1/600 USS Rattler

Tinclad No.1; commissioned 1862, converted from a civilian ship. She typically was armed with eight light guns, two mounted at fore pivots, three along each broadside. The pivot guns were 30 pound parrots; the broadside guns were apparently 24 pound howitzers. She saw a heavy, active career. In addition to action at Vicksburg and Fort De Russy, she was also engaged on the Red River and at Grand Gulf. Very highly regarded as an efficient ship, she survived some of the worst firefights of the war only to founder during a Gale off Grand Gulf Mississippi. Her anchor lines parted and she drifted, striking an obstruction in the center of that part of the river, holing her below the waterline. Despite the best efforts of her crew, she could not be saved. Rattler was the center of a controversy in late 1863: her commanding officer and several crew decided to go ashore and attend church services in Mississippi. While present, they were kidnapped and held ransom by Confederate militia; previously, churches had largely been regarded as neutral ground. Her Commanding Officer and the captured crewmen were apparently badly treated, perhaps tortured, prompting a revenge shelling of saidsame church by the crew of the Rattler, and a punitive expedition by the cutting out parties to capture the kidnappers. There is some debate about the colors in which Rattler was painted. The best guess at present is that she was brown overall, with white roofing, decks, and support struts. Her stacks were, unusually, painted grey from the point they emerge from her roof upward, apparently in an effort to help better identify her. An identification number "1" was roughly painted on the sides and rear of her pilot house, though different pictures seem to indicate different shades (I've gone with white. I may very well be wrong.) Available in WSF or BSF. Be aware that BSF polishers sometimes get a little over zealous with paddle wheels: the painted example included here in the images is a good example of this. While certainly serviceable, some of the rear paddle struts have been smoothed over, so that they appear to be awash.