Kriegsmarine Flower Class Flak Ship for Telford

[MerlinJones]

Are these all kits parts so far?

Regards,
Bruce

[bluesteel]

Are these all kits parts so far?

Regards,
Bruce

Apart from the plastic card to build up the stern water-line, yes, all kit parts so far.

[MerlinJones]

I was thinking that those stays were a good detail to include in a kit. Other companies might've expected you to scratch such things.

Regards,
Bruce

[bluesteel]

I was thinking that those stays were a good detail to include in a kit. Other companies might've expected you to scratch such things.

Regards,
Bruce

Yes you are right. There are many small detail parts, making this a real gem of a kit. Interestingly, although in a Revell box it has multi-colour sprues. I can't think of any other Revell Matchbox re-pop that retained the original multi-colour plastic of Matchbox. Which makes me wonder is they are literally reboxing of original Matchbox parts, the plastic has the clean crisp feel of Matchbox kit parts.

[bluesteel]

Some deck furniture now attached, and working on the forward guns. Although the German main gun was a 10.5cm, I think the 4 inch gun supplied is close enough. But the turret cupola seems larger than those supplied with the kit, so I've taken and modified the turret from the Airfix Gun Emplacement Set. There are also two small bandstands either side and to the rear of the main gun with two2cm guns; for these I've used the bandstands from the Airfix Coastal Fort Set, which seem about right.

[MerlinJones]

So even the added-extras are of CBK origin?
Brilliant.

Regards,
Bruce

[bluesteel]

So even the added-extras are of CBK origin?
Brilliant.

Regards,
Bruce

Yes, I'm trying to keeps as CBK as possible. But I think the Quad Flak guns might stump me, I can't think of any CBK with Quad Flaks..

[PaulBradley]

You could disguise the quad fifties from the Matchbox M16 half track kit.

As an alternative, I'm sure the Germans used, either through purchase or capture, Bofors 40mm guns, and those would be a likely candidate for re-use on these conversions.

[MerlinJones]

Yes, I'm trying to keeps as CBK as possible. But I think the Quad Flak guns might stump me, I can't think of any CBK with Quad Flaks..

No CBK, but I know Revell do a Flak S-Boat.

Regards,
Bruce

[malepo]

damn - that thing is huge

[bluesteel]

You could disguise the quad fifties from the Matchbox M16 half track kit.

As an alternative, I'm sure the Germans used, either through purchase or capture, Bofors 40mm guns, and those would be a likely candidate for re-use on these conversions.

Correct. Plus, the Flak 36 37mm looks similar. You could possibly scratch a quad flak 38 but Esci / Italeri provide a clunky classic (albeit not Brritish) in their German Guns Set.

That's a good idea I have some Bofors gun sets somewhere in the stash. I think I have a Hasegawa Wirbelwind that I can rob at least one Flak Quad from. An oval bandstand behind the bridge had a single Flak 36 3.7cm and at the rear there was a semi-circular bandstand with a double 3.7cm mounted, so I'll need 3 Bofors, which I think I might have somewhere

[bluesteel]

More work on the superstructure tonight with even more deck furniture.








Next a little more complex 'real modelling' work when I start to build up the open bridge from the kit, then enclose it with plastic card as per the Kriegsmarine version.

Now I have discovered my build is very much a Semi-What-If version as, on closer inspection of the photos, reveals there are two types of Flower Class Corvette. The US and Canadian type an the British type. The main difference being he British type has a much shorter fo'csle, and the French Flower Class were built to the British design and the Matchbox/Revell Flower Class is the US/Canadian design. Also the Germans cut away part of the aft gunwales to assist with minesweeping equipment they installed, which I haven't done on mine. So it's a What-If with some historical reality...

[bluesteel]

Starting to look more Warship like now with it's first priming in battleship grey:

[bluesteel]

I'm now building up the sides of the open Bridge to enclose it, so I can put a Bandstand Flak gun on the roof. Also cut out the semi-circle Bandstand Flak position that juts out over the rear of the engine room:

[bluesteel]

Got to get a move on with this is Telford is coming up fast...

Work on enclosing the Bridge and the gun Bandstands. Quite slow work to get the plastic sheet cut to the right sizes and the curved enclosures on tbe Bandstands glued correctly. But it's getting there...