Revell 1/144 Flower Class Corvette HMCS Snowberry (05132)

[davecov]

I have been looking forward to this 2022 Britmodeller Canadian GB and I will be building the Revell 1/144 Flower Class Corvette HMCS Snowberry (05132):

 

Unlike my recent BM Matchbox 50th Anniversary GB builds, this will not be OOB. I will be using Eduard's Big Ed Photo Etch Set (BIG5343) containing their Armament (53175), Superstructure (53176) and Railings (53177) sets. I really hope that this can be the first time I ever complete a ship with photo etch!

 

Next step will be to get HMCS Snowberry and all of the other bits and bobs on my bench and get some photos posted.

 

Dave

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Oooooh Welcome I was truly hoping one of these would make an appearance. 

[zebra]

Fantastic. I was hoping to see one of these too! 

[davecov]

I just hope I can live up to everybody's expectations!

 

Here are the contents of the boxing and aftermarket products being used in this build. Parts are moulded in a medium grey plastic. There are a lot of seams to clean up.

 

Hull Halves:

 

Runners C & 😧

 

Runner E:

 

Runner F:

 

Runner G:

 

Runner H - Transparencies:

 

Runner I(1):

 

Runner I(2):

 

Runner J x 2:

 

Rigging Thread and Decals which are in register and crisply printed :

 

Instructions

 

Instructions are in a form of a 24-page booklet printed in full colour on shiny paper. Instructions - Front Cover:

 

Instructions - Pages 2 & 3 - Modelling Tips & Legend used in instructions:

 

Instructions - Pages 4 & 5 - Required Paints & Layout of Runners C-F:

 

Instructions - Pages 6 & 7 - Layout of Runners G-I & Assembly Sections 1-9:

 

Instructions - Pages 8 & 9 - Assembly Sections 10-22:

 

Instructions - Pages 10 & 11 - Assembly Sections 23-34:

 

Instructions - Pages 12 & 3 - Assembly Sections 35-47:

 

Instructions - Pages 14 & 15 - Assembly Sections 48-59:

 

Instructions - Pages 16 & 17 - Assembly Sections 60-72:

 

Instructions - Pages 18 & 19 - Assembly Sections 73-80:

 

Instructions - Pages 20 & 21 - Assembly Sections 81-91:

 

Instructions - Pages 22 & 23 - Assembly Sections 92-101:

 

Instructions - Back Cover - Assembly Section 102 - Painting Profile

 

Aftermarket Products to be used in this build.

 

Eduard's Big Ed Photo Etch Set (BIG5343) (containing three sets - see next photo):

 

Eduard's Superstructure (53176), Railings (53177) and Armament (53175) PE sets:

 

FlyHawk Wooden Deck (W14001c):

 

I doubt very much that I will be getting this build underway immediately as it will take a while to sort out what kit parts will be required bearing in mind that some will have to be modified/replaced by photo etch.

 

That is all for now

 

Dave

[ArnoldAmbrose]

2 hours ago, davecov said:

I just hope I can live up to everybody's expectations!

Gidday Dave, my only expectation is that you do YOUR model as YOU see fit. 🙂

I'd like to do a Flower class ship one day, but in (you probably guessed) 1/600 scale. But your build here will probably be very useful to me, and interesting in it's own right.

Regards, Jeff.

[JeroenS]

Nice one Dave, looks like you got your work cut out for you, but I'm sure you'll be fine! This should be interesting. 

[davecov]

Thanks lads 👍

 

My reason for a certain amount of pessimism about this build is that I have been this way before - only on a bigger scale. In 2007, ATF members bought me a 1/72 Flower Class Corvette in appreciation for setting up that forum:

 

In 2015, I had bought lots of aftermarket stuff and reference material and finally got started and I reached this stage:

 

 

Unfortunately, as it was the first time I had ever soldered PE, I ruined the forward bandstand using a soldering iron that was too hot and it warped the brass. It was impossible to remove it from the deck without causing a lot of damage so I consigned it to the "Shelf of Doom". I have bought replacement PE but my mojo hasn't returned yet.

