1/600 HMS Benbow 1940

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, my latest project is the subject of a "Whiff Group Build" on the ATF, which commenced about three weeks ago. I've chosen an Airfix 1/600 kit (surprise surprise) of HMS Iron Duke and am converting it into a sister-ship, HMS Benbow, as she might have appeared in 1940. This vessel did exist, was the third of the class of four ships. She fought at Jutland, served in the Mediterranean after WW1, and was scrapped in 1931 under the terms of the Washington Treaty.

     My scenario is that she was not scrapped but was retained as a gunnery training vessel in a state "unfit for battle", which was a requirement under the treaty. This was achieved by removing some of her armour plate, 'Q' and 'X' turrets and all but four of her casemate 6-inch guns. When war clouds loomed over Europe in the late 30s Benbow was re-activated as a convoy escort vessel. Her armour was re-installed, along with 'X' turret. The remaining casemate 6-inch guns removed and the casemates plated over to improve sea-worthiness in mid Atlantic. Twin 4-inch guns were mounted for air defense and her machinery overhauled. Although obsolete by the beginning of WW2 all she had to do was be capable of inflicting damage to an attacking raider, forcing it to withdraw, and this she could certainly do.

 

Below is a photo of my model of HMS Iron Duke depicted as at Jutland in 1916. It is the kit I'm starting with.

'Q' turret and the 6-inch guns will be omitted, 4-inch guns installed and the bridge structure modified to look a little more WW2-ish, rather like the Revenge class of battleship. The ship will also have a dazzle-like camo scheme. That's the plan, anyway

     So, to make a start. I like my main turrets to be able to rotate but not be removable, so they don't get lost. But to do this they must be installed very early in the build, which means from then on they get in the way. For this build I'm trying something different, in idea I got from 'Britmodeller' (take a bow), and that is to slot the hole for the turret and add a keyway to the turret trunking. I practised on 'Q' turret, it seemed to work so I've done it on all turrets. The photo below shows various stages of what I've done.

The turrets can only be removed if trained 90* to the left of their fore-and-aft position. The turret trunking has been extended to give more gluing surface for the keyway. I extended it with 4.8mm styrene tubing, cut 9mm long. The keyway is of 1mm square section styrene, glued facing the front of the turret. I think I've had a win, and to whoever first thought of the idea, please accept my thanks.

     The hull is now painted, but needs touching up a bit.

 

     The screws, shafts and strut bearings needed a bit of work, as the locating pins and holes either didn't match or were absent. I filled in the holes in the screw hubs then re-drilled to 0.5mm for a pin later. The strut bearings were drilled to 1mm on the forward face for the shafts and 0.5mm on the aft face for the screw pins. The shafts themselves were replaced with 1mm styrene rod. As you can see, the area needs a bit of cleaning up but I wanted the photo to show kit parts (grey) and replaced shafts (white) for future reference.

 

     That is pretty much it for now. I'm planning this as I go. I've made some extra deck extensions, plus I've been working on the 4-inch guns. More on them later. 

Thank you for your interest, and regards to all, Jeff.

[Modelholic]

Will we be seeing your excellent scratched multiple pom-poms again?

Tom

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Tom, I was hoping no-one would remember. 🤫 But in all seriousness, to be authentic I think she would most likely carry a couple of multiple pompoms. But not Oerlikons this time. At this early stage of the war I would think she carried quad .50 Vickers machine guns instead. 

    Thanks for your interest. Regards, Jeff.

[Courageous]

Looks like an interesting build Jeff.

 

Stuart

Edited December 23, 2019 by Courageous

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, here's another brief report of progress on HMS Benbow. I've been touching up the paint job and painting deck fittings, not worth a photo yet. I've also been working on the 4-inch guns. This kit doesn't have any but I have sixteen sets unused from "Ajax" kits I've converted. They're a bit crude OOB, but then a lot of Airfix's 1/600 scale small calibre weapons are. I've done a bit of work on them. (I think I've said all this earlier in the thread).

At the top of the photo shows the gun-shields and guns OOB. Basic, crude and inaccurate. The photo also shows three sets of twin 4-inch guns being made. As you can see I haven't got them equal thickness and parallel. Also are two mountings being modified and one twin gun mounting completed. The squares on the cutting mat are 5mm and 10mm, to give an idea of size. Although the usual allocation is four twin mountings on RN vessels of this size and vintage I am planning six twin mountings on this model, to make up for the complete lack of 6-inch guns to ward off attacking small craft.
     That's it for now. Regards to all, Jeff.

