HMS Sunflower

[StuCrew]

Hi all,

 

i am currently working through the 1/72 Corvette and would like it to represent, at least give the flavour, of the version my grandfather served on. 

 

Would anyone one have any pictures or info on Sunflower and her colour scheme for the tail end of the war? 

 

Any my snippets of info would be great. 

 

Thanks 

 

stu

[Hardcastle]

Hi Stu

 

Try http://theflowerclasscorvetteforums.yuku.com/topic/569#.WUdG82iGNPY or http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-20Cor-Flower-Sunflower.htm

 

And image: https://www.google.co.za/search?q=HMS+Sunflower+corvette&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiNn7fI_cjUAhUoKcAKHblhCpEQsAQIKg&biw=1536&bih=735#imgrc=EX25zR3_TY75wM:

 

That was just with a quick google search. 

 

Regards,

 

Tim H

[StuCrew]

Thanks Tim. The tiny pic is the one I have been running off. My dad remembers getting a toy with a blue pattern on it. I'm guessing that would be western approaches blue? 

[Niall]

I've looked at the photos on the Flower Class Forum and the ship has the higher depth charge racks fitted to some of the class and it seems to be fitted for minesweeping.

 

I've designed 3D printed examples of these parts and they are available from my Shapeways shop -

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/nmp

 

I have not done the davits for the minesweeping gear as they are not that difficult to scratchbuild.

[StuCrew]

Oh wow. Thanks for that 

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Western Approaches Blue was replaced in May 1943 with B55 (Blue, 55% Light Reflectance Value) a similar colour but not the same. These however were never used over an entire ship that I've ever seen so far but were instead used as part of camouflage schemes.

[StuCrew]

This what I've found

 

so do we reckon that pattern is the light blue? 

 

Edited June 21, 2017 by StuCrew

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Is there a date for that photograph?

 

Edit: Pennant changed to K524 in Belfast in 1944. That means the colours on that photograph would almost definitely be from the standard G & B series paints promulgated in May 1943 - namely G5, G10, G20, G30, G45 and G55 as the greys (n.b. G20 had distinct olive caste) and B15 (which I recently wrote about and provided the download link to on BM*), B30 (which I am 95% sure did not look like Alan Raven sourced Snyder & Short chip) and B55.

 

Based on the contrasts and usual pairings suggested/ believed on other vessels, I would suggest that either G10 and either G45, G55 or white are what is on that ship, or B15 and either G45, G55 or white - although I take no responsibility for misinterpreting a poor quality black and white photograph! The dark colour is far too dark for B55 and is in my opinion too dark to be B30 based on many other B&W photos and colour photos I've seen of the same vessels in B30. I've also never heard of B55 being used with anything darker than itself - it instead being used with G55 or white as a replacement for the "Western Approaches" schemes which are almost always modelled far too dark with far too strong and dark blues and dark olives which is not representative of what was intended to be a very pale, low contrast scheme. Snyder & Short's WA Blue and Green (and therefore Colourcoats) compare very well to the original samples glued into and captioned in ADM212/124 which I viewed at The National Archives in Kew in February.

 

If it were my model, I'd be leaning heavily towards B15 and white and I'd be happy to be corrected by anyone who could prove me wrong on that - you never know who has old reels of colour cine film or what were rare colour photographs from back in the day hidden away. Some are happy to share what they have whilst others guard their copyright closely and share nothing.

 

*

 

[StuCrew]

That's fantastic. I'll have a play around and see what looks right.

 

thanks so much for that info. Hopefully you can critique her when she's done 😀