HMS Jed - River Class Frigate, 1/350 Starling Models conversion

[socjo1]

Good day Fellows,

After finishing Copper Cliff corvette it's time for next maritime-modelling adventure.

I want to convert Starling Model's HMS Nadder to one of the earlier frigates - HMS Jed. She took part in crucial spring 1943 conwoy battles. I prepared the sketch with some crucial points/areas:

 

I will use some aftermarket goodies i.a. single Oerlikons by Black Cat and twins by Micromaster:

 

It's very interesting building frigate after building her younger (and smaller) sister. Technology, military, kind of philozophy of using and fighting... I like to trace these aspects - differeces and similarities between them. Good resources are very important for such approach. To my earlier-mentioned books I added some further materials focused on Rivers.

 

 

 

 

Top plan was attached to "Frigates of Royal Canadian Navy" book.

 

Spey's plan I purchased from Naval Museum in Esquimalt: https://navalandmilitarymuseum.org/archives/projects/ships-plans/ It is posibble to obtain it by e-mail. This plan can be very usefull as Spey is one of the earliest frigaters like Jed, and like Jed she has all these minesweeping stuff. I think this digital reconstruction based on this plan:

 

 

I must admit - this drawning is beautifull piece of art. Plenty of additional details, descriptions and so on.  Author was (probably) F.N. Wilson and it was published by David MacGregor in 1974. Different time, different world... Maybe you know this author and publisher, me - not. I printed plan in big dimension and now it hangs on wall in my shipyard

There is one more drawing. In Brian Lavery's book there is original shipyard plan of... HMS Nadder! Unfortunately, quality is very poor (small, gray an so on) but you can still check most important details and features. (BTW - have you Nadder in your modelling plans?)

 

All remarks (and help) are warmly welcomed.

 

OK, I know my direction, destination and ship. It's time to call "Throw the lines"!

Let your hearts never fail
For the bonnie ship the Diamond
Goes a-hunting for the whale!

 

 

Best regards, Michal.

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by socjo1

[Courageous]

Looks promising Michal, away you go.

 

Stuart

[socjo1]

It's time for warm-up.

I sprayed Mr Surfacer on all parts and used epoxy putty for removing unpleasant slide(?) along the hull. I sanded some areas and places and drilled holes for stand.

 

 

Then I added/exchanged some details over and there.

 

 

A few small vents on the decks were broken so I drilled holes for later installation.

Then I removed smoke-cap on funnel (it's feature of early's frigates).

So far so nice, but...

 

Best regards,

Michal.

Edited October 3, 2020 by socjo1

[robgizlu]

Interesting!

Looking forwards

Rob

[socjo1]

Weather forecast for last weekend was very optimistic, so our family plans where quite far from sitting home. We wanted spend 4 days rather in our tiny "ship" 😉 in such way:

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, my son got sick. Nothing very serious, but doctor said "no outdoor activities". So I had a little time for modelling. Let's go with it!

 

Like another 23 early Rivers, HMS Jed was equipped with minesweeping gear (it was removed from all ships in 1944). I had to do some rearrangement.

 

 

 

And test-fitting:

 

 

PE drum was "Lend-lease Act" with WEM's Flower PE set. 😉

I have to create rest of the gear and doing some further rearrangement on quarterdeck. I am looking for some ideas not to do all from scratch, but who knows? Maybe I have to do it...

 

Thanks for watching and best regards,

Michal.

 

 

Edited October 5, 2020 by socjo1

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Michal, Sorry to hear that you son got sick, but glad it wasn't serious. I bought a canoe many years ago (about four decades ago), I still have it, but hardly ever used it. Make the most of it while your family is young.

     That's some very good modifications you're doing to the ship, very impressive. But don't let Captain Pugwash go too berserk with his sword. 😲 😁 Regards, Jeff.

[Terry1954]

Hi Michal.

 

Firstly, I hope your son makes a quick recovery!

 

This looks to be an interesting build. I have the Nadder kit from Starling, and also acquired the Spey plans from CFB Esquimalt - a superb source for maritime plans and documentation I must say.

 

Great progress so far, especially on the modifications.

 

Will follow along.

 

Terry

[npb748r]

really looking forward to this build. My uncle was lost on HMS Mourne when it was sunk (he was only 18, way too young) and I have the Nadder kit ready to build as Mourne. I normally build 1/32 things with wings so this will be something different for me. I'm hoping to learn a few things watching this !

[socjo1]

On 06/10/2020 at 07:41, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday Michal, Sorry to hear that you son got sick, but glad it wasn't serious. I bought a canoe many years ago (about four decades ago), I still have it, but hardly ever used it. Make the most of it while your family is young.

