Fairmile B ML129, NeOmega 1/144

[Ngantek]

The recent Fairmile craze has got me interested as well. I've been waiting for a kit of the 'B' and it duly arrived from NeOmega in the last few months. @Faraway has done a nice writeup of the contents on his build thread and I also posted them a while back here, so won't repeat. Suffice to say, it looks fantastic and I can't wait to get stuck in.

Another in the (tedious for everyone but me) 'My Grandad's ship' series. He served on ML129 as part of the 3rd ML flotilla through 1941, rather ineffectively patrolling the Straits of Gibraltar. He was fortunate to return to the UK in December, as she was sadly sunk enroute to Malta in March '42, by which time he was in the escort destroyer Bramham; but he was able to catch up with his former flotilla in Malta at the end of the Pedestal convoy.

 

These are the photos of her I could find, a couple from his collection and one IWM:

 

fitting out at Mashford Bros, Cremyll, Devonport:

 

Underway, captioned only 'ML129, 1941'. Those in the know that many of these early fairmiles were shoved out the door with whatever odds and sods could be found and you can see that it was hardly bristling with armament.

 

And there is IWM A 7565, which could very well be taken at the same time; the Pennant flags and Ensign appear to match.

 

I'm not quite ready to get started but I could do with information and help if anyone has it, so I figured the earlier the better.

 

The first question is how to pose her. I'm not hugely fond of or good at the process weathering and sea bases (although modelling in waterline-centric 1/700, find myself doing most times), and models of this size can be quite nice as full hulls built 'clean' on stands. It'd be nice to show of the 'B's distinctive rounded hull and all the gubbins below that I usually don't have the chance to do. Having said all that, I do have the photos above and these below:

 

 

Which would make for a nice little diorama I think given a match to the photos. 

 

The diorama option however, would need some figures. So, question 1:

 

Anyone know of good RN figures in 1/144 scale? The kinds of figures, clothing I'd want are as you see above.

 

I'd also need to find some pennant flags and a means of achieving a nice bow on the halyards. I think @robgizlu has some unobtainium wonderstuff wire, that I'll go and trace back. If anyone knows of such products I'd be very grateful for pointers.

 

The next question is what colour is she painted? The obvious options, 507A, 507C (she was at Gib after all), perhaps a mid shade mix of the two; and the last wild card, could it perhaps be Mountbatten pink? My entire lack of any knowledge on this would lead me to believe any of those based on the range wide range of shades in the three photos; if anything I find 507C the hardest to square with what I see.

 

As for the wild Mountbatten pink suggestion, here are I suppose the arguments that might support it:

- Before moving to Gib, they appear to have been based at Plymouth at the same time that Mountbatten and the 5th DF were. I'm sure I've read it being referred to as 'Plymouth pink' somewhere whether thats a different thing or not.

- Mountbatten and the 5DF escorted them to Gib and in fact seemed to put them through their paces. I've added some of his relevant writings to give this context below:

- It's more of a disconnect, but I've seen posts that reportedly have researched evidence into some Fairmile Bs being painted mountbatten pink rather later, during the St. Nazaire Raid.

 

Quote

As soon as the flotillla was ready, we were sent to Gibraltar. As our fuel tanks were too small, we had to have additional ones fitted to the deck. Not unly did they make us unstable, but if hit would explode and shower the boat with burning petrol. To avoid the worst of the submarines, we had set a course that took us half across the Atlantic. Mountbatten escorted us in Kelly. During the briefing meeting, one got some idea of his quality, decisiveness and his charm. Each day we had to hoist a signal giving our exact position. The skill was not to be first, read the other signals, and if one's own position corresponded, okay, otherwise compromise.

 

So I'm not trying to push for Mountbatten pink per se, just presenting what I know, and wondering if anyone has suggestions.

 

Anyway that's it for now, I'll get to actual modelling someday, but in the mean time, thought I'd throw those questions out earlier rather than later.

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

Andy

 

 

[Faraway]

10 hours ago, Ngantek said:

The next question is what colour is she painted?

