Thursday, December 23, 2021

New Moroccan mortar team

20GEF403

We've already made available a further set of 20mm SCW figures. What we've released now is a 81mm Valero mortar along with its Moroccan Regulares team - which, as you can see by the pictures below, consists of three different crewmen superbly sculpted by Leonid Primachenko.

20GEF403

New set retails at €4.95, just as the rest of our standard figure packs, and is available right now from our website.

Valero

Enjoy a happy Christmas day, as well as an exciting 2022 New Year!

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

War of the Spanish Succession Infantry painting video

We're happy to share this YouTube video below, recorded by a gaming mate, which shows the painting process of a Minairons miniatures WSS Austrophile Infantry set, along with its command group. I hope you like it as much as we do!

Don't forget to like and subscribe to this IMHO exciting channel!

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

1:600 scale Polacre sneak peek

I'm pleased to share what is going to be our next Age of Sail ship model, an 18th century polacre (also known as polacca). These ships were kind of an evolution from xebecs, primarily designed to outperform these. Polacres most tipically displayed a lateen sail on fore mast while full rigging on main and mizzen masts.

Our polacre model is to have the high quality resin hull you can see in pictures, complemented with white metal masts and sails (pictures just show their 3d-printed masters, that are going to be brought to foundry soon).

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

More WSS Portuguese Infantry flags

I've just released a further set of War of Spanish Succession flags, in 1:100th, 1:72nd and 1:56th scales altogether as usual. This time, one of the most commonly depicted variants on the Portuguese 1701 pattern flags.

Saturday, October 16, 2021

WSS McAuliffe Inf. Regt. flags

It's now available a further set of War of Spanish Succession flags, in 1:100th, 1:72nd and 1:56th scales altogether as usual. Now it's been the turn for one of the jacobite Irish units in Bourbon Spanish service - the McAuliffe Infantry Regiment, perhaps better known by its later Ultonia name (Ultonia standing for Ulster county).

Along with the flag sheets, I've also released a PDF painting guide devoted to that very same Infantry Regiment. All my PDF guides can be freely downloaded, as perhaps some of you already know.

Friday, October 1, 2021

1937 Chevrolet AAC, just ready!

Once back from a short vacation in the Pyrenees, I'm happy to share some preliminary views on what is going to be our next Spanish Civil War AFV release, both in 1:100th and 1:72nd scales - the ubiquitous 1937 Chevrolet armoured car!

As usual, these will be fast assembly model kits consisting of a main body for hull, and separate parts for wheels, headlights, turret and hull MG. Some of these pieces will be resin cast while others will be hard plastic or DLP 3D-printed.

As an aside note, this can be a really enjoyable model due to the number of adaptations and modifications suffered over their long service life - longer than one would expect from a start!

While still in SCW, some where fitted 45mm gun turrets cannibalized from T-26 tanks or BA-6 ACs. But then, once the Republic was defeated, a lot of Chevies fled to France; most were pressed into french service, either under their original liveries and weaponry, or with newly assigned camo schemes and armament. Later, after the fall of France, the germans took over all those Chevies still serviceable and pressed them into their own service, duely repainted in Panzergrau and dispatched to the Russian front, either with their existing weapons, or performing new roles such as troop carriers or turretless anti-aircraft platforms.

Plentiful of info and pictures at regard in Tanks Encyclopaedia. Enjoy!

Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Closing for holidays

Minairons' online shop (www.minairons.eu) will be closed for a few days, since today 15th until saturday 25th of September, due to I'm taking these for some much needed holidays. Our eBay store (www.ebay.es/str/minaironsminiatures) is already partially closed too, so that orders can't be taken there.

I'm going to spend these days at an undetermined location, plentiful of high peaks and forest. If anyone knows where this traffic signal is placed, then he'll have a good clue where I am roaming about :)

Thursday, September 2, 2021

Bailed out SadurnĂ­ tank

I'm happy to share our latest scenery piece just released in 1:72nd scale, a bogged down or bailed out IGC SadurnĂ­ tank. This new model is resin cast as a single piece, so no assembly is required at all. A nice addition to a Spanish Civil War tabletop, as either a scenery piece or as an objective for your troops.

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Summer releases breviary

It's been a pretty calm and silent Summer this year, with very few postings on this blog or social media --but by no means an inactive one! Otherwise, there has been a lot of undercover work producing some amount of new and upcoming stuff.

First of all, we have consolidated our projected range of 1:144th scale (10mm) flags for War of Spanish Succession, by printing and releasing its three first sets. As it can be seen by the photo above, each set contains both King's and Regiment's colours for three different peninsular regiments. This collection is going to grow gradually, following the rate of its 1:100, 1:72 and 1:56 sister ranges.

