Subscribers’ Maritime Gallery : H

The model is from Flyhawk and in 1:700 scale.

The HMS Naiad belonged to the class of Dido light cruisers. Sixteen ships were built of the class and these were based on the Arethusa class light cruiser. The armament was to consist of five 5.25 in (133 mm) guns in twin turrets. These turrets were also used as secondary armament in the King George V battleships. Due to supply shortages, however, not all ships were equipped with them. The Naiad was laid on keel on 26 August 1937.

The launch took place as the first ship in the class on February 3, 1939. The commissioning followed on 24 July 1940. The Naiad belonged to the group with five 5.25 in gun turrets. The other armament consisted of two quadruple 40 mm pom-poms guns, two 0.5 in quadruple MGs, one 47mm cannon and two 21 in triple torpedo tubes. Initially, the Naiad was used in the Home Fleet. In January 1941, the Naiad was used in the northern sea and there spotted for a short time the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. In May 1941, however, she was transferred to the Force H in the Mediterranean and became the flagship of the 15th cruiser squadron. There she took part in the supply trips to the island of Malta. On March 11, 1942, she was discovered and sunk by the German submarine U-565 south of Crete. In the process, 77 men lost their lives to the crew.

The kit comes from the company Flyhawk and is thus one of the best plastic model ships available on the market. The construction also progressed quickly and does not cause any problems. But you should always have the construction manual in view and follow it. It was also a bit strange that the superstructure parts had a lot of free adjustment. This makes it necessary to make sure that they are correctly aligned when later gluing the superstructure parts. With newer kits like the Prince of Wales this has been better solved by Flyhawk. Otherwise, the kit includes everything necessary to build a great model. I used additionally turned brass barrels for the 5.25 in guns from Flyhawk. Likewise, I used Bigboyblue replacement for the reels and etched parts from Flyhawk for the light AA guns.

I have painted the model with Vallejo colors and but not with the colour of the instructions, but in the more usual 507A, 507B and 507C camouflage scheme. The wooden deck was also painted with Vallejo colors. The ageing took place with oil paints. The water design was done as usual with the Water Effects from Vallejo. For the waves, I added cotton into the water surface again.

Greetings Christian H.

Here is my White Ensign Models HMS Bluebell flower class corvette in 1:700th scale. It’s about 3 inches long but is supplied with a lower hull. I have added a few pics of the build so that you can see just how much brass there is on such a small model!
Cheers, Ian R.

HMS Charlock K-348 – improved Flower Class Corvette.
Scratchbuilt model in 1:350th scale
The entire diorama was scratchbuilt, the only commercially available parts were photo etch sets from White Ensign Models and figures from Gold Medal Models and some bits from the spares box.
The Charlock hull was carved from Modelboard resin with the bulwarks and superstructure made from plastic card and evergreen strip (various shapes and sizes).
The dock was a piece of Balsa wood glued to the base and then covered with 1mm thick plastic card, once smoothed over the building and rail lines were marked out. The building was made of plastic card and the rail lines simply scored into the dock surface. The crane came from the spares box, if I remember was part of the aircraft crane of a Yamato class battleship.
Once assembled the parts were painted separately (Dock, ship and crane) before gluing them into position, finally the figures were put into place.
The whole diorama is small the Charlock herself is only 7 ½ inches long and about an inch wide.

The model is HMS Chester a 6-inch cruiser of the First World War has she appeared at the Battle of Jutland on 31st May 1916. The kit is one of White Ensign Models own kits in 1:700 scale and was built pretty much out of the box with the exception of the figures which came from Gold Medal Models.
The kit is highly detailed as you would expect from this manufacturer; no fit issues were encountered and for a full write up on this build I will be submitting it to Geoff for inclusion in SMN in the future.
Ian R.

Latest build, it’s a Royal Navy Leander class frigate, HMS Cleopatra circa late sixties – early seventies. The kit is in 1:350th scale and produced by Atlantic Models (Peter Hall who made patterns for WEM), the hull is approximately 12 inches long so not a large model.