[beefy66]

Off to a flying start looks interesting  

 

beefy

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, here's a bit more progress on HMS Benbow. I've attached the shelter-decks, foc'sle deck extentions and the new midship deck-house. Due to the reasonably large areas involved I decided to paint the new decks timber colour, as I thought the alternative non-slip dark grey of the shelter-decks would be a bit over bearing. But this presented a problem. The timber paint (Hu71) over the grey styrene of the original kit looks darker than the timber paint over the white styrene of the new decks. Oh, well, I'll think of something. Maybe. The join between the two yellows I'll hide with ship's boats or something. Here is a view of the port side this time.

Same colours as the starboard side but with a different pattern. The four grey rectangles are for some of the twin 4-inch guns. The other two mountings will be on the foc'sle deck, abreast of the bridge structure. As you can see, I decided to go ahead with narrowing the forward shelter-deck.
     I'm rushing this build a bit, omitting small details such as door hatches on the new deck-house, balustrades around the 4-inch guns etc. Due to some more upcoming Group Builds I wish to do I don't want this build to drag on, as it has a bit already. The camo scheme of three colours slows the build rate down quite a bit, getting colour demarcating edges to line up between deck levels, etc. I've also noticed that while a lot of scuttles are molded in the kit very few (like, none) door hatches are. I could have rectified this, but I've decided against doing so. Again, time restraints.
     That's it for now. Regards to All, Jeff.

[TallBlondJohn]

I wouldnt worry about the two deck colours, it makes sense that the fresh planking added at the rebuild would look different from the old stuff. Given the period I'd have installed a spotter plane and hangar, very useful for convoy duty.

 

Are you planning to update the funnels? They would make her look much more modern - and if the boilers have been replaced (very likely due due to the huge performance improvement) then new funnels would be required. Looking more like a QE or Revenge would also frighten off raiders.

Edited December 31, 2019 by TallBlondJohn

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday TBJ, I hadn't thought of the age effect of the planking, good point. I hadn't planned on changing the funnels other than to replace the searchlight positions on the rear funnel. I'm actually doing that now. This ship actually did exist, was a sister-ship to HMS Iron Duke, and the build is for a 'What If GB' on the ATF, and on that forum I went into the scenario more deeply :

 

 Under the terms of the Washington Treaty HMS Benbow was decommissioned in 1929, and scrapped in 1931.
     But what if:-
     - HMS Benbow was retained as a gunnery training vessel instead of being scrapped, as was her more famous sister HMS Iron Duke? To comply with the treaty under this clause she had to be rendered unfit for battle. This was achieved by removing much of her armour plate, 'Q' and 'X' turrets and all but four of her casemate 6-inch guns.
     In the late thirties war clouds began to gather over Europe and the RN began to modernize and re-arm, Benbow being included. Some were against spending money on Benbow due to her age and obsolescence - her 13.5-inch guns were now out-ranged by more modern 15- and 16-inch guns. However, some far-sighted strategists foresaw that Germany would be the main adversary and British convoys the targets by raiders. The so called 'pocket battleships' of the Deutschland class were built  for precisely this purpose. So Benbow was re-activated. Her armour was re-installed, as was 'X' turret. The remaining 6-inch guns were removed and the casemates plated over. 4-inch guns were fitted along with a modest light AA outfit installed, plus her machinery overhauled.
     On paper HMS Benbow looked weakly armed, unable to take on modern battleships. But the German Navy had very few heavy units and could not afford to lose any, either sunk or interned in foreign ports due to battle damage. All Benbow had to do was be capable of hurting them, forcing them to withdraw and this she could certainly do. Benbow was intended to operate in mid-Atlantic so destroyer or aircraft attacks were unlikely, hence her modest light armament.

 

     I agree that replacing the boilers would have greatly improved performance, HMS Warspite is a classic example, but for the single purpose for which this ship was reactivated the money and effort required was thought better spent elsewhere.

     I did consider a catapult, mounted across the new midships deck or on 'X' turret like some of the 'R' class, but decided against it. With other GBs coming up (it never rains but it pours) I decided not to make the alterations too extensive. Her sole reason for being reactivated was as a deterrent against surface raids on her convoys, and her 13.5-inch guns could certainly do that. I'm modifying the bridge structure a little, but again not too extensively. I hope this explains what I've done and what I've decided to omit. I could have gone into this build much more deeply but time restraints mean I have to get a move on and limit my alterations.

 

     Thank you for your suggestions, comments and interest. Regards, Jeff. 

