Eagle Kits by
Joachim Thiel
One of the delights of
the past year has been reading the many emails that I have received. Joachim’s was particularly interesting as he
has managed to track down the full range of Eagle Kits over the last ten years
and build them. This is an achievement
in itself, but he has not just built them but on seeing the accompanying
photographs I feel has set such a high standard that they may be seen as a
yardstick to judge all others. It is to
my embarrassment that I put them along side mine. My only excuse and a very weak one at that was I made mine while
at school.
The Royal Navy Ships
The ships of the Kriegsmarine
I have grouped Joachim’s
models into two groups, by sets, as there were intended, starting with The Battle
of the River Plate.
Set 1: Battle of the River Plate
Two photographs of the
Admiral Graf Spee, showing her in the guise of HMS Repulse, towards the end of
November 1939, after the sinking of Africa Shell, rigged during rendez-vous
with Altmark. These disguises were
meant to gain time, Langdorff is quoted to say that 'five minutes at thirty
knots is the difference between being in range and being out of range.'
HMS Ajax
HMS Exeter
Capture of the Altmark
Battle of Narvik:
HMS Warspite, HMS Hardy, HMS Kimberley
Battle of the
Atlantic:
U-Bootes, Saar, Acheron,
HMSs Allington Castle, Balfour, Peacock. Lilac
HMS Dorsetshire
KM Hipper