greg3 Posted May 30, 2020 Posted May 30, 2020 (edited) This week has marked the 80th anniversary of Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Army from the Dunkirk following their defeat in the Battle of France at the start of WW2. The successful rescue of over 300,000 men was in part made possible by the large number of civilian vessels donated to or requisitioned by the Royal Navy. Known as the "Little Ships", these boats were key to taking the trapped soldiers directly off the beaches, often under heavy fire. My MOC is based on the littlest of the "Little Ships"... The Tamzine. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Built in 1937, the fishing boat Tamzine (named after a sea captain's wife who had drowned in the 1700s) was less than 15ft long and designed to operate in the coastal waters off SE England. In 1940, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy for use in Operation Dynamo and towed across the English Channel. Fitted with an outboard engine and crewed by Naval personnel, she was put to work ferrying troops from the beaches to the larger ships waiting offshore. At the end of the evacuation, the Tamzine was towed back to England and returned to her owner. In 1965, she was one of a fleet of "Little Ships" that crossed the Channel to mark the 25th anniversary (and is featured in a Pathe newsreel of the event). Eventually the Tamzine was donated to the Imperial War Museum and after restoration work is now on public display. The Tamzine on Wikipedia My version is based on the standard Lego rowing boat hull, which as about the right length (maybe a stud short). I added a mast and rigging, seats, foredeck (which proved the hardest part of the build!) and engine. The flag (known as the Dunkirk Jack) is that of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships and combines the Cross of St George with the coat of arms of Dunkirk. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I also put a little scene together of the Tamzine rescuing some soldiers... (the figures are Brickmania custom prints or stickers) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Finally here she is today helping to mark the anniversary... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr As always, thanks for looking... comments are more than welcome. Edited May 30, 2020 by greg3 Quote
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