HMS Montgomery WW2

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, my latest build is a rather simple one, and like my previous model (HMS Benbow 1940) this one is the subject of a Group Build on the ATF. I am modifying an Airfix 1/600 scale model of HMS Campbeltown into a sister-ship HMS Montgomery (nee USS Wickes) as she was converted for convoy escort work.

      HMS Montgomery was one of the fifty old destroyers transferred to the RN under the "ships for bases" deal struck between Britain and the USA in early WW2. She was refitted twice to make her more suitable for convoy escort work, and I'll be doing her as she appeared after the second refit. She escorted many convoys, rescued the crews of a number of sunken ships, and in February 1941 sank the Italian submarine Marcello, the first 'Town' class destroyer to do so. Montgomery also spent time in the Canadian Navy. Later in the war, as more and more corvettes and frigates became available the Town class destroyers began being withdrawn from service. HMS Montgomery was paid off in early 1944 and sold for scrap in March 1945.

     To start, here is a photo of one of these models I did OOB many years ago. It might help to see it as I list my planned alterations.

     Starting from the bows (the front, or "sharp end") I plan to remove some lockers from the deck in front of the bridge, possibly add a hedgehog anti-submarine launcher there (not sure yet), alter the bridge, replace the bridge range-finder with a type 271 radar lantern (the one that looks like a lighthouse), replace the bulwarks between the bridge structure and midships deckhouse, raise the height of no.1 funnel, extend the midships deckhouse forward to enclose no.2 funnel, replace the two 4-inch guns there with two 20mm Oerlikons and two .50cal machine guns, rearrange the boats, add two raised gun tubs for two more 20mm Oerlikons, remove the TT (torpedo tubes), mount a triple TT on the centreline aft of the engine room skylights, omit the mainmast, replace the 4-inch gun on the aft deckhouse with a 3-inch gun, omit the AA gun on the quarterdeck, add four DC (depth charge) throwers around the aft deckhouse each with two reloads, add more DCs to the stern DC rails, and redo the rails protecting the screws. Plus redo the foremast.

     Progress has been slow to date. I've plugged the unwanted holes in the deck:

     I find the easiest way to do this is to use a bit of rod slightly larger than the hole, drill out the hole, glue in the rod and when the glue is set trim and file down flush. This is easier on this build than the last due to the lack of scribed deck planking here.

 

     I've also painted the upper hull. Usually the first thing I do is glue the two hull halves together. But not this time. Due to the rather complex camo pattern, and the rounded shape of the hull, I've decided to paint the hull first. Here's where I'm up to:

     The white is Revell matt5, mid grey is Hu64, green/blue is Hu65 (the closest I had in stock) and the dark grey is meant to be Hu27. It looks too dark to me, almost black in this photo. The tin has a clear metal lid with a sticker "Matt 27", not a painted lid. I think it has the incorrect number, but I could be wrong. You'll notice the top sprue has been test painted. The paint on the left end is Hu34 - matt white, but it looks creamy to me. I had this trouble with a few Hu34 tins hence my switch to Revell for the white paint. According to diagrams I have, I think the paint pattern is quite accurate, although maybe not the shades of grey. It was fiddly and done piecemeal, which is why it's taken so long.
     Hopefully this weekend I'll get the lower hull and boot topping (black waterline stripe) done and then the hull halves joined.     Well, that's it for tonight. 
Regards to all, Jeff.

[Silenoz]

Looking good, I think that the creamy white is a common thing with enamels over time. Maybe something with the oils used. 

 

Won't it give trouble when joining the halves and having to clean up the seams?

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday, that I'm going to find out in the next day or two. I've added two coats of paint now to the lower hull, but I think it might need a third, in some places anyway. The white and some dark grey are still showing through a little. I haven't painted all the way down to the keel, that can be done once the hull halves are joined. Before joining I'll scrape off any paint that might interfere with the glue, and I re-inforce the join with scraps of styrene on the inside, before attaching the deck. That's the plan, anyway.

