Brigade Models

In the excitement of getting ready for RE-Play yesterday, we omitted to pull the trigger on this week’s new release ! The last line of this post even mentioned that we’d have some at the show (which we did, to no avail since no-one knew about them…). So, a day or two late, we give you the Westfalen…

For the past couple of years our eyes (at least as far as Imperial Skies is concerned) have very much been focussed on the arms race in South America, and the state of the fleets in that New World. But while we’ve been away the other great fleets of the world haven’t been idle, and development of new vessels has continued apace.

The German Imperial Air Service recently accepted the first of the new Westfalen class battleships into service with a launching ceremony at Löwental Luftschiffhafen. At 374 feet overall, the new vessel is around 40′ longer than the Markgraf class. It carries a substantial main and secondary armament, although analysis from foreign correspondents who witnessed the unveiling indicate a possible lack of quick-firing small calibre guns for defence against fast-moving aircraft. Nothing is known of its propulsion or internal systems beyond the obvious three funnels sandwiched between a pair of main masts.

The Westfalen is expected to become the first vessel in the newly formed 9th Division of the 5th Air Squadron, presumably to be followed by at least seven further vessels of the same class.

VAN-329 – Westfalen class Heavy Battleship – £8.50

We’ll start with a reminder about RE-PLAY next weekend at the Engineer’s museum in Gillingham, Kent. We’re on quite a small stand and may not be able to bring everything, so if there’s anything specific you’re after then you still have a chance to get in your order (use the ‘Collect at Show’ shipping option on the website).

This week we venture to Northern Europe and the Scandinavian Union. The Union air service had a requirement for fixed-wing support, and purchased a variant of the A1D Shinden fighter from Japan, known as the A1S Blixt. In order to extend their operational range over the vast tundra and frozen seas north of the Arctic circle, some sort of aircraft carrier was felt to be required. Initial efforts were concentrated on conversions of capital ship hulls, but for various reasons nothing came of this. Finally, the Danish airship firm of Knudsen & Grønbæk ApS put forward a solution based on their successful Kalundborg class of heavy freighters. The rear cargo hold was replaced by a main hangar which was extended above the main deck level and topped by a small flight deck, and a small secondary repair and maintenance hangar was built into the rear of the superstructure. The forward cargo hatch was plated over and the space used for a twin gun turret, while four barbettes were grafted onto the hull sides for triple-barrelled AA turrets.

The result is a class which serves more as a support tender rather than a true aircraft carrier. The vessels were built to commercial rather than military standards so, apart from the turrets and barbettes, they are completely lacking in armour. This perceived weakness has yet to be tested in combat, and the Peder Skram class has so far proved a success in long patrols in the frozen north.

VAN-2303 – Peder Skram class Aircraft Tender – £8.00