Calling all RN Town-class (1936) & Fiji-class (Crown Colony-class) fans

[tjstoneman]

The article to which Longshaar refers can be found at http://www.davecov.net/modelling/index. ... rsions.htm

[tjstoneman]

Apologies - wrong link! Try this one: http://www.davecov.net/modelling/index. ... uisers.htm

[Graham Boak]

You can however add the stem of Belfast onto the hull of Tiger. This will still give you problems with padding the hull out and then reshaping it to something sensible underwater. I haven't achieved the last part yet. However, it is probably easier than removing the bulge from Belfast's hull.

I rather regret not just buying the WEM Sheffield in the first place, but I was given both a Belfast (unstarted/unwanted when son left home) and a free Tiger after having mentioned the possibility on the net. So I'm honour-bound to finish it. Power tools and much filler to be used.

[Longshaor]

OK, I got Flyhawk's detail set for Trumpeter's 1/350 Belfast. Overall the quality is excellent, but a couple words of caution:

1. The Upper Bridge should have a pair of doors on either side of the DCT both fore and aft. This isn't mentioned in the instructions.

2. The brass 6" gun barrels are designed to use Trumpeter's pivoting piece of the guns (cut the plastic barrels off and put the brass ones on). The hitch here is that the axis of rotation for the center gun was 2'-6" aft of the wing guns, so as they elevate, the center gun ceases to be aligned with the other pair. If you're planning to scratch build a separate center gun mounting, you're going to need different gun barrels, as 4 of the Flyhawk ones are shorter than the other 8 to work with the Trumpeter mounting.

3. The resin funnels... They're two separate sizes, just like the kit.

Those are the only major issues I saw, otherwise I think the set is great & can't wait to get the last few items so I can start building!

[Christian Bruer]

Hello Town Class fans,

I�m currently in progress with Trumpeters HMS Belfast. I use the Flyhawk and WEM set as well as some scratch build parts. References are AOTS, Man o�war 5, Warship in Profile Vol. 3 and some other resources including www.
Due to all the references there are only limited photos of HMS Belfast in her 1943 fit and at the moment I�m searching for information about the paravanes attached stb. and port to the superstructure � see red circle. There should be a derrick to handle the paravanes, but I could not find any detailed information. The sketch in AOTS shows a �structure� next to the paravanes, but I�m not sure if this is a derrick and/or how it should look.
Would be fine if some of you shipmates can help.
TIA

[tjstoneman]

The photo at http://www.naval-history.net/Photo06clBelfast2NP.jpg shows a paravane boom roughly halfway between the locations circled - admittedly on the starboard side. AOTS shows two stowe,d when not in use, on "B" Gundeck, one either side. The photo's said to have been taken in 1942.

[Christian Bruer]

Hehe, looks like I did not see the wood for the trees?

Thx tjstoneman for your very kind help and support

[singapore70]

I am new to this Forum but have read some posts ref this class.
I have a model about 1/600 scale of what appears to be a Southampton class. Brought as job lot incomplete and not a conversion. Does any one have any info as to where it came from or any instructions. First thought it was a Swiftsure but it has 4 Turret placements
singapore70

[Graham Boak]

Injection-moulded model? Airfix Belfast is the only contender I know about. If resin, White Ensign did a Town in 1/700.

[zotz]

Hi,
Trying to find out Belfast's camo pattern and colors used.

Thanks!

[David Gatt]

I visited Belfast in 2013 and from that visit I have worked out the following colours for her. All are Tamyia acrylics.

HMS Belfast
XF 80 Royal Light Grey
XF 24 Dark Grey
XF 12 JN Grey
XF 50 Field Blue

Also the paint scheme given for the starboard side in the Trumpeter instruction is incorrect, actual both sides aren't brilliant.