As we are both building the same boat, it would be nice to finish them with different colour schemes.

I won't be displaying her on a 'water' base, I've not the room,  just my usual wood.

Except this time I'm using the two stands provided with the kit (they actually fit the hull) instead of brass supports.

Back to the colour, like you I considered Mountbatten Pink which, as you say, was worn by one that was lost at St Nazaire,(and which I have NARN25 MP) my Coastal Craft book has many examples of colour schemes and camouflage patterns.

And if the kit is finished as a generic Fairmile, I personally, don't see why it can't be anything I like, however if it's to be displayed as a certain boat then I'd like to get the finish as close to real as possible.

So, what d'you reckon, shall we collaborate on paint scheme ?

I also have a question.....do you know where to get draught markings in this scale ?

Jon

 

[Jeff.M]

17 hours ago, Ngantek said:

and a means of achieving a nice bow on the halyards. 

 

 

You can get a very realistic bow using stretched plastic sprue—and you can paint it if not the right color. You can make to the tiniest diameters that look completely in-scale.   Just a thought . . . 
 

Best,

 

Jeff

[Ngantek]

10 hours ago, Faraway said:

As we are both building the same boat, it would be nice to finish them with different colour schemes.

I won't be displaying her on a 'water' base, I've not the room,  just my usual wood.

Except this time I'm using the two stands provided with the kit (they actually fit the hull) instead of brass supports.

Back to the colour, like you I considered Mountbatten Pink which, as you say, was worn by one that was lost at St Nazaire,(and which I have NARN25 MP) my Coastal Craft book has many examples of colour schemes and camouflage patterns.

And if the kit is finished as a generic Fairmile, I personally, don't see why it can't be anything I like, however if it's to be displayed as a certain boat then I'd like to get the finish as close to real as possible.

So, what d'you reckon, shall we collaborate on paint scheme ?

Yeah not a bad idea Jon, but don't let it hold you up. My average decision making time is about the same as your average build completion time! Did you have a preference? I all honesty I had without any thought at all, assumed it'd be 507A, and only now have bothered to consider. Coming from my comfortable position of complacent ignorance, I feel like that or Pink would be equally creditable (right up until the nanosecond I apply paint, at which point irrefutable evidence to the contrary will magically appear). Pink would make a change, though in truth, I struggle to pick up the pink tone in the colour, and short of discovering a clear historical steer, am not particularly bothered one way or the other. Frankly they all look grey to me. If you have any preference it would probably tip me the other way, as you say to give a bit of variety.

 

10 hours ago, Faraway said:

I also have a question.....do you know where to get draught markings in this scale ?

Jon

 

Ah yeah no my thinking hadn't got that far. Add that to my list of questions too!

 

4 hours ago, Jeff.M said:

You can get a very realistic bow using stretched plastic sprue—and you can paint it if not the right color. You can make to the tiniest diameters that look completely in-scale.   Just a thought . . . 
 

Best,

 

Jeff

What?! An approach that requires skill and technique and not the purchase of another hoped for wonder-product? Entirely not my style!

 

Seriously I will have a try though, my very limited experiments with the technique gave very poor results, but a great place to have a go. Thanks for the tip.

 

When's your Fairmile B kit turning up then Jeff? 🤣

 

Andy

[Jeff.M]

26 minutes ago, Ngantek said:

When's your Fairmile B kit turning up then Jeff?

When my significant other (wife)  says I can buy it. 🙂

 

Jeff

[Ngantek]

I've been scratching my head on this. 3 photos, all very different shades suggested by the lighting conditions.

 

Honestly, it looks like I just assemble it all and paint everything one colour, deck, fittings the lot, which doesn't make for a particularly interesting model. 

 

 

 

I'm very undecided on the colour; comparing to the dockyard workers, it doesn't seem quite dark enough to be 507A, somehow? Likewise the 'lighter' picture on top. Equally, 507C seems to come up almost white looking in the sun. So some intermediate shade perhaps? The inside of the pennant numbers look a similar shade. So somewhere between 507C and 507A... A halfway mix perhaps or, again, Mountbatten pink? I might be tipping towards the latter, I'm not sure how many projects I'll see with a similar level of (still very speculative) connection to the colour, and it does make for some variation.

