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HMS Duckworth Captain Class frigate Trumpeter/F-Star/WEM


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Hi again,

another Atlantic escort finished, this time the successful (6 U-boats destroyed/.shared) HMS Duckworth, a Captain Class frigate ((=Buckley Class DE). Apparently, my father (HMS Belfast in Korea) knew someone from her who had been transferred to Belfast.

I used the extensive F-Star upgrade set  along with the WEM Captain Class etched set as well, where required. The latter's DC storage racks were too short and I added an extra 1/3 by using scrap etched "sprue".

Painting was with Sovereign enamels and I went for the G45/B20 scheme - but I might have erred here - could have been white/B55 though. Some G45 was supplemented here and there for economy with my own Schminke ink mix. The 3rd Escort Group emblem on the funnel was made from cut-up pieces of signal flag.

 

It was a very complex build - the structure could be that of a cruiser in places!

Cheers,

GrahamB

51620059856_32d0c27972_k.jpgHMS Duckworth starboard by Graham Bird, on Flickr

51620287708_df1460862f_k.jpgHMS Duckworth starboard quarter by Graham Bird, on Flickr

51620287508_dc241e2385_k.jpgHMS Duckworth starboard bow by Graham Bird, on Flickr

51620286478_9b055066cc_k.jpgHMS Duckworth port by Graham Bird, on Flickr

51620925065_d9e99a7659_k.jpgHMS Duckworth port quarter by Graham Bird, on Flickr

51620058006_584f3392df_k.jpgHMS Duckworth port bow by Graham Bird, on Flickr

51620287233_41b79c441a_k.jpgHMS Duckworth starboard bow 2 by Graham Bird, on Flickr

51620713454_b4daea2c31_k.jpgHMS Duckworth starboard midship by Graham Bird, on Flickr

51619227022_0e3ab43e90_k.jpgHMS Duckworth starboard aft by Graham Bird, on Flickr

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Excellent work Graham and an inspiration for me to carry on with my effort building Ekins.

 

I’m using the WEM and Gold Medal Models PE sets as I bought them some time ago but wasn’t aware of the F-Star offering?

 

Mike

Edited by mick b
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Hi guys,

sorry about any delay in replying with my thanks for the kind remarks - a 12-hour time difference here in NZ.

The model's appearance is based on a well-known photo of Duckworth but I may have been a little over-enthusiastic with the weathering. The F-star set was very complex and fiddly, and included replacement for many of the vertical faces of the superstructure and it took quite an effort to blend these in with the decks etc. It also had what seemed hundreds of the small brackets for holding the DC spigots - I assumed these were empty (partly or completely removed??) because of use of replacement with spigot-less DC throwers. Kept a few on for interest. The life-rings are pre-painted etched versions - a bit of a cheat. The boat fenders are simple plastic rod rounded at both ends. I added a few 20mm ammunition lockers near the four midships positions.

Cheers,

GrahamB

 

Building Flyhawk 1/700 HMS Invincible 1914,  AJM 1/350 HMS Queen of Thanet,  Arsenal 1/350 Hunt Type-3 (probably as HMS Catterick)

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Another your beauty and inspiring ship.

Especially for me - I have Buckley clas with F-Star in my stash (and plans!) too.

I have a question. I see bluish central camouflage section is quite transparent and streaked, not a "solid" colour. Is this effect your interpretation or is it visible on archive photos?

PS. Main guns are not Trumpy nor Five Star, I pressume 😉 

Best regards,

Michał.

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Kia oa Ambrose - the scale is 1/350.

 

Socjo 1 - The hull panel is "more or less" like the photograph of HMS Duckworth but is clearly not an exact copy (my painting skills are not up to that!). Perhaps more darker streaking is required, especially aft of the blue panel. Other ships with this camouflage, such as HMS ByronHMS Cotton, HMS Curzon, and HMS Deane, are similarly heavily weathered with light and dark streaks.

 

If I was to do another - can't we have a 1/350 Evarts DE for conversion please? - I might do the other late camouflage of full (but sloping) dark hull and pale upper-works. Said in various places to be an Admiralty pattern but it looks no different from the USN version to me. Check out the book by Bruce Franklyn for a complete record of the Buckley/Captain vessels.

 

I can't remember about the 3" guns but think they were aftermarket items.

 

Cheers, GrahamB

 

 

 

Edited by GrahamB
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Hi MRMRL,

it was just some rust/red primer paint (can't remember which) dabbed on. It is loosely based on the photo of Duckworth seen from the starboard bow. Perhaps the USN experts here would know what primer colour was used on the DE builds (a gray of some sort?).

Cheers, GrahamB

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Hi Graham. There is an instruction for USN contract paint finishing on the web at History.navy.mil, dated June 1943. According to this the Primer coat for new construction exteriors above the waterline should be Formula 84-D, dark zinc chromate. This is a dark green according to the included table, and is meant to maintain a dark appearance if there is any peeling of the top coat. By ‘45 Duckworth would have been through at least one repainting from the delivery scheme, so dark patches might be anything underlying including a very rusty or stained previous camouflage, not necessarily the primer coat.

 

cheers

 

Steve

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Hi Steve,

thanks for digging out this esoteric information.  Could be useful for any future builds of US-made ships (Colony Class etc).

Cheers,

Graham

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