Kriegsmarine Flower Class Flak Ship for Telford

[bluesteel]

Now on the bench, err... and chair and floor are the parts of the Revell/Matchbox 1/72nd Flower Class ship I'm converting to one of the four French built Flower Class ships they captured after the invasion of France.

Arquebuse 16th of October 1940 as PA 1
Hallebarde 27th of November 1940 as PA 2
Sabre 29th of November 1940 as PA 3
Poignard in 1941 (exact date not known) as PA 4

I think the last time I built a ship model, a very small one at that, was in 1976! This is a monster, and will hopefully be the main target of the Coastal Command Strike diorama for Telford 2011:





Very few photos exist of the German converted ships and those that do are not very clear, so a lot of this build will be guestimation.

[SJPONeill]

Very different...I've always been keen on one of these but the various Allied options never really floated my boat...this looks really interesting, especially if, as a flak-ship, it may be covered with guns...

[JamesPerrin]

I think the last time I built a ship model, a very small one at that, was in 1976! This is a monster, and will hopefully be the main target of the Coastal Command Strike diorama for Telford 2011:

Just treat it like a big plane without any wings and you'll be fine!

I'm sure you will do a cracking job of it Julian.

[Beowulf Shaeffer]

I think the last time I built a ship model, a very small one at that, was in 1976! This is a monster, and will hopefully be the main target of the Coastal Command Strike diorama for Telford 2011:

Just treat it like a big plane without any wings and you'll be fine!

thats how i sort of look at things these days when i tackle something new..........its just a box full of styrene thats a different shape to what im used to but it all gets glued together just the same

i shall certainly watch this with interest cos it looks huge!

[PaulBradley]

I'd presume that the Germans replaced the armament with lots of small calibre Flak guns - so a raid of your local hobby store's armour section might be in order!

[bluesteel]

The dirty deed id done! A large section of the hull has been cut off to form a waterline Flower Class Flak Ship. I though it was going to take me the whole weekend to do too. After marking of the line, I made the mistake of trying to saw lengthways along it with a hacksaw blade... After two broken blades and just a few inches of cut through the thick plastic later I had to rethink.

Putting my vacform modelling hat on, I make just three short vertical cuts up the keel to the waterline, then scored along the waterline, then bent the plastic until it snapped along a clean straight line. Took all of 20 mins to do the whole thing and it stands on the waterline perfectly - result!

[bluesteel]

Hull now assembled with cross bracers. Then I noticed I'd made a boo boo. The waterline level deviated significantly at the stern. Not sure how that happened as I'd levelled the lines with a plumb bob and spirit level. Not to worry though as I was intending to add a plastic card base, and I can rebuild up the stern from that. Now in progress:

[bluesteel]

Hull now assembled with cross bracers. Then I noticed I'd made a boo boo. The waterline level deviated significantly at the stern. <snip>

Insert a wave.

[bluesteel]

Partying like it's 1977 again ...

Yep, always. One of the better years

[bluesteel]

Decks installed and working on dry fitting some of the superstructure:

[bluesteel]

You're blitzing it, Julian. Interesting clamp. Can't read the label.

"Tan Hill Inn, Ewe Juice" Beer (5%) from Tan Hill Inn, Britains Highest Pub...

http://www.tanhillinn.com;

Makes a very useful deck weight. Although later tonight it won't be quite as heavy

[SJPONeill]

Not only a most interesting subject and build but beer references too!! Great thread!!

[bluesteel]

Next to gradually reduce the deck weight, to ensure the deck dries level

[bluesteel]

I've nearly corrected the error I made when water-lining the rear half of the Corvette, lots of plastic card and patience and its nearly right, following the contours down from hull panel lines to the waterline level:

[JamesPerrin]

Good recovery Julian! Though you're going to be scratching your head as to how it went so awry