Hi all, I have recently been working on the Heinkel Models CSS Stonewall.
The ship has a fascinating history. In 1863 the Confederate army ordered the ironclad ship from a French ship builder. It was to be used in the American civil war, but the French government caught wind of the plans and stopped delivery to the Confederates, as they wanted to remain neutral regarding the civil war.
The ship was then sold with the name Sphynx to the Danish government, which was arming for war. After trialing the ship, which at this stage had been renamed the Saerkodder, the Danes returned it as its seaworthiness was not up to their standards. This was due to the long ram digging into the sea at speed.
The builders took the opportunity to again sell it to the Confederates, who were able to put a crew on it in January 1865 and sail it to France to resupply for the trip to America. It was renamed the CSS Stonewall along the way.
After leaving France it received damage in a storm, and had to put into a Spanish port for repairs. There it confronted a couple of wooden US navy ships which refused to engage in combat, preferring to turn tail and run.
The Stonewall sailed to Cuba, where it was learned that the civil war was over. The captain sold it to the Spanish authorities, who then on sold it to the US government.
It was taken to the Washington DC naval yard where it sat for two years. Many of the photos of it that can be found on the internet were taken there.
In 1868 a civil war was brewing in Japan, and the forces of the Tokugawa Shogunate bought the ship to use against the Japanese Imperial forces.
It was renamed Kotetsu, which means ironclad in Japanese, and delivered by an American crew. During the voyage the war broke out, and when it arrived in Tokyo Bay, the American government refused to deliver it, once again the reason was maintaining neutrality.
That neutrality didn't last long, and the Kotetsu was delivered to the Imperial forces instead.
It immediately set sail for Hokkaido in the north, where it went into action against the Shogun's navy. it was rammed by a larger ship called the Kaiten, but the 300 samirai of the shogun on the Kaiten were unable to successfully board the Kotetsu, being mowed down by the Gattling gun on the Kotetsu.
The Kaiten withdrew, unable do inflict damage on the ironclad, despite sinking three other imperial ships.
It later participated in the battle of Hakodate Bay, where it bombarded shore fortifications and put the Kaiten out of action. The Kotetsu was one of the defining factors that allowed an ultimate Imperial Japanese victory.
It was later renamed Azuma, and served until 1888 when it became a training vessel. it was finally damaged in a typhoon and scrapped.
So this ship served in four navies, and took part in two civil wars, and had five names.
This is a very nice little model. I bought it as soon as it became available and made a start, but only recently returned to making it.
It has nice detail printed on the hull, but I have done a little layering to bring the detail out a bit. I started making it as a waterline model, but decided that the bow ram was such a striking feature that I had to model it full hull, so I started again. I also added some armour plating to the sides, to try to make some of the shapes along the hull a bit more striking.
Besides adding detail to the hull, I have made the front of the ship as one wrap around piece, to more accurately reflect the way I interpret the pictures available on the internet.
The fit of all parts has been spot on. i have filled and sanded the hull and painted it a dark red colour to cover some of the imperfections I made during construction. It needs another coat of paint to cover some lighter patches and extra sanding.
The masts are made from the supplied parts, printed on thin paper. I wittled a bamboo BBQ skewer to fill in the mast and give it strength.
Here are some pictures of the waterline version
Robert
The ship has a fascinating history. In 1863 the Confederate army ordered the ironclad ship from a French ship builder. It was to be used in the American civil war, but the French government caught wind of the plans and stopped delivery to the Confederates, as they wanted to remain neutral regarding the civil war.
The ship was then sold with the name Sphynx to the Danish government, which was arming for war. After trialing the ship, which at this stage had been renamed the Saerkodder, the Danes returned it as its seaworthiness was not up to their standards. This was due to the long ram digging into the sea at speed.
The builders took the opportunity to again sell it to the Confederates, who were able to put a crew on it in January 1865 and sail it to France to resupply for the trip to America. It was renamed the CSS Stonewall along the way.
After leaving France it received damage in a storm, and had to put into a Spanish port for repairs. There it confronted a couple of wooden US navy ships which refused to engage in combat, preferring to turn tail and run.
The Stonewall sailed to Cuba, where it was learned that the civil war was over. The captain sold it to the Spanish authorities, who then on sold it to the US government.
It was taken to the Washington DC naval yard where it sat for two years. Many of the photos of it that can be found on the internet were taken there.
In 1868 a civil war was brewing in Japan, and the forces of the Tokugawa Shogunate bought the ship to use against the Japanese Imperial forces.
It was renamed Kotetsu, which means ironclad in Japanese, and delivered by an American crew. During the voyage the war broke out, and when it arrived in Tokyo Bay, the American government refused to deliver it, once again the reason was maintaining neutrality.
That neutrality didn't last long, and the Kotetsu was delivered to the Imperial forces instead.
It immediately set sail for Hokkaido in the north, where it went into action against the Shogun's navy. it was rammed by a larger ship called the Kaiten, but the 300 samirai of the shogun on the Kaiten were unable to successfully board the Kotetsu, being mowed down by the Gattling gun on the Kotetsu.
The Kaiten withdrew, unable do inflict damage on the ironclad, despite sinking three other imperial ships.
It later participated in the battle of Hakodate Bay, where it bombarded shore fortifications and put the Kaiten out of action. The Kotetsu was one of the defining factors that allowed an ultimate Imperial Japanese victory.
It was later renamed Azuma, and served until 1888 when it became a training vessel. it was finally damaged in a typhoon and scrapped.
So this ship served in four navies, and took part in two civil wars, and had five names.
This is a very nice little model. I bought it as soon as it became available and made a start, but only recently returned to making it.
It has nice detail printed on the hull, but I have done a little layering to bring the detail out a bit. I started making it as a waterline model, but decided that the bow ram was such a striking feature that I had to model it full hull, so I started again. I also added some armour plating to the sides, to try to make some of the shapes along the hull a bit more striking.
Besides adding detail to the hull, I have made the front of the ship as one wrap around piece, to more accurately reflect the way I interpret the pictures available on the internet.
The fit of all parts has been spot on. i have filled and sanded the hull and painted it a dark red colour to cover some of the imperfections I made during construction. It needs another coat of paint to cover some lighter patches and extra sanding.
The masts are made from the supplied parts, printed on thin paper. I wittled a bamboo BBQ skewer to fill in the mast and give it strength.
Here are some pictures of the waterline version
Robert
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