just as already done with 1:72nd and 1:144th scales, I've spent the last days at inventorying what I have left in 1:600th scale --one devoted entirely to the Age of Sail. Here, small numbers of almost everything are still available; these can be checked on the corresponding page of this very same blog, which will be properly updated at every eventual change.
Next will be the turn of our 1:100th scale ranges.
As said a few days prior, there's still a number of finished but unreleased projects that I'm willing to share right before closure.
This one of today is another of such cases: a 1:600th scale large galleass --not of the type used at Lepanto, but a later model dating back to the second half of 17th century to early 18th century. Those late galleasses did no longer constitute the backbone of any Mediterranean navy, but were still widely used either for commerce or as prestige vessels.
The current model kit has been designed according to one precise Venetian galleass, but several others of this period are known and are quite similar, used at least by France and the Ottoman Empire too.
Prior to our current family health issues, I was assembling and painting a sample model; however, I'm afraid I won't be able to complete it in time to provide you a decent boxart. So this one above is most likely to be the model kit's box ultimate look.
As a first step in the gradual process of dismantling Minairons miniatures webshop, I've thought it logical to cease retailing some third party products, such as those from Peter Pig --a British make mostly known for their 15mm white metal figures, as well as their 1:100th scale resin or metal vehicles and accessories.
Such sale is going to consist of a 50% discount offer on all products Peter Pig in our website, currently comprising their 4mm Age of Sail ships and naval accessories, as well as their 15mm SCW and WWII figures, vehicles, artillery and accessories.
Such sale will start as soon as Minairons Miniatures website is reopen by mid August. And, quite obviously, it is going to last just until end of stocks.
Minairons' ever growing collection of 1:600th scale Age of Sail ensigns has added three new titles to their list, that you can see in the photo above - this time covering the Republic of Genoa from mid 13th to late 18th centuries, as well as the Duchy of Savoy during 18th century and its heir, the kingdom of Sardinia in Napoleonic times.
They're all already available at Minairons' website, as usual.
This week I've just released another batch of 18th and 19th centuries naval flags - this time, both the US and CS late war ensigns, as well as a curious pirate flag which, unlike most others, is not black or red, but white instead - this apparently odd choice probably due to this particular pirate being French while, as some maybe already know, French Navy ensigns of that time being plain white.
They're all already available at Minairons' website - I cannot guarantee for how long is it going to remain open though, before I proceed to temporarily close it again, due to ongoing family health issues.
I'm happy to announce the release of a new batch of 18th and 19th centuries naval flags - today, those of the Russian Vanguard Fleet between 1700 and 1865, as well as a couple of sets related to the American Civil War, depicting the early war flags of both sides, from 1861 to 1863.
They're all already available at Minairons' website - which BTW is to remain open for one or two weeks, before having to shut it down again due to ongoing family health issues.
Here you have three fresh additions to our range of age of Sail naval flags, consisting from left to right of: the Dutch East India Company flags from 1630 to 1794 - showing a red upper stripe instead of orange as initially, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth war flags between 1568 and 1643 (when their fleet was destroyed by a Danish surprise attack, and never rebuit) and, last but not least, the Sultanate of Morocco war flags from 1666 until 1912 (when the French occupation put the Moroccan navy to an end).
Funnily enough, the white symbol centered in the Moroccan ensign was systematically misinterpreted by European travelers and port authorities, who always interpreted it to be... a taylor's pair of scissors! It wasn't until 1781 that a clever piedmontese official noted the flag represented two crossed white sabres on a red background. The man also failed to correctly interpret it as the famous zulfiqar two-bladed sword of Ali, but he at least got closer!
One last release before Christmas: three new 1:600 scale Age of Sail flag sets devoted to English and British ships along three different periods of History - with one set devoted to English traders prior to the Union Act with Scotland (1707), a second one devoted to the British East India Company between 1707 and 1801 and, lastly, a third one showing the Red Ensign from 1801 onwards.
BTW, this latter ensign was shared by merchant ships and Royal Navy's Red Squadron until 1864, when it was decreed its exclusive use by civil vessels - thus becoming the White Ensign a Royal Navy's exclusive and only flag. Such is the arrangement still in force as per today.
Happy Christmas to you all!
I'm pleased to share our latest 1:600 scale Age of Sail ship model release. Now it's been the turn for a Japanese warship from the Sengoku Jidai and early Edo periods - the fearsome Atakebune (安宅船). Conceived as floating fortresses, atakebunes were primarily used as formidable boarding platforms, with little ordnance on board - generally four cannons, or six at most.
As for the model itself, it consists of a high quality cast resin hull completed by a set of seven 3D-printed alternative parts - oars sets, a couple of masts with unfurled sails, a laid down mast and two alternative on-deck housings. The kit is complemented by a flag sheet comprising a number of Tokugawa shogunate flags - that can also be purchased separately.