    Thanks for your interest. Regards, Jeff.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Hi, what are the original paints you believe were used on this ship?

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Jamie, I wouldn't actually know. I downloaded a colour diagram of the ship and selected the closest colours that I thought matched from what I had in stock, which in my case comprises almost exclusively of Humbrol enamels (slapped on with a hairy stick). Many of these I bought a few years ago at 60% off during a toy store's closing down sale. (I have to watch the dollars and cents a bit now).

     Regards, Jeff.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Hi Jeff,

 

Having had my interests piqued, I've spent since that reply of mine above hunting through what I have. I can now see where you got it from, but I cannot see where they got it from. I've yet to find a single photograph which supports the diagrams which even includes WEM's paint guide / Atlantic Models' (which I have here in 1/350!). It would be unusual in the extreme to have a camouflage scheme including both MS1 and white, save that white may be used for countershading - but a hull painted half white and half MS1? I found that incredibly difficult to believe based upon scores of other official designs which carefully select paints to be dark, intermediate or light in overall tone.

 

The only photograph I've yet found which shows Montgomery wearing some of the same shapes as shown on these model paint guides is this one:

 

 

 

... which clearly does not support the model paint guides in terms of tone placement.

 

If (and it's a big if) the MS1 and MS2 (or otherwise generally dark grey tones) are supported by evidence I just haven't seen yet, then I'd still find white very difficult to believe and would propose it much more likely to have been MS4A at the extreme end of lightness. We've no hard evidence of B6 being used on destroyers, but we have lots of official designs using the equivalent toned MS4 in its place. IF the general impression of the scheme is about right, then I suggest it would more likely have looked something like this - although personally I have doubts about the extensive use of MS2 and MS1 together too.

 

 

 

 

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Jamie, thanks for the info. Regarding the white, it's a bit ironical in that I have a very light grey I could have used instead. Because of the way I painted, masked, painted etc the white was the first to go on. I know you are the guru when it comes to RN colour schemes (please take that as a compliment) but short of starting it again I think I'll have to live with what I've done this time. But thank you anyway.

Regards, Jeff.

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, I have another update on HMS Montgomery. I've painted the hull halves and then joined them. This is the third 'Campbeltown' kit that I've built (fourth if I count one done OOB as a school kid over fifty years ago) but it's the first that I've painted the black boot-topping. And to those who think they see two models - no you're not drunk with double vision, it's another split photo.

 

I have to tidy up the join on the outside, re-inforce the join on the inside and touch-up the paint. I could have left the photo until after I did those but I wanted to add another post before the end of the weekend, which is just over an hour away in this part of the world.
     So, good night and regards to all, Jeff.

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, here's another update on HMS Montgomery. A little bit more on the photo above. You can see where I've extended the sides of the midships deck-house forward. I've cut away some of the deck to accommodate those white extensions. The white plugs at the stern are filling the holes for the kit screw guards, which are too bulky for my liking. I'm going to try to make replacement guards from thinner styrene or wire.
     The deck will be going on soon, but first I need to work on the DC (depth charge) rails. The two existing rails each carry five DCs, but the ship had rails holding eight DCs each, so I either extend the existing rails or replace them with scratch-built. The existing rails need cleaning up anyway to allow the deck to fit snug so I've gone for plan B - replacing them.
     In the past when I've made DC rails I've cut and glued the DCs individually. The more charges in the rails, the more difficult to get them looking neat, so after mediocre success here I've tried a different approach - tape down a length of rod for each DC, glue the rail on top and then cut ALL of the DCs simultaneously. I think I've had a win, a definite improvement anyway.

     The photo above shows my second set of usable rails being made. As you can see, capillary action makes the glue run down the rods, but that's not a major problem. Once the glue is dried I place a blade alongside the edge of the rail (that strip on top), cut all rods simultaneously then trim the rail to length. In the background is the first rail cut free and trimmed. On top of the taped rods is my first attempt at making the  rails with the DCs added individually. Glue all down the sides, what a mess. What the photo doesn't show is the uneven length of the charges. Take my word for it - the second method is much better.
     I've re-inforced the hull join, added the rudder and shafts, plus painted the deck. Probably not worth a photo at this stage.
Regards to all, Jeff.

