Robert Stuart Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 The fighting might have ended with VE day or with VJ day, but, for some, there was still work to be done. Amoung those who's contribution continued after the fighting were the crews and ships of the Royal Navies minesweeper flotillas many of whom did not return home until 1946. Quote The end of the war in Europe found the 12th still sweeping and this continued throughout 1945 and well into 1946. In April of that year the flotilla left Malta for England, there to continue mine clearance off Holland for a few more months before finally disbanding, some to reserve and others for transfer to foreign navies. In all, the 12th MSF had swept 2,715 mines in the Mediterranean, a truly magnificent record surpassed by no other flotilla. Source: http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/flotillas/12th.htm My plan is to build Starling Model's 1/700 Algerine minesweeper as a member of the 12th Minesweeping Flotilla in summer 1945. There is a long discussion of 12th Minesweeper Flotoilla camouflage in this thread: Much of that discussion is based around a (rather spectacular) 1942/3 scheme. There is enough detail in that thread to show the ships as they were in 1945. (Iff this build works, I may come back to the 1943 scheme for another group build. Maybe the MTO GB in September?). Reference: Lots of photos at the Imperial War Museum, including a collection of (July 1945) photos of MINESWEEPERS HARD AT WORK TO MAKE SEAS SAFE AGAIN. (link https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=minesweepers hard at work ) Sorry for the shouting, I copy/pasted the IWM title. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 Often unsung but an essential part of warfare and the immediate post war period. Looking forward to this. Welcome and good luck with in the GB. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 Gidday Rob, I agree with Wez, mine sweeping is probably another unsung, under appreciated task done by sailors of all navies. I'd certainly like to follow your build. 14 hours ago, Robert Stuart said: Maybe the MTO GB in September?). Please excuse my ignorance but what does MTO stand for? Regards, Jeff. PS - The light just got switched on - Mediterranean Theatre of Operations? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 Time to post my 'on the sprue' photos (over time since this GB started yesterday). This is my first Starling Models kit, and a fairly early example from them (STK01) The main kit ... Everything to make a model mine sweeper ... except mast material and rigging. Think a lot of ship modellers find their own masts, and rigging is - well, rigging. Some of the detail in this kit This includes resin dust ... putting these bits and pieces away after photography I inspected those dust motes - some are essential kit parts I believe the plastic tube contains the ships guns, prossibly 3d printed? The production values in this kit are high, very high for what I took to be a 'short run' kit. A couple of sample pages from the instructions The approach here is sometimes a little different - the instructions show what we want to achieve in the next stage, and then shows how to assemble the comonents that go into that stage. I can't tell you how often, when building a kit, I've looked at a piece in my hand, looked at the instructions, then wondered what the **** the designer intended me to do, before trawiling forward through the pages trying to spot the part in its design location. It will be refreshing to know where I should be going before I start a stage. In box review ... the kit looks excellent. After market stuff ... Just paint so far (I'll have to source some wire for the masts) I'll probably go with B55 / G45 (Scheme D?) On 18/04/2020 at 20:28, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said: Scheme D paints were G45 for the darker portion with B55 above. There wouldn't be much to tell between those in B&W though, although it could be made out in well lit, well exposed and otherwise good quality images. In this post: 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Hi, If you plan to build HMS Arcturus then I think she's in Scheme A. SchemeD didn't have a "rectangle" on the hull but instead the whole lower portion of the hull from stem to stern was the darker tone of G45 with the lighter B55 above. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 Thanks Jamie. I'm exploring possibilities. There are so many subtle differences that show in the photo record. HMS Arcturus in that photo has some sort of device on the funnel. HMS Welcome had a similar scheme in February 1945 HMS WELCOME. © IWM (FL 9491) IWM Non Commercial License Click on the thumbnail image to see a larger version - there is some ?equipment? either side of the gun shield. HMS Chameleon (possibly in a D scheme? Very pale, but darker than the crews' uniforms.) An awning behind the funnel, and a different* form of anti-aircraft platform below the bridge. *Different from the options in the kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 This is from our CB3098 1945 edition facsimile: On the Scheme D you would be able to see the demarcation on the hull. Like the River class in the Confidential Book's example, the Algerine has a long forecastle deck cutting down to main deck aft. The lining out of Scheme D carries the darker paint up to main deck level. From main deck up to forecastle deck and all the upperworks is the lighter tone. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 Thank-you Jamie, that is useful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 Thought I'd dive a sense of the size of this kit ... Anybody remember a guinea? She is sitting on a one pound coin ... I also started work on the base The white thing is foam board, cut into a rough oval. It was then given a coat of acrylic gel on both sides (soft gel, 'cause that is what I had to hand). This board has remaind flat (so far). The last time I used foam board in this way, it curled as the paint shrank. Painting both sides solved that problem. Since that was from the same sheet of board, the different behaviours can't be put down to different batches. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 A bit more work on that base, with space reserved for the ship That is, I think, now ready for colour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 I've started painting the kit. Following some white primer, all of the kit parts were painted blue (B55). The lower hull is light/mid grey (G45) Shown here with the handle I used when spraying the blue. Next tasks are to paint the decks and walkways, and to re-visit the base. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 What a beautiful little kit Robert and I'm sure you'll do it justice. There seem to be more WWII warships appearing in Group Builds this year and it's come as a revelation to me, just how colourful many of them are. Cheers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 Thanks Cliff 10 hours ago, CliffB said: There seem to be more WWII warships appearing in Group Builds this year and it's come as a revelation to me, just how colourful many of them are. I guess that more ships in GBs is partly my fault, I'm (supposed to be) building four ships (including this one). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted May 24, 2020 Author Share Posted May 24, 2020 A bit more progress to report - painting has started on the new base, and the first coat of deck paint is on; The old base is at the top here. Iin the middle is the new base together with the ship's hull - I need at least one more coat of deck colour (Semtex Green), before re-touching the blue equipment. At the bottom are some masks I made for the foam and disturbed water under the hull. You can also see some guides I hope to use for the waves caused by the ship's movement. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 Still been working on that base. The base, seen here with the hull and a Hunt class destroyer in the background (both models still WIP). The same set-up, only the camera has moved here ... Think that is enough sea for now, back to the ships themselves 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 (edited) Robert, Great work so far, the base is looking very convincing. This is a super, teeny, tiny kit (diminutive seems to lack the emphasis of just how small things are)! I've been watching the Drachinifel Naval Histories on YouTube and they've rekindled my interest in naval history. I started looking at 1/350 scale kits but for the subjects I'm interested in they're quite expensive so I was thinking maybe 1/700 might be the way forward. Looking at this kit convinces me that my original plan was more within the capabilities of my eyesight (with Optivisor and added loupe), and fumbling fingers. Hat's off to you sir! Edited May 31, 2020 by Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Beats me how you can work with something so small. Excellent work. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaastav Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 And the award for finest and most intricate fingers goes to..... That is seriously good work. Smashing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franky boy Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 As said above. That’s great work, you must have the eyes of a hawk to work with something so intricate. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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