Best regards, IR

This was essentially made straight out of the box which includes deck markings in the form of waterslide decals, deck vehicles and a set of very fine photo-etch parts fret. the only additions made was the addition of fine brass rod to make the yard arms etc on the mast and the Barracuda aircraft. These later items came from the White Ensign Models range of 1:700th scale aircraft, with the undercarriage parts coming from the WEM PE-715 1:700-1:600th scale Fixed Wing Aircraft parts, and some Gold Medal Models Naval Figures. Apparently L’Arsenal when they were producing the kit forgot to include the Barracudas but supply the Corsair aircraft. From this kit you are able to build any of the sister ships of this class of carrier up to the end of WWII.

The kit assembles very quickly as the bulk (the hull) is cast as a single waterline piece (Kit is only available as waterline), the various cut outs in the sidea of the hull including the stern are plated over with pre-cut parts of photo-etch brass the largest being the piece that wrapps around the stern and sides of the the rear of the hull. I opted to cut the part into three pieces where the part is to curve around the stern, a little filler was required to blend away the join lines.The model was painted using my usual method , that being to spray the overall colour and post shade it before hand painting the remaining colours. The aircraft were painted in a similar fashion in that they were painted in the underside colour and the upper colours picked in by hand. The markings on the aircraft were picked in by hand as at the time of building there were no British SEAC/Pacific
aircraft markings available.

This is a great albeit a little fiddely model to build and fills a massive gap in the lack of Royal Navy aircarft carrier kits, to date I’ve two of these kits, great fun.

White Ensign Models 1:700th scale kit.
This is HMS Dido a light cruiser and lead ship of her class of anti-aircraft cruisers that served quite well through the War and afterwards. The model is how she appeared during 1942 in the Mediterranean theatre.
I supplemented most of the parts included on the kit’s etch sheet with parts from surplus WEM King George V class battleship etch, although any RN detailing set from cruisers upwards would suffice. This is because Dido was the first resin kit produced by WEM and is starting to show her age especially in the photo etch parts. Apparently it’s due to be withdrawn and re-tooled up to today’s standards when they can get a chance. But saying this it can still be made into an accurate model of the ship and is the “only game in town” if you’re looking for HMS Dido. Unfortunately you can only make Dido out of the box, if you want to build some of her sisters you’ll have to heavily convert the model.

Just a couple of shots of my recent model of the Zvezda 1:350 HMS Dreadnought before she gets tucked away in the loft. I built her as a late fit using White Ensign brass. She is depicted on Channel patrol.
All the best, Mike Moore

This is the Zvezda 1:350 scale kit detailed using Pontos and WEM detailing sets. The model is of the vessel circa 1907 when she entered service with the Fleet. This model can now be seen at the Explosion Museum, Priddys Hard, Gosport, UK.
Ian R.

The diorama was commissioned by White Ensign Models to show off their latest (at time) 1:700th scale ship kit, that being HMS Edinburgh, sister ship to Belfast. The brief was to set the model in a dockyard scene using items from their Dockyard Matey series of accessories.

The whole diorama is only 10-12 inches long and approximately 4-5 inches wide (quite small). The only non-WEM products were the figures (Gold Medal Models) and dockyard stores (came from spares box).
Ian R.

These are the finished models that were used us the recent SMN Modelling in a Day workshop.

The models are of HMS Eskimo a Tribal Class destroyer, the stormy pics are of ship circa September 1942 when escorting Arctic Convoy s and the calmer sea the ship in Early 1945 when serving with Eastern Fleet fighting Japanese forces, note the differences in equipment and mast configuration.

Regards, Ian R.

Here’s the first completed model of the big HMS Hood in 1:200 scale. I’m waiting for Chao to confirm that he has used the Pontos multi-media detail sets and by the look of it he has. Depending on when you read these words as I write (Sept17), Julian S will be getting under way with our own mega build of this kit and incorporating the Pontos set.

This is my rendition of Trumpeter’s 1:350 scale HMS HOOD. I used White Ensign etch. My first attempt at a ship in this scale.

Here’s my Airfix 1:350 scale HMS Invincible converted from the Airfix HMS Illustrious kit. The ship is depicted at the time of the Falklands War, 1982.
Best wishes, Lou Carabott

This is the White Ensign Models kit and required a few minor modifications applying to it to build her in her final appearrance before being sunk, the model depicts the ship building upto to speed and her anti aircraft crews maning their weaponss. The ship was in the command of Lord Louis Mountbatten and being in charge of a Flotilla of Destroyers Mountbatten had His ships’ painted in what became known as Mountbatten Pink a violet pinky colour, the reasoning was that at dusk and dawn the ships would blend into the horizon (the Flotilla operated in the Mediterraean) and therefore be difficult to spot from other surface vessels, however the ships had the fight off the Luftwaffe and their over zealous Ju-87 Stuka crews. The figures used are the L’Arsenal figures cast in resin and painted individually. The ship is roughly 11 inches in length.