    

Thanks for all sympathetic words. My son is already OK, he was very happy listening your posts. We have canoe since 10 years, we try to paddle 100-180 km yearly - about 2-weeks. It is our family special time - only we, nature, simplicity and sometimes positive solitude. No internet, crowds, news, no haste... I think being involved in nature is great remedy for our more and more technologized and faster world. But... sometimes I like builidings models as well (off-topic's end, sorry for it!), lets'go with it!😃 

 

On 08/10/2020 at 21:40, npb748r said:

really looking forward to this build. My uncle was lost on HMS Mourne when it was sunk (he was only 18, way too young) and I have the Nadder kit ready to build as Mourne. I normally build 1/32 things with wings so this will be something different for me. I'm hoping to learn a few things watching this !

Thanks for your post, I will try don't disappoint your expectations. Such personal dimension is always touching.

 

On 06/10/2020 at 08:43, Terry1954 said:

This looks to be an interesting build. I have the Nadder kit from Starling, and also acquired the Spey plans from CFB Esquimalt - a superb source for maritime plans and documentation I must say.

So today maybe a few words and pictures about AA-guns. But first - let's read some interesting books (we love them!). For example British Destroyers and Frigates... and River Class- Frigates. There we can easily find interesting and important information. Only two earliest frigates (Rother and Spey) were equipped with 2-pdr guns in stern platform. So it's Starling's mistake fitting Nadder with two-pounders. I am sorry. Es tut mit leid. Bardzo mi przykro. Mi dispiace molto. Another possible platform's armament was 2 x single Oerlikons, like HNLMS Johan Maurits von Nassau (former HMS Ribble K251) had:

(foto from IWM collection, only for discussion purposes)

 

Anyway, HMS Nadder's plan "as fitted" (in River-Class Frigates book) shows there 2 x twin Oerlikons. Just. Micromaster and Black Cat produce such sets.

But it is not all. In Internet you can easily find two HMS Nadder's fotos:

 

 

The latter foto is included in Atlantic Escort too. It's description states: Nadder (...) is unusual in mounting Oerlikons on the forecastle.  We can clearly see these in dark covers. Moreover... I'm not 100% sure, but it seems further such covers are visible close to stern (2 x single) and on the small stern supperstructure (1 x single) too. These installation-points for Oerlikons and locations of ammo-boxes are depicted in Nadder's plan. So if I would build her, I would use 7 x single and 2 x twin Oerlikons (of course I can be wrong!). Such strong AA armament seems typical for ships on Pacific, and Nadder since 2-nd half of 1944 served on Indian Ocean (like almost all Rivers - vide River-class Frigates, pp. 205). 

 

I noticed one more difference. Model's AA platform has quite interesting shape. Unfortunately, neither plans (especially Nadder's) nor photos confirm it. You can see different arrangements of ammo-boxes, but no platform's shape. So decision was easy. Shave his belly with a rusty razor...

 

 

On 06/10/2020 at 07:41, ArnoldAmbrose said:

 don't let Captain Pugwash go too berserk with his sword. 😲 😁 Regards, Jeff.

I will try. I promiss. But...

 

 

This will be more difficult task, especially for sources and my conclusions are not so clear as previously.

 

Thanks for your patience.

Opinons and counteraguments are welcomed!

____________________

All figures by grreat courtesy of my son.

Neiter fish nor penguin nor jarl/ beErserker nor captain were harmed in the making of these demolitions.

 

Edited January 24, 2021 by socjo1

[ArnoldAmbrose]

6 hours ago, socjo1 said:

It is our family special time - only we, nature, simplicity and sometimes positive solitude. No internet, crowds, news, no haste... I think being involved in nature is great remedy for our more and more technologized and faster world.

👍

[socjo1]

Lot of time since my last message. Unortunately our family finnally got sick COVID but now it is almost fine. Morever - every time I had good strength and walked to my yard, I heard sound of small feet... "Dady - let's model something together! Dady - when will we do Wellington again?!" Mikolaj is 7 old and he just loves ships and planes, watching them, reading books (yes - quite old-fashioned gentleman 😉 ... Of course I am very happy of it - but frigate's progress is rather slow...

 

 

 

So, what's new on the decks?

I finally removed almost all boxes and so on off the decks. I use Hasegawa Trytool saws TP-3 and TP-4. They are very helpfull in very hard-to-get places and leave almost no traces in resin after sawing. If I need polish/ sanding difficult places I use RB-models sets with glued sandpapers:

 

 

 

Detailing:

- new wooden floor on the bridge and bow -wall. Using "milimetric paper" for making template is very helpfull.

