The Ship Model Forum

I was wondering if anyone may have plans or a directly overhead photo of any Bird Class minesweeper (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird-class_minesweeper), i.e. HMNZS's Moa, Kiwi & Tui ? I believe they were built for HMNZN by Henry Robb Ltd, a Scottish shipbuilding company (so I do not know if any other HM ships may have been built to the exact same design.)

Exactly what I am after then is either;
1) Plans of any one of the three ships or of their Class (Bird Class),
OR
2) A 'plan view' (i.e. from directly overhead as it were) of any one of these three ships or ship Class,
OR
3) An aerial photo looking directly down, or almost directly, from above of either of the three ships.

I already have photos of both ships and models from oblique angles, what I am specifically looking for is [u]only direct overhead views, be it from a plan or photo[/u]. The reason I am trying to acquire said image is to aid in research on the sinking of HMNZS Moa (from an Japanese aerial attack during Operation I-GO on 7th April 1943).

Any help much appreciated.

Below is an historical photo of HMNZS Moa circa 1940-1942, and another (composite image of the the bow of the Moa wreck and a model) showing the 'purloined' USN 20mm gun that was only installed on the bow whilst stationed in Tulagi in the months prior to he sinking in 1943. You will note that the 20mm is not there in the earlier stand alone photo. (Note, the model is of HMNZS Kiwi - not Moa - but they were for all intents and purposes, identical).

_________________
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 1100 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942

The plans I was looking for have been 'located' and are posted now on another thread here;
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=314659#p928380

_________________
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 1100 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942

In case anyone was wondering why I was looking for the plan view, no it was not for making a model, but was to include in photos in this thread http://www.j-aircraft.org/smf/index.php?topic=18326.0 over on J-Air and at TullysPort here https://propnturret.com/tully/viewtopic ... 010#p31010 so as to better illustrate the path of a bomb passing through HMNZS Moa, in the description from an u/w survey I did on the wreck almost 20 years ago (yikes, how time flys!). Anyway, I thought I would post same here for those who might be interested in the historical side of things. Basically it simply confirms without doubt that Moa was definitely struck by two bombs, not one as is often commonly thought.

So the following (Image 1 through Image 5) will describe with both text and photos the two bomb hit positions and their trajectories through HMNZS Moa after being bombed (and sunk) by ‘Vals’ in Tulagi Harbour, Solomon Islands on 7th April 1943, during a Japanese air offensive entitled (Strike X in) Operation I-GO.

When looking at the photos bellow it will be helpful to note / remember that the following two points will remain consistent in ALL the images.
1) The red arrows / circular points in each of the following images denote the bomb trajectory, entry and exit points for the bomb that came in from PORT.
2) The green arrow / circular point in each of the following images denotes the bomb trajectory and entry point for the bomb that came in from STARBOARD.

The first two attachments will show the proposed bomb trajectories so one can mentally picture the overall angles of the incoming bombs, and then the following attachments will contain underwater images affirming / corresponding with same.

IMAGE: 1
In this first image the trajectories of the bombs are shown on a model of Moa herself. Note the port bomb (red) enters the foredeck amidships under the ladder just aft of the wheelhouse superstructure (passes through a cabin) and exits out through the starboard hull about halfway up between the waterline and the foredeck.

The starboard bomb (green), very coincidentally, enters the starboard hull just above and forward of the exit hole for the port bomb.

IMAGE 2:
Both trajectories, but as seen from from a different angle so to speak (superimposed on a post-war image of her sister ship HMNZS Kiwi). Note though that in reality the port bomb (red) actually enters the foredeck forward of the funnel (as shown on the model above and plan below) but the overall trajectory is basically what is shown here, just that the entry point is forward of, not aft of, the funnel (as it seems in the photo). The missing portion of the red line is simply where the bomb trajectory 'disappears' as it passes through a cabin before exiting the starboard hull.

IMAGE 3:
The image on the left is of the model from first post. In the center is an underwater image (taken looking forward towards the bow as it were) showing the entry hole - approximately amidships - for the bomb coming in from port. The remains of the ladder base can still be seen to the right (and the said ladder can also be made out in images to left (model), right (historical) and plan view below.

IMAGE 4:
The underwater image on right shows the upper starboard hull at the aft end of the foredeck, and the entry hole for the bomb that came in from starboard (green) and the exit hole for the bomb that came in from port (red).

The colour photo on left shows the inside of the cabin that the bombs passed through. The green arrow denotes the path the bomb took as it passed from the starboard hull through the cabin deck floor (‘black’ hole center at bottom) before detonating below in the Boiler Room. The port bomb entry hole in the cabin ceiling is not in the picture, as it is above and behind to the right of the photographer (me), but part of the exit hole out through the starboard hull can be seen lower right of photo where red arrow ends.

IMAGE 5:
The bomb that exploded in the Boiler Room broke Moa’s back, as can be seen in this photo of her severely buckled and ‘compressed’ starboard bilge keel (and she sank within four minutes with five dead and as many as - depending on source - seven to fifteen injured.

This buckle is located on the seabed almost directly below the diver (my dear wife) in the photo above.


So, no ifs or buts, two definite bomb hits.

_________________
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 1100 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942