Calling all HMS Vanguard (1944-1960) fans

[Spot]

These have been added to Shapeways this morning, a huge improvement over the blobs of plastic in the kit.
https://www.shapeways.com/product/Z5Q6F ... arketplace[

my shopping list grows.

[Dave Rowe]

Same here

[Spot]

I know that the kit gets a lot of flak for lack of detail, but I tend to look upon it from a different angle in that all of those smooth plastic surfaces are a blank canvas on which I can work, and either show off my skills and thump my chest... or fail miserably.

I will be purchasing PE and perhaps some of the other things linked above as paychecks allow.

[Dave Rowe]

Exactly my feelings too. I am also conscious of the costs of the Shapeways parts against the cost of the kit. But it's the only large-ish scale kit available.
Keep watching Shapeways, I have found the twin bofors which is mounted on one of the forward main turrets. The designer needs to rescale it to 1/450 first. That just leaves the single bofors to source.

[Spot]

Exactly my feelings too. I am also conscious of the costs of the Shapeways parts against the cost of the kit. But it's the only large-ish scale kit available.
Keep watching Shapeways, I have found the twin bofors which is mounted on one of the forward main turrets. The designer needs to rescale it to 1/450 first. That just leaves the single bofors to source.

I can scratch-build a lot of things if I can get decent photos of what they look like, but buying theirs is certainly easier if the budget allows it.

[Rick E Davis]

I came across several "turned red" transparencies showing USN and RN ships at the Firth of Clyde during September 1952 at the US National Archives on my latest trip. I scanned the images in grayscale since there was no color remaining. I have come across very few images of HMS VANGUARD and frankly these are not perfect, but appear to be the best ones I have scanned.







There was also this nice view of HMS SWIFTSURE.

[Timhan]

Thanks, Rick, for those photos. But it begs the question why NOT ONE company has produced a kit of
this very important RN ship. (to my knowledge, anyway).

[pascalemod]

Thanks, Rick, for those photos. But it begs the question why NOT ONE company has produced a kit of
this very important RN ship. (to my knowledge, anyway).

Too niche. But agree, someone like Combrig is primed to produce this, Im sure theyd sell every single one of them.

[rotley]

Thanks, Rick, for those photos. But it begs the question why NOT ONE company has produced a kit of
this very important RN ship. (to my knowledge, anyway).

Hasegawa had a HMS Vanguard 1/450 scale plastic kit which was around for quite a few years

Samek Models does/did a 1/700 scale in resin

[mpgl62]

Hello

I'm working on drawings for a book (mine). The drawings will be printed at 1/1000 scale. Currently, I am working at the Vanguard. I do not have good references for some details, especially on 5.25 "turrets." I used the KGV's barbette and guns as dimensional reference.

I think that turret is correct in general (for this scale), but I am not happy with the hexagonal shape. I need advice.

I also need the CRBFD number in 1946. In the books by Friedman and Garzke & Dulin, the drawings have nine CRBFDs (in superestructures), but I can not find photos with this number. Most photos of the period show five, or other numbers. For example, there is a photo with two CRBFDs, to bow and port. But none with two to bow and starboard.

Another question is about old Vickers 3-pdr saluting guns. I know that in some moment they are over the big ventilation trunk in forward supestructure.

But in 1946 seems that they were on the 1st level of after superstructure, between two single Bofors. Is this statement correct?

Thanks in advance

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

I think MicroMaster did a pretty good job designing the 5.25" turrets for Vanguard:
https://www.shapeways.com/product/TYWWB ... ot-guns-x4

[mpgl62]

I think MicroMaster did a pretty good job designing the 5.25" turrets for Vanguard:
https://www.shapeways.com/product/TYWWB ... ot-guns-x4

Thanks. I know. It is a beatiful render and one of my suorces, but without dimensions or plans is very dificult to do the correct hexagonal shape after 3D images.

General plans of books are to much summary and contradictory.

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

...but without dimensions or plans...

Why don't you give Micro Master a note and ask him for his sources?