I always hate doing this, but perhaps I might make a nuisance of myself and ping @Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies @dickrd. Do either of you perhaps have an opinion on what kind of Light reflectance value we're looking at here?

 

I'm thinking I might vary the deck colour just for a bit of... something.

 

In model news, I've got the thing out and removed the resin spur from the hull. The casting looks nice, but a bit of priming, sanding, sharpening detail will still be needed to remove the little imperfections in the resin. It occurs to be that this is acutally my first resin ship kit, which is surprising given how many I have in the stash. I'm considering making a sea base bed with a signifcant underwater cutout around the screws, which might, with some slightly imperfect joining around the waterline, allow the model to be removed and put on a stand. Grand plans!

Andy

 

[mick b]

https://starling-models.co.uk/collections/1-144/products/royal-navy-figures-1-144
 

Mike

[dickrd]

FWIW I am confident that it's not 507C and I don't think it's 507A (although that can look very light in some photos). Given the date and location of the three photos, if it was my model I would be using MBP. 

Edited January 16 by dickrd

[Harrysgrandad]

Hi Andy

Gunthwaite Miniatures are what you need 😁.

https://www.gunthwaite.co.uk/Index.html
Cheers

Graham

[Ngantek]

12 hours ago, mick b said:

https://starling-models.co.uk/collections/1-144/products/royal-navy-figures-1-144
 

Mike

Thanks Mike. Oddly I had it in my that there were only the RAF rescue launch crew in that scale. So often the answer is right under your nose!

 

1 hour ago, dickrd said:

FWIW I am confident that it's not 507C and I don't think it's 507A (although that can look very light in some photos). Given the date and location of the three photos, if it was my model I would be using MBP. 

Thanks so much Richard. It's great to hear your view, and that MBP wouldn't be a complete shot in the dark. As you say, I've been looking at lot at photos of the med scheme (Eridge, Legion, Lance for example, dark hull light uppers), and Hood on the world tour; there does seem a lot of variation on the look of 507A, if indeed thats what I'm looking at.

 

I think I'll go with MBP, but it's not a colour that I have ever needed in the past so will have to settle in for when a certain of our esteemed colleagues gets around to it

 

25 minutes ago, Harrysgrandad said:

Hi Andy

Gunthwaite Miniatures are what you need 😁.

https://www.gunthwaite.co.uk/Index.html
Cheers

Graham

Ah cheers Graham, they look great too. I will enquire!

 

Bit of work getting started on the hull and superstructure last night. Not much, just filling and chiselling out some gun mounts and surrounds that I won't be needing, and fettling in the superstructure. The 3d print resin is quite brittle, so care is needed. Grandad's ML was hardly bristling with weaponry at this early stage:

 

Quote

We did not realise then what a useless thing our ML was. It was supposed to be able to tackle German E Boats, and to protect the convoys from submarines. The E Boats were diesel engined and capable of 40 knots; we, with difficulty could reach 26, and had petrol engines. Our main armament was a 2 pounder, Victorian saluting gun. It was laid and trained manually, and fired about 4 rounds a minute. The E Boats' Bofors fired 40. Our secondary armament were Lewis guns, first World War machine guns, prone to jamming. Worse still was their stripped version, fired from the shoulder. These had a tendency to pull to the left. In our case this resulted in the deaths of two members of the crew.

 

In all other ships, the ASDIC is moved by an electric motor to the required bearing. On Mls it was fixed and could only alter the direction of its beam by turning the ship. This is clumsy and inefficient. It also ends up with a stern chase  and which is almost bound to be unsuccessful.

Which is a pretty awful story.

 

The "2pounder" I think is a hotchkiss 3pdr from the photos above, which would be fairly standard for a Fairmile B it seems. I remember passing a riverboat with some similarly piddling little saluting gun and he making a point to say that that was his 'main armament'. At the time, only knowing that he served in armed merchants and destroyers, I was even more surprised.

