The Ship Model Forum

by **Maarten Sch�nfeld** » Tue Sep 29, 2026 4:23 pm

I stand corrected.

The point is really: the bilge keels are fully visible. Whether it is a slipway or a drydock ist not really the matter, is it?

by **OzzyO.** » Tue Sep 29, 2026 11:50 am

Maarten Sch�nfeld wrote: Sat Apr 13, 2024 1:35 am Hi EJ,

That is one of the very rare pictures I've seen from either Nelson or Rodney in drydock! I added a little blue arrow to indicate the issue...
Nelson_Bilgekeels cropped.jpg
And your note about the bilge keels will be lost to most, ast hardly anyone is aware these bilge keels were problematic, in the sense that running aground could cause the ship to founder, whilst these bilge keels were then forced upwards creating large leaks.

So they removed the center part of the bilge keel, as is shown on the Shell Expansion Plan. But the way they did that was slightly different from the drawing.

I would give an arm and a leg now to see whether they did that in the same way on Rodney as well! In that case I have to adjust my model...

Sorry to say that this photo of Nelson is not in dry dock, but on the slip way at her builders. If it was a dry dock,
The floor would be flat apart from packing blocks,
It would have sides, some have large steps in them for the side packing,
Lock gates,
The covers would normally be off the props,

ATB

OzzyO.

by **Mr. Church** » Tue Jan 27, 2026 11:05 am

Rodney wore her camouflage right up to her fiery end in Inverkeithing.

Albeit looking progressively more shabby as time went on.

by **Maarten Sch�nfeld** » Mon Dec 15, 2025 4:58 pm

Heartbreaking photos...

Note, the carcass in front is the Rodney, the slightly more complete hull behind it is Nelson, behind that is Revenge.

As we were discussing Rodney's paint scheme, you cann only see the latest scheme of Nelson. As Rodney above the waterline has already vanished, there's no way to see what scheme she wore from these photos.

by **TZoli** » Mon Dec 15, 2025 1:00 pm

Maarten Sch�nfeld wrote: Sun Dec 14, 2025 4:47 pm There are even pictures of Rodney at the breakers where she's still wearing what was left of het camo.

Nelson got a new assignment for the Far East at the end of the war, hence she got the appropriate scheme. Rodney was too much worn out already.

HMS Rodney 1950:

And the saddest most heartbreaking photo:

by **Maarten Sch�nfeld** » Sun Dec 14, 2025 4:47 pm

There are even pictures of Rodney at the breakers where she's still wearing what was left of het camo.

Nelson got a new assignment for the Far East at the end of the war, hence she got the appropriate scheme. Rodney was too much worn out already.

by **tjstoneman** » Sat Dec 13, 2025 10:21 am

By late 1944, Rodney was worn out, and became a virtually static flagship for CinC Home Fleet at Scapa Flow, where she remained from November 1944 to May 1945. She was paid off into reserve in November 1945, and remained thus until towed away for scrap.

by **DarthDooDoo** » Sat Dec 13, 2025 4:36 am

Thanks all a lot for the help!

I was quite surprised she still had camo all the way to 1948. I thought Rodney would have the same scheme as Nelson. It's a good thing I purchased an extra Rodney just in case so I can kitbash the two together. Next steps are finishing Nelson and refining my 3D parts to better fit Rodney.

by **tjstoneman** » Fri Dec 12, 2025 11:22 am

Significant physical differences between Rodney's and Nelson's appearances in 1945 included:

Foretop smaller, and support narrower, than Nelson, and only one HA.DCT (Tamiya Nelson Parts B21, B22, B26, B36)
No quadruple 40mm or palforms for same (Parts B2, B11, B26)
Armoured director on top of Conning Tower in place of part B26
Different crane ("Derrick" in Tamiya Nelson instructions)

Additionally, there were numerous differences in RDF (radar) fits, light AA and boat stowage.

by **dick** » Fri Dec 12, 2025 10:46 am

Rodney remained in what was essentially her 1942 disruptive scheme in 1945. In fact she wore this to the end of her life. This is her being towed away for scrap in 1948:

by **DarthDooDoo** » Fri Dec 12, 2025 5:49 am

Would anyone happen to know the biggest physical differences+paint scheme between Nelson and Rodney in 1945 I'm currently building a 1945 pair of Nelson's using Tamiya 1/700 Nelsons+custom 3d printed lower hull+AA. I'm currently able to only find late war images of Nelson and not Rodney. Would Trumpeter's 1/700 be a decent interpretation? (but it does look like an earlier version of Rodney) I'm not looking for super perfect accuracy cause these were supposed to be quick builds. Thanks for the help!

by **Mr. Church** » Fri Aug 08, 2025 3:18 pm

Some mute footage from 1930 taken aboard Nelson:

https://youtu.be/tU58ft3NWZU?si=pge7bYk-ONwp0xrj

Including a view from inside the octopoidal. Which I had not seen before.

by **Bob the Stug** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 2:07 pm

Getting very interested in these beauties! Bought a good few books, man o war, revised shipcraft plus others. To go alongside the full set of R A Burt and A Raven battleships.