[Ray S]

Hello Jeff, what a good way to do the depth charges and rails. One for my memory bank, methinks!

 

All the best, Ray

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, here's my next (meagre) update on HMS Montgomery. I've attached the upper deck to the hull.

 

     The forward superstructure is dry fitted at present. I replaced the flag deck(?) at the back of it and am currently scratch-building the upper bridge to replace the kit part, as it would have had to be modified to take the type 271 radar lantern. The kit part is in the foreground while my replacement-in-progress is on the block of wood behind the model.
     The midships deckhouse has the deck dry-fitted, with no.2 funnel poking through it. I'm not sure whether the forward and aft faces of this deckhouse are open or enclosed. The original kit has this deckhouse open but my time-consuming research has not been conclusive, so I will enclose it. If anyone knows better please let me know ASAP.
     The after deckhouse has the deck fitted and painted. This deckhouse is quite rough, and with hindsight I should have removed it completely and scratchbuilt an entire new one. But I won't do it now. I want to get a move on with this build.
     I've been making a set of triple torpedo tubes (TT) in a similar manner that I used to do the DC rails. I know the kit has four sets of TTs but they are rather thin and have a bit of flash. I prefer to make my own. It's in the background behind the model too.
     Well, that's it for now. I hope you all enjoyed your weekend.          Regards to all, Jeff.

[ArnoldAmbrose]

  Greetings (just for a change) All, I have a bit more to report on with HMS Montgomery. The midships deck-house has been attached, although it still needs a little work to tidy it up, plus weapons and lockers to be fitted there. It doesn't seem like a lot of work but I have to figure out what I have to make, the order in which to fit the parts, then do it, plus shave off internal bits that get in the way while doing so (fettling?). Plus painting as I go.

     The bridge and funnels are still dry fitted at present. That's why the funnels are looking a little drunk. In the foreground left is the type 271 radar lantern, which came from a Belfast kit I think, via the spares box. In the foreground right is my scratchbuilt set of triple torpedo tubes and the two DC rails. The two white squares on the deck are gun-tubs for 20mm Oerlikons. They look a little big to me so I might redo them.
     A word on the funnels. No.1 funnel was taller than the others so I added a piece to the top of it. But last night I realized that no.1 hadn't been raised, funnels 2,3 & 4 had been lowered. So out came the saw. Fortunately they haven't been glued in yet.
     That's about it, to date. I've started making the 20mm Oerlikons (on that board in the background) and have been researching the Hedgehog anti-submarine weapon, which this ship carried. So, until I have more to report on, it's Good Night to All. Regards, Jeff.

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, here is another update on HMS Montgomery. I've attached the forward superstructure (wheelhouse) but not the upper bridge yet. I've also done the balustrading between the bridge and midships deck-house. It needs painting here. I'm not sure how accurate this work is, but I'm going with what I've done here.

     I've added balustrading around the machine-gun positions on the midships deck-house and fitted pedestals for the guns themselves. Those two near-vertical ramps represent steps, not as good as PE. I'm not sure what that structure between the steps is. It could be trunking of some sort. I'm going with it as it is, anyway.
     In the foreground are the two 20mm Oerlikon gun tubs. I redid them. And that high-chair-looking-thing with them is one of the platforms that will carry them. The gun tubs are square, with rounded corners (just to be difficult). The sides of the tubs are one piece but I glued only one side at a time. The join is where I placed the ammo locker, which will face aft. I wasn't sure how to mount them, as they are elevated, not on the upper deck. I didn't want to try to add legs to them, botch the job up and have to start again. So I thought I'd do the platform separately and glue the gun tubs on top of them. Below is a photo of one of the gun tubs and one platform, upside down.

