1:250-scale Imperial German Navy River Monitor Mosel

[mdesaxe]

 

This is my just completed model of the Imperial German Navy’s river monitor Mosel. Mosel and a sister, Rhein, were designed and ordered to strengthen the river border defences of the new German Empire against France after the Franco-Prussian War. They entered service in 1874 but operated actively only for about two years and were disposed of within ten years. They were not very successful; they even were reputed to have considerable difficulty in making any headway upstream against the current at certain times of the year when the rivers were full.

 

 

 

 

The model is a 1:250-scale paper kit published by Paper Shipwright. I closely followed the original but enhanced a few deck details, substituted model railway chain for the provided anchor cables, and added laser-cut paper ladders and railings. The included awning stanchions totally defeated me. This is not a reflection on David Hathaway’s design but a result of my own ineptitude. After three failed attempts, I surrendered and made them from brass rod and strip soldered together. The rigging is chemically blackened very fine copper wire.

 

 

The ‘river’ is heavy Indian hand-made watercolour paper with a rather suitable rippled surface. After cutting out a recess for the hull, I spray painted the paper using grey, green, and blue car body touch-up aerosol cans. The gloss finish was clear coat varnish from the same source. I then joined the paper to a panel of 3mm black foam core board which I fastened to a wooden base that is a survivor of a number I made quite a few years ago that somehow I neither lost nor discarded during many moves. I used very strong double-sided tape to join the layers, the kind that is intended to hold down carpets so that Grandmère does not slip on them. The 'river' base is 26cm by 20cm.

 

 

There is a 3mm rebate around the paper and foam core to accommodate a clear dust cover when I get around to making it.

 

 

 

The steam launch was scratch built from paper except for the steering pedestal and wheel. These were made from a modified 1:700-scale turned brass bollard for the pedestal, whilst the wheel is a photo-etched brass item from a White Ensign small boats set.

 

 

The people are modified Preiser Z-scale figures. I really like the vitality and variety of poses of Preiser’s figures but I find I have to be rather selective when using them for my ship models. Preiser’s figures are 1:220 scale but the ships are 1:250 scale. The difference may seem small but a Z-scale figure 8mm tall is a 2 metre tall person at 1:250 scale, not impossible but quite unusual. Fortunately, Preiser makes these figures with a variety of statures and the excess height can be less noticeable when they are in an action pose or seated.

 

 

I began this model some time before starting my Russian monitor Uragan but I decided I needed to finish it before it gathered too much dust or suffered damage. This has slowed progress on Uragan but I will continue its WIP very soon. On the other hand, my wife thinks I should first finish at least one of the two almost completed Austro-Hungarian monitors that appeared in the background of the initial photographs of Uragan, so it may be a little longer before I return to the WIP.

 

 

Building Mosel was very enjoyable and I learned a lot, not least the importance of sequencing construction so that parts fixed in place do not obstruct or excessively complicate later procedures. A good example is that it would have been much wiser to fit the two large ventilators forward of the funnel after completely detailing the bridge area. The model is not perfect--I am very much aware of some deficiencies or mistakes—but I hope you enjoy it, too.

 

Maurice

Edited September 27, 2020 by mdesaxe
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[thorfinn]

Exceptional work on a rarely-modeled class of vessel! I like that she's nearly awash.

[Courageous]

Nice work. Like the use of water colour paper to achieve the ripple effect.

 

Stuart

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Maurice, that's a very good model of an unusual subject. I've never heard of her before. She doesn't appear to have an excessive amount of reserve buoyancy, does she? And your water effect is very good. Regards, Jeff.

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Epic work and the base is sublime

 

TT 

[Tim R-T-C]

What an interesting prototype and a fascinating build - I love all the scratchbuilt parts too, some really good modelling there.

[Ray S]

That is a fabulous result with Mosel.

 

I used the Paper Shipwright model of SMS Rhein as a template to build one out of plastic (and other bits and bobs) quite a few years ago, and I thought the Rhein was a truly impressively low freeboarded vessel.

 

Your whole setting for Mosel is tremendous, congratulations on the fine finish.

 

All the best,

 

Ray

[mdesaxe]

Thank you all for the nice replies and likes!

 

21 hours ago, thorfinn said:

I like that she's nearly awash.

These monitors were designed with flooding tanks to sink them in action so that only part of the casemate was above water. I do not know if this was done ever except maybe during acceptance trials. Nevertheless, the design freeboard (with the tanks empty) was only about 50cm fore and aft.

 

19 hours ago, Courageous said:

Like the use of water colour paper to achieve the ripple effect.

This idea is not original to me. I adapted it from the process used by a very fine miniature ship model builder in England, Jim Baumann. My method differs in details but broadly follows his idea.

 

Thanks again.

 

Maurice

[Dancona]

Congratulations on a beautifully executed and presented model, the finished result is superb  !

[MilneBay]

Interesting and well done model. One thing I note is that the people in the little launch were probably drier than the monitor's crew 😉

[longshanks]

A fine model and presentation

 

Kev

[mdesaxe]

Thanks again to all of you for your kind comments and likes.

 

17 hours ago, MilneBay said:

One thing I note is that the people in the little launch were probably drier than the monitor's crew 

All members of the extended monitor family were wet ships. Low freeboard was a central element of Ericsson's design concept for the type. If anything, these German river monitors had more freeboard than many of their siblings, at least amidships at the casemate. I also imagine that people going for a jaunt might well wish to avoid becoming wet, especially considering the fashions of the time--wet long skirts would become very uncomfortable very quickly.

 

Maurice