Calling all HMS York and HMS Exeter (WWII) fans

[Tigerfish]

Nice rendition!

I'm sure some others here will chime in about accuracy.

[Dick J]

I have been reading through Friedman's new book, and now I have a question. In one on the captions, he states that during her post River Plate repairs, Exeter's "V" shaped catapult arrangement was replaced by a standard rotating catapult to allow her to operate the Walrus type aircraft. From the photos that I have available, I can't either confirm or refute this. Do any of you have anything that will help sort this out?

[A Raven]

I have been reading through Friedman's new book, and now I have a question. In one on the captions, he states that during her post River Plate repairs, Exeter's "V" shaped catapult arrangement was replaced by a standard rotating catapult to allow her to operate the Walrus type aircraft. From the photos that I have available, I can't either confirm or refute this. Do any of you have anything that will help sort this out?

The official drawings prepared by Devonport Yard after her wartime repair and refit show the two catapults still in place, and photos taken after this yard period confirm. A small error by Friedman.

[Dick J]

Thanks, Alan!

[Andrew F]

Interestingly, when I dived her, I could only see one which appeared to be a rotating type, but I will review the video......... Kevin Denlay mat have some stills or video that can clear the matter.


Andrew

[guest]

Interestingly, when I dived her, I could only see one which appeared to be a rotating type, but I will review the video......... Kevin Denlay mat have some stills or video that can clear the matter.


Andrew

See the three well known photos of the ship as she appeared after repair and refit on pages 21 and 22 of the Exeter profile. Both sides of the ship are shown. There are other photos somewhere on the internet.
Raven

[Andrew F]

Hi Alan,

I reviewed the footage and indeed there is only one catapult visible. However, as the starboard side is relatively buried I believe that you are correct based on close examination of the period photos.

Andrew

[tjstoneman]

There's a reasonably well-known photo taken from EXETER's bridge just after the Battle of the River Plate with "EX" on the roofs of her 8" turrets; most colour drawings and model makers depict the letters as being black. However, the colour drawing in Slawomir Brzezi?ski HMS Exeter Part 1 (1939) (Wyszkow: BS Press Profile Morskie, 2011) shows them in red. Profile Morkie plans have a reputation for being variable in accuracy, and interpretation of colour from black and white photographs of unknown film type is always difficult; does anyone know what colour the letters really were?
Tim

[Laurence Batchelor]

Looking at the photo I would have assumed black Tim.
LB

[Lester Abbey]

Hi Folks,

I' am planning to get a 1/700 Exeter by Niko for my Battle of Java Sea collection but I remember having seen dark rumours about his kits' accuracy. I've done a search and can't seem to find a review or anything specific except comments about "the kits' deficiencies" and other mutterings. Can some tell me what the problems are and how hard are they to fix on this Kit?

Lester Abbey
Freezing in Wellington NZ.
It's winter here.

[Gordon Scott]

I' am planning to get a 1/700 Exeter by Niko for my Battle of Java Sea collection but I remember having seen dark rumours about his kits' accuracy. I've done a search and can't seem to find a review or anything specific except comments about "the kits' deficiencies" and other mutterings. Can some tell me what the problems are and how hard are they to fix on this Kit?

Hi Lester,

I think that the major problem is that the aft 4" mounts should be staggered with the starboard one forward to allow room for the crane. I've recently bought the Profile Morskie volume of Exeter in 1942 which shows the correct position.

Gordon

[igorp]

Ahoy,

I have a question regarding depth charge rack on HMS York. Can some tell me if it was present on HMS York during her loss? I have profile morskie book, and it seems it was installed. Thanks for help in advance.

Regards
Igor Pokorny
Prague, Czech rep.

[KevinD]

Re Exeter, these photos may also help with the mounts positioning.

[dick]

Igor,

They were certainly still there in March 1941 as evidenced by a photo taken on the quarterdeck of York showing Bonaventure in the background.

Best wishes.

[Quincy]

I just received my Samek Exeter today and it is a really nice kit. I will be looking forward building her real soon.





Bob Pink.

[mickstvr]

Hi All,

Can anyone comment on the accuracy of the Profile Morskie Exeter in 1942 plans? Mr Raven?

Cheers

Mick

[PetrolGator]

Does anyone have clear pictures of Exeter's bridge area around '38?

[KevinD]

Does anyone have clear pictures of Exeter's bridge area around '38?

Not so clear, but.......................................

The bottom image of her in the Panama Canal is 1939 IIRC, others are dated.

[Mike E.]

All:

I did a detailed review of the Samek HMS Exeter kit in the reviews section. In short, it is a very good kit, but there are some minor errors that are, by and large, easily corrected. The Niko kit has major errors-most noticeably the bridge is way too high.

As for the Profile Morskie HMS Exeter plans, I was very favorably impressed. I think that some of the details for the areas around the catapult and aft deckhouse and the open bridge platform that cannot be seen from available photos is speculative. I can say with confidence that the shape of the aft pompom platforms are wrong--the drawing shows them as semicircular (greater than a 180 degree half-circle) whereas an aerial photo I have seen shows them as a half-circle in shape. Aside from that, the drawings are excellent.

[maxim]

Perhaps we had that question already:

which deck colour had Exeter when she was sunk?

According to British and Commonwealth Warship Camouflage of WW II, Volume 3 by Malcolm Wright the wooden decks were not painted and the steel decks were in 507 B.

Ok, I tried to find photos showing the decks, which was not so easy.

There is this photo:
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205016739

I agree, the wooden decks appear to be wooden. But when was the photo made?

Another one, labelled with February 1942:

http://britishimerialglory.tumblr.com/i ... 4887265173

Could be again unpainted wooden decks.

Here they appear to be very dark - but for sure bad quality:

http://www.robin-brooks.com/special-shi ... king.shtml