 

The 'plug' under the superstructure piece is, I think, intentionally a little oversized for the gap in the upper hull and somewhat rounded, but does then allow for you to square it down to fit very snug. The very foremost 'skirt' around the wheelhouse is similarly rounded underneath, so that might need a bit structural filling or shimming, but overall a quite pleasing fit can be achieved. I've also just started to run a corner chisel along all the hull raised detail to sharpen it a little.

 

 

@Faraway Just checking, but the stands have too thin a slot to fit the keel. I assume you opened up the slot rather than thinning the keel on the hull?

 

Andy

[Faraway]

32 minutes ago, Ngantek said:

I assume you opened up the slot rather than thinning the keel on the hull?

You are right, I just ground the slot out a bit.

It's nice to have a stand that actually conforms to the hull profile.

Jon

[beefy66]

2 hours ago, Ngantek said:

I think I'll go with MBP, but it's not a colour that I have ever needed in the past so will have to settle in for when a certain of our esteemed colleagues gets around to it

 

HI Andy,

that might take a while sorry as I type this with one hand sitting next to my hospital bed after being taken into hospital last Friday after suffering a minor stroke which has meant that my left side is useless at the minute no good for paint shaking I am afraid.

Typical after just having opened the new webstore I had to lock it again.

Progress is slow at the moment but hopefully the physio will help a lot.

 

Stay Safe

 

Keith

[Faraway]

4 minutes ago, beefy66 said:

 

HI Andy,

that might take a while sorry as I type this with one hand sitting next to my hospital bed after being taken into hospital last Friday after suffering a minor stroke which has meant that my left side is useless at the minute no good for paint shaking I am afraid.

Typical after just having opened the new webstore I had to lock it again.

Progress is slow at the moment but hopefully the physio will help a lot.

 

Stay Safe

 

Keith

Keith.

I am so sorry to hear of your health problem.

I hope you have a speedy recovery, but don’t rush, I’m sure we can wait a while longer for our paint.

Jon

[Faraway]

3 hours ago, Ngantek said:

The 'plug' under the superstructure piece is, I think, intentionally a little oversized for the gap in the upper hull and somewhat rounded, but does then allow for you to square it down to fit very snug. The very foremost 'skirt' around the wheelhouse is similarly rounded underneath, so that might need a bit structural filling or shimming, but overall a quite pleasing fit can be achieved. I've also just started to run a corner chisel along all the hull raised detail to sharpen it a little.

Lucky you. I’ve been struggling for a few hours now, to get this deck house to bed down.

Jon

 

[RN WW2]

1 hour ago, beefy66 said:

 

HI Andy,

that might take a while sorry as I type this with one hand sitting next to my hospital bed after being taken into hospital last Friday after suffering a minor stroke which has meant that my left side is useless at the minute no good for paint shaking I am afraid.

Typical after just having opened the new webstore I had to lock it again.

Progress is slow at the moment but hopefully the physio will help a lot.

 

Stay Safe

 

Keith

I hope you have a speedy and full recovery Keith. All the best.

 

regards

Colin Wall.

[Ngantek]

2 hours ago, beefy66 said:

 

HI Andy,

that might take a while sorry as I type this with one hand sitting next to my hospital bed after being taken into hospital last Friday after suffering a minor stroke which has meant that my left side is useless at the minute no good for paint shaking I am afraid.

Typical after just having opened the new webstore I had to lock it again.

Progress is slow at the moment but hopefully the physio will help a lot.

 

Stay Safe

 

Keith

 

 

Oh blimmin eck Keith, I'm so sorry to hear that. Rotten timing for you although I suppose there's never a good time. Do take care, as Jon says, us getting our model paint is entirely unimportant in the grand scheme of things. I just wish for you make a full (and very calm and relaxed!) recovery.  

All the best,

 

Andy

[Jeff.M]

4 hours ago, beefy66 said:

suffering a minor stroke

Keith,

 

I don’t want to highjack Andy’s thread, so I sent you a PM. 
 

