HMCS Copper Cliff - Castle class corvette; White Ensign Models 1/350

[stevej60]

Outstanding work Michal,painting beautifully done.

[socjo1]

 

Detailing Castle (pt. 1)

 

After reading excellent summary of @robgizlu Town cruisers build, and knowing Mr @beefy66 begins his own Castle, I decided to go back to my model’s old gallery and preparing some kind of guide. It was very pleasent to receive all your likes and comments but this time I hope help sobebody who wants correct WEM’s model or just likes detailing and more into-depth approaching. Castle corvettes weren’t big boats. But it had plenty of interesting details: weapons, aerials and so on. That's why I think it is very interesting subject for modelling. Of course, I appreciate more straitghforward, „shake and bake” approach too! All statements below are my personal opinions, you can disagree with it and it’s very OK. 😉 Please, correct me if I made some faults with maritime and technical words!

 

General remarks:

 

Superstructure and deck details:

 

I replaced all doors wih PE from MK-1 Design. The same set was source of some deck hatches as well. (PE Infiniti Models, WEM – White Ensign Models or 3D Micro Master from New Zealand are another options for doors and hatches, Black Cat’s set will be avialable soon) Some special, smaller doors were from 1/400 L’Arsenal set. Hand rails were removed and replaced by thin plastic Plastruct. Added some further details: vents ( aluminium, easy tu cut and polishing tubes Albion Alloys), different pipes, boxes, a few wires. I added a PE grilles to kit’s deck vents.

 

Armament:

 

Main gun: I replaced barrel with metal part from polish company Master. Added some further details from scratch and gun cover from aluminium foil as well. Excellent gun from Black Cat is the only game in the town and will save your time.

 

Oerlikons: early Castles had 4 single Oerlikons, later – 2 singles on bridge and 2 twins on waist gun-platform. You have many options: Black Cat and Micro Master produces both types, interesting option for singles can be full metal Master. It looks excellent although is somewhat tricky for assembly.  Don’t forget zarebas under oerlikon guns (Micro Master is the only option) and ammo lockers (as previously + BC announces similair boxes).

After war Castles received two single Boforses instead of waist twin Oerlikones. You can choose between 3 d printed Black Cat and older L’Arsenal (mix of resin and PE, nesesery will be adding metal barrel from Master which is straight will be rather necessary).  

 

Squid: I replaced barrels with tubes from Albion Alloy and scratched all mortar’s carriage. It was well invested time and effort. This is quite rare seen weapon and is very well visible. Today you can just use Squid from Black Cat. Don’t forget add hatch for missiles!

 

Depth charges: There is no DC nor DC throwers in the model. I cutted Plastruct tubes and added White Enign Models PE end-caps. Micromaster DCs are time-savers. I scratched 2 DC throwers (castles had only two such beasts!)   

 

Life saving equipment:

 

Usually Castles carried 27 feet Whaler and 14 or 16 feet dinghy. After war some ships received motor boats. Black Cat is good, old Admirality Model Works too, but I think the best option is Micromaster thanks to it’s terrific looking linker/overlap sheating and rescue lines on gunwales.

In my opinion WEM’s white metal Carley floats are somewhat slumsy (as all white-metal parts). I used L’Arsenal’s which looks better, another options are Micromaster or Black Cat.

Lifebuoys in my model are very nice 3D North Star Models and only Micromster produces flotanets (excellent!).

Extra „life-making” accesories (packs, crates, boxes and so on) and figures – L’Arsenal resins.

 

Bow area

 

 

 

1.       Anchor – I used North Star Models, I think Micro Master could be option easier to reach. I drilled hawsepipes, added „collars/borders” (?) made from pressed tin wire (tin is excellent for such purposes: very soft and easily ductile).

2.       Winch (under cover ?) Drilled holes. Recently Black Cat announced very detailed anchor winches set.  Chain – the smallest one from Trumpeter’s set of chains.  

