HMS Speedy and El Gamo by Linus Spjutsberg - 1/700 scale - diorama - 3D printed

[Linus Spjutsberg]

Hi all,

I’m starting a new 1/700 scale diorama project based on the famous encounter between HMS Speedy and the Spanish xebec-frigate El Gamo, and I’ll be documenting the build here as it progresses.

 

Both hulls are 3D printed, but I’ll be making several modifications along the way — using photo-etch parts, scratch-built details, and entirely custom brass masts for strength and realism at this scale.

 

The diorama is intended to capture the dramatic moment just before the boarding, with El Gamo’s heavy shot passing over the deck of HMS Speedy,  a detail mentioned in firsthand accounts that highlights the incredible difference in size between the two ships.

 

HMS Speedy (launched 1782) was a small 14-gun brig under the command of Thomas Cochrane. In July 1801, she engaged and captured the much larger El Gamo (built circa 1795), a 32-gun xebec-frigate of the Spanish Navy. The odds were stacked against her, but through deception, maneuvering, and a well-timed boarding, Cochrane pulled off one of the most audacious single-ship victories of the Napoleonic Wars.

 

Paint Scheme & References

I’m basing El Gamo’s appearance on a painting by Antoine Roux titled "El Gambo" — most likely a misspelling, but the ship depicted is a xebec-frigate and matches the general rig and form closely enough for adaptation.

 

Speedy will be shown in disguise, painted as a Danish merchantman with a warm grey hull and a thin buff streak. However, her British colors will be visible,  marking the moment just before she drops all pretenses and launches the assault.

Build Notes

This is still very much in the early stages. So far I have:

 

Gotten  both hulls printed in resin, they are designed by Turner Miniatures 

 

Begun fitting photo-etch deck details

 

Started work on brass masts and spars

 

Planned rigging layout and sail plan based on period sources

 

Right now I am palnning out the layout of El Gamo. Since most of the hard planning, source work and decisions are done, and the fact that I am on hollidays I suspect that the rest will go fairly quick. 

 

Photos of the current stage are attached below. I'm very open to feedback, and would love to hear from others working at this scale or anyone who's tackled a similar diorama setup.

 

Thanks for looking and more to come!

Linus Spjutsberg 

 

I will be making a video on the build and upload it to my channel when done. There will be more.on the earlier stages there. I figured since I did not start this log at the beginning, I would post my current progress only. Please take a look at the channel if you would like:

https://youtube.com/@linusnapoleonicshipyard?si=GqJ1XjEXdi8wnM2X

 

 

 

 

[whitejamest]

I'll be following this with great interest Linus. I don't have much experience with 1/700 models, but have made a lot of 1/1200 gaming miniatures, rigged with bristles from a nylon paint brush. 

 

At 1/700 you could even add photo etched crew figures. 

[Linus Spjutsberg]

2 hours ago, whitejamest said:

I'll be following this with great interest Linus. I don't have much experience with 1/700 models, but have made a lot of 1/1200 gaming miniatures, rigged with bristles from a nylon paint brush. 

 

At 1/700 you could even add photo etched crew figures. 

Happy you find it interesting.  As for crew, that's what I usually do for ships I spend more time on. (see attached) For game pieces though, I have found you don't notice much. It only really shows if you are taking pictures for a  battle report or a video. Check out my channel in the link (the first post) as I do many of those. 

 

Still these are my most detailed yet and for a diorama, so there will definitely be crew on them, and lots of them for El Gamo.