Do get well soon,

 

Jeff

[Ngantek]

21 hours ago, Faraway said:

Lucky you. I’ve been struggling for a few hours now, to get this deck house to bed down.

Jon

 

Yeah herein lies the advantage of being lazy and having low standards 🤣 (not that the kit is of a low standard of course!). I found the plug too long mostly, but I was surprised it's moulded as such a 'wooly' rounded thing, presumably because of the 3d printing requirements. I imagine they all might come out a tad different; @Jeff.M's 'D' structure looks to have a very pronounced bow compared to mine for example. Trumpeter's Corner Chisel of Win tends to be my go to for these kinds of things.

 

Anyway my problem usually isn't the dry fitting, it's that it looks great beforehand and becomes horrific the minute I apply glue.

 

 

Andy

[robgizlu]

I'm gone a week and everyone's offed on a sprint 

I can hardly keep up.

Andy - a couple of points - I've spied these figures on Ebay that look interesting...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355486498346?_skw=Royal+Navy+Figures&var=624641260035&itmmeta=01JHZNEDYVQWVBZ8N1J0HRPJDC&hash=item52c4a57e2a%3Ag%3AcrAAAOSwd0Nl2Jbw&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKnxZBMvISKPboIjYizWP6uq8rIo0Tj%2BH0WoKXAluV9F4nZWJ09uNUyo92tP%2B%2FSGKSB7RYUzBuLrdgeq5G4qjN7%2BiLs3EmD%2Bjhn8HP9%2BycZBMcfycd%2Bh87fAq6jFWDfoWqE%2FP6QPuS24MP6nj8x7ueA8rMiyYjMKwENuoWDEFA6%2FGCKUBtqRnmtD6flUNZ5AABh%2Br4jS9gyFKd1NkkaVHQn%2BxatKKXfYbvQ9bJ86a4ygbvRmaY%2BaPRpU2Fa5ftckp6qhGwV5zHpsD%2FWLT%2BNL0STbarEYVhN%2BhqZoGzx3TlKQTA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMzt-59Y9l

 

The 2 Pounder WAS a common fitting for the B's and is a distinct weapon

 

https://micromaster.co.nz/collections/royal-navy-coastal-patrol-boats/products/1-144-royal-navy-3-pdr-1-85-40-47-mm-mkv-mounting

 

I scratched one for my 1/72 scratchbuild (hull from MTB Hulls).

 

I'm liking the idea of another MBP pink vessel.

Rob

[Ngantek]

On 19/01/2025 at 16:31, robgizlu said:

I'm gone a week and everyone's offed on a sprint 

I can hardly keep up.

Andy - a couple of points - I've spied these figures on Ebay that look interesting...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355486498346?_skw=Royal+Navy+Figures&var=624641260035&itmmeta=01JHZNEDYVQWVBZ8N1J0HRPJDC&hash=item52c4a57e2a%3Ag%3AcrAAAOSwd0Nl2Jbw&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKnxZBMvISKPboIjYizWP6uq8rIo0Tj%2BH0WoKXAluV9F4nZWJ09uNUyo92tP%2B%2FSGKSB7RYUzBuLrdgeq5G4qjN7%2BiLs3EmD%2Bjhn8HP9%2BycZBMcfycd%2Bh87fAq6jFWDfoWqE%2FP6QPuS24MP6nj8x7ueA8rMiyYjMKwENuoWDEFA6%2FGCKUBtqRnmtD6flUNZ5AABh%2Br4jS9gyFKd1NkkaVHQn%2BxatKKXfYbvQ9bJ86a4ygbvRmaY%2BaPRpU2Fa5ftckp6qhGwV5zHpsD%2FWLT%2BNL0STbarEYVhN%2BhqZoGzx3TlKQTA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMzt-59Y9l

 

The 2 Pounder WAS a common fitting for the B's and is a distinct weapon

 

https://micromaster.co.nz/collections/royal-navy-coastal-patrol-boats/products/1-144-royal-navy-3-pdr-1-85-40-47-mm-mkv-mounting

 

I scratched one for my 1/72 scratchbuild (hull from MTB Hulls).

