Shipyard - CSS Ranger

This is a modified Martian skiff, reto-fitted with a steam engine and screw. The model is highly influenced by the 28mm Cloudships of Mars models first seen at Salute 06, in particular the martian ship Ah'ny uthar which is based on a Star Wars toy and as such is in fact a model of a model of a model! See;

http://www.salute.co.uk/salutegames/cloudships/main.htm


Construction started with the main deck/hull which is balsa with a sheet of plastic card added to the top. The bow and stern housings are balsa blocks carved and then sanded to shape with either plastic card or paper detailing.

Starting at the bow, the ram is plastic card with added plastic card rivets, the hand rail is plastic scrap super glued to the out building and the stearing wheel is a section of plastic rod attached to a plastic card mounting. The gun outriggers are sections of knitting needles, first sliced and then cut in half before being super glued to the hull. The engine is a section of knitting needle with scrap plastic and rod added to hint at detail. The hand rails are sections of 1/180th scale plastic ladders. The flag pole is a section of cocktail stick, sanded to a taper and the rudders are pieces of plastic card.

Other detailing is taken from the scrap box or as previously described on earlier Space 1889/Aeronef models.

The finished model was painted with acrylic paints - first dark brown and then drybrushed with lighter shades. The engine is black, drybrushed with dark grey and the two rudders are linen with white highlights. The flag was first downloaded from the internet then cut and glued in place before being over painted with acrylic paints. Finally the model was varnished and the clear plastic disc was added to the propellor shaft.

The model is 110mm long - tip of the ram to rear of the propellor shaft.

The ship is named CSS Ranger and was the first of my 'made up' CSS Martian Fleet. In my own alternative universe The US States are still at war with The CSS states and Texas is independent.

Regards

Tony