

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Soldati class destroyer (c. 1942; 12 ships in the class)

similar design with preceding Maestrale and Oriani/Poeti-class DDs, with 4 in each class
http://shpws.me/3CMw 

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Also: PAF JF-17 "Thunder" / CAC FC-1 Xiaolong

(Note thick wings/fin for WSF material; 1/600)
available in multiple scale (please visit corresponding shop section)
http://shpws.me/33DZ

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Next cycle releases (to-do list; in no particular order):
1/4800 IT BB Caio Duilio (x2)
1/4800 IT BB Conte di Cavour (x2)
1/4800 IT Reconstructed BBs 2+2 (Caio Duilio + Conte di Cavour)
1/4800 IT DD Folgore
1/1800 FN DD Mogador
[Multiple scales] MiG 1.44
1/500 F-22 Raptor

WIP: Condottieri-class cruisers of the Italian Navy (Set B)

Before anything else, I've released a couple of models during/along with the Condottieri (Set A) cycle (listed at the bottom of this post).

Alberto da Giussano (Condottieri I, c. 1941)

Portside (foreground) and starboard side (background)

Luigi Cadorna (Condottieri II, c. 1941)

During this cycle (48IT01B  1/4800 IT CL Condottieri (Set B: Groups 1+2)), we'll also be expecting the following models (in effect, the immediate to-do list, in no particular order)*:

1/1800 MN Capital Ships (released, please see my Shapeways store for particulars)

1/4800 USN Bagley class destroyer (c. 1943/44)

F3H Demon

Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) Kagero-class destroyer (Yukikaze c.1943)
Post-WW2 as Tang Yan (Republic of China)
(Top: 1/4800, Bottom: 1/2400, both will only be offered in Frosted Ultra Detail material)

*Please note that (1/2400 MN Heavy Cruisers) has been listed before but moved to a later cycle to make way for Italian battleships (Conte di Cavour, Andrea Doria and Vittorio Veneto/Littorio).

Previous cycle's releases:

48IT01A 1/4800 IT CL Condottieri (Set A: Groups 4+5+6) http://shpws.me/3sRv
48US01 1/4800 US DD Sims(1943) http://shpws.me/3sRw
24US01 1/2400 US DD Sims(1943) http://shpws.me/3tIG


Douglas Skyray
1/700 shpws.me/3tv8
1/600(WSF) shpws.me/3tv6
1/600(FUD) shpws.me/3tv7
1/350 shpws.me/3tv9
1/300 shpws.me/3tva
1/285 shpws.me/3tvb


F-22A Raptor
1/700 shpws.me/3to2
1/600(WSF) shpws.me/3to3
1/600(FUD) shpws.me/3tnZ
1/350 shpws.me/3to0
1/300 shpws.me/3to1
1/285 shpws.me/3to4

Related posts: WIP: Condottieri-class cruisers of the Italian Navy

WIP: Condottieri-class cruisers of the Italian Navy

The Condottieri class light cruisers was said to be the Regia Marina's response to the French Navy's Le Fantasque-class Contre-torpilleurs.

Starting the Italian Navy with the Condottieri group of light cruisers with 5 subgroups in the class, 'evolving' in each subsequent build. Starting with the Duca d'Aosta sub-class (Group 4), 5th group (Duca degli Abruzzi), and the 3rd group (Raimondo Montecuccoli) for the first release (48IT01A). Back down to 2nd (Luigi Cadorna) then 1st group Alberto da Giussano for the next release (48IT01B).

Please note there will also be a proper 48IT01 comprising of all *12* ships of the class once all ships are done.

Wikipedia links:
Wikipedia entry for the whole class (Condottieri class cruiser) wherein links to individual ships can be found
Duca degli Abruzzi (Group 5)
Giuseppe Garibaldi (Group 5)
Emanuele Filiberto Duca_d'Aosta (Group 4)
Eugenio di Savoia (Group 4)
Raimondo Montecuccoli (Group 3)
Muzio Attendolo (Group 3)
Luigi Cadorna (Group 2)
Armando Diaz (Group 2)
Alberto da Giussano (Group 1)
Alberico da Barbiano (Group 1)
Bartolomeo Colleoni (Group 1)
Giovanni dalle Bande Nere (Group 1)
*the rest of the individual list will follow*

