AN ALL’NEF 2021

◗ brigademodels.co.uk ◗ £1 - £4.50

Brigade have released a large selection of new 1/1200th scale Aeronef models for both the Russians and the US but I’ll start with the rooskies.

Cast all in metal – so separate (mostly oval) hulls with turrets and masts to stick on but no resin in sight – is a selection of Destroyers: I have a bag with a two funnelled and a four funnelled models plus another lighter one that’s entirely circular (in good Russian fashion). I’m guessing that at least one of the oval ones in the Strashchni class (£1.75) and the round chap is probably the Dobrovolets class (£1). At the other end of the scale I have the Kronshtadt which looks like a Heavy Cruiser at £4.50 and measures 65mm long plus I have a rather nice pair of mid sized ships: the cruiser Petrapavlovsk and the Smolensk class Seaplane Tender (both at £2.50).

The US Aeronefs – again all in metal but with a more pointed prow and one piece hulls with just masts and turrets to stick on – include a selection of different Destroyer class vessels the biggest of which is the Des Moines class (£2.50) or the a twin funnel Brooklyn class (£2). To give an idea of sizes, the Frigates – like the Nashville (£1.25) or the Augusta (£1.50) – tend to be around 30mm long whereas the larger Michigan class Light Cruiser (£3) is around 55mm long. All are available in bulk packs like the US Pursuit Pack (£21.50).

As a final release, Brigade included some merchant vessels: these are larger and so have resin hulls and metal extra bits (tails, turrets, masts etc) and include reworkings of older models (for example the Rochefort Heavy Merchant and the Stirling Castle class Liner. All models need a flying base!