Now a ?? I have the 1/200 Nelson in the attic fleet, as I believe there was not a big difference between the is it worth also buying the 1/200 Rodney??

by **TZoli** » Fri May 24, 2024 1:05 am

Okay I've been informed that these 16" Barrage Directors are actually the Auto Barrage Units with Type 283 radars.
Does anybody have close-in photos or even drawings of them?

For example HMS Bermuda in 1946 have 2 in front of the bridge and one aft:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4293325388

by **TZoli** » Wed Apr 17, 2024 8:09 am

I have a question:
For one of the 1943 USN/BAD (British Admiralty Delegation) proposals to modernize the Nelsons in the US, Friedman states the following:

(Plans showed three twin 5in/54 Mk 34 on each side. They would be controlled by four Mk 37 directors with Type 275 radars, fitted port and starboard on supports on the plotting platform and also abaft the mainmast on supports to be built on the shelter deck. Main-battery fire controls would be modernised with Type 274 radars and there would be two 16in barrage directors (for �B� and �X� mountings, fitting to be deferred). One pom-pom would replace the revolving armoured hood on the gun director tower forward. Three more would be mounted abaft the after superstructure. Of the existing six pom-poms, the two on the fore side of the funnel would remain, but the two on the after superstructure would be moved to the boat stowage space. The one pom-pom on the after end of the quarterdeck would remain, unless it had to be replaced by an RH 2 D/F antenna. At present the ship had forty-one single Oerlikons; as refitted she would have forty-eight single and four twin Oerlikons, for a total of fifty-six barrels.)

What are these 16in barrage directors (for �B� and �X� mountings, fitting to be deferred) ??? And how would these look like?

by **Maarten Sch�nfeld** » Sat Apr 13, 2024 1:35 am

Hi EJ,

That is one of the very rare pictures I've seen from either Nelson or Rodney in drydock! I added a little blue arrow to indicate the issue...

And your note about the bilge keels will be lost to most, ast hardly anyone is aware these bilge keels were problematic, in the sense that running aground could cause the ship to founder, whilst these bilge keels were then forced upwards creating large leaks.

So they removed the center part of the bilge keel, as is shown on the Shell Expansion Plan. But the way they did that was slightly different from the drawing.

I would give an arm and a leg now to see whether they did that in the same way on Rodney as well! In that case I have to adjust my model...

by **EJFoeth** » Wed Apr 10, 2024 2:07 am

Image that was up for sale on Ebay, however, Brexit; preview is the best I can do. Keels do not follow the shell expansion plan outline but seem to be little more than a regular bilgekeel 'trimmed' at the bounding box of the hull.

by **TZoli** » Tue Mar 26, 2024 2:14 pm

I've made new drawings and updated the previous ones:
Nelson class as finished in 1927:

In 1936:

Nelson in 1940:

Nelson in 1942:

Nelson in 1945:

by **dick** » Fri Mar 15, 2024 4:38 am

EJFoeth wrote:....

This was the movie I was acutally trying the link

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... 1060015143
....

I think that there is something dodgy about the order of the clips in this colour film (IWM MGH 4574) and its caption referencing Op Pedestal. For example at the 0.44 mark we see HMS Nelson in her disruptive camouflage pattern first worn in April 1942 and with a pom pom on B turret. Yet later, at the 2.28 mark when she is doing gunnery practice, the turrets and gun barrels are all in overall Home Fleet Grey and there is a UP launcher on B turret ie how she was during 1941. Then at the 5.07 mark we see HMS Lightning in overall Home Fleet grey. Lightning wore this during 1941 but by the Spring of 1942 she was in a dark hull/light upperworks scheme and was that way during August 1942 (Pedestal). More likely is that the views of Lightning in the film are during Op Substance July 1941. This photo is said to date to 23 July 1941 and shows Lightning in company with Nelson then:

by **EJFoeth** » Mon Mar 11, 2024 5:10 am

Indeed, Rodney has a few patches of MS3 that are greenish (not green though). In the above link she's in full colour at the 11 minute mark.

This was the movie I was acutally trying the link

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... 1060015143

Nelson in full colour around 45s. The patterns have been matched with the currently best available data on what the official colours were.

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