The Ship Model Forum

How do we not have a topic on this yet? I know there is a 1/700 build in the work in progress section, but no dedicated thread to the class.

These (very) light cruisers, the Tromp along with the Jacob van Heemskerk, are without a doubt the most successful Dutch cruisers in WWII.

The Tromp in particular was involved in multiple engagements, often very heated, and developed a bit of a name in being the "most reportedly sunk ship" by the Japanese, but somehow kept turning up in harbour again.

Anyway, onto the build.

I am planning on scratchbuilding (will probably cheat a little bit on the life boats and other small details) a 1:600 RNN Tromp, to add to my growing 1:600 collection.

For the hull, I was thinking of using styrene for the deck, along with a styrene central "beam" running down the length of the hull, and using balsa wood on either side of the central beam to shape the hull. It will be my first time scratch building a hull, so it will no doubt be a learning experience.

I'll be making the Tromp alongside my other project on the De Ruyter.

Here is a half decent top and side profile of the Tromp that I have found in my travels:

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After so much backchat it is but right, that Soemba should join in this fight - Soemba Docket

There is an article about this class in Okręty Wojenne, which contains better drawings and which I should have somewhere.

The only kits are probably those of HP Model in 1/700?

I have the Jacob van Heemskerck, which depicts unfortunately not the 1942 version, but the postwar version.

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There are two good references about Tromp:

drawings in 1/200
10.11.016 Flotielleleider Hr.Ms. Tromp (25,07 €)
http://www.modelbouwers.nl/tekeningenschepen.php
(search at "Snel zoeken" for "Tromp")

Warship No. 01: Cruiser HNLMS Tromp
http://www.lanasta.com/Shop/product/158/01-warship.html

Here is a review (in German, but showing some pages) about that book:
http://www.modellmarine.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3252:warship-no-01-cruiser-hnlms-tromp&catid=180

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There is now the new kit by Niko Models:
http://nikomodel.pl/index.php/PL/2013-01-23-21-07-50/okrety-sep/skala1700/item/hnlms-tromp-1942

Is this the fit of Tromp before the Battle of Badung Strait or after the repairs afterwards in Australia?

As far as I am understanding Warship No. 1 linked above the shown 3 in and 20 mm Oerlikon were added in Australia after the battle, i.e. it would be Tromp after the repairs.

Is there a good reference of her camouflage at the time of Battle of Badung Strait?

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Surprising! Nobody so far mentioned the excellent 1:350 kit from Pacific Crossroads. Really one of their best so far. But not perfect, there is certainly room for improvement...

Only the price is really abhorrable. I hope they might find a way to get their prices more in line with other manufacturers, otherwise their sales will remain disappointingly low.

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"There are more planes in the ocean, than submarines in the sky" - old carrier sailor

Hi Maarten,
do you have a good source for Tromp's camouflage in February 1942? Before she was repaired in Australia?

The Pacific Crossroads kit appears to depict her in February 1942.

Is their drawing correct?
http://www.steelnavy.net/sitebuilder/PacificCrossroadsTromp350FBustelo/PCR350TrompInst4.jpg
http://www.steelnavy.net/PacificCrossroadsTromp350FBustelo.html

I checked the Maritiem Digitaal link above - but found only photos made earlier or later.

Cheers,
Lars

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Hi Lars,

Up till end Feb 1942 she remained in overall light grey, and was first camouflaged in Fremantle then, when under repairs from the Badung strait battle. She was still in Fremantle when the rest of the fleet engaged in the battle of Java Sea.

This camouflage pattern was carried until 1944.

Source is the Lanasta book.
Maarten

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"There are more planes in the ocean, than submarines in the sky" - old carrier sailor

Hi Maarten,
the photo used for the box of Pacific Crossroads shows a typical ABDA period Dutch camouflage pattern (similar to Java) - clearly different from the one she got in Australia. Also the additional guns are not visible. But I found only that photo.

Cheers,
Lars

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There are plenty of photos of Tromp showing her after her repairs in Australia.

But if someone else is searching for photos of Tromp as she appeared during Battle of Badung Strait, see here:

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/044774/
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/305844/ (same photo, not as dark)
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/305843/



If a model built from the Niko Models kit should be backdated to her fit during Battle of Badung Strait, some changes has to be made:

a) removal of all 2 cm tubes (on 15 cm gun turrets 2 and 3, rear super structure, the splitter protection around the ones on the upper bridge deck)
b) removal of the two 7.62 cm guns
c) adding the starboard kingpost (sampson post) with a crane midships
d) adding two 1.27 cm twin MG on the upper bridge deck (there appears to be no splitter protection around them; I am not sure, if there are solid rails at the forward part of the upper level of the bridge or if there is canvas added to the rails)
e) modify the foremast (not yet sure how, appears to be lower without crow's nest, perhaps a kind of tripod or only shrouds?)
f) only the port depth charges?

