Faraway Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Does anyone know of a kit for a Dido Class Light Cruiser ? My wife's, mother’s, brother served on HMS Hermione (74) in the Mediterranean and was one of the 88 crewmen who were lost when the ship was torpedoed and sunk by U205 on 16th June 1942. I thought it might be a nice tribute to him and the rest of the chaps, to build their ship. https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1817.html Jon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jb65rams Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Flyhawk do a 1/700 Dido class Cruiser, HMS Naiad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socjo1 Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Trumpeter announced Dido class 1/350 ( I hope this year?). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bismarck builder Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 hi there is a 350th on its way from veryfire hope this helps gary r 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faraway Posted April 10, 2021 Author Share Posted April 10, 2021 I’ve found two versions of the Flyhawk HMS Naiad https://starling-models.co.uk/collections/1-700-kits/products/hms-naiad-1940-deluxe-edition https://starling-models.co.uk/collections/1-700-kits/products/hms-naiad-dido-class-light-cruiser But which one ? What d’you reckon chaps ? Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 The standard one is very, very nice. The deluxe one has more to add. Realistically you won't be disappointed with either. They are absolutely first class kits, as is everything from Flyhawk. They blow everyone else making injection moulded ships out of the water. The parts count is high though and many of the parts are very small so they're longer jobs to build than the relatively simplistic Tamiya equivalent of a similar size ship kit. The only negative remarks you will ever find about Flyhawk is from people who struggle with the huge amount of detail included. If you are happy to put in the time and are comfortable working with small parts and Tamiya Extra Thin cement to glue them together they really are sublime though. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faraway Posted April 12, 2021 Author Share Posted April 12, 2021 1 minute ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said: The standard one is very, very nice. The deluxe one has more to add. Realistically you won't be disappointed with either. They are absolutely first class kits, as is everything from Flyhawk. They blow everyone else making injection moulded ships out of the water. The parts count is high though and many of the parts are very small so they're longer jobs to build than the relatively simplistic Tamiya equivalent of a similar size ship kit. The only negative remarks you will ever find about Flyhawk is from people who struggle with the huge amount of detail included. If you are happy to put in the time and are comfortable working with small parts and Tamiya Extra Thin cement to glue them together they really are sublime though. Jamie. Many thanks for your reply. I’ve just ordered the ‘deluxe’ kit, which, I believe has more PE, brass etc. Strangely, I quite like working with tiny PE (must be my age). If you can offer any information regards camouflage/colour schemes I’d be very grateful. As I said at the beginning, I would like to make this ship to represent HMS Hermione, which I THINK is very similar if not the same as HMS Naiad. Jon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Our Ned Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 (edited) As completed, HMS Hermione was very similar to Naiad; the only obvious differences were in the RDF (radar) fit. NAIAD carried AW.279 aerials at her mastheads, whereas Hermione carried AW.279.281, plus SR 284 on her LA.DCT above the bridge. In November 1941, Hermione's two quadruple 0.5" gun mountings were removed, and five single 20mm Oerlikons were fitted. She seems to have worn overall medium grey (presumably AP507A) from completion, but was repainted in a two-colour angular pattern at some point in early 1942 - I've only seen a very indistinct photo of this scheme, although there is a drawing of her port side in Alan Raven Camouflage Vol Two: Royal Navy 1942 (New York: WR Press, 2001). Edited April 15, 2021 by Our Ned Wrong RDF in initial post - now corrected 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faraway Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 @Our Ned thanks for this information. I looked for the book by Alan Raven, but so far the only copy I’ve found is over £40, so that’s a no sale. If you have access to a copy of the photo you mention, could you send me a copy to me ? In fact, any photos you have, if you can send them would be so welcome. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 Hi Jon, the profile in the book isn't really worth all that much and the caption says it's an interpretation of one poor quality photograph. I have a very rough Dido class outline sketch from my CB3098(R)-1945 e-book repro so I'll knock up a quick sketch of it later for you and save anyone breaking copyright laws 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faraway Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 3 minutes ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said: Hi Jon, the profile in the book isn't really worth all that much and the caption says it's an interpretation of one poor quality photograph. I have a very rough Dido class outline sketch from my CB3098(R)-1945 e-book repro so I'll knock up a quick sketch of it later for you and save anyone breaking copyright laws Jamie. That would be really helpful, thank you. I guess at some point, we will have to talk about paint. I’ve never airbrushes enamels, but I think the size this model is, I might get away with brushing. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 This is what Raven's sketch looks like. Colours are unknown, starboard side is unknown and the port side is shakey given the poor quality of the source image (which isn't provided in the book). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Our Ned Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 (edited) I suspect Alan Raven's drawing was based upon photos taken after Operation Ironclad, when the forces involved were anchored off Diego Suarez. I've seen three aerial photos taken on 13 May 1942, showing variously HM Ships Indomitable, Illustrious, Hermione and Resolution Ramillies; the photos are available on the IWM website (reference numbers A8890, A8891 and A9403). Only one of the photos (A9403) shows all four ships mentioned; in that one, Hermione is between and beyond the two carriers. Thanks to Jamie! Faraway asked for any other photos of Hermione - there are several which can found by searching the IWM site (suggest using search term "HMS and Hermione"). There is also one of the ship in Gibraltar wearing what looks like well-worn AP507A overall, at http://forummarine.forumactif.com/t9011-croiseurs-legers-antiaeriens-claa-classe-dido-termine (scroll about half-way down the page). Edited April 13, 2021 by Our Ned Misidentification of battleship 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faraway Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 1 hour ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said: starboard side is unknown Jamie. So, potentially I can paint both sides the same and probably not be far off. Although if I wish to portray her as she was in the Med, perhaps just on colour and no camo ? Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faraway Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 1 hour ago, Our Ned said: Hermione is between and beyond the two carriers. Ned. Many thanks. I've seen many photos from IWM, but most seem to be from the ship, not of the ship. It's a bit spooky to be looking at Hermione and thinking that my wife's uncle may be onboard. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Our Ned Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 IWM's collection includes the following external views of Hermione: A5740, A5742, A5743, A5772 and A5773, plus others too distant to be of much use. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faraway Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Our Ned said: IWM's collection includes the following external views of Hermione: A5740, A5742, A5743, A5772 and A5773, plus others too distant to be of much use. Ned. Brilliant, I hadn’t seen those. Does help to confirm the colour scheme. Interesting to note, the gun barrels appear to have a Camo pattern on them, but the hull etc doesn’t. Many, many thanks. Jon Edited April 13, 2021 by Faraway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 1 hour ago, Faraway said: Jamie. So, potentially I can paint both sides the same and probably not be far off. Although if I wish to portray her as she was in the Med, perhaps just on colour and no camo ? Jon You could and there's unlikely to be many who can tell you it's wrong. There are lots of examples of these improvised angular designs which are different port and starboard though so it is a gamble, but one I had to take on my build of HMS Imperial for similar reasons - a camouflage scheme derived from one crappy photograph (although as Sod's Law dictates, not long after I'd finished Richard Dennis accidently found a series of close-up photographs showing various bits I'd got wrong hidden inside a file full of damage reports in the National Archives). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faraway Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 6 minutes ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said: You could and there's unlikely to be many who can tell you it's wrong. There are lots of examples of these improvised angular designs which are different port and starboard though so it is a gamble, but one I had to take on my build of HMS Imperial for similar reasons - a camouflage scheme derived from one crappy photograph (although as Sod's Law dictates, not long after I'd finished Richard Dennis accidently found a series of close-up photographs showing various bits I'd got wrong hidden inside a file full of damage reports in the National Archives). Ned found these. It appears the hull wasn’t camouflaged, but the gun barrels were. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205139979 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205139980 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 If it were me, I'd probably go for overall Home Fleet Grey (with or without the unusual very dark wavy camouflage on top of the barrels) which still sounds like it probably brackets your wife's uncle's time aboard. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iang Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 I may be able to add to the small number of Hermione photos. I own a photograph album of photos taken by an unknown FAA aircrew from Illustrious during Operation Ironclad. These are a mix of official ships' photos sold onboard (mainly now at IWM) and poorer quality photos taken by the compiler. I've also got a photo album taken by aircrew serving on Indomitable from around the period that contains a similar mix. This contains one photo of a Fulmar flying low over Hermione, but it is not a very clear image. The Illustrious album contains a couple of photos taken from the starboard side rear boat deck, with a motor boat pulling away in the direction of Hermione. Again, these are not official photos, and therefore not the best quality, but I'll try and get them scanned later and post them. From the relative ship positions, It looks like either Illustrious took Indomitable's place as shown in A9403, or the complier took the photo from Indomitable. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faraway Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said: If it were me, I'd probably go for overall Home Fleet Grey (with or without the unusual very dark wavy camouflage on top of the barrels) which still sounds like it probably brackets your wife's uncle's time aboard. Jamie. I’m thinking the same, can you recommend which colours I’m going to need for the overall colour, and for the wavy line on the barrels ? It’s highly likely, strange to think, that her uncle is in the photo. Edited April 13, 2021 by Faraway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faraway Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 5 minutes ago, iang said: get them scanned later and post them. That would be most kind, thank you. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Our Ned Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 In Photo A9403, the southern (left-hand) carrier appears to be INDOMITABLE (what can be made out of the camouflage pattern matches, and, in A8890, she seems to have a larger for'd lift, and the deeper for'd 4.5" gun sponson of this ship); the camouflage pattern on the northern carrier appears to match Illustrious. I have seen a photo similar to the one iang describes, showing Hermione from her port quarter, with Devonshire behind her and Ramilles off Hermione's starboard quarter. The aspect matches that which would be visible from the northern carrier's position. As iang says, the quality of the photo is not ideal, and any camouflage pattern is rather indistinct! A later (or earlier?) photo taken looking to seaward (IWM A9404) shows Devonshire much further offshore, so that ship may have been under way when the photo with the motor boat was taken. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EwenS Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 5 hours ago, Faraway said: Ned found these. It appears the hull wasn’t camouflaged, but the gun barrels were. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205139979 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205139980 Looking at that pair of photos, it appears to me that the turret roofs are darker than the turret sides and hull. The upper part of the gun barrels then seems to match the turret roofs. Would that darker colour match the colour of her steel decks? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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