From PeterD: Spanish American War Ships 1:2400 (10 points)

First post for me in my nth challenge (n>10).  My painting always begins on Boxing Day, and first up was this collection of left overs from Challenge XIV.  They were primed and based but I never made any further progress.  None of these vessels were at battles at Santiago or Manilla, but all played a role in the war.

First up we have two American ships, USS Maine and USS Charleston.  The Maine's contribution to the war was blowing up in Havana Harbour, thereby giving Mr Hearst a cassus bellum for the war.  At the time the US blamed this on a Spanish mine, but the evidence points more to a coal fire that set off a magazine.  The Maine was classified as an armoured cruiser with four 10" guns in the fashionable Victorian layout of turrets en echelon.  She served less than three years before self destructing.  I've seen what if scenarios with her facing South American navies.

The Charleston was a protected cruiser built in the USA based on a design purchased from the English arms manufacturer Armstrong's.  She had a pair of 8" guns with 6" secondaries.  She was sent to capture Guam in 1898 with a convoy of  with three transports full of troops .  On arrival she unleashed a bombardment on the ancient fort.  In return, a boat of Spanish officials arrived asking if they could borrow powder in order to return the salute.  Turns out no one had told them that there was a war on.  A bloodless surrender was soon arranged.  Shortly after the end of the war,  she struck a rock and sank while operating against Philippine forces.

Next up a trio of vessels from the Armada Espanol.  The most fearsome is the battleship Pelayo, a French build similar to the Marceau class but with a shallower draft and lacking the towering Grand Hotel superstructure.  Her 11" guns are in the French lozenge fashion, aimed at increasing end on firepower at the cost of broadside firepower.  She was hastened out of a refit (with her old secondaries removed and without her new ones) and sent off as flagship of a squadron to recover the Philippines.  They got as far as the Suez Canal before they heard of the disaster at Santiago and recalled to defend Spain itself.  Pelayo served for a long time before finally firing in anger during the Rif War in 1909.

Finally a couple of small and pretty useless ships.  The Marques del Duero was a gunboat sunk at Manilla Bay.  The Isabel II was a small cruiser of the ill fated Velasco class which served in actions off San Juan Puerto Rico.  She was named for Queen Isabel II, who reigned from 1833 until her ouster in 1868.  The less said about the Spanish Royal family the better.

These are 1:2400 castings from Tumbling Dice, who make some lovely ships in many offbeat periods.  In past Challenges, these are worth 2 points a hull for a total of 10 points.

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Great work on these tiny ships and interesting history of the period Peter. I enjoyed our Cuban breakout scenarios using your collection and it will be nice to have some more models for variety for future engagements.

- Curt