Secondly, we have released a new set of flags suitable for Spanish Civil War and WWII, in 1:100th, 1:72nd and 1:56th scales altogether as usual, that consists of three different flags of the german Condor Legion and III Reich. These can be useful as aerial recognition elements for vehicles, as game objectives or even for scenery decoration.

Also, our ranges of War of Spanish Succession flags for larger scales have just seen a new addition - this time, those belonging to the Admiral of Castile Infantry Regiment (far better known as Ahumada IR, on behalf of its colonel), which was in fact the most senior unit in Archduke Charles' spanish army --because it was created in 1703 by exilés in Portugal, long before the Crown of Aragon states raised in his support.

Alongside to those above, I've taken advantage for releasing a couple of new PDF booklets --the one presenting a painting guide for the forementioned regiment, while the other one summarizes all available information on Austrophile Spanish flags currently available. You can download both for free from our website.

More news in a few days!

Friday, July 9, 2021

1:56 SadurnĂ­ tank is here!

I'm proud to announce release of IGC SadurnĂ­ tank at 1:56 scale - a model already released in 1:72 and 1:100 scales from a long since, and much demanded by 28mm SCW gamers too.

As a novelty, this new model isn't resin cast as usual but DLP 3d-printed instead, so it comes as a single piece. No assembly is needed.

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Painted xebec sample

I've taken advantage from a business calm week for enlarging my own Age of Sail collection, with one of my 1/600 scale xebecs, that I've finished up as a late 17th - early 18th c. Majorcan privateer.

Contrarily to general belief, xebecs weren't by any means exclusive to Barbary corsairs, but constitued instead the work horse of most Mediterranean navies, either eastern and western - besides of being also extensively used for trading.

My own xebec model is a small 14 guns one, but xebecs could range from this small to really large ones, armed with up to 38 guns - so being capable to fulfill the same roles that a full rigged frigate would in other waters.

Even newcoming naval powers, such as the United Kingdom after taking possession of Gibraltar and Minorca, used xebecs and other lateen rigged ships to build up their local contingents. So I would humbly recommend to anyone willing to set a Mediterranean campaign to reinforce his/her fleet with abundant both large and small xebecs!

Friday, June 18, 2021

1/144 scale WSS flags

Just as promised some time ago, we're going now to push forward the 1/144th scale version of our War of Spanish Succession infantry flag ranges, that already exist at 1/100th, 1/72th and 1/56th scales.

This new range of flags is suitable directly for 10 to 12mm figures, in DIN A7 sized paper sheets with room for 6 flags belonging to 3 different regiments of foot (King's and Colonel's colours).

Two sets are already available right now, devoted to Late war Catalan infantry; they're going to be followed soon by Bourbon Spanish and Portuguese sets too. Hope you like them!

Sunday, June 13, 2021

New WSS Austrophile Infantry

I'm delighted to share with you a further release of War of the Spanish Succession 1/72nd scale figures, this time consisting of three different complementary sets: musketeers, command set and an optional, supplementary flag bearer. They're intended to stand for Austrophile spanish, or Austro-catalan, Infantry of the Line composing the bulk of Archduke Charles Habsburg's peninsular army.

Musketeers set comprises four different figures in advancing pose with fixed bayonets. On the other hand, command set includes an officer with spontoon, an NCO with halberd, a drummer and a flag bearer.

Worth to be remarked that spontoon, halberd, drum and flag pole are separate parts - therefore, a little assembly work is required.

And last, we've forecast a third set consisting of a supplementary flag bearer - for those using more than one of these in their battalions.

All them have been sculpted by Leonid Primachenko, as usual with this range.

Friday, June 4, 2021

WSS Seas of Naples Inf. Regt. flags

I've just made available another War of the Spanish Succession flag set, released in 1:100, 1:72 and 1:56 scales altogether as usual. Now it's been turn for Mar de NĂ¡poles (=Seas of Naples) Regiment, another one of the most senior units in Spanish Infantry.

Along with this, I've also released a PDF painting guide devoted to that very same Infantry Regiment. All my PDF guides can be freely downloaded, as perhaps some of you already know.

And last, I would ask to all those having previously downloaded our PDF booklets on Sicily, Lombardy and Castile Infantry Regiments to check what version do they have in hands, because I've also updated them with a little information pieces else. If your booklets' bottom do read "2.0 version" they are OK; otherwise, if any reads "1.0 version" instead, that means you'd probably like to download it again.

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Age of Sail flag sets, and feedback request

I've just released three new Age of Sail flag sets, two of which date back from the 17th century (Electorate of Brandenburg and Emanuel Wynn pirate) while a third one is from the 18th century (Kingdom of Naples).

