Monday, August 31, 2026

Skytrex Coastal Freighter and 3D Print Trawler for Torpedoes and Tides

Hello friends:

There's been more activity in the shipyards and recently two more 1/300 scale ships have sailed to join my collection for gaming with the Torpedoes and Tides rules.

I ordered two of the freighter models from Skytrex from their Cruel Seas line and now have one painted.    Nice kits, a resin hull with metal superstructure, funnel, lifeboats, and other bits.   I used green painter's tape to mark off the upper white section of the hull and gave it the usual weathering treatment.   The funnel marking is of my own design.   I haven't given my commercial ships any flags because they are equal opportunity targets. 


Also finished is an armed merchant trawler which I found on Thingverse.  Do a search there for Cruel Seas and you'll find quite a few useful models.   The designer says this is 1/300 scale, and I have no idea  if it is, it looks rather big to my eye.  It looks a close enough match to photos of the Isles class trawlers of the RN, so it will do as an escort vessel.   I gave it a quick paint job to suggest the Western Approaches pattern, and found some Skytrex metal crew and guns.   The mast is made from copper wire.  There are no depth charges modelled but she could usefully represent an ASW or sweeper vessel on the table top.    Hopefully she'll give the E Boat skippers something to think about.



I must get back to T&T, my Canadian Fairmille crews need to redeem themselves.


Thanks as always for looking.  
Cheers and blessings to your brushes!
MP+

9 comments:

  1. You definitely have a knack for shipbuilding.

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    1. Thanks, I've found that, strangely, it's almost as much work to paint a 1/300 ship well as it is to paint a few 1/2400 ships, it's just that the brushstrokes are longer and more frequent.

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  2. Splendid and I like that gaming mat.

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    1. Thanks Norm, it's the dark blue seas mat from Geek Villain in the UK, it's quite a nice addition to naval gaming.

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  3. A fine pair of ships Padre, they look suitably weathered.

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    1. Thanks Peter, they've knocked around a lot, that's for sure. I recently saw a Great Lakes freighter up close, it wasn't going to win any glamour awards! :)

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  4. Padre, Great work, I cab almost snell the salt and diesel in the air!

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  5. Very cool models! I'm looking forward to reading about the exploits of the Canadian Dog boats.

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  6. Wonderful painting again. I especially like the weathering and rusty water effects.
    Best wishes, James

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