- detailed radar -base

- reshaped engine-vent room (I strongly rounded corners and edges)

- scratched funnel - grill (unfortunately there isn't on p.e. fret!)

- new funnel-fastening

- scratched ASDIC dome

- new, metal engine - shafts

 

 

Replaced hatches (Flyhawk) and skylights (North Star):

 

Opened boat-winches and filled some holes in the deck:

 

 

Menawhile I prepared hull for painting. After a few time-consuming sessions of sanding and Mr. Surfacer- spraying hull was really smoooooth 😉 and ready for next step.  I drawed lines for hull plating imitation and sticked Tamiya tapes.

 

 

Untill now everything went OK. We like Mr Surfacer for it's strength layer, isn't it? But let's look:

 

Surfacer really peeled of the resin! Decision wasn't easy but proper solution was the only one - paint remover!

 

In next step frigate took somewhat diabolique apperance (Very elegant. Almost like me - said Penguin).

I sprayed Alclad Blackprimer and Microfiller and it wins! It really stinks but give tough coat and good for sanding. Next - brown Surfacer once again, lot of sanding once more, Tamiya tapes and so on. This time no bad surprices. Then I marked waterline, sprayed it and masked.

 

 

 

Now painting. To be honest - I have read book about Norman Ough (thanks to Robgizlu!) and his states about colours, the same - Alan Raven's Les Brown and Jamie's from Sovereign Hobbys (thanks!) and... I have chaos in my head. Bigger than before. Deck colours and semtex, boot-topping painting or not painting, black or red hull's underwater. Really minefield. But - full ahead!  

 

Thanks for watching.

Best regards,

Michal.

 

Edited November 29, 2020 by socjo1

[Tony C]

My father served on HMS Jed, I don't yet have all his service records but he was apparently in the Signals room!

He was also based at Scarborough, as he could speak German, listening to the German transmissions.

[beefy66]

Glad to hear you and the family are getting well Michal looks like your son will be a very fine model maker the way he holds that airbrush

 

And thank you again for all the information on the Castle Corvette  👍

 

Stay Safe

beefy

[robgizlu]

As per Beefy - pleased you'e all recovered.

Nice work using the saws and Good call to use Alclad.   Nuisance to use but always good results

This is Good!

Rob

[socjo1]

Thanks for your nice words and support!

Edited November 17, 2020 by socjo1

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Michal, glad you're all getting on top of Covid. I'm impressed with Mikolaj with the air brush, it's not something I've tried. HMS Jed is coming along nicely, and I'm impressed with that funnel grill. Regards, Jeff.

[socjo1]

Finally did it!

...and have base for weathering and some further detailing.

(of course some corrections during painting process were necessary...)

 

 

I was afraid if my scratched funell- grill will not be somehow clumsy, thick and crooked. That's how finally looks:

 

 

 

... And most important!

My son and I finalised Wellie. Not great build, but good way for 100% relaxing modelling and 0% stress. And most important is spending time together and just doing something nice and positive... 

 

 

 

Everything seemed OK, but suddenly my son came to me,showed me matches a box a Matchbox (ok, let's say just...) box and asked:

 

"When will we star it, daddy? Now?"

He catched me. Morover, he pulled the decals (Draw Decals) out of the shelf (who allowed him to poke there? Today children becoming worse and worse brught up!):

 

Daddy, you like Otters and parashoots, I like firemans... "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful modelling" (OK, it's 100% true his quote, nor my son's name is Humprey...)

 

Best regards,

Michal.

Edited November 27, 2020 by socjo1

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Nice work on this Michal.

 

I recently picked one of these up because Mike is almost sold out and will, sadly,be discontinuing this kit.

 

I've never built a model in a Western Approaches scheme and am not yet decided what I'll do with mine. I like the idea of one of the Aberdeen built ships. I also like Admiralty Disruptive type camouflage and have found one, HMS Teviot, wearing such a scheme. It looks very similar to a CAFO679/42 design for a Flower class, so I'm drawing it up and will decide later whether to use this or not for my frigate

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Michal, that's top work on HMS Jed, she's really looking good.

I'm also impressed with the Wellington.

7 hours ago, socjo1 said:

100% relaxing modelling and 0% stress

To me that's what modelling is all about. Regards, Jeff.

[Chewbacca]

There's no way you can call your funnel top thick and clumsy Michal - it looks beautiful, especially so if you had to scratch build it .  Loving the work going on here and having seen your experience of primer on resin, I'm so glad I recently invested in some Alclad II for PUMA.

[robgizlu]

Michal - I agree entirely with Chewbacca - Lovely work on the funnel and super detailing all round.

 

16 hours ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

Nice work on this Michal.