3.       Cable reels – probably only one option is MK-1 Design. Added triangular support elements from polistyren sheet.

4.       Added net which was attached to railing around gun (I think originally it saved empty shell casing) Drilled space under gun’s platform, added supporting struts. Added amunition and snowflake’s lockers. Mine are made from scratch, you can use as well MicroMaster.

5.       Additional derrick, PE part with plastic, hollowed basement.

6.       The Bell. From L’Arsenal’s … megaphones set (really 😉 !) . Alliance Modelworks from USA produces turned metal bells.

7.       Another scratched derricks (both sides)

8.       Pennant numbers and draught marks (is it OK name?) from excellent set by Hawk Grahics. There is no such decals in the model.

 

The bridge

 

 

It is very well and eyecatching part of the ship – it’s brain and eyes. Additional efforts and work here will be good investment in well-looking model. Dont’be faint-hearted and just shave all details off the deck (even  floor)! Drill a holes in fore navigation room and shelter. After destruction’s craze chase will come time for creation. Replace floor with polistyrene sheet and fix generic wooden deck (I used MK-1 Design). Then next, smaller piece of wood deck will create compass platform and base for next steps.  

1.       Heavily modified anti Submarine hut/office (new roof with ribs, sliping doors in front Wall and staircase hut). Added searchlight platform behind A/S office. 20 in searchlight from North Star, Black Cat will be avialable soon. Searchlight really wasn’t located on the A/S office’s roof!

2.       Windbreakers around the bridge scratched from 0,2 x 0,5 mm Plastruct profiles. Effect really makes difference!

3.       Drilled two holes in bridge’s front wall, then masked by new wall with cutted openings. It creat more 3D illusion for fore navigator’s and watch crew shelters. 

4.       Bridge equipment: compass, pelorus, voice tubes and signal lamps from REALLY excellent set from North Star (Black Cat will be soon). Glassed windbreaker – from Rainbow Japanese bridge windows set. Added scratched small boxes. You can try use your spare PE railings, ladders and so on. Wooden deck I brushed matt varnish+ a few drops o gray colour. Now it has more blended colur and is better harmonised with a rest of modell.

5.       10 in signal lamps from North Star (Black Cat will be soon)

6.       Flag lockers – PE Flyhawk (Sundry box set). In front view they are really attractive. Next to flag lockers are Oerlikon ammo-boxes. I wanted use set of PE covers from North Star Models, but it was to big and had to use just originall parts without any details.

7.       Terrific looking Master (PL) Oerlikons and Micromaster (NZ) Zarebas.

8.       Position lights. Scratched, there wheren’t such parts in model.

9.       Support lattices: originally they are simply wrong. Fortunately – not quite. I cutted sides of original kit PE part and added support struts from square profiles (Plastruct). Small decks inside support lattices are rather rarely seen on photos, so if you don’t want make it extra, original imitations of railing are nonsense. Just remove them!  Instead you can add some extra wood: boards or beams which were used very often.

 

To be coninued...

 

Hope you like it and will helps.

Best regards,

Michal.

 

 

Edited January 9, 2021 by socjo1

[beefy66]

Thanks Michal very comprehensive list for me to work from during my build and thanks again for all the fantastic information you shared with me  👍

 

Stay Safe and Best Wishes

beefy

[robgizlu]

I agree with Beefy - Thanks Michal.  

I'm interested by all the new Black Cat stuff - Exciting!

Really helpful 

Rob

[socjo1]

Detailing Catle - part II

 

Mast and aerials

 

 

1.       HF/DF antenna – added many additionals wires. It’s not perfect straight but create realistic impression of antenna’s more complexity. Perfectly done PE HF/DF is in Starling Model's HMS Nadder...

2.       I glued two half-cylindrical profiles to top-mast PE part. Such sandwich construction is stronger than only PE part and is not flat. Take a notice that Castles received different styles of top-masts and yandarms.