To get all the legs to match I made a template of styrene and used it to locate the leg holes on the platforms. Then I placed it on the model and pin-pricked the location of the legs on the deck. The legs are of 0.5mm rod, but I drilled the deck holes to 0.7mm for a bit of tolerance. I drilled these holes right through the deck.
     Below is a photo of the platforms being attached.

Rather than try to get all the legs the same length I made them all a little long then set the platform onto a height spacer while the glue dried. This allowed me to get the platforms level and the correct height above the deck. Before removing the spacer I filed the tops of the legs smooth with the platform. This prevented the legs, held on with very little support, from breaking off while filing if I did it earlier. As you can see, I've already done this on the starboard platform.
     Since this photo was taken I've drilled the holes in the deck for the boat davits. I thought it best to do that job before the funnels got in the way. I will do the same for the DC throwers once I've made them, which I'm doing now. I've also finished the Oerlikons.
     Well, that's it for now. Thank you for your interest. Regards to all, Jeff.

[Modelholic]

Great idea, Jeff,

That's one of the things I enjoy about model building. The challenge of developing ways to make 'things'. Not only the 'things', a lot of the time, but making the things to make the 'things'.

Tom

 

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, I have a little bit more progress on HMS Montgomery. Last night I glued on the upper bridge and the funnels. Funnel no.3 looks a little drunk, obviously it's been hoarding it's rum allocation. 🥴 And this afternoon I made some replacement propeller guards. Those supplied with the kit were a little heavy duty. It's the first time I've done this so I have to refine my method a little but I think they're an improvement. I won't post a photo that shows them both - they're not quite identical. 🤫 Below is a photo showing the latest on the build.

The prop guards may not be 100% accurate in size and shape but I think they're an improvement. Fitting them was 'fun'. I'm glad I didn't leave this job for much later. I think any small parts fitted to the model would have been under threat due to handling the model while I hand-drilled the holes for the guards. Sitting on the quarter-deck is one of the kit parts.
     I've made most of the parts to be fitted now, although I still have to make a 3-inch AA gun, two machine-guns, some assorted lockers etc. Plus I want to improve the two boats if I can. I've painted some of my recent scratch-built parts so I hope soon progress may bloom a little.
    That's it for now. Regards to all, Jeff.

[Ray S]

Hello Jeff, those (that!) prop guard looks the business, I must say! Coming on a rum 'un, as my Granddad used to say.

 

Cheers, Ray

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, here's another update on HMS Montgomery. I'm sure the conversion of the real ship was done quicker than I'm doing with the model. That was certainly the case with my modification of HMS Campbeltown (a sister ship) a number of years ago.

     The ship originally carried four 4-inch guns. The gun on the foc'sle, which was retained, had a rounded gun-shield, and I'm using the kit gun on this build. The other three where replaced, two with single 20mm Oerlikons and the gun on the aft deck-house with a 3-inch AA gun. This I don't have so I'll make one.

     A few years ago I made two 3-inch AA guns for my build of HMS Iron Duke from unused 6-inch casemate guns. I've done the same here. In the top part of the photo you'll notice three guns missing from the sprue. The round circle of the part is the casemate, basically the working chamber of the gun, like the inside of a turret. I kept some of this 'circle' as the breech-block of the guns, and shortened the barrel just short of the muzzle brake, (that ring around the barrel near the gun muzzle). The gun used for this build is 4th from the right.
     I made a pedestal out of 1.2mm styrene rod, a base ring from 0.25 x 2mm styrene strip and a gun shield from 0.13mm styrene sheet (lower left photo). The marks on the ruler are 1mm apart. And the lower right photo shows the finished gun. It's rather simple, only four parts, but in this size I think it looks OK. It may not be completely accurate in dimensions but it's what I'm going with, anyway. 🙂

     I nearly forgot the search-light tower. The supplied tower is quite tall, about the same height as the funnels. When the ship was converted for the RN it appears that a lower tower was fitted. I tried to scratchbuild a tower but clear images of it were almost impossible to find. After two failed attempts by me to replicate something decent I've decided to use the kit tower.