 

I recently picked one of these up because Mike is almost sold out and will, sadly,be discontinuing this kit.

 

I've never built a model in a Western Approaches scheme and am not yet decided what I'll do with mine. I like the idea of one of the Aberdeen built ships. I also like Admiralty Disruptive type camouflage and have found one, HMS Teviot, wearing such a scheme. It looks very similar to a CAFO679/42 design for a Flower class, so I'm drawing it up and will decide later whether to use this or not for my frigate

 

Due to your build and hearing from Jamie that this vessel is nearly sold out - there's was little to do but buy one - so unplanned - one is currently winging it's way.  From the Starling Website there is JUST ONE left (what shame as it does look a beautifully rendered model).  Be aware Good people.

 

Expect HMS Moyola or HMS Avon in the medium term from the Matthews shipyard

In the meanwhile Michal, I'm keeping notes from your build - Keep it coming 

Rob

 

[robgizlu]

Michal - which is the more useful book "Atlantic Escorts" by Brown or "River Class Frigates and the Battle of the Atlantic" by Lavery?

Thanks

Rob

[socjo1]

Thank you for your comments, likes and questions. It really motivates me (and my son 😉 ) to writing and showing you effects of my efforts and especially - researches. I am very happy if this thread will help somebody who will build this elegant warship (and this what reason why I created this topic).

 

 

6 hours ago, robgizlu said:

 (what shame as it does look a beautifully rendered model).

 

I agree. It is really beautifull model even without all these my quirks. 🤪

 

However...  

 

Always must be some "however"! 😉

 

 

4 hours ago, robgizlu said:

Michal - which is the more useful book "Atlantic Escorts" by Brown or "River Class Frigates and the Battle of the Atlantic" by Lavery?

Thanks

Rob

 

These two books are very interesting but rather from historical point of view. In "Atlantic Escort" we can find review of of main escort classes, much about it's designing (like in Friedman's British Destroyers...), efficience, comfort for crews and sea worthiness. We have descripted main phases in Battle of Atlantic, informations about tactics, equipment and armament. Nice faeture is kind of personal touch - author was seaman and served on a few ships. Book is reachly ilustratrated - on 150 pages you have more or less equally amount of photos, sketches and maps. But - only 5 pages is devoted to River Class  and 8-10 photos - not much more than in Friedman's book. However it is very good book for catching broad panorama and synthesis of escort vessels in Battle of Atlantic.

 

Lavery's book - about 200 pages, almost only text. Visual material isn't to thrilling for us, modellers. About 10 photos (mainly wievs of all ships, a few inside a ship), about the same sketches (I belive you know how Oerlikon, Hedgehog, or DC thrower looks like. But for us most important is that both Simon-Micromaster and Black Cat now it!) We have lot of interesting informations about productions of these ships, shipyards and. Some details about armament (long passages about Hredgehog's intial troubles) And social history - shipbuilders and crews. Cons: no mentions about Canadian variant (e.g. guns), no competely list of vesels and so on, slightly poor visual material.

 

Lot of photos (again almost only main view) we can find in "Frigates of Canadian Royal Navy". This book is similair to e.g. Arnold Hague's books about sloops and Towns: short history about each particular ship and 1-2 photos. 

 

Two addtional shipbuilding plans/drawnings you can find in:

1. HMS Exe (almost free, 65  pounds

 

https://prints.rmg.co.uk/products/profile-as-fitted-for-hms-exe-1942-m1714

 

No, I haven't it.

 

2. HMS Swale in John Robert's "British Wrships of Second World War". Unfortunately this one is printed on single page, co it is small and blurred.

 

As usually, most worth (and time-consuming!) is to dig in Internet for photos - mostly pages which I mentioned earlier on my Corvette's page:

 

Uffff, Hope this help.

And pardon my english.

Best regards,

Michal.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2020 by socjo1

[robgizlu]

Thanks Michael - that is hugely helpful - neither sounds particularly helpful to modellers

And don't pardon your English - it's Vey Good and better than my NO Polish!!!!!

Rob

[socjo1]

Nothing very new in my shipyard, I work on bridge area. I just want share my joy with you: I will not scratchbuild all these hellish, weird minesweeping machinery! Black Cat will do it instead of me.  Not without my little suggestion...

 

 

As you can see, Ben is preparing lot of very interesting stuff for all Royal Navy (and better models!) fans: you will find among them bridge equipment (like compasses, peloruses, voice pipes), smoke generators, hatches and many more.

 

More informations and drawnings: https://www.facebook.com/BlackCatModels.eu/

 

Anyway I wish you all the best in New Year. For us, all the people and the world - to regain balance...

 

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by socjo1