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HMS Vendetta, (Vampire Class Destroyer) 1/350 Showcase Models History HMAS Vendetta (D69/I69) (formerly HMS Vendetta (FA3/F29/D69)) was a V class destroyer that served in the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). One of 25 V class ships ordered for the Royal Navy during World War I, Vendetta entered service in 1917. During World War I, Vendetta participated in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight, and operated against Bolshevik forces during the British Baltic Campaign. Most of the ship's post-war career was spent operating in the Mediterranean. In 1933, Vendetta was one of five destroyers selected for transfer to the RAN. Over the next six years, the ship was either involved in peacetime activities or was in reserve, but when World War II started, she was assigned to the Mediterranean as part of the 'Scrap Iron Flotilla'. During the Greek Campaign, Vendetta was involved in the transportation of Allied troops to Greece, then the evacuation to Crete. After, the destroyer served with the Tobruk Ferry Service, and made the highest number of runs to the besieged city of Tobruk. At the end of 1941, Vendetta was docked for refit in Singapore, but after the Japanese invaded, the destroyer had to be towed to Fremantle, then Melbourne. After the refit, which converted the destroyer into a dedicated escort vessel, ended in December 1942, Vendetta spent the rest of World War II operating as a troop and convoy escort around Australia and New Guinea. Vendetta was decommissioned in late 1945, and was scuttled off Sydney Heads in 1948. The Model The kit comes in a nicely presented top opening box with an artists representation of the ship at sea. On opening the modeller is presented with five sprues of dark grey styrene, three sheets of etched brass which includes a very nice name plate and a length of string. The parts are all very well moulded with finely represented details, although the hull is a little stark, with no signs of any plating which can be seen on the real thing, this level of detail can be subjective, but it would have been nice to have a little added, even if it’s just for interest value. There is no sign of flash or other imperfections but some of the sprue gates are quite large and certain parts, such as spars and chimneys look like they could be broken quite easily due to the number of gates, so be aware. The build begins with the single piece, full hull, being fitted with the bilge keels, propeller shafts, propellers and rudder. Meanwhile the main deck is fitted out with the individual cleats, bollards, cables reel, floater basket and a selection of other parts which I cannot identify. The next stage more detail is added to the main deck, in the form of derricks, main mast with yardarm, rear steering position binnacle, four piece aft funnel and ships boat cradles. Next up is the assembly of the two triple torpedo tubes. Each unit is made up from fifteen parts, which, naturally, are very small in this scale so plenty of care will be required when assembling these. One of the completed tube assemblies are then glued to its respective position on the main deck, along with the four piece turret for Y position, the main mast, seven support columns for the AA gun bandstand, two carley floats and two, three piece paravanes. There is a small piece of main deck taht is separate, to this the second torpedo tube assembly is attached, as well as the nine piece searchlight tower, a five piece carley float platform, carley float and ventilator cover. The assembly is then attached to the main deck. X turret superstructure si then assembled and the four piece turret glued into position, as is the four piece AA gun bandstand, complete with three piece gun and four davits. The bridge superstructure is then built up from twenty one parts and attached to the a separate section of the main deck, as is the forward superstructure for B turret. The fo’c’sle section is then fitted out with the numerous bollards, cleats, anchor chains and capstan, while the quarterdeck is also fitted out with bollards and cleats as well as depth charges, two four piece paravane cranes and four paravanes. The four completed sections of deck are then glued to the hull. The build is completed with te addition of the two ships boats, one motor boat and one whaler, each made from four parts, the five piece main mast and the PE railings. Decals The comprehensive deals sheet contains a full range of numbers in several different colours and enough letters to use on destroyers, frigates of all types, not just the Vendetta. There are also Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy Ensigns and Jacks and two colours of depth marks. They are very nicely printed, in good register and nicely opaque, even the white markings. Conclusion This is a really great little kit, not to mention a very welcome release, certainly not one that one would have thought would have been injection moulded. Yes there are lots of very small and fiddly parts and it is a little like a limited run kit with the size of the sprue gates, but with care and patience it can be built into a lovely looking and highly detailed model. Well done to Showcase for this release, and I hope they bring us more in time. My thanks to Tim, of West Middlesex Model Club, who lent me this kit for the review.