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.
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!
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 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).
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!
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).
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!
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.
Here you have a full video about our upcoming Age of Sail xebec assembly and painting job. Enjoy!
Our range of 1/600 scale Age of Sail ships will keep growing over 2021, with at least two or three new model kits. The next one we've forecast is the beautiful mediterranean xebec whose 3D printed prototype you can see here.
Most likely, ultimate model will be entirely made of white metal - not just masts and sails, as in previous models of his range, but hull too.
We're going to bring it into moulds in the next weeks, so it can be reasonably expected to be ready by late Winter or early Spring.
Hope you like it!
Our first release for 2021 is a new 1/600 scale Age of Sail model ship - that of an early frigate dating back to the second half of 17th century.
Model itself consists of a resin hull and nine white metal parts for masts and sails, as it can be seen in the picture above.
The whole kit comes in a box that includes a set of 1640-1653 Catalonian Secession War ensign and flags, and can already be obtained at Minairons website.
I'm proud to show you pictures of a Ship of the Line sample from our 1/600 scale naval range, as masterly painted by a customer and gaming mate.
He has slightly modified the original model, just by adding two clear plastic lanterns on stern, as well as a flag staff made from a piece of wire.
As for what I know, its stand is a clear plastic rectangle textured with clear silicone.