[Modelholic]

IMO a good 'What If' Plausible even. Was her armour that was removed hidden in a shed somewhere... just in case?

Like the V&W destroyer LRE conversions any space resulting from (in their case machinery) armament removal can be used for extra berthing (those extra AA guns have to be manned) and bunkerage to increase range (was she converted to oil? If not some machinery upgrades may be necessary. (my thinking coal = smoke = magnet for raiders/u-boats/recon aircraft)

Edited January 1, 2020 by Modelholic

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Modelholic, HMS Iron Duke had some of her armour removed I believe, what happened to it I have no idea. As for coal/oil I believe the ships burned both, the succeeding Queen Elizabeth class being the first to burn only oil. Whether these ship's boilers were converted during their lives to oil-only burning I really have no idea, this is a topic I hadn't considered. You've caught me out on this one! 😀 If they were not upgraded during their lives I'll invoke the whiff clause here and say conversion to oil-only burning took place during the overhaul/conversion to convoy escort. As for coal=smoke=raider magnet I see your logic but if any of the merchant ships in the convoys burned coal I don't know if it would make a difference if this ship did too.       But you've got me thinking. 

     Thank you for your comments and interest, Regards, Jeff.

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, here's my next progress report on HMS Benbow. I've attached the lower superstructure and conning tower forward, plus the after superstructure. The bridge levels have had some modifications done to them, and are dry fitted at present, as are the funnels.

 

     The searchlight platform I've made to be fitted to the rear funnel is lying about face on the midships deck house, along with a boat crane. The crane came from an Airfix 'Belfast' kit. I decided not to use the searchlight platforms supplied with the kit. The anchors are also fitted. In the foreground are some boats I've been painting. The small ones came from Belfast kits and the larger boats from a KGV kit. Also in the foreground is the upper level of the bridge, which will need a bit of work.
     As do the main turrets. Four of the five turrets I have are intended to mount external rangefinders at the back of them. These rangefinders and their supports are, in a word, horrible. I'll use/do something different, so the mounting slots at the back need filling. This I'm doing, using 1mm square section styrene. When the glue is dry I'll trim them and then use filler paste. Two of them are visible here, one in "B" turret position.
     I've added some Carley floats under the 4-inch gun platforms and on the side of the aft superstructure. I've also added walkways between the 4-inch platforms. They're painted medium grey so aren't very visible here.
     That's pretty much it for now. Thank you for your interest, and regards to all, Jeff.

[PF Naughton]

Hi,

Your build looks great so far.  Can't wait to see more 😁

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, long overdue for another update on HMS Benbow. I hoped to get the boats fitted and this thread updated over week ago but life got in the way a bit. Anyway, here we are. Most of the boats are shipped and the turrets done. The funnels, bridge superstructure and boat-crane are still dry-fitted at present. And the removable main turrets is working well.

     All the boats you see here are attached, the large motor boats have skids for them to sit on. The boat stowage abreast of the funnels has been rearranged, partly to hide my bad joins between the rear of the foc'sle deck and my deck extensions. You can see those joins in the previous photo. This area I'll refer to henceforth as the forward boat-deck. I've made some boiler-room air intakes and mounted them just outboard of the two funnels.
     My scratch-built deck-house amidships that replaces 'Q' turret will be known henceforth as the aft boat-deck. On top of this, at the forward end, is another deck-house I've added to carry the two pompom mountings. The gun-tubs are fitted but not the guns themselves yet. I made two quad pompom mountings as a backup but ships this size usually carried four octuple mountings, of which I have two (one minus a barrel, but who's going to notice) from a cannibalized 'Belfast' kit. Yeah, I know, a cop out! I was going to try to make some octuple mountings but time is getting critical.
     The turrets are done. Of the original five turrets this kit had, three had external range-finders, all of them different, and only one worth using. I have two of each as my original build of this kit (HMS Iron Duke 1916) didn't require them. So I've mounted them on 'B' and 'X' turrets. They look a bit high to me but I'll invoke the "whiff clause" and use them as they are. These turrets are open underneath and so the trunnions inside the turrets sit on top of the barbettes, resulting in the guns sitting too low. To solve this I have glued the guns in a raised position and at a set angle (they're designed to elevate but I can do without that). While the glue dried the guns sat on a spacer to position them correctly. That is the white strip (0.4mm thick styrene) on the block of wood in the fore-ground, with 'B' turret having the guns glued. Under the turret is a hole drilled down into the wood for the turret rotating shaft.
     The levels of the bridge superstructure are dry-fitted still, and I'm currently working on the compass platform level, the top level fitted at present. More on that later I think. I've rattled on enough as it is tonight.
     Thank you all for your interest. Regards, Jeff.