Here is my 1:350 model from the Tamiya base kit of HMS Prince of Wales, converted back to KGV.
The KGV is how the vessel appeared in December 1940 before she when in for a refit and re-painting in early 1941. Her colour scheme then was overall dark grey with wooden decks left unpainted and steel decks dark grey.
Ian R.

This is a conversion build using the White Ensign Models HMS Laforey kit – the model is in 1:350 scale. I had to change the foremast to lattice-type and update aerials etc, as well as altering close-in AA weapons.
Mahratta was an M-class destroyer of the Royal Navy which served during World War II. She began as Marksman, was damaged while under construction, and dismantled to be rebuilt on a new slipway. She served on the Arctic Convoys until she was struck by a torpedo from U-990, she sank with the loss of 219 men. Despite other Navy vessels coming to her aid only 2 of her crew survived. The model shows the ship how she would have appeared at this time.
Ian R.

This is the model I was using to demonstrate seascapes at the recent SMN Modelling in a day workshops.

The model is White Ensign Models HMS Laforey but rebuilt as M class destroyer HMS Meteor, in 1:350 the scale.

Regards, Ian R.

Here’s my model of the Tamiya 1:350th scale Japanese heavy cruiser Mogami.
The base kit is Tamiya’s excellent kit no78021 Japanese aircraft carrying cruiser Mogami. At the time of build there were no dedicated detailing sets available so I used:

• Tamiya degaussing cables set12630 (enough in this set to cover two cruisers)
• White Ensign Models PE 35100 Takao Class Cruiser detailing set and PE 35018 Imperial Japanese Navy Doors & Hatches set
• The figures seen on the model are Fujima part no. 111506 1:350th scale Figure set (Imperial Japanese Navy Seamen) they produce two sets this one in static poses and the other in action poses (set 111650). These are fully rounded injection moulded figurines that can be primed and individually painted before adding to model.

I wanted to show the vessel at sea launching one of her float-spotter planes with a large number of crew figures on deck. Ian R.

Just finished my build of Trumpeters 1:200 scale HMS NELSON which I started at Xmas (2015).

I used MK I brass basic + guns sets to detail it. Thoroughly enjoyable build, but I would not use the wooden deck again as it tends to lift in places.

All the best
Mike Moore

Revell 1:72 Flower Class Corvette
Added: Great Little Ships (GLS) PE set and white metal for weapons & bridge
Referenced: HMS Poppy K213 (circa 1941)
Check this out: http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/ARTICLES/Poppy/index.htm
HMS Poppy is a Flower Class Corvette commonly built round the UK during WWII. This particular vessel based on a whaler design was built at Alexander Hall’s shipyard in Aberdeen, Scotland during 1940/1941 (I have mistakenly referred to Hall Russell, a much later yard takeover before now).
Launched in ‘41 she took part in the ill-fated convoy PQ17, a story in itself. My connection with this ship was firstly the location of her construction, Aberdeen, my ‘home’ port. At that time my grandfather worked on her at the yards, a side connection is the name ‘Poppy’, all ships of this class were named after popular flowers, in this case it is the ‘by’ name of my spouse, so the choice of candidates shrunk to a crowd of one!! Most corvettes had art on their main gun turret, ‘Poppy’s’ was Popeye and the tune played when she left and arrived at harbour was “Popeye The Sailor Man”.
The kit itself OOB is impressive, but add some of the exquisite details available from GLS, and it becomes astounding. I just couldn’t justify the additional ‘deck set’ or ‘funnel set’, the kit being pretty good as it was, but the bridge and weapons set(s) were enough to make it look ‘right’.
This was a very enjoyable build, though the size of the project meant it took many months to complete. All being said, I’d do it again and recommend anyone interested in maritime subjects to give a ‘Flower’ a chance…!!
Mick Stephen (2011)

This is my model of Trumpeter’s 1:350 Renown Class Battlecruiser HMS Repulse.
A very enjoyable build. I have portrayed her in the camouflage scheme she had when sunk by Japanese bombers and torpedo planes along with the battleship HMS Prince of Wales.
All the best
Mike Moore