I've thought that some among you would like to know how our upcoming Atakebune builds, and what it looks like once painted. In this YouTube video below, you can watch how Minis, My Way author deals with it!
Our Atakebune model is close to a deadline now - next month, hopefully!
I'm happy to share a few just released 19th century naval flags sets in 1:600th scale, those of today devoted to the 1821-1822 Greek Revolution and the Ottoman Navy of that period.
A third set, devoted to 17th and 18th centuries Ottoman traders, was scheduled for release now too - but its printing has experienced a little delay, so I don't have this available right now yet. However, it can already be pre-ordered from our website anyway.
Minairons' upcoming Age of Sail model kit will be the Atakebune, a fearsome Japanese warship widely used during the convulse Sengoku Jidai and early Edo periods. Atakebunes can be considered floating fortresses rather than true, seaworthy warships, so they were used mainly in coastal actions. Although provided with sails, they were actually powered by oars in combat - and we're going to foresee both propulsion methods, as it can be seen below.
Model itself will consist of a hull main part, which is going to be resin cast, complemented by a number of optional accessories such as two alternative deck housings, both sitting and standing masts, and two oar rows. This will allow eventual users to personalize to taste their ships, as well as giving to them either a seafaring or fighting configuration.
For instance, here you have two alternative propulsion configurations using the same on-deck housing.
We expect to release the Atakebune at some point this Summer.
I'm pleased to share a new bunch of naval flags in 1:600th scale - this time, devoted to France and their evolution from Louis XIV period to the 1st Empire.
The new sheets comprise ensigns for 17th-18th centuries merchant ships, for an early Revolutionary man-of-war and lastly the flag set of French Navy between 1794 and 1815.
We've just made available three new sets of 1:600th scale Age of Sail ensigns, that span for over three centuries of Portuguese history: a set of 17th century merchant ships, another one of a 18th century man-of-war and lastly the flag set of Potuguese Navy from 1830 to 1910.
After these recent releases, our naval flags collection has already expanded to 60 sheets of a growing selection of seafaring nations, from the Age of Discovery to Pax Britannica's times! In Minairons' website, these are categorized into three different folders:
Hope you like them!
We've just released three new sets of Age of Sail 1:600th scale naval ensigns that span for over three centuries of Spain's history: those of 17th century merchants, 18th century East Indies and 19th century Navy. After these mentioned additions, our collection is now inclusive of seven different flag sheets solely from Spain - for a total of nearly 60 sheets belonging to a growing selection of seafaring nations, from late 16th century to Napoleon's times!
If curious, please check our current naval flags listing.
I'm pleased to share our latest 1:600 scale Age of Sail ship model release - today, a Chinese warship from Ming and Qing dynasties period, modeled after a Fú Chuán type warship (福船). Such kind of large vessels served as escorts in the famous Zheng He's Treasury Fleet expeditions around the Indian Ocean and beyond.
Model itself consists of a high quality resin hull as well as five white metal parts for masts and sails. Kit also includes by default a set of Qing Chinese ensigns and flags.
This new model kit retails at €12.36 (+VAT where applying).
We've devoted this week's releases to the Persian Navy in the Age of Sail, with two new flag sets comprising ensigns and minor flags from both Safavid and Afsharid dynasties (late 16th to late 18th centuries). Worth to be remarked that the white background ensigns are fully interchangeable from one period to the other, because a white flag with a red sabre was the traditional Persian war ensign. Otherwise, coloured flags are own and exclusive of each dynasty (green for Safavids, yellow and striped for Afsharids).
It was also scheduled a third release, devoted to Persian Gulf trader flags in the Age of Sail - as you can see above. However, a small latest hour issue has prevented us from releasing this set alongside with the other two. Anyway, as such issue is to be solved within a few days, we have chosen to make it available too - under pre-order status.
All three sets can be already acquired from our www.minairons.eu website.
I'm proud to share this YouTube video below, where Minis, My Way author deals with our upcoming 1:600th scale War Junk.
Model itself is about ready to launch - actually, its release is scheduled for next month.
I'm happy toannounce release of a further 1:600 scale Age of Sail ship model - now a polacre or polacca, a Mediterranean vessel born as a development of xebecs and primarily designed to outperform these. It was a pretty common ship between 17th and 19th centuries.
Model itself consists of a high quality resin hull as well as eight white metal parts for masts and sails. Kit also includes by default a set of 17th to 18th centuries Sicilian ensigns, flags and pennant.
This new model kit retails at €9.88 (+VAT where applying).
I'm happy to share this YouTube video below, recorded by a gaming mate, which shows the painting process of our upcoming 1:600th scale polacre - a three masted ship quite common in XVII-XVIII centuries Mediterranean waters, that was en evolution from xebecs. I hope you like it as much as I do!
Don't forget to like and subscribe to this IMHO exciting channel!
