CSS Arkansas vs USS Tyler and Queen of the West in 1/600

Part of the original inspiration for this project came after I dug out my old copy of Yaquinto's  excellent boardgame The Ironclads.  One of my favorite scenarios was the morning showdown on the Yazoo River between the CSS Arkansas and the US ram Queen of the West, the timberclad gunboat USS Taylor, and  ironclad USS Carondelet.   These would be the first vessels out of Old Black Water's Shipyard.

Here is the CSS Arkansas on the start of the epic run that was to  take her down the Yazoo and into the Mississippi River, passing through the combined US fleets and making it to the Confederate fortress of Vicksburg.  The commander of the Arkansas, Isaac Newton Brown, would fight most of the battle from a perch on top of the metal casemate.  You can see him below holding on to one of the chimney stays atop the casemate.

The model is from Bay Area Yards.  Other interpretations of the CSS Arkansas in 1/600 are made by Thoroughbred Miniatures and Peter Pig Miniatures.

Here is the Queen of the West advancing up the Yazoo on the hunt for the Arkansas.

She would be joined by the timberclad gunboat Tyler, one of the first vessels converted for the war on the western waters.  She would serve throughout the war.

This is a model from Bay Area Yards to which I have added boats, rigging and tarps.

Heres a couple more photos with all three vessels together.

Next episode will feature the US ironclads which would fight the Arkansas.