Calling all RN/RAN Leander-class (1931) fans

[Andrew F]

I don't remember ever hearing of a 20mm Oerlikon being placed on Perth. She had a Breda that was pinched off the Italians at one point and then had a pair of quad Vicker's 0.5s on the Stern / Quarterdeck. The starboard one of these remains on the wreck today....

Andrew

[spruso]

I dont think your photo shows Perth.

Dick is quite correct. Although I have a picture of an AA gun claiming to be on the quarterdeck of HMAS Perth, the ship has been incorrectly identified and is actually HMS York.

Please disregard my original post.
Cheers
BC

[Guest]

I have the Profile Morskie drawings of Neptune as in 1941. Nice looking plans, though I wonder about thee depth of research that produced them, given the brevity of the bibliography in the booklet. Anyway, I have a couple of questions regarding Neptune in this period.
I know she lost her catapult before she was sunk in December 1941, and it was replaced with a quad pom-pom. Before it was removed, what aircraft would have been carried � still the Seafox, or would it have been a Walrus by 1941?
Second, and directly concerning these PM plans they have as the AA armament the useless 0.5 quad Vickers (amazing that the RN was still using these in 1941) in three positions: abreast the mainmast and on B turret. They also show three single AA guns, two abreast the bridge on the foc�s�le deck, and one abaft the mainmast on top of a small windowed structure (?emergency steering position?). Does anyone know what these guns would have been? The booklet says 40mm: is this likely in 1941? They are too big for 20 mm oerlikons: and I�d say too small for 3 inch HA. Could they be single 2 pders? The design in the drawing looks too, well, British, to be a bofors or oerlikon.
There is a large-scale model of Neptune as she was at the time she was sunk, on the HMS Neptune website. This shows a 20mm oerlikon in the aft position, but I think this was added when at the same time they replaced the catapult.
Any ideas anyone?

[Martin H UK]

Many thanks, David.
Very helpful.
Now to come up with some 2pders!

Martin

[Aekold]

Hi folks,
I want to build my 1/700 NNT HMAS Perth as Hobart. However, I haven't came across any literature on the subject. Any leads on the subject?

I am also gradually acquiring aftermarket for it. Since the boats do not seem to be the strong part of the kit, I've put my eye onto Admiralty Modelworks ones. Is there any info which types of boats and how many of them did Hobart (or any of her class) carry?

[ah3000mk1]

Hi, Y'all.

Could anyone recommend reference sources, including plans for HMS Achilles &/or Ajax, circa the Graf Spee action?

-Looking at a possible conversion from another Leander-class kit; so both plan and profile views are desired.

Any kits for sale or trade would gladly be considered as well! -pm me

Thanks!

[Alexey Loginov]

Cruiser Ajax.
The model presented by Churchill to Hitler in 1935.

https://fotki.yandex.ru/next/users/dmir ... 755?page=0

[Brett Morrow]

I thought some would be interested in this photo, quite a good one and also very rare indeed.
HMAS Sydney wearing her second camo scheme applied in Sept 41.
Captioned as taken in Geraldton in October 41, one of her very last shots.
This is only the second photo (both port side) of her in this pattern within the public domain.

I have cleaned the photo up, and adjusted the greyscale. It appears on a postcard within the ship history section of the RAN website.

[JCRAY]

Thank you! Great pic. Thanks for posting.

[MartinJQuinn]

Leander at Espiritu Santo, April 1943

[MartinJQuinn]

Same as above, other side.

[Brett Morrow]

Good shots of Leander, had not seen them before, thanks for posting Martin.
Pity the port shot is incomplete, notice the NZ developed SW and SWG RDF arrays.

[Speedydan]

Hi all. Aiming to build HMAS Perth in Med in May 1941 (circa crete shenanigans) and keen for input regards AA fit out (tried to find the steel navy discussion re this but couldnt and the perthone website no longer working). The AWM site has several pics but hard to fully piece it together

Q1: I believe quad pom pom had replaced catapult but were the 2 ex-italian bredas still in place on the circumference of this area or where did they go?
Q2: if the breda's were in place were they offset at 1.30 oclock and 730 oclock (1200 being forrard).
Q3: AA on quarterdeck during this period: Various suggestions summarised as
a) Nil except light single machine guns eg lewis
b) oerlikon in gun tub midline
c) offset quad vickers (certainly present present after refit and new paintjob in '42)

Might try and recreate the vaulting horses in the waist with .303 rifles for novelty

cheers in advance

dan

[Brett Morrow]

Dan, If you wait until early next year NHSA (Naval Historical Society of Australia) will be re-releasing HMAS Perth in Ebook, it will include new detailed weapons reports, images and colour profiles.
1) The Mk VII quad replaced the Breda`s fitted on the catapult barbette, fitted in early May 41, the Breda`s were moved to the gundeck either side of the S.L. block, NO actual catapult was ever fitted until Sept/Nov 41 refit.
3) No AA guns on Qtrdeck, 2 quad 0.5 Mk II* fitted Sept/Nov 41. Perth was never fitted with any oerlikons for her entire service. The image you may refer to with Mk I oerlikon (no shield) in octagonal bin on qtrdeck is York.

[Speedydan]

Fantastic info thanks Brett and look forwards to ordering the book! Just at the stage of collating resources and deciding tine period to model her in.
Thanks again for the rapid response!
Cheers
Dan

[tjstoneman]

Looking for confirmation of the deck covering for "B" and "X" gundecks of Leander class cruisers - specifically Achilles in December 1939, but other dates, or sister ships, might be relevant. I've not found any photographic evidence, and a selection of drawings/plans of variable authenticity offer differing interpretations! The Flyhawk instructions show "Deck Brown" (presumably corticene) for'd and planked aft, but I've seen depictions where "B" gundeck is planked as well - and photos of models where both gundecks appear to be metal. Any views?

[Brett Morrow]

Hello Tim, the images I have of Leanders and Modified Leanders show X gundeck planked. The images of B gundeck suggest that it may have been lined with corticene early but for how long? There is a persistent reference to corticene as chocolate brown but of course it did come in different colours other than that. This crop of Sydney late 35 suggests B gundeck was originally lined in corticene but I believe it was removed in 40, as for Achilles late 39, unknown.

[dick]

The builder's model of Ajax has X gun deck planked and B gun deck unplanked. This tallies with prewar and early war aerial photos and the As Fitteds of Ajax.

The As Fitted's for Ajax do not identify the covering of the unplanked deck areas but on the builder's model B gundeck and various other unplanked areas (other than the foc'sle and circular catapult base) are depicted in a uniform milk chocolate coloured covering. From what I can see on-line, the Flyhawk instructions for Achilles appear to copy the layout faithfully.

[tjstoneman]

Brett, Dick, thank you both.