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Aircraft Carrier "Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman"


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R81

ROYAL NETHERLANDS NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER

HR.MS. KAREL DOORMAN

Short History:

Type: Light Fleet Carrier.

Admiralty Job Number J3697 / Yard Number 1126

She was laid down on 3 December 1942, by the yard Cammel Laird & Co Ltd. Birkenhead.

Completed: 17 January 1945

Service Record:

HMS Venerable

Royal Navy 17 May 1945 - 28 May 1948

March 1945-March 1947: British Pacific Fleet (BPF). Liberation of Hong Kong, repatriating thousands of former prisoners, soldiers and equipment, between Fremantle, Bombay, Batavia and Singapore. In 1948 sold to the Dutch Government.

-----

Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman

Royal Netherlands Navy 28 May 1948 - 8 October 1968

1955-1958 extensive modernization, at Wilton-Feijenoord Shipyard in Holland. During this time she was fitted with a new steam catapult, an angled deck, and mirror landing sight, new island, massive mast and funnel, also ultra modern radar equipment, air search, height search, target acquisition, navigation and carrier controlled approach radar systems. These were all delivered by the famous electronic company Holland Signaal. (Now Thales)

General information after major refit:

Length: 214 meter. – Width: 34.80 meter. – Draft: 7.30 meter. – Displacement: 13800 ton.

Two engine rooms, producing 40.000 HP- 2 screws – 1 rudder, – Max.speed 24.5 knots

Armament: 10x 40 mm Bofors AA. – Crew: 1500 including air group.

Air Group 1958-1962 Grumman Avengers, Hawker Siddely Sea Hawk-Sikorsky HO4-S3 (S55)

Air Groups 1962-1968 Grumman S-2A Tracker- Sikorsky HSS-1N SeaBat.

With only anti-submarine Trackers and Helicopters, the carrier became a Carrier Vessel Submarines (CVS).

The carrier took part in many NATO exercises and was mainly operational in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Caribbean waters.

One exception was a “Show the Flag“world deployment in 1960, lasting 7 months. During this trip the carrier transported next to its own air group also 12 Hawker Hunters (partly dismantled in the hangar) to the former Netherlands New Guinea, to boost the Dutch defences against the Indonesian so called Confrontation Politics.

In 1968, she was severely damaged by a major fire in the engine room and subsequently sold to Argentina.

“ARA 25 de Mayo”

In service: 1 September 1969. A refit took place at the Wilton Feijenoord Shipyard. On her maiden trip to Argentina, the ship had her first encounter with the prototype of the British Sea Harrier, landing on her deck for a possible (ordering) interest from the Argentine Navy Officials.

During the Falkland War (1982) the carrier was flagship of Carrier Task Force (CTF 79 /01-03 may 1982) and was indeed ordered by the Naval High Command to attack the British carrier battle group, after the precise location was detected by Grumman Trackers, operating from the carrier. Due to the fact, that a night strike was not possible by the A-4Q Skyhawk, and knowing to be detected, the British battle group moved to the east and out of range from the Argentines. In the year 2000, she was towed to Alang (India) to be broken up for scrap.

The model, scale 1/400

Combination of Heller (Arromanches) plastic kit, enhanced with a resin set, etch set and decal set by www.Naval Models.com. These extensive sets make it possible to construct the carrier after the major refit. (Angled deck, new island, and new radar suite.)

Construction:

This multimedia kit needs a lot of TLC, especially connecting the resin to the plastic over large areas. A large etch set with radars, main mast, propellers, rotor blades, tail rotors, everything is included. Basically, the same items that were used during the real major refit

Length in centimeter 56 / Width in centimeters 8+.

The model is built full hull and placed in a wooden casing. This casing is then filled with molding powder and left alone for shrinking. After the water is dampened out of the powder, the difference (3mm) is then filled with liquitex gel and sculptured with a little spoon. This gel hardens out after 24 hours. Then it is studying the water pictures, to make the final choice on the colors.

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Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman entering Toulon harbor, 03 november 1967

The Diorama dated 03 November 1967:

In October 1967, the Dutch Navy concentrated a Task Force that included eleven ships, including the carrier (flagship), destroyers, frigates, submarines, tanker and Fleet Air Arm assets for naval operations on the High Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The entry of the carrier into Toulon anchorage was the idea for the diorama

(See text and pictures) www.vlaggeschipsmaldeel5.nl/html/2e_najaarsreis_1967

By arrival, two French Naval Tugboats are assisting the carrier to its anchorage. The carriers’ air group, consisting out of Squadron 4 and 8, are in full force (show the flag) ranged on the deck.

Starboard and Port anchor are both “presented” and ready to fall in case of emergency or during the coming anchoring procedure.

Lockheed Neptune (SP-2H/214) from Squadron 320 is making a low fly-past over the rear deck of the carrier. (Aircraft connected inside the plexiglas dustcover.)

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Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman entering the harbor of Toulon, 3 November 1967.
The complete air group 12x Trackers and 8x HSS-1N are ranged on deck.
Assisted by the French naval tugs Robuste and Hercules.

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The complete flight deck, including the island with flight control station, navigation and admiral bridge. Main mast with clearly visible in the top of the mast, the white TACAN (Tactical Airborne Navigation), target aquisition scanner, the large air warning scanners, the front height indicator radar from the Holland Signaal electronic company.