 

I'm liking the idea of another MBP pink vessel.

Rob

Thanks for the help Rob. I've been slowly imbibing bits of info from your build since you mentioned it at Telford, at least whenever I think the ego can take it! It's quite an astonishing model even by your standards.

 

I'm still a little confused though; they're links to 3 pdrs (rather than 2) which are still basically the old hotchkiss no? The photos of ML129 above look hotchkissistch to my entirely ignorant eye, with that characteristic boot shaped stock? I know nothing of guns, but did some searching through what sources I have for this victorian 2pdr and from the photos came to the (perhaps mistaken) conclusion that it was a hotchkiss 3pdr and mistaken recollection. 

 

Those figures look nice; I have considered them. I'm in the process of tracking down some of those nice Al Gunthwaite ones that @Harrysgrandad pointed me towards so I'll check those out first.

 

Not a lot of progress. I haven't helped myself by getting sidetracked on a pair of nice Starling 3d print kits, but a bit of work on the hull.

 

The hull casting had a few tiny bubbles on both the underside and deck; small enough that I'd assumed (hoped!) that they'd magically disappear under a layer of primer. Turns out they didn't! A lot are deeply entwined in the surface detail so I wanted to avoid a method that needed faring in filler flush with sanding sticks. 

 

I've opted to use vallejo putty before wiping the excess off with a wet cotton bud. Hopefully somewhat successful. A slightly slow process since the filler doesn't always want to 'go in' to the hole and in any case shinks back so require multiple applications when holes you were convinced were done decide to reappear.

 

 

 

 

A few more significant irregularities on the hull have been fared in with CA and talc (I have a suspicion this larger one below was an unnoticed scar caused by my over exhuberant removal of the casting stock along the keel), and a bit more fiddling with the bridge/wheelhouse fit.

 

 

 

it's about as good as I think i have the ability to make it without risking making it worse. The design will always leave a little lip there. The forward skirt has been brought lower with CA and talc, sanded square and then feathered to fit the deck; it was somewhat rounded off straight out of the casting block.

 

 

So not much progress but there we are. @Faraway, I know you suggested making them a little differently but in light of the historical evidence, I'm somewhat minded to shamelessly copy you and also go pink, I hope that's okay. 129 looks to have been one colour so it won't at least have that really like blue deck that yours does.

 

Andy

 

 

 

[robgizlu]

Andy - Thanks for your kind comments and YES - I got that completely Wrong - getting confused with the HDML 2 Pounder - You are right - you're original comment was completely correct - I'll get my jacket - as I always say "Fat Drunk & Stupid"  

Despite a dry January.....................................

And nice work on all the filling - thats a lot.  Never got on withthe Vallejo filler myself.

Rob

[JohnWS]

On 16/01/2025 at 06:42, beefy66 said:

 

... taken into hospital last Friday after suffering a minor stroke ...

Really sorry to hear this beefy.  Look after yourself.

 

Here's wishing you a speedy recovery.

 

John

[Faraway]

9 hours ago, Ngantek said:

So not much progress but there we are. @Faraway, I know you suggested making them a little differently but in light of the historical evidence, I'm somewhat minded to shamelessly copy you and also go pink, I hope that's okay. 129 looks to have been one colour so it won't at least have that really like blue deck that yours does.

Be interesting to see yours take shape.

Mine didn’t have all those pinholes, just a couple along the keel so they don’t show.

I’m not building to represent a particular boat, but a ‘generic’ MGB.

Jon

[mark.au]

Some good stuff here. The pin hole issue is my bugbear with resin, drives me batty - and that’s from someone who hasn’t built anything larger than a 1/48 aircraft using the stuff! Your patience and focus is beyond mine on that. I think one of these larger scale fast boats is on my list of to-do’s, but perhaps not a resin it. Following this with interest regardless.

[bigbadbadge]

Lovely Personal project Andy.  Crikey a lot of airbubbles, although I am sure it will look spectacular when done.

I must get back on with my Achates build and I have a Vosper with lots of extras to do.

Great start on this one

Chris