Calling all Royal Navy V-class & W-class fans

[Graham Boak]

Whilst waiting for the big boys to comment, I'll stick mine in. I can only say that various people seem much more confident of their interpretations than I can judge from my monitor.

Whatever has replaced the rear torpedo tubes does not look like a HA gun to me. What am I missing that convinces others?

The item between the torpedo tubes does look like an HA gun, but supposedly is an diagonally asymmetric platform containing two single 2pdrs - the view being such that the two guns are superimposed in this picture. This is consistent with descriptions of other V/W fits, but the barrel(s) look far too long for a 2 pdr to me. I know it as a short stubby weapon.

The 3pdr I suspect was a typing error for a 3 inch, or 12 pdr.

Behind the rear funnel is canvas accomodation for the crew of the AA guns. This is fairly interesting information in itself, but again does not seem to fit the fairly upright item I am seeing.

The kit option of an HA gun is different again......so what is Tamiya basing that option on?

[Gernot]

Whatever has replaced the rear torpedo tubes does not look like a HA gun to me. What am I missing that convinces others?

Hello, I wonder which photo you looked at. If you view the one I posted, in large size, which is much clearer than the one two posts above here, you will hopefully see that in lieu of the aft tubes is a shielded 12 pdr with the barrel elevated. Thanks for the other comments, it is all rather confusing to me too. It would be nice to have easier reference to previous posts to go by when talking about a particular picture.
Cheers, Gernot

[mike mccabe]

Graham
I would be interested to hear what ar and Tim Stoneman think but the object in place of the rear tubes looks like a 12pdr to me, the shield was flat and angled backwards on the mount so in the absence on a clear photo it looks like it to me. I can't make out the weapons on the platform at all from this photo.

Mike

[Graham Boak]

If you compare the top photo in the Australian Museum comments on Vampire to the one posted above, you can see the platform with two offset mountings aft of the first torpedo tubes, forward of whatever replaced the aft set. However, what has replaced the aft tubes doesn't look like an HA gun to me, and the guns on the platform are too long for my picture of a 2pdr - which I understand to be one barrel of a pom-pom.

[Filipe Ramires]

I have found a few images of HMAS Voyager wreck in Timor and it is pretty clear that she had at least one 2 pdr AA gun aboard. There are several other photos of her and you can see them if you do a collection search and filter it to WWII conflict and to photos.

http://www.awm.gov.au/

Though these photos are related to Voyager they might be a bit of help for the AA debate regarding Vampire.

Regards,

Filipe

[RNfanDan]

SAY,

That digital manipulation is impressive stuff! Why, if you look through the window of the bridge to starboard, you can see Betty Grable's poster hanging on the far bulkhead!

[mike mccabe]

Maybe it's me but the shape of the weapon in those first two photos looks veeerrry similar to the object that replaces the aft torpedo tubes on Vampire....

Mike

[Graham Boak]

OK, I withdraw my comments about the length of barrel, maybe I've been looking at foreshortened photos?

I can see those as being the pair on the platform aft of the first torpedo tubes, but not aft of that.

[Gernot]

I have found a few images of HMAS Voyager wreck in Timor and it is pretty clear that she had at least one 2 pdr AA gun aboard as you can see in the links of the photos I am posting here (Australian War Memorial site). There are several other photos of her and you can see them if you do a collection search and filter it to WWII conflict and to photos.

Filipe, all the links give me a "Denied.gif". I will have to search from the base site I suppose.

[Filipe Ramires]

Yup, they restricted the access to the images through the links then. I guess they don't allow it either. In any case the photos of HMAS Voyager can be found through the collection search, filter to WWII conflict and finally filter to photos only and you will get around 37 photos related with her. The photos of the wreck can be found among those.

[phil gollin]

My favourite V & W is HMS Vortigern (purely because it's a nice and historical name).

According to :-

http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono ... tigern.htm

She was converted to a Short Range Escort in 1940.

Does anyone have any photos (or book references to any) of her after her conversion and does anyone know of specific colour schemes at any particular date.

Thanks in advance.

[MacGregor]

HMAS Vampire 03.04.1942 somewhere on Indian Ocean


HMAS Vampire in 1941


HMAS Vampire in 1940


HMAS Vampire in March 1942



MacGregor from Poland

[Quincy]

Would WEM's O/P destroyer photoetch fret temporarily work on this kit for the time being? I'm especially interested in the searchlight platform area. I know that down the road the major manufacturers will be issuing frets of their own on this kit.



Bob Pink.

[mike mccabe]

Bob
Better bet might be the E class, which is more recent and better in terms of davits for example. The thing with the V/Ws is that they were dissimilar to both the O/P and A-H classes in many ways, so although I haven't been able to get a kit yet, still out of stock, I would think it would be a matter of using bits and pieces where you can find them. You might be able to cut down the lattice mast on the O/P for the searchlight platform?

Mike

[Laurence Batchelor]

My earlier post on page 3 was not to say there isn't a 12pdr 3-inch in the photo I posted, just merely there is and that is why I suggest that photo is late 1941 and not 1942 which was the date given by ar.

Yes Mike Trincomlee being one of the two main RN bases in Ceylon (now known today as Sri Lanka), I merely meant previously that I believe its taken in Trinco or another Cylenenase port such as Columbo.

[Quincy]

Bob
Better bet might be the E class, which is more recent and better in terms of davits for example. The thing with the V/Ws is that they were dissimilar to both the O/P and A-H classes in many ways, so although I haven't been able to get a kit yet, still out of stock, I would think it would be a matter of using bits and pieces where you can find them. You might be able to cut down the lattice mast on the O/P for the searchlight platform?

Mike

Thank you Mike. I'm trying to build this kit for a show at the end of this month so I'm looking for any odds and ends that'll help. Thank you again.





Bob Pink.

[mike mccabe]

Bob
I would be interested to hear what you make of the kit, I though the E class was very good though some areas needed detailing, still trying to get around to spraying mine. I hope white ensign will get around to a V/W fret?

Mike

[Quincy]

Hi Mike:

So far I am loving it. No problems whatsoever. I have the hull and deck together, the two stacks and the bridge structure. A beautiful fit so far.

[Graham Boak]

"I thought the E class was very good though some areas needed detailing,"

Mike, that's the definition of a modeller. If there wasn't something he(she) could add to the model, something to make the fingers twitch, something to say "Well, I could have added this, sharpened that, trimmed the other" it wouldn't be modelling but just assembling. This doesn't mean you actually have to do anything about it.........but you have to have that feeling.

[mike mccabe]

Graham
Very much agree, I'm pleased to say even with a very good kit and the excellent White Ensign fret, I still managed to find some things that needed to be added, not many, but some. As you say, that's what makes the model individual and is also why I rather tire of the demands of some modellers to have everything done for them, so on that basis, I'm glad to be considered (hopefully) a modeller!

Bob
That was my experience with the E class, excellent fit, beautifully engineered kit.

Cheers
Mike