Starboard and Port anchors are "Presented" ready for use in case of emergency or by the anchoring procedure.

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The naval tug "Hercules" is in the process of hauling in the towline from the carrier.

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The naval tug "Robuste" in position on the port side.
Points of interest: The oil rig, salute battery, HSS-1N with folded tail and rotor blades, batsman position on the flight deck, including escape netting, and the stowed accomodation ladder under the the salute battery position. Clearly visible also the white life-rafts.

Points of interest: Batsman position, salute battery platforms, oil rig, 2x HSS-1N Sikorsky ready for take off if necessary. On both sides of the elavator 2x HSS-1N with folded tail and rotor blades. The arrester wires 5 and 6 are repositioned, so that the elavator can be used in harbor.

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Points of interest: Flight control tower, carrier controlled approach radar (CCA), deck tractors, the port and starboard deck landing mirror sight,, the AA Bofors, deck winches on back side of the island for the handling of the derrick. Tracker "160" is lashed to the catapult. Notice full national markings and navigation lights including tail beacons on aircraft.

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Close up of the fast Blue and Red motorboats, the crash tender, deck landing mirror sight and the Trackers and HSS-1N Sikorsky's. Also the outrigger under the Blue motorboat in stowed position.

Points of interest: The "Blue and Red" fast motorboats. The crash tender and the HF-MF communication antennas, connected in between the two mast. Under the AA gunplatform is the stowed accomodation ladder. On the side of the island can be seen the stowed derrick. This was used in harbor, or during transferring, or receiving oil. The winches to handle the derrick can be seen directly behind the island structure.

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Points of interest: The two grey height indicator radars for 360% coverage. In connection with the radar scan from the large black air warnings radars the operators know exactly height and position of incoming targets.

Flag indicators: Command flag 1 star (Commodore on board) French flag (Visiting Toulon)
Pilot on board and a speed indicator for other shipping in the area.
All radars are in the "zero" position and turned off.

Living near the WF dockyard at the time, each sweep of the big scanners in harbor would interfere with your personnel radio receiver at home. (1960's)
Only the sea navigation radar is rotating. This is positioned between the front height scanner and the ADF equipment.

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Before heading to the French Naval Air Base Hyeres, Lockheed Neptune SP-2H "214" makes a low fly-past over the carrier.

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The SP-2H Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft (LRMPA)Lockheed Neptune from the Royal Netherlands Navy Air Arm (MLD).

Kit and Accessories:

The complete kit is from Naval Models, http://www.navalmodels.com/producten/koninklijke_marine_1_400/

Grumman Trackers are from Larsenal (www.larsenal.com)

French naval harbor tugs (Acharné Class) from Larsenal

Winches, watertight doors, firefighting reels, from Larsenal

Crew is from North Star, via Larsenal

Lockheed Neptune is from Larsenal

Railing is from Tauro (www.tauro.com)

Scratch built.

Books:

British Aircraft Carriers by David Hobbs

The Colossus-Class Aircraft carriers 1944-1972 by Neil Mccart

Wings of the Malvinas by Santiago Rivas

Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman by Bert Brand

Verguisd en geprezen by LTZ1 Willem Geneste.

Op de grens van zee en lucht (Lockheed Neptune F.C. Van Oosten)

Website:

www.vlaggeschipsmaldeel5.nl (Webmaster Steven Visser)

Paints and airbrush:

Revell, Xtra Color, Humbrol, Revell Master Class airbrush.

Water:

Molding powder, Liquitex Medium Gloss Gel, water paints for the color.

Enjoy.

Regards,

Dirk.

Edited by Orion
  • Like 23
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That is just utterly wonderful! If my build of the same model turns out half as good as yours, I will be well pleased. Magnificent!

Martin

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Absolutely superb! This excellent model will need several coats of looking at to see all the detail. I'll be back a few times to see the bits I've missed. Regards, Joe.

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Brilliant build, what we need now is some more of these largish scale (1/350 / 1/400) carriers.

I love the attention to detail in your diorama, each time I look I spot new little things I hadn't seen the first time.

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Simply marvelous! Your attention to detail is impressive indeed, as is the composition of the display. A wonderful project, thank you for sharing!

Eric aka The Yankymodeler

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I have been looking forward to seeing this since you shared a picture when you commented on my Phoebe build.

This model has been beautifully done, truely awe inspiring with lots of small detail attract the attention. Thank you for sharing this. :goodjob:

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  • 3 weeks later...

What a superb carrier,.......the amount of work that you have put into this is readily apparent and I love the attention to detail such as the rope leading to the tub being portrayed under water,....superb!

Could I ask why the scuttles (portholes) have been left in grey,....... are they covered over? I`m a definite land lubber who occasionally builds the odd ship, so I was just wondering,....I`m not trying to pick holes or anything,

Cheers

Tony

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Dear Fellow Brit Modellers,

Many thanks for all the nice replies and vieuws to this aircraft carrier topic. The persons that did reply in writing are the ones that have knowledge to understand, that these (1/350-1/400) scalemodels are not constructed overnight.

For Tony: Very smart remark and the portholes have been filled in lightly.

Due to the fact I could not get close to it, I used the point of a long wooden satay skewer to fill in the little dents, representing the portholes.

So Tony, your remark was very much appreciated.

I am looking forward to the second 'Karel Doorman" from Martin. I wish him a happy and succesfull build.

Highest Regards,

Dirk

Edited by Orion
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