[apfelzra]

Ahoy HMS Belfast fans,

I'm gradually working toward completing my Trumpeter 1/350 kit with the WEM upgrade set. One thing I can see from the plastic kit's box art (which, with Trumpeter, is certainly no indication of accuracy) is that it would appear as though ladders run the vertical length of the forwardmost tripod on both the foremast and mainmast, and are situated on the starboard side of those vertical or near-vertical structures. Is this where vertical ladders were actually located for the late 1942 version of this ship, and how high did the ladders ascend? Thanks for your input.

Robert Apfelzweig

[Admiral John Byng]

Interesting pic of Glasgow under fire:


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WWII-German-B ... SwyvBV-LQe

[Longshaor]

OK, finally returning to work on my Trumpeter Belfast after a 2-year hiatus...

Trying to figure out Belfast's Admiralty Standard Scheme. I know the colours are:
507A Dark Grey
B5 Dark Blue-Grey
B6 Blue
507C Light Grey

For references I have been using Ross Watton's Anatomy of the Ship, Ensign #5, Warship Perspectives Volumes 2 & 4, "British Cruisers" by Raven & Roberts, a few other books, box art, painting instructions from both Trumpeter and Airfix, and images culled from the net.

There doesn't seem to be any consensus on the pattern or on what colours were used in certain areas. Specifically, there seems to be disagreement as to whether or not there was a B6 panel below the B5 panel on the port bow, whether the aft HACS director was B6 or 507C, and - the one that's really giving me sleepless nights - what is the dark colour carried on her port side amidships?

Conventional wisdom seems to be that the port side of the aft funnel was painted B5, and the side of the hull and superstructure below it 507A. However, in photos where these two colours are side-by-side, you can see that the B5 is a lighter tone. You can see this in the photo of Belfast taken off her starboard bow. The first panel is B5 and the panel directly behind it is 507A. Now, when you look at the second photo, taken off Belfast's port beam, notice the tone of the aft funnel compared to the hull. To my eyes they appear identical. So is the funnel actually 507A or is the hull in that area B5?

Opening the floor to opinions...

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

Hi longshaor,

I'm just trying to resolve the same puzzel, and your photos are very helpful, thanks!

Speaking about the port side picture, to my eye the funnel is a shade lighter than the hull. So I opt for both funnels being ap507c and b5, although on different sides.

Brings me to the conclusion that b5 was only used on the bow and on both funnels. But I have to admit it's arbitrary... Wish there were better references!

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

Added here two more views from the port side, and I'm starting to rethink your view: that rear funnel is very dark indeed, could it be that it was in ap507a after all?

But there is more to see: have a look at your picture from the port side: what shade do you think is the patch on the hull, below the forward superstructure: could it be B5 possibly? On the pictures I post here it seems to be much lighter. Maybe there was some variation in the paint scheme too, over the time it was worn?

And another one: what do you think of the colour of the forward 6" director, when you compare it to the rear one? It seems darker to me: maybe B5 too?

Questions, questions....

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

When you start looking closely at the picture, you begin to see more and more...

I'm getting the strong impression now that the port side of the forward funnel is also one shade darker than always assumed. That means it would be B6 blue instead of ap507c. This seems to be confirmed by the head-on picture from the stbd bow as well.

What do you think?

[Cliffy B]

Hey guys, does anyone have any info or can point me to an accurate source book on the camo scheme that HMS Glasgow wore in 1942?

[tjstoneman]

According to Alan Raven Camouflage Vol One: Royal Navy 1939-41 (New York: WR Press,2000) and Alan Raven Camouflage Vol One: Royal Navy 1942 (New York: WR Press,2001), GLASGOW wore a symmetrical "stepped" camouflage from August 1941 - September 1942 (see IWM Photo Ref A6790 - http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search), and an Admiralty Disruptive pattern from November 1942 onwards - the latter was not symmetrical - stbd side at http://uboat.net/media/allies/warships/ ... lasgow.jpg.

[mister me]

and what about the funnel issue ? are there new elements or analysis to settle this at last ? same or different front/aft funnels for WW2 ?
we should even try a poll about this.