After this release, our naval flags collection comprises up to 33 sets belonging to seventeen different XVII century seafaring nations: Castile/Spain, Portugal, Aragon/Catalonia, France, Ottoman Empire, England, Netherlands, Malta, Venice, Sicily, Holy Roman Empire, Brandenburg, Danmark, Scotland, Mughal India, Sweden and Ming China - besides of two pirate sets. This is leading me to believe this period as properly covered enough - although there are certainly more flag sets to be considered!

On the other hand, their XVIII century equivalent is comprising now 10 sets: Spain, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Naples, Maratha India, Russia and Qing China - as well as another three pirate sets. So this particular period has been left second to the above, and one could think convenient to boost it a bit.

So I'm likely going to pay some more attention to 18th century from now on; I'm not leaving 17th century aside (no way!), but perhaps it's come the time to invert priorities. What do you think? Is there any particular set, or sets collection, you would like to see soon? Please drop me some lines explaining to wishlist (at) minairons (dot) eu. Thanks for reading!

Thursday, May 13, 2021

XII International Brigade flags

We have already available a further set of Spanish Civil War flags, printed in 1:100, 1:72 and 1:56 scales altogether as usual. This new release covers the 12th International Brigade, perhaps better known as 'Garibaldi Brigade' on behalf of one its battalions' name. Set comes as a DIN A7 paper sheet with three flags.

Thursday, May 6, 2021

WSS Portuguese Infantry flags

I'm happy to announce release of a further War of the Spanish Succession flag set, made available in 1:100, 1:72 and 1:56 scales altogether as usual. This time it's been the turn for the Portuguese Infantry ~1700 pattern, a well known design consisting of eight green and white triangles, with a countersquare frame of the same.

I've taken advantage of this above for also releasing a free PDF booklet summarizing all available information on Portuguese flags I've been able to gather from knowledgeable local sources. You can download it for free from our website.

And last, I would ask to all those having previously downloaded our Spanish flags PDF booklet to check what version do they have in hands, because I've taken advantage too for updating this latter with further information regarding postwar flags (1718 and 1728). If the booklet you have reads "2.0 version" it's OK; otherwise, if it reads "1.0 version" instead, that means you'd probably like to download it again.

Friday, April 30, 2021

New L3/33 Carro Veloce boxed set

We've got already available a further 1:72 scale SCW boxed set, that of the italian L3/33 Carro Veloce tankette. It can be found at the following page of our website: https://minairons.eu/en/1-72-scale-vehicles-spanish-civil-war/1234-172-l333-carro-veloce-boxed-set-8436545321874.html

Each box contains two resin AFV model kits --the one destined to build as a regular tankette with twin MGs, while the other intended to build as a flamethrower tank, with its propellant trailer; besides, set also contains the two crewmen you can see in pictures, sculpted by Xan.

Both vehicles can also be acquired separately as "reinforcements", under codes 20GER011 and 20GER044.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

WSS Austrophile Infantry preview

I'm pleased to share the next couple of War of Spanish Succession 1/72 scale figure sets we've scheduled, now devoted to Charles Habsburg's infantry of the line.

As you can see in pictures, this upcoming release is to consist of two 4-figure sets --the one of musketeers, while the other one comprises officer, drummer, flag bearer and NCO.

We expect to release them before Summer, to be shortly afterwards followed by similar Two Crowns Spanish sets.

Friday, April 23, 2021

New Age of Sail flag sets

Our 1/600 scale Age of Sail ranges keep growing at a steady pace, now with the addition of three new 17th and 18th centuries naval flag sets. One of them is dedicated to the Royal Scots Navy between 1630 and 1707, while the other two are intended to cover Hindustan waters scenarios with a couple of sets related to the Mogul/Mughal Empire and the Maratha Confederation.

After these new releases, our Age of Sail collection now provides for thirty-four flag sets of up to sixteen 17th century nations, as well as those of another nine 18th century ones. In the next months we're going to gradually increase the releases related to this latter period.

Friday, April 9, 2021

New 1/600 Xebec

Our Age of Sail range has just been increased with a new model ship, that of a xebec - a kind of medium vessel that populated the Mediterranean sea between 16th and 19th centuries. Although probably born as a humble fishing boat powered by either lateen sails or oars, soon its design was modified and optimized for different purposes, from trade to privateering and pirate fighting. Late 18th century larger war xebecs could reach 680 tons and carry up to 38 guns.

This new boxed kit is that of a small xebec with 12-14 guns, used for either coastguarding or privateering. It comprises a high quality resin hull and white metal rigging and a convenient Barbary corsair flags set. As it can be seen by the picture above, it consists of just eight parts.

Xebecs are usually associated to Barbary privateers, and that's why our boxed set includes an appropriate corsair flag sheet. However, it can be used by virtually any mediterranean nation with similarly warlike purposes.

Here above you can see one of our xebecs, masterly assembled and painted by Minis, My Way youtuber.