This was a commission I had a few years ago to build a model of the former Captain’s boat. Due to the clients requirements on size the model was scratch built in 1:200th scale (approximately 5-6 inches in length). My model depicts a vessel circa 1970’s.
Scratchbuilt project…
The bulk of the construction was made from a commercial resin compound called Prolab 65 or Modelboard, it’s a resin based material that can be easily cut and carved to shape. I use it for the basic hull forms on my scratchbuild ship models.
Anyway I digress, after carving the basic hull and superstructure the model was detailed using various shaped pieces of plastic card strip from Evergreen. The model was primed before the actual colours were applied, I won’t bore you with the details but I painted and weathered it in my usual fashion before it was applied to its base and the seascape formed around it (see SMNs Techniques Bank on how to do this). The basis of this is made from interior Polyfiller with the tips of the waves crests made from pieces of PVA soaked cotton wool stretched very thin and applied onto the dry plaster using PVA. Once dry the seascape was spray painted using my airbrush. The figures came from some figures I found on a railway modelling site. These were primed and painted in suitable colours for RN crew.
Ian R.

This is the White Ensign Models Kit No.3569 HMS Kittiwake-Kingfisher Class Coastal sloop in 1:350th scale. The kit, as with all WEM kits, comes complete with everything you require. I only added figures to the model to give a sense of scale, and this vessel is really small measuring only 200mm (8inches in length). There are a couple of colour schemes included in the instructions and I chose the Shearwater as she was in the overall white with panels of pale blue and green. The kit comes with the choice of either full hull or waterline with the lower hull section mating on the waterline if required. The model went together quickly and was a joy to build although at times I couldn’t help thinking it was 1:700th scale because of the size of it compared to the usual destroyer and escort kits at this scale.

Ian Ruscoe’s Top Tip

When using superglue NEVER apply the glue directly from the tube to the part always apply a pool of the glue to a piece of scrap card and then holding the etch in tweezers carefully dab the piece through the top of the glue, with any excess dabbed off onto the card before you then apply it to the model. When applying ship’s railings it’s best to wet the thumb and index finger of the other hand you’re not using with saliva so that the glue won’t attach you to the part when you use them to guide the railing into position. Superglue won’t stick to saliva.

Some pics of one of the many (too many..!) Revell 1:72nd scale Flower Class Corvette kits I’ve done over the years.
This is Revell’s large 1:72nd scale Flower class corvette kit built using extensive detailing sets that replace over ¾ of the kit parts. The model is roughly 3 feet long and 5 inches at its widest.
Not the best kit but certainly one of the biggest commercially available kits of this class of vessel. Most of the deck fittings and all the weapons, Bridge and other structures were replaced with replacement update parts.

Here’s my build of the last Revell/Matchbox HMCS Snowberry Flower class corvette model.
There are no good points about this kit as the detail on the parts is very soft and over scale, the parts are covered in flash and large ejection marks and in the case of the larger parts even warped.
I used the David J. Parkins Great Little Ships updates on this and although the detail is good they take an age to assemble and in some cases I substituted some of the parts with scratchbuilt replacements as they were too thin. With all the brass (the entire deck area is replaced with brass sheets) and white metal parts the model has some considerable weight to it and will require a sturdy base. One other thing most of the Great Little Ship assemblies are best soldered, so brush up on your soldering skills.
It’s a shame I have utter contempt for this kit as in this scale it’s very impressive at 33 inches in length x 5 inches in beam and 14 inches high (from bottom of keel), the hobby needs a complete new tooling of this class of ship and not Snowberry; pick another vessel there are hundreds to choose from.
Regards Ian R.

I have just finished the 1:350 Academy HMS Warspite, started just after Christmas. Full marks to Academy, a great model, no vices.
I decided to portray her as in 1943 when she was sent to Salerno, Italy. The allied invasion forces had come up against stiff opposition and needed the big guns of the battleships to pave the way for advance.
I used “Google earth” for reference to paint the background scene. Creating the gunfire was a bit of a challenge. I hope it looks realistic enough. The pics show how I made the base and fastened the full hull model in. The hull has two holes drilled in it and then two M5 nuts araldited over the holes. The cut-out from the baseboard was used as a temporary
base during model build.
Hope you like it, going to take a break now from maritime and give aviation a go!
Mike Moore.