3.       Radar 277 type. I found MK-1 design radars set in my stock and used one of them. It was better detailed than original, I added a basement from square Plastruct. If you put a PE radar on conical surface (metal or hard plastic ball, pencil’s end-cap) and press it gently by fingertip, you will easilly achieve nice, conical shape of original antenna. Take a notice: earlier ships received 272 type lantern style radars.

4.       I forgot to do extra and add Talk-Between Ships communication antennas (whipped or cross shape) on yandarm’s ends.

5.       System of yandarms - is quite tricky. Main is not attached to mast. It is fixed to radar’s platform with 4 support struts. You must be carefull to achieve proper geometry and omitt railing system around platform. Two additional, smaller yandarms runs along the ship. Using original PE parts probably will be wasting of your time and good mood – it will bends soon. Instead use strong metal tubes (or plastic struts in some places). Turnbuckles are nice additions too (depends on easy getting in your country: french L’Arseanal, polish Yahu Models or british Bob’s Buckles).

6.       I added a lattices inside mast. Drilled an transition-opening in radar platform. Crow’s nest demanded polishing and drilling inside.

7.       Identification Friendly-Foe system was created by two antennas. Upper is interrogator. It looks like two parallel rows of fishbones on a U-shaped bar. Unortunately, PE part is completly flat, so some scratching work is must. Glasshour’s shape transponder is below. I just glued two small PE handwheels (handwheels set 1,2 mm diameter, North Star) to original PE part to simulate this part. Once again: it is far from perfect, but it is 3D and that’s why it gives better impression of real antenna

8.       Flag lockers. You'll find them in Flyhawk Sundry Box set. I covered small sheet of plastic with plenty of many colours small dots. Then put it inside ready to install locker.  It simulates multi-coloured, folded flags in holes.

9.       Galley’s chimney form scratch.

 

Midship

 

 

1.       Engine room vent. From scrath, there was no such detail in the model.

2.       27 feet whaler. It's old Shapeway 3D print by Micromaster (heavy texture to remove!) but you can easily notice very nice detail - rescue lines on whaler's gunwales. On opposite ship's side there is  is 14 or 15 feet dinghy and there I used beautifully detailed davits from MK-1 Design set. Check types of boats and davits used in „your ship”!

3.       Funnel. It’s upper part and especially smoke cap was reshaped according to plans and photos. They really looked somewhat different… Vent pipes, whistles and so on  from aluminium pipes.

4.       Marble leaf. Decal from Hawk’s Design.

5.       Galley’s roof. All details where removed and replaced. We’ll find here: 2 Carley floats, tank for water, galley’s chimney leading to funnel, engine-vent room (eyecatcher!) and rectangular hatch with skylights (behind rafts)

6.       Boxes on decks are from useful erlready mentioned Flyhawk PE set „Sundry boxes”.

7.       Added 2 hatches (PE) on galley coal bunker's top. Reason was - why not addd them?...

8.       Cat. Oh, no - THE CAT. My wife just loves them. Its very important to have good relations with wife (usually with our own – very good relations with everybody’s else wife can be problematic sometimes!), especially when we spent long hours in our caves and spent lot of money for our toys and jewllery instead of her's toys and jewellery. That’s why cat was MUST. That’s why
 

Quote

 

his name is PR.

Black PR.

And he drinks only shaken and stirred… martini milk

 

Anyway, our real cat’s name is Pompon (eng. Bobble, tassel), he is black too and we took them from my friend while this guy was taken from excellent North Star bridge eqipment set. You will find there a few PR’s fellows and birds too.  

 

Best regards,

Michal

To be continued...

 

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by socjo1

[ArnoldAmbrose]

6 hours ago, socjo1 said:

Cat. Oh, no - THE CAT. My wife just loves them. Its very important to have good relations with wife (usually with our own – very good relations with everybody’s else wife can be problematic sometimes!), especially when we spent long hours in our caves and spent lot of money for our toys and jewllery instead of her's toys and jewellery. That’s why cat was MUST. That’s why

LOL 😁 

 

Gidday Michal, too true! The rest of these posts are very well done and very informative too. Regards, Jeff.

