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[raflaunches]

Certainly my era of interest and when in conjunction with his previous book French Battleships of World War One it combines an interesting quote I found on Facebook the other day- when Hotels Go To War!
Some of these designs must have inspired Jules Verne and HG Wells for their steampunk style.
My copy arrived today and there are some stunning pictures of all the Armoured Cruisers built by the French Navy and they make British Armoured Cruisers look like bungalows by comparison!

[tonyH]

Beware Nick! It's easy to catch "le bug francais"

[raflaunches]

That’s why I loved your ‘Brosse à dents’ and she sits pride of place on my shelf.
[/color]Just love the designs, they are what steampunk should be based on. Got plans for three unique vessels from three different navies of this era and hope to build them all one day!

[ballastanksian]

WOW that looks a good read! I also like those ugly but beautiful French behemoths! How many funnels does a ship need??


Ta for sharing Nick :)

[Colin Bishop]

The French went in for the 'Fierce Face' approach. Big tall ships bristling with guns to intimidate the enemy. Not always successful though. The tumblehome on many of them compromised stability if there was underwater damage.

Quite agree, certainly a Steampunk impression.

A bit off topic but there is a great Steampunk Museum in New Zealand. I loved it.

https://www.steampunkoamaru.co.nz/

Colin

[raflaunches]

Hi Colin


Totally agree, they were some spectacular looking ships but completely useless in combat situations. Whoever came up with the phrase on Facebook 'When Hotels Go To War' certainly had it right! I hope that John Jordan continues his work and maybe expands into the Russian pre-WW1 design warships that were of similiar design. I can only dream!


Thanks for the link, I'm a fan of the Steampunk genre all though I stop at the dressing up stage! Its the design work I enjoy and the imagination of the great Jules Verne and HG Wells in what they thought the future would be like.
I've always had an interest in the War of the Worlds and the reference to ThunderChild/Polyphemus in the book. Often thought of buying a Polyphemus hull and doing a sistership to the Polyphemus calling her ThunderChild-a later build of a fictious Cyclops class torpedo ram...

[Colin Bishop]

Nick,

I may have posted this before but there is a book called 'The Last Days of ThunderChild which enlarges on the battle of the little ironclad and the days leading up to it and I really enjoyed it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Days-Thunder-Child-Victorian/dp/1484088263/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=last+days+of+thunderchild&qid=1568573351&s=books&sr=1-1

Of course there is always Chris Thompson's tribute to Thunderchild in Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds which you may be familiar with. This clip starts with Justin Hayward's lovely Forever Autumn and seuges into Thompsons Thunderchild. Very moving!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvm7HgkNL7E

Colin

[raflaunches]

Hi Colin


I read the Last Days of the Thunderchild on my last Op Shader tour and throughly enjoyed it too. It’s weird knowing what’s going to happen eventually!
I have a poster of the famous Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds with the Thunderchild and the Martian war machine. It’s sit pride of place on my wall at work. I’ve watched all the different versions and I’m intrigued in the latest one that the BBC are showing in a few weeks time. It’ll be interesting to see how faithful they will be to the original story.
I think the most upsetting part of Jeff Wayne’s version is Justin Haywood’s last part of the Thunderchild song... Farewell....Thunderchild!
I don’t know if you’ve read the official sequel to War of the Worlds, The Massacre of Mankind which is set about 20 years later and re-imagined world post invasion and the different attitudes of the people towards the Royal Navy and the Army. Worth a read.

[Colin Bishop]

I have seen the book Nick but not read it. If you think it is good then I will give it a go.

Justin has alway been an icon for me back since 1967! Seen several Moody Blues concerts and more recently Justin on tour a couple of times. Magic!

Colin

[Geoff]

I've just taken delivery of this book and whilst I have not read it from end to end I think it is pretty good and worth the asking price. Interestingly some of the later classes were easily a match for the later Warrior and possible Duke of Edingurgh classes in the RN.


Virtually all armoured crusiers died after the introductioon of the battlecrusier. The French designs were structured for long range raiding so led to the construction of both armoured crusiers (Had belt armour) and protected crusiers (Had a slopped protective deck but no belt). Before the "Entente Cordial" they posed a signficant threat to commerce. Sadly by the time of ww1 most armoured crusiers were just outlcassed as they were not fast enough and not heavily armed or armoured enough and used a lot of manpower.


Tuishima in 1905? was used as an example where armoured crusiers could stand in the battle line with some sucess but with the advent of the Dreadnoughts they were far too vulnarable and when they did go toe to toe invariable lost very badly.


There are other books in this series one with French Pre-Dreadnoughts and the other with Freanch Dreadnoughts up to abouit 1922 so basically all ww1 stuff. Both books are excellent particualrly the Pre-Dreadnought one.


Certainly the cruisers would make very interesting models.


Cheers


Geoff