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, HMS Benbow now has her superstructure and funnels attached.

 

     I've altered the enclosed areas of the superstructure and added balustrades. Some of the equipment has been added also. I didn't like the large range-finder mounted on the armoured conning tower forward of the superstructure, and because of my alterations it didn't fit in too well. So I made another, using one of the unused turret rangefinders. It looks a little better I think.
     The next task will be the tripod mast and spotting top. I'll be replacing the tripod with my own scratch-built. I will use the kit spotting top assembly but plan to mount a HACS (high angle control station) on top of it, replacing the director supplied with the kit. I'm also contemplating a smaller scratch-built tripod main-mast.
     After that it will be adding assorted bits and pieces, finishing and adding the light weapons, touching up the paintwork, and calling it done. As I think I've said earlier, this build is for a group build on the ATF, and with only a week to go, (and the Royal Navy GB starting today, also on the ATF) I'd better get a move on. 
     Thank you for your interest. Regards, Jeff.

[stevehnz]

I seem to have missed this early on Jeff, sorry mate, too much holiday cheer perhaps.  I like what you're doing with this, your back story is well plausible to my mind. Looking forward to the finale. 

Steve.

[robgizlu]

Looking very neat Jeff

Rob

[Modelholic]

Jeff,

Whats an  ATF? (I'm betting the 'A' is for Australian). 

I'd be very interested to seek a peek at their RN group builds if possible.

Have you considered sticking a HACS aft as well.

Tom

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday, thank you for your comments and interest. The ATF in another modeling forum, The Airfix Tribute Forum. It is a forum more dedicated to Airfix kits (as the name suggests), although not exclusively. I joined it the same time as I did Britmodeller but have been active in it a little longer, June 2018, as the majority of my models are Airfix. The RN group build (actually it's called 2020 Airfix WW2 Royal Naval Ships Group Build) commenced today. 

(I hope I haven't broken any rules here, appearing to promote another modeling site. I'm simply answering a question.)

 

     I'll be using a HACS from an Airfix HMS Ajax kit. I have two spare and could fit another aft as you suggest but won't in this case. Considering the scenario of the build, the intended theatre of operations of the ship (mid Atlantic), and it's relatively weak AA armament due to the reduced threat of air attack I think only a single HACS would be deemed necessary. Remember, at the time of it's re-activation this wasn't a ship intended for general operations, with the need to be able to serve anywhere.

 

Again, thank you for your interest and support. Regards, Jeff.

Edited January 25, 2020 by ArnoldAmbrose

[Ray S]

Good work on this Jeff.

 

It is amazing what good work and a bit (a lot!) of mental ingenuity can come up with!

 

All the best, Ray

[Modelholic]

Ta Jeff,

It's a good job I didn't put any money on that bet!

Tom

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, HMS Benbow now has her spotting top added, with the HACS mounted above it.

 

    The HACS is the same as those fitted to the 'Leander' and 'Amphion' (Perth) classes of cruisers. This one came from an Airfix 'HMS Ajax' kit. As I've read this wasn't a very good system, and according to an account from a crewman on HMAS Perth the system didn't work. But I don't think this was known prior to WW2. Hence, this is what Benbow got.
     Also mounted now are the rest of the bridge fittings, the searchlight platform and lights on the rear funnel, the boat handling crane and two quad .50cal machine guns. These last are on the aft shelter-deck but are not very noticeable. In the foreground are the crosstrees for the main mast I'm making, and on the block of wood, the two octuple 2lb pompoms. The screws and rudders are fitted now also, plus two capstans.
     The next tasks are making the main mast tripod, both topmasts and fit the 4-inch guns, pompoms and two more quad .50cals. Plus re-installing the main turrets. I might even finish within the week.
Thank you for viewing. Regards to all, Jeff.

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, well I made the deadline, with over 29 hours to spare!  I finished it at 6.40pm local time yesterday evening. I'm quite happy with how it turned out, although I could have done a lot more with it if time allowed. Anyway . . . .

     May I present HMS Benbow 1940.

     I scratch-built the tripod main mast, and both top masts. The removable turrets proved to be convenient, so I'll do this more often now if I can. I'll put more photos in the RFI section.

Thank you all who've followed this build thread, and for your interest, comments and encouragement. Regards, Jeff.