 

However, I can report that I have made one Flower Class Corvette although that was 1/350 scale:

 

Reference Material

 

Turning to this build, I have dug out my reference material bought for the 1/72 build and have added a bit more.

 

"Snorkers. Good oh!" Two classic films starring Flower Class Corvettes - The Cruel Sea and Corvette K-225. I watch these regularly and I expect to be watching these a few more times in the coming months:

 

Ensign 3 "Flower Class Corvettes" by Antony Preston and Alan Raven:

 

"Canada's Flowers - History of the Corvettes of Canada 1939-1945" by Thomas G. Lynch & Shipcraft "Flower Class Corvettes" by John Lambert and Les Brown:

 

"Warship Perspectives - Flower Class Corvettes in World War Two" by John Lambert:

 

"Anatomy of the Ship - The Flower Class Corvette AGASSIZ" by John McKay and John Harland:

 

That is all for now

 

Dave

[JeroenS]

That's some impressive reference material there Dave.

[Bertie McBoatface]

I always thought this was 1/72. Or more likely I just forgot what scale it was. It's still going to be a big ol' boat!

[davecov]

Bertie, the original Matchbox Flower Class Corvette released in 1979 and then re-released by Revell in 1992 is 1/72. However,Revell released two new 1/144 versions in 2016 (HMCS Snowberry) and 2018 (HMS Buttercup).

 

Dave

[Bertie McBoatface]

Pure coincidence that I saw th

46 minutes ago, davecov said:

Bertie, the original Matchbox Flower Class Corvette released in 1979 and then re-released by Revell in 1992 is 1/72. However,Revell released two new 1/144 versions in 2016 (HMCS Snowberry) and 2018 (HMS Buttercup).

 

Dave

 

Thanks Dave. I bet the big ones can be marvellously impressive if worked on enough. 
 

Pure coincidence that I saw this. You have to quote or @Bertie Psmith me to attract my wandering attention. 🤪

[davecov]

It has been a little while since I made my "pre-build" posts but I haven't been idle. Using three sets of photo-etch means a lot of cross-referencing with the kit instructions to see what bits have to be replaced or modified. It is a slow process which is taking a long time but, hopefully, I won't find myself making lot of mistakes which would need dismantling.

 

The first step was to sand down the moulded "wooden" decks in readiness for the replacement decks but they won't be fitted for a while yet:

 

In the Eduard PE instructions, they say to fit the replacement Bulwark Stays without removing the moulded ones inside the bulwarks. I didn't like this idea so I have removed the moulded ones:

 

Once done, I was able to glue the hull halves. The instructions say to fit the propeller shaft and rudder before joining the hull halves but I have ignored this. You can just make out part of the hull bulkhead that has the moulded doors replaced by PE ones. Since taking this photo I have glued the bulkhead inside the hull and the keels on the outside:

 

The outside of the 20mm Oerlikon base-wells on the bridge wings were wrapped in PE:

 

To fit the Eduard external doors, it is necessary to cut off the moulded detail. However, one door has an internal blackout curtain so it is necessary to carve out the door opening. First, I traced an outline using the PE frame and drilled out holes:

 

The opening after cleaning up:

 

The door frame and blackout curtain after fixing:

 

After the doors were done, I turned to the depth charges. These were to get PE ends which are shown in the photo:

 

After fitting the ends to the depth charges:

 

The four depth charge throwers weren't forgotten either:

 

The chocks used to hold the depth charges on the upper deck are bolted to the deck using frames. Here are some frames ready for fitting:

 

It took a while but the bolts were glued in place:

 

Some of the other parts that I have started to work on:

 

That is all for now

 

Dave

[JeroenS]

That's a lot of patient PE work, Dave. Looks good!

