Shortly after midnight on April 1, 2010, the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Nicholas came under fire from Somali pirates while deployed in the waters off East Africa near the Seychelles on anti-piracy operations. The pirates mistakenly attempted to hijack the Nicholas, believing her to be an unarmed freighter. Nicholas immediately returned fire and pursued the pirate skiff, disabling it and subsequently seized the pirates, several AK assault rifles, ammunition and an RPG rocket launcher. The Nicholas sank their skiff and went on to capture the pirates� mother ship where more pirates and weapons were seized. On specific request of the US Department of Justice, the pirates were detained and brought back to the US to face trial for piracy.
In November 2010, a federal jury in Virginia convicted five Somali men - Mohammed Modin Hasan, Gabul Abdullahi Ali, Abdi Wali Dire, Abdi Mohammed Gurewardher and Abdi Mohammed Umar - of piracy, attack to plunder a vessel, act of violence against persons on a vessel, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon on federal officers and employees, conspiracy to use firearms during a crime of violence, and multiple firearm counts, including the use of a rocket propelled grenade. On March 14, 2011 the five were sentenced to life plus 80 years in prison for engaging in piracy and related offences � the first conviction for piracy by a US Court since 1820.
Here's a couple better pictures from our club night:
This is the modified Academy kit with MK1 and WEM PE, Veteran Models RHIB, SRBOC and 25mm chainguns, Master antennae and 76mm barrel plus Eduard and GMM figures.
I put a lot of work into it, but it was a lot of fun to build.
All the best, LL
