The Ship Model Forum

Leander at Espiritu Santo, April 1943

_________________
Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery

Same as above, other side.

_________________
Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery

Good shots of Leander, had not seen them before, thanks for posting Martin.
Pity the port shot is incomplete, notice the NZ developed SW and SWG RDF arrays.

Hi all. Aiming to build HMAS Perth in Med in May 1941 (circa crete shenanigans) and keen for input regards AA fit out (tried to find the steel navy discussion re this but couldnt and the perthone website no longer working). The AWM site has several pics but hard to fully piece it together

Q1: I believe quad pom pom had replaced catapult but were the 2 ex-italian bredas still in place on the circumference of this area or where did they go?
Q2: if the breda's were in place were they offset at 1.30 oclock and 730 oclock (1200 being forrard).
Q3: AA on quarterdeck during this period: Various suggestions summarised as
a) Nil except light single machine guns eg lewis
b) oerlikon in gun tub midline
c) offset quad vickers (certainly present present after refit and new paintjob in '42)

Might try and recreate the vaulting horses in the waist with .303 rifles for novelty

cheers in advance

dan

Dan, If you wait until early next year NHSA (Naval Historical Society of Australia) will be re-releasing HMAS Perth in Ebook, it will include new detailed weapons reports, images and colour profiles.
1) The Mk VII quad replaced the Breda`s fitted on the catapult barbette, fitted in early May 41, the Breda`s were moved to the gundeck either side of the S.L. block, NO actual catapult was ever fitted until Sept/Nov 41 refit.
3) No AA guns on Qtrdeck, 2 quad 0.5 Mk II* fitted Sept/Nov 41. Perth was never fitted with any oerlikons for her entire service. The image you may refer to with Mk I oerlikon (no shield) in octagonal bin on qtrdeck is York.

Fantastic info thanks Brett and look forwards to ordering the book! Just at the stage of collating resources and deciding tine period to model her in.
Thanks again for the rapid response!
Cheers
Dan

Looking for confirmation of the deck covering for "B" and "X" gundecks of Leander class cruisers - specifically Achilles in December 1939, but other dates, or sister ships, might be relevant. I've not found any photographic evidence, and a selection of drawings/plans of variable authenticity offer differing interpretations! The Flyhawk instructions show "Deck Brown" (presumably corticene) for'd and planked aft, but I've seen depictions where "B" gundeck is planked as well - and photos of models where both gundecks appear to be metal. Any views?

Hello Tim, the images I have of Leanders and Modified Leanders show X gundeck planked. The images of B gundeck suggest that it may have been lined with corticene early but for how long? There is a persistent reference to corticene as chocolate brown but of course it did come in different colours other than that. This crop of Sydney late 35 suggests B gundeck was originally lined in corticene but I believe it was removed in 40, as for Achilles late 39, unknown.

The builder's model of Ajax has X gun deck planked and B gun deck unplanked. This tallies with prewar and early war aerial photos and the As Fitteds of Ajax.

The As Fitted's for Ajax do not identify the covering of the unplanked deck areas but on the builder's model B gundeck and various other unplanked areas (other than the foc'sle and circular catapult base) are depicted in a uniform milk chocolate coloured covering. From what I can see on-line, the Flyhawk instructions for Achilles appear to copy the layout faithfully.

Brett, Dick, thank you both.