    The kit tower comes in two pieces (already joined here) and has a 1.5mm square locating pin at the bottom. This fits snugly (not) into a 2mm square hole in the deck. Go figure! So I had to do some modifications (again). Looking at the left photo and starting from the bottom, a 2mm square pin to go into the deck. I don't stock 2mm or 1.5mm square section strip so I built them up. I drilled a 1mm hole down into them. Next is a joining pin, from 1mm rod. Then a base plate to sit on the deck, and cover up the holes I drilled into the deck for my failed efforts. Then a 1.5mm square pin to go up into the tower. This I also built up then drilled up into. And finally the tower itself, with the off-cut base alongside of it. The right photo shows the completed tower.
     How accurate this search-light tower is I don't know. I couldn't find clear photos of it, so I decided that sometimes accuracy has to be traded for modeler's licence, to get it done before I die of old age. So for better or worse, this is what I'm going with also. The squares on the mat are 10mm, to give an idea of size.

I've started to paint and fit small parts, but not worth a photo of that yet. So this'll do for now. Thank you for your interest and regards to all, Jeff.

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All, Thank you everyone for your interest. Here's my next installment on HMS Montgomery. I've been painting small bits and adding some.
     Firstly, the 20mm Oerlikon gun tubs. These glued straight onto the platforms I made, with a pin through the centre to keep it in position while the glue dried.

You can also see some other additions - the torpedo tubes, some Carley floats, lockers etc. Also the base for the S/L tower between the two sets of engine room skylights.

I've added the screws. At least I think that's what they are. A bit hard to tell with all the flash. And I think they're a little large. They're actually larger than those supplied with the Airfix 'HMS Cossack' model, a ship that was about 50% heavier than this vessel.
     The DC throwers and spare DCs are fitted. I'll fit the two DC rails soon, plus the 3-inch gun on the aft deck-house. The Type 271 radar lantern is attached to the upper bridge. It came from an Airfix 'HMS Belfast' kit. Forward of the bridge, on the upper deck is the 'Hedgehog' anti-submarine weapon. It is currently in the closed position (lid down).

     I've made a mast (she only carried one), and as you can see below I've fitted the 4-inch gun on the focsle and the two DC rails at the stern. The lookout's crows nest on the mast looks too deep to me, but it is as per diagrams, and photos seem to confirm it as such. The searchlight is fitted to it's tub. The locating pin at the bottom of it was about 0.7mm diameter, and fitted nice and snug (not) into the 1.2mm hole for it. So, a 1.2mm plug was glued into said hole then drilled 0.8mm to take the S/L pin.

     The radar lantern above the bridge looks a little top-heavy to me. The thick platform at it's base doesn't help, but I'm not changing it now. I was at a bit of a quandary as to the boat davits. Those supplied with the kit were accurate I think for the vessel's early life as USS Wickes but not as modified for RN service. That's one on the mat at the top of the photo. I tried making some but then realised they were the wrong type. In the end I took the easy way out and 'requisitioned' two pair from an Airfix 'HMS Manxman' kit. Before I used them I replaced the falls (the ropes holding up the boat) with thinner sprue, and deepened the whaleboats themselves by 0.5mm by gluing a piece of styrene strip on top of them. I also added rudders to them. I'll be making simple machine-guns from stretched sprue. They'll be 2mm long and the sprue I'm using is 1.8mm diameter.
     All I have to do now is fit the anchors, davits and boats, 20mm Oerlikons and 3-inch AA gun, make two machine-guns and paint and fit the mast.

Which I have now done, so I'm calling this build finished.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present HMS Montgomery, a convoy escort destroyer, as she appeared in 1943.

 

Thank you all for your interest and comments during the build. I'll add some more photos in the RFI section soon. 
     Regards to all, Jeff.

[Ray S]

Very nice Jeff, a cracking project full of great advice, hints and tips!

 

All the best, Ray