In contrast to some books, the two 4 cm Bofors Hazemayers were already rearranged pre-war (not longer side by side, but superfiring). The plane was landed after Tromp arrived in the East Indies.

Is there something else?

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I am interested in getting the Niko kit of the Tromp, but want to make her in the 1944 fit as she was with the British Eastern Fleet. As a result, what changes are needed, in any?

Thanks in advance

Graham

This should be an easy conversion: replace the search light behind the funnel with 2 cm Oerlikons, add a small mast with a SC-4 radar in front of the foremast and remove the search light there, add a SG radar on the top of the foremast and paint the ship with the standard British Admirality pattern. And there are Type 282 radar on the 4 cm twin mounts.

See here:
http://cdn-live.warthunder.com/uploads/93/2cf6db698a30eb83d4533c540b632dd20f916d/Schermafdruk+2016-09-03+13.46.14.png

Check also the links above for additional photos.

But you wrote 1944... Above I described the fit since February 1945, when she joined again the British Eastern Fleet. If you would like to depict her in 1944, when she served with the Royal Navy, I guess there are no changes necessary - perhaps some small differences in the camouflage pattern. See again the links above.

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One mistake in my statement above: In October 1943 Tromp got two additional 3 in guns, which would have to be added both for the 1944 and 1945 version.

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Great stuff, thanks a lot, that really helps.

Today 75 years ago Hr. Ms. Tromp was damaged in the Battle of Badung Strait by Japanese destroyers. She had to retreat to Australia and therefore survived in contrast to most Dutch ships, which were sunk by Japanese navy, when the Japanese conquered the Dutch East Indies.

I built her from the new Niko Models kit, but converted her to her February 1942 fit (see above for the necessary changes).





Together with Hr. Ms. Java (Niko Models) and Hr. Ms. De Ruyter (an old model built using the JSC card kit):



More photos:
http://www.modellmarine.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4785:niederlaendischer-leichter-kreuzer-hr-ms-tromp-1700-niko-model-von-lars-scharff&catid=112:lars

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This maybe of interest to some, certainly to me.
After repairs in 42, these AWM pictures taken in Sydney, and referred to further up the thread, show her fitted with an Australian A290 antenna top of foremast, version MK unknown.
It would not have been in service for much past the beginning of 43, and is the only photo reference to date of Tromp carrying this antenna.
Up until only yesterday it was believed that only RAN units were fitted with this radar between the beginning of 42 until mid 43.
This came as quite a surprise, ongoing research is still continuing.
To date this is the only photo evidence to support that any other navy unit other than RAN ships were fitted with the A290.

aloha,

it might have been mentioned in another thread, but if you're interested in (building) former dutch warships, you should visit this page:

http://www.gahetna.nl/collectie/archief/ead/index/eadid/4.MST/aantal/20/open/c01:0.#c01:0. this is a collection of scanned drawings of dutch warships, sailing ships and motor or steam vessels and the scans are available for download for free

don't be afraid of the dutch language, google translate works on this page

in case of hr.ms. tromp,

1 - go to section 1.2 (Stoom- en Motorschepen) = steam and motor ships/vessels

2 - go to section 1.2.21 (Kruisers) = cruisers

3 - go to section 1.2.21.3566-3631 for 66 sheets of design drawings of hr.ms. tromp, including linesplans, deckplans, profile, drawings of engineroom etc etc

click on the subsections for the drawings:

example: if you want to see the linesplan, (click on the link for a sample pic)

http://images.memorix.nl/naa/thumb/1280x1280/c1cf542c-122f-a769-ac4e-9ca3bbfe45c7.jpg

1 - click on drawing nr 3580 (Lijnenplan en spantenlijst) = linesplan and cross sections

2 - in the submenu, click on the tab "Alle Scans" = all scans or click on "Bekijk de scans" = view the scans

3 - you'll see the drawings is scanned in three parts, click on the thumbs to view a larger version

4 - now you can view the image and zoom in or out to view details. click on "download" scan for a jpg version. be patient, it might take some seconds before the image is loaded and ready for download

hope this will be usefull and have fun exploring the rest of the collection

fm

This plan collection is really very good! It includes high resolution scans.

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Anyone have a picture or diagram of Tromp's camouflage scheme during the Badung Strait conflict in Feb. 1942?
Thanks, Walt

Nevermind- re-read these posts and found the pictures above. Duh!!