Swedish / Danish Gunboat (After the Fredrik Henrik af Chapman design used in the gunboat wars)

Looking for a gunboat or armed row galley for your game? We present out 6MM model of the gunboat design that dared to confront major navies and influenced gunboat design around the world! Our 6MM scale models are 3D printed in hi res SLA resin, and features optional floral wire masts. The gunboats are sold as a set of two, with one gunboat cleared for action both fore and aft, and the other with the bow doors in place which would improve seaworthiness during maneuver.

Kanonslup (literally translated “cannon sloop”) or Kanonchaluppen (literally Canon shalop) were the larger type of gunboats for use in the shallow northern waters after pair of original designs by Fredrik Henrik af Chapman in 1775. Each of these larger gunboats was armed with two 24-pounder cannon (Chapmans original design called for 18 pounders) and four 4-pounder howitzers and had a wartime crew of 69 – 79. This design was copied and mass-produced in Russia, Denmark and Norway. The design also influenced similar designs in England, the United States, and other naval powers.

The Gunboat War of 1807-1814 was a result of the British capture or scuttling of large parts of the Danish-Norwegian fleet during a naval assault on Copenhagen. Facing having no navy to defend against English royal navy aggression, the Dano-Norwegian government decided to build gunboats in large numbers to compensate for the loss. The strategic advantage of gunboats lay in the fact that they could be produced rapidly and inexpensively throughout the kingdom. The tactical advantages were that they were highly maneuverable, especially in still and shallow waters and presented small targets. During the war the Danish-Norwegian government produced more than 200 gunboats.

As an example of gunboat daring one need only take the case of the capture of HMS Tickler. On June 4th, 1808, the brig encountered four Danish gunboats rowing towards her. A lack of wind prevented Tickler from maneuvering and gave the gunboats an advantage. The gunboats opened fire at 2:45p.m., and Tickler responded with her bow chasers. Five hours later Tickler was forced to surrender. and suffered one man killed and seven men wounded, while her hull was riddled with holes and her rigging was in tatters. Danish casualties were reportedly minimal.

A squadron of 16 gunboats later captured HMS Tigress, and a fleet of 25 gunboats made a daring attack on the 64-gun HMS Africa and only escaped capture due to the fall of night. Encounters between gunboats and larger Royal navy vessels happened throughout the war.