[81-er]

Impressive stuff there, Dave! I have enough trouble with some of the PE on my aircraft builds, never mind tackling something as tiny as some of those bits!

 

James

[RC Boater Bill]

15 hours ago, davecov said:

It has been a little while since I made my "pre-build" posts but I haven't been idle. Using three sets of photo-etch means a lot of cross-referencing with the kit instructions to see what bits have to be replaced or modified. It is a slow process which is taking a long time but, hopefully, I won't find myself making lot of mistakes which would need dismantling.

 

The first step was to sand down the moulded "wooden" decks in readiness for the replacement decks but they won't be fitted for a while yet:

 

I’ve always been a “Flower class fan”, ever since I converted the old MB kit to radio control 30+ years ago.   I’ll be following this build for sure!

 

I’m glad to see that Revell didn’t mold the entire main deck with planking, like MB did on the 1/72 kit.   I do see that they molded the non-skid walkways as raised areas- is that something that also needs to be sanded down?

-Bill

[davecov]

Bill, @RC Boater BillThe walkways will be sanded down later on. I only did the wooden sections now because I needed to see how the replacement decking fits with the depth charge chock frames in place.

 

Dave

[zebra]

Great work Dave. All that PE would drive me crazy!

[Grandboof]

Top rate work . 

Martin H

[davecov]

Thanks lads. 👍

 

Last week, I started working on the 4" gun bandstand. Around the edge of the bandstand are thirty holders for 4" shells. Each holder is made up of two parts (No.27 and No.98) and here are the larger parts (No.98):

 

These parts need to be bent in two planes. First of all I angled their centre sections:

 

I had glued the larger parts according to the instructions. However, Eduard have the orientation of some of them wrong as those on the left half need to be face the other way. After this photo was taken, I had to rip them out and re-glue the right way around:

Once they were sorted out I could glue the smaller parts (No.27):

 

Work on the PE for the 4" gun and shield has begun:

 

 

I have also been working on some other PE such as the depth charge rails:

 

The 2pdr gun and it's bandstand:

 

Too much PE is not good for the head so I glued the stern section to the hull and got filling:

 

Filler will be left to harden and then it will be sanding time:

 

That is all for now

 

Dave

[zebra]

11 hours ago, davecov said:

Too much PE is not good for the head so I glued the stern section to the hull and got filling:

 

You obviously have a very different idea of how much PE is too much than I do - I think I'd have decided life's too short for all that PE way before you got to this stage!

[JeroenS]

2 hours ago, zebra said:

 

You obviously have a very different idea of how much PE is too much than I do - I think I'd have decided life's too short for all that PE way before you got to this stage!

I was thinking that! I get jittery when I have to do something twice, let alone ... well I can't count that high!

 

Awesome work Dave.

[Viking]

Amazing work Dave, this is going to be spectacular when finished.

 

Cheers

 

John

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Dave, that's very intricate work with the PE. Did the 4-inch gun have fixed or separated ammunition? To me those shell holders look too close together to hold a shell and charge. Having said that I recall a photo taken on HMS Hood (I think) that had gun crews holding fixed ammo for the 4-inch guns. A different model of gun perhaps?

Regards, Jeff.

[81-er]

Echoing the above, that's extremely nice work on the PE, Dave! I'd have gone well and truly crosseyed with that

 

James

[davecov]

4 hours ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday Dave, that's very intricate work with the PE. Did the 4-inch gun have fixed or separated ammunition? To me those shell holders look too close together to hold a shell and charge. Having said that I recall a photo taken on HMS Hood (I think) that had gun crews holding fixed ammo for the 4-inch guns. A different model of gun perhaps?

Regards, Jeff.

@ArnoldAmbrose Jeff, as you can see in this picture, the shells alone are put in the shell holders and the cordite charges come up from the magazines below via the hoist in front of the first crew member. You can see another one of the crew has a charge on his shoulder and the guy in the foreground is getting the next charge:

(IWM Photo)

 

Dave