I dusted off a project I started years ago: HMS Erebus, as she was in June 1944, supporting the Normandie landings. This is a scratch build in 1:350.
Here she is in unpainted form, with HMS Roberts (WEM) as her natural companion.
The basic ship was simple enough: Ian Buxton provided accurate (simplified) plans in his book on monitors. However, the configuration in 1944 is a challenge! The ship was modified extensively after 1939.
My greatest question mark regards the port side: most pictures show the starboard side.
Does someone have studied this ship in detail, regarding her configuration towards the end of WW2?
Last edited by Maarten Sch�nfeld on Fri Mar 20, 2026 12:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell" Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
Too bad, no. Not in her later life. Only two well known pictures from her starboard side.
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell" Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
To become more specific: can someone identify the structure in the blue circle?
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell" Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
WW2 is not something I am very knowledgeable about, but didn't the British catch up to some extent with the German radar developments? Could it be a protective structure around an antenna?
Eberhard
Former chairman Arbeitskreis historischer Schiffbau e.V. (German Association for Shipbuilding History)
Thanks for your reply! As far as I know now it could be anything. But I'm not aware af any radar-related shed or so that looks like that, neither do I think Erebus was used in any experiments that might justify such a shed.
So it's a clever idea, but difficult to confirm now.
Last edited by Maarten Sch�nfeld on Sun Mar 22, 2026 1:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell" Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
As you see in my picture (first post) I have added the 15 inch gun turret from scratch, complete with the hoods covering the raised trunnions of this version, allowing a gun elevation of 30°, as opposed to the standard 20° in the battleships. I modified the turret of the WEM Roberts model similarly, WEM obviously missed it as they include a simple copy of the Academy Warspite with its conical (not faceted) front shield.
All the secondary armament will be provided by Black Cat Models from Normandie (Benjamin Druel), I just placed an order for those 3D hardware
With hindsight I could have used a 15 inch Mk. I turret from Micromaster instead, but also modified for the elevated gun trunnions. These were particular for the monitors,
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell" Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
What you marked in blue is an unguided rocket launcher used at the beginning of the war on many RN ships. It was on the port side, on the starboard side there was a single 40 mm Bofors. After modernization in 1944 there were single 40 mm Bofors on both sides.
The reply makes sense, only: were these unguided rocket launchers (or UP launchers) not removed before 1943, when that photo was taken? I recall these had proven to be completely ineffective.
I'm starting to come to the conclusion that platform remained there indeed but stayed empty, the two similar platforms a little further aft received single 40mm guns.
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell" Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
the photo must have been taken at the beginning of the war around 1940 because it had camouflage from 1941-42 and was changed to a different type in 1943-44
Maarten Sch�nfeld wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2026 2:38 am
To become more specific: can someone identify the structure in the blue circle?
What's this object.jpg
The upper photo attached shows (circled in red) the location of the UP launcher in this area was when it was fitted. You can see its distinctive silhouette. Your blue circle is further forward and lower down.
I estimate your photo of Erebus to have been taken sometime August-October 1942. She had ditched the 1941 camouflage by then. A contemporary sketch labels the deckhouse at A as being "Radio Location Gear?". At B is a single shielded 20mm Oerlikon.
Well, we're getting more and more into a discussion about dates and color schemes.
Below the only picture I have from the Port side, in August 1944 at Normandie. Note the color scheme.
HMS Erebus off River Orne 8-1944-cutout.JPG (9.29 KiB) Viewed 274 times
But what can we make of this? When I compare it to the other images, I would still think I'd see a UP launcher. But we know it was removed already after 1941! So please help me identify the elements we can see on this picture.
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell" Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
Time for an update: my model has progressed considerably, thanks to input from several of you. Thanks for all the suggestions and info! All the secondary armament, Carley Floats and boats still need to be added, as is the aft lattice mast.
Please keep posting suggestions for improvements!
You will note the two aft gun tubs are dissimilar, as the result of the staged abolition of the IP launchers. These will both get a single 40mm Bofors.
The single gun tub in front, behind the funnel will get a single 2-pdr gun. Note the hodgepodge collection of AA-guns, but I guess they used what they could get at that time.
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell" Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
In case it helps this what the official armament return lists for her lt AA armament at this time:
12 x 2 pdr pom poms in quad mountings (ie 3 mountings)
1 x 2 pdr pom pom single
1 x 40mm Bofors single
8 x 20mm Oerlikon in twin power mountings (ie 4 mountings)
7 x 20mm Oerlikon single
It is a pity that there seems to be no clear photo of the port side at this time. However from what I see in the starboard photos, the single 2pdr was in the port (left) position across from the single 40mm Bofors. There was no third tub behind the funnel.