[mpgl62]

...but without dimensions or plans...

Why don't you give Micro Master a note and ask him for his sources?

[mpgl62]

The "final" drawing for Vanguard. Only six CRBFD and Vickers in the after superstructure.

[DougC]

My understanding was that the 5.25 turrets were larger than those of the KGVs. The KGVs' were considered too cramp for efficient operation of the 5.25s. The smaller turrets were used to keep the displacement with in treaty limits (the same reason why 2 of the 14" were deleted).


Vanguard was designed after the treaty so weight was no longer a consideration.

[Mr. Church]

I have the Hasegawa 1/450 kit and the Atlantic Models Photoetch set for it and am researching details before I start building her.
Some questions spring to mind:

Upon Vanguard's completion in 1946 the roofs of the four main battery turrets were all painted a dark colour, presumably dark grey same as the steel decks? All four turret roofs remained in a dark colour during the Royal Tour to South Africa in 1947. At some point subsequent to this the roof of 'Y' Turret seems to have been painted in light grey with the other three remaining in dark colour. 'Y' Turret roof looks to be either the same as the hull colour or perhaps very slightly darker? I have not ascertained exactly when it was changed but it was certainly light grey by January 1951 as seen in the photo on Page 95 of RA Burt's recent book on Vanguard. It was still in light grey as of the Coronation Review in 1953. Was there any particular reason for this? Vanguard was a one-off so it would seem unlikely to be an aerial recognition feature?

Next question is what colour were her anchor chain rubbing strips on the forecastle deck? In the footage of her being towed to the breakers in 1960 they appear to be a milk chocolate brown colour with the surrounding deck plating a medium grey colour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db6bgu0gs-g

The grey is probably faded dark deck grey as Vanguard had been in reserve for a few years prior to the film being recorded. Anyone know off-hand if the rubbing strips were the same brown colour when she was in active service? Thanks.

[Leo9]

@Mr Church

Snap, I'm just about to start my build using Hasegawa (Frog) plus Atlantic's PE - and doubtless quite a few Shapeways add-ons too. Perhaps we can compare build notes/problems: I'm sure plenty will crop up.

I'm afraid I can't answer the question of when (if) Y turret got a light-grey repaint: Somehow I suspect it didn't and it's a light artefact from the areial shot: none of the "usual" sources show it from closer in. I also suspect the "brown" anchor chain slipways/rubbing strips are only brown because of the dreadful colour distortions of the film stock. But hopefully a proper expert will be along to yea or nay this.

BTW, there are a couple of other small-scale models still available if one trawls the Net: d'Agostini/Atlas 1:1250 prebuilt and the Triang Minic 1:1200 (IIRC) kit but mainly only getttable in assembled form. There's also a rumour (and pirated box art) floating around indicating a Very Fire 1:350 kit coming along in 2020. It'd be good to learn more about this. And also worth a mention is the 1:128 hull plus extras (excluding deck & superstructure) from Fleetscale here in the UK for those with big tables and wallets. One day maybe ...

PS I'm new here after lurking awhile and absorbing lots of useful knowledge: delighted to join such a helpful and expert bunch: some of the build threads are quite breathtaking!

[Mr. Church]

Hi Leo9 apologies for the late reply.

As regards Y Turret's roof I am not sure it is a quirk of the light? If you have R.A. Burt's recent HMS Vanguard book look at the aerial photo on Page 95. Y Turret's roof colour is night and day different to (brighter than) X Turret's. That photo is from January 1951. Same goes for the aerial photo on Page 103 from the Coronation Review in May 1953. Again Y Turret's roof appears night and day brighter than X Turret's. The photos are from different dates and different angles so it is hard to imagine it being a trick of the light on both occasions? Though I don't know definitively, hence my earlier question.

Around (or after?) the time she was placed in reserve it appears all four main turret roofs plus the secondary turret roofs were painted light grey. They certainly appear that way in the video footage of her being sadly towed away for scrap.

[David Yarnell]

Built up version...
http://www.laroyale-modelisme.net/t1460 ... e-hasegawa