[dnl42]

Bravo! As others have already written, truly outstanding work!! 

I too would be hard-pressed to guess this is 1/350 and not 1/144 or even 1/72.

[Homer]

A beautiful piece of work. very realistic weathering, if this is a sample of your work then look forward to your next one .Well done 👏 

[Chris Hewitt]

Excellent work,camouflage is superb.

 

[PolarisPrime]

Michal,

 

That is beautiful work on Copper Cliff.  Well done!!

 

As others here have said, the White Ensign Castle is high on my build list and I am going to do it as HMCS Copper Cliff.  Since I built my Ark Royal before Crisp build his I could not plagiarize his work.  But I plan on shamelessly using your build thread to help me with the Castle Class.  😁

 

What prompted you do to Copper Cliff?  My next door neighbor Cal Alston (also one of my best friends dad) was the radio operator on Copper Cliff.  One of my teachers was his best friend, and Cal would wander into our social studies class several times per year and regale us with stories about WWII.  I doubt that there are many people in the world who would have any interest in Copper Cliff.  (I posted this in Crisp's Ark thread, but it seemed more appropriate here.)

 

Bruce

[socjo1]

On 05/03/2021 at 17:50, PolarisPrime said:

That is beautiful work on Copper Cliff.  Well done!!

[...]

I plan on shamelessly using your build thread to help me with the Castle Class.  😁

 

1. Thank you!

2. Feel free, please. That's why I tried to describe precisely all my building process - to help another modellers.

 

Quote

What prompted you do to Copper Cliff? 

Well, nothing specially personal or romantic.

I am very interested in Battle of Atlantic. When I was a child I have read lot of  books - mainly about Polish Navy (You can see here some interesting archival footages ) but not only. Stories about Battle of La Plata, Bismarck and Hood, U-boats and so on. Wheen I was about ten I read Monsarrat's Cruel Sea. It was really heartbreaking book, I rode it few times. I still like it. On the other side I didn't read Das-boot ever... So in my long-termed modelling plans there are lot of escort-ship classes to build. Between them Castles are really interesting and nice, quite modern look.

And now about Copper Cliff. Process of choosing one particular ship is always quite long for me. My "holy grail" ship has: nice (but easy to paint) camouflage, interesting details and fittings (armanent, electronical) and has rich history. I usually read lot of books and search plenty of photos to find THIS one (or two) ship.

It's a little bit crazy but sometimes I create a table to easy compare different ships

You can find Castles with more interesting war career, but Copper Cliff:

- had camuflage which is interesting, popular and easy to paint

- had late-war radar type 277 and twin oerlikons on stern-platform

- had sqaure type vents (White Ensign Models inluded them with the kit, there is no round type vents)

- was Canadian ship

 

The same comparision I did for River fregattes, or I do for ships I want to build: Tribals, Flowers, Black Swans, or Patrol Crafts and Buckleys. USS Guadalcanal is obvious without research 😉

 

It's all. As you can see it is totally no heart-touching. But if you will write for us some war-stories during your Copper Cliff building, I will be very grateful and will read these with great interesting.

 

PS. Your post is postive pression for me to add third, last part of my Copper Cliff's mini modelling - guide. Thank you. I will try to do soon.

 

Regards, Michał

Edited March 24, 2021 by socjo1

[donsidedave]

STUNNING...

[Zoran Srb]

There is NOTHING to add !!! Very, very well done! Par with the best.

You just might consider on your next build using lycra rigging tread. I'm partial to Usch, but I'm guessing any will do. Cheers

Edited January 17, 2023 by Zoran Srb

[bissyboat]

I agree. Any more rust stains or chippings and she´ll hit the drydocks for instant repairs. 😙 A fine job on this corvette. ⚓🙌

Edited January 17, 2023 by bissyboat