Improving the ship models - part 1.

Weirdly unpredictable this Spanish postal service. I have been waiting almost 3 weeks (tomorrow) for the 40mm RHA officer prints to arrive from Graham C, yet an Order from Perry Miniatures arrived in just 7 days. I have no doubt they will arrive within the next few days but there seems to be no rhyme nor reason to delivery times here.

I picked up the Perry's today, they consist of 7 Spanish Guerrillas and 7 more French Voltiguers, every one a gem as usual in it's own little black box.

On order I also have more Sash & Sabre figures, Highland infantry command (5), Cuirassier troopers (7) and Cuirassiers command (3). These may be a couple more weeks and I'm having them delivered to my daughter in the UK.

But to return to the plastic Sails of Glory Napoleonic ships for now, I have been doing a bit of work on two of them to see what can be done. The sails got a wash of thin paint, the masts were painted in a more accurate shade and the yards painted black. I then added the basic standing rigging using Rod Langtons excellent guide. I'm now searching for a method of replicating ratlines before I add some of the running rigging in buff cotton.

So far so good I think, and certainly an improvement on the basic models. I think the ratlines will make a huge difference to the appearance, disguising as it will some of the nasty white plastic behind the sails. Current thinking is possibly dyed medical gauze or curtain netting, hard to find in Spain though. Any ideas chaps most welcome.

A few pics, one Spanish and the other a 1st rate British ship.

I think the darker sails on the Spanish ship look better?

Broadside!

Starting to look better I think.