True Combat

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Everybody,

I saw some model tanks paint balling each other the other day. Has this ever been done with model battle ships? If it has, then my life is planned! Finish Resurgam, build ROV recovery, build M1.

Len

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

[Paul FreshneyParticipant @paulfreshney24971]

Len

I think the Portsmouth Display Team model ships' regularly blow each other up, and then miraculously recover to fight another day, but paint balling for model boats would be a new one i should think. There is /used to be a similar regular thing at Scarborough, if I remember correctly.

Paul Freshney

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

In America they sink each other's ships with CO2 powered guns although Hood and Bismarck slugging it out like Nelson's Wooden Walls is a bit unrealistic.

**LINK**

**LINK**

The squirting water is emitted from the bilge pumps attempting to keep holed models afloat. Needless to say, it isn't permitted over here except perhaps on totally private land to which the public have no access.

Colin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Len

Have a look at this site **LINK**

Paul

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Dear Paul, Colin and Paul T,

Whaw! Thanks for all that. Watched all the links and more connected links. Excellent! If you are going to build a battleship then be prepared to battle! The water jets looked a bit tame and I'm not sure about BB shot, but it shows the concept.

I think paint balls would be good. Non damaging and definitive. Imagine a full broad side from Nelson!

Need to do some research on paint ball guns to get the calibers and set a model scale.

M1 it is! Can any one help with hull line drawings?

You surface lads need to get geared up!

Len

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Personally, as I said above, I don't think that what you see is very realistic although it obviously goes down well in the USA where they love their guns and generally shooting things to distraction.

For more accuracy the models should be some distance away on the pond, 100 yards or so, and the combatants should throw pebbles at the models from the bank. This would more accurately reproduce the actual conditions of warfare in the WW1/WW2 periods. Moreover if you were a 'destroyer' you could throw little missiles the size of marbles, something a bit bigger if you were emulating a cruiser and half bricks if you were pretending to be a battleship.

I reckon that the percentage of hits and their effects would then be fairly close to what actually happened at Jutland and would depend on the skill of the 'gunnery officer'.

I say this as a founder member of the Naval Wargames Society established back in the 1960s! **LINK**

Colin

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

In the early years of the Model Boat Convention combat was the order of the day . There was a contest to see if models would survive a REAL mine field, non did . Then there was the special forces assault on beach heads with models being shot to pieces by shore batteries and internal explosions . All exiting stuff , for the thousands throughout the weekend watching it but health and safety stepped in and that was that. I still have some shots of the activities , if I can find them .

Dave Wooley

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Dug out these pictures from the 1994 Convention . bags of entertainment even though boats where lost.

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

One more

[LooverlijnParticipant @looverlijn]

The boas in Scarborough (where I live) have "real" blokes in them. The warships represented re-fight the Battle of the River Plate but no actual explosives or missiles are deployed, just a lot of smoke. Good fun for the kiddies though.

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Colin,

Agree about the distance for surface ships. More the fun. If things become easy then they become boring! Not sure about chucking rocks and stones from the bank but could see it working within a given set of rules. I don't think it could happen though, Health&Safety, Councils complaining about clogging up ponds, wild life enthusiasts and fishermen complaining, and finally the public image of model boaters chucking bricks!

Followed your link. Brilliant if your brain is in Chess mode (and I do enjoy chess)!

Just to recap, I imagine a none damaging sport where we all go home at the end of the day with complete models and the paint balls are environmentally friendly (done some research and will post separately).

One last comment about distance, if this were ever to happen, while the surface lads are messing about at 100 yards, M1 will surface and blat the enemy from 3 feet as intended!

Len

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Dave,

That's more like it! I bet it was excellent fun and the pictures are brilliant. Can see how Health and Safety killed the job (do young lads climb trees any more)?

Have done some research on paint balls and I'm sure it's game on!

See mi next post.

Len

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Everybody,

Had a look at paint ball 'technology'. Standard size is 0.68 inches. A new standard is coming out at 0.5 inches. For a twelve inch gun the boat scale would be 1:24. A bit big. But apparently, paint balls are easy to make. You make them from food stuff (gelatine, food die etc), You can eat them and so can the ducks and the fish! Choose your own calibre for a practical model size. My environmental conscience is now clear!

M1 is on it's way once I can find some plans or mek it up from photographs. Man on a mission. I am really going to sort Ashley out!

Regards to all,

Len

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Len

Wont the land / lake owners have something to say about their water being turned into a multi-coloured soup and I can only image the comments from the wildlife and fishing fraternity (unless they want rainbow trout)

Paul

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Paul,

Nah! The dilution ratio is insignificant and It's all edible. Don't think the fish and ducks will object!

Len

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