Navypedia entries on the Condottieri groups:
Duca degli Abruzzi (Condottieri V)
Emanuele Filiberto Duca d'Aosta (Condottieri IV)
Raimondo Montecuccoli (Condottieri III)
Luigi Cadorna (Condottieri II)
Alberto da Giussano (Condottieri I)

Raimondo Montecuccoli (Condottieri III, C. 1941)

Portside (foreground) and starboard side (background)

Emanuele Filiberto Duca d'Aosta (Condottieri IV, c. 1941)

Portside (foreground) and starboard side (background)

Luigi di Savoia Duca degli Abruzzi (Condottieri V, c. 1940)

Portside (foreground) and starboard side (background)

Extra: US Navy Sims-class destroyer (c. 1942)

Preliminary Regia Marina (Italian Navy) List

...but before anything else; after finishing/release of the remaining Marine Nationale (French Navy) naval ships, the following will be done to supplement the detailed 1/4800 ships of the Royal Navy (UK) and Kriegsmarine (German Navy) by another company:

48UK01 Royal Navy Illustrious-class aircraft carrier (1940)
48KM01 Kriegsmarine aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin (1938)

Then onto the Regia Marina list; concentrating on their battles fought in the Mediterrean:

48IT01 Condittieri-class/series of light cruisers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condottieri_class_cruiser
References for Group 3 (Raimondo Montecuccoli and Muzio Attendolo) and 4 (Emanuele Filiberto Duca d'Aosta) is/are available from a popular company/site. The rest (1, 2 and 5), I'll have to check what I was able to collect...

48IT02 Soldati-class destroyers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldati_class_destroyer
The culmination of design that started from Maestrale-class destroyers; improved upon to become Oriani-class destroyers, and finally the Soldatis.

48IT03 Heavy cruisers classes of Zara and Trento (inc. Bolzano)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zara_class_cruiser_%28Italy%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trento_class_cruiser
Once I've obtained the necessary references (Warship Pictorial #23 IIRC), I'm set.
Something to dance with the French Suffrens and Duquesnes ;) (including a repeat of unique visual IDs of each sister ships in each class... uugh)

48IT04 The battleships of Vittorio Veneto class (also known as the Littorio class)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vittorio_Veneto_class_battleship
In comes the battleships: contemporary to the Richelieu-class of France's Marine Nationale, they were in service 1940 and at least one ship of the class was present in almost every major engagement.

48IT05 Submarines: candidate classes are both of the 600-series: Adua and Sirena
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/italy/it_ss_sirena.htm
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/italy/it_ss_adua.htm
Produced in numbers (20 and 12 respectively), these classes of medium submarines were present during the Axis Invasion of Crete.

48IT06 Aircraft carriers Aquila and Sparviero
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_aircraft_carrier_Aquila
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_aircraft_carrier_Sparviero
Conversions of ocean liners would have provided the Regia Marina with these carriers, if not for them being captured/scuttled/scrapped. Aquila's flightdeck reminds me of Graf Zeppelin's though...

48IT07 Conti de Cavour class battleship
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conte_di_Cavour_class_battleship
The two ships surviving WW1 (Conti de Cavour and Giulio Cesare) were reconstructed before WW2. No data gathered yet as to what had been done, but I'll get to cross the bridge.

48IT08 Frescia and Folgore class destroyers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freccia_class_destroyer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folgore_class_destroyer
Another destroyer class to even out the field vs. the French's Mogador/Fantasque/Le Hardi classes...

48IT09 Andrea Doria-class battleships
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_battleship_Andrea_Doria_%281913%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_battleship_Caio_Duilio
NavyField anyone?

48IT10 Vian-Bonfiglietti Project 1928 CVL + Battlecruiser Project 1930
http://xoomer.virgilio.it/bk/MuseoLaSpezia/Projected%20aircraft%20carrier%201928/index.html
http://xoomer.virgilio.it/bk/MuseoLaSpezia/RM%20Projected%20battlecruiser%201930/index.html
Rounding up the list to total 3 aircraft carriers and 8 capital ships

48IT11 Capitani Romani class light cruisers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitani_Romani_class_cruiser
The Capitani Romani class light cruisers were Italy's response to the Marine Nationale's Fantasques and Mogador class contre-torpilleurs (large destroyers/destroyer leaders), but was completed just before Italy's armistice in the 1943...