Calling all RN/RAN Chatham-class (HMAS Sydney - 1912) fans

[brad]

There is a Revell kit of SMS Emden in 1/350 but is there a 1/350 scale model of the Chatham class available?

It would be nice to be able to put both ships side-by-side on my shelf.

The Sydney-Emden battle in November 1914 was the first major engagement of the Royal Australian Navy in any war - the RAN having only been formed in 1911 - and was also its first victory at sea. Accordingly, it would seem only appropriate that there should be a model out there somewhere - or am I being somewhat parochial?

cheers,

bj

[Brett Morrow]

Chatham class light cruiser H.M.A.S. Sydney 1 is available from HP models in 1/700, quite a good production but comes with no PE, the WEM Chester kit PE will do the job very nicely, the GMM merchant ship fret also has some very useful bits including some good ratlines.
This is the only kit of a Chatham/Town class cruiser that I am aware of.
As is usual,good photo ref is somewhat lean for this class, but very good subject to build.
Cheers, Brett M.

[brad]

G'day Brett,

Yes, thanks for that - I was aware of the 1/700 scale but I just can't get excited by the small scale.

Also, as I already have a larger 1/350 of Emden slated for the slipway, I thought it would be nice to have a direct comparison. The two together would look nice in the office, I think.

As to pictures, the AWM has quite a few of Sydney together with her sister ships which can be quite useful. And I have always found the people at the AWM extremely helpful on those things that you simply can't find online.

cheers,

bj

[Deckard]

Wasn't HMAS Sydney I a Weymouth Class, Dartmouth type cruiser?

[Linz]

Wasn't HMAS Sydney I a Weymouth Class, Dartmouth type cruiser?

No. Certainly a Chatham Class vessel. As were Brisbane and Melbourne.

Cheers,
Linz

[Guest]

Hi all. I have been looking for a 1/350 version of HMAS Sydney (1) and the only lead so far is the HMS Glascow, which is a Town Class but in the sub-group prior to the Chatham. I have done the Emden and that got me looking.
See: http://combrig-models.com/index.php/135 ... ow1909-350

This company, although one might not want to interact with Russian businesses right now, has the HMNS New Zealand, and HMAS Australia both of the WW1 era.
I have written to Combrig inquiring as to whether they would consider the Chatham subtype due to the larger number and the wider interest, especially in Oz as that includes Brisbane and Melbourne, together our first RAN light cruisers.
Cheers, Brian

[maxim]

The Bristol class was very different from the Chatham class. I do not think it can be converted. But for sure it would be nice, if Combrig makes a kit of the Chatham class. It would make likely that they release also a 1/700 version. A kit of the Chatham class can be also used to release other cruiser classes, e.g. Birmingham class, Adelaide subclass (perhaps a later WW2 version), perhaps a new Birkenhead class, the Spanish Reina Victoria Eugenia (plus as converted to Navarra?)...