Calling all French cruiser (La Galissonniere etc...) fans!

[maxim]

Between 1934-37, the quad 13,2 mm guns were all on the first superstructure deck.

The forward pair was in front of the forward 100 mm twin, the rear pair was behind the most rear 100 mm twin.

I cannot remember any producer for these 100 mm guns, but Richelieu had the same guns. Were these on the same mounting? (I have no literature about Richelieu).

The plans of Alg�rie as built had been available online from one of the French archives, but because of hacker attacks had to be removed - I have just not found an alternative online source. I have them.

[Gcj]

Hi Maxim
Many thanks for your prompt and helpful response. It seems the Richelieu did have the same mounts (well they look the same to me). At least the mounts on Trumpeter's Richelieu are open backed. So if all else fails...

[maxim]

If these are the same guns, you can ask also Micromaster, if he can also makes that one. With all the plastic Richelieu kits, there could be sufficient demand.

[Captain Morgan]

I have inquired about the mounts for both Richelieu and Algerie from MicroMaster hopefully some day they are available. He does make excellent main armament for Algerie and Richelieu.

[FW_Allen]

I don't have my litterature about the La Galissonniere cruisers class here but I remember that decks and roofs were dark grey (either natural metal or paint?), linolem or wood (some ships had linoleum, others wood deck at the stern).

This response is a few years late (and I'm not sure that it really helps at all) but I present it nonetheless: Shown here are two colour views of "Gorgeous Legs" (Georges Leygues) as she appeared during a joint British/French patrol under the command of VAdm Marcel Gensoul in late November/early December 1939. Dunkerque and Montcalm were also present (but in the film from which these views were captured, there's only a brief view of Dunkerque from astern and no shots of Montcalm). Nasty weather!

I personally can't see much detail of the deck, but she was definitely light grey (and had a red bottom).

and

[Gcj]

Frank

Thanks for those pictures. Very helpfull, not least because that is contemporary footage of a ship that should be painted in Gris Clair No 1. Given previously what shade of grey that colour was was mainly guesswork that is quite a find. Just one question. Does that film include any RN ships painted in 507c? 507c is a known colour so a picture from the same film would help greatly in putting Gris Clair in context i.e. lighter, darker or with more blue say than 507c.

[FW_Allen]

Frank

Thanks for those pictures. Very helpfull, not least because that is contemporary footage of a ship that should be painted in Gris Clair No 1. Given previously what shade of grey that colour was was mainly guesswork that is quite a find. Just one question. Does that film include any RN ships painted in 507c? 507c is a known colour so a picture from the same film would help greatly in putting Gris Clair in context i.e. lighter, darker or with more blue say than 507c.

507C? Yes, I believe it does: At the top left of the image below (which should not be reposted elsewhere), we see H.M.S. "Amphion" (soon to be "Perth"). She seems to be in 507C (though it is patchy-looking, or perhaps its part of her transition to the RAN). Below her on the left is "Dunkerque." The righthand side of the image shows "Gorgeous Legs" being tossed around by very large waves. Please note that the image of D was taken in conditions of direct sun whereas the shots of GL are all on a very nasty day.

[darcy]

I recently purchased the new Trumpeter 1/350 Marseillaise kit. Any opinions on this new kit? If at all possible and doable, I would like to convert this into either the Georges Leygues, Montcalm or Gloire in their 1943 appearance. How much work would this involve?


TIA

Darcy

[maxim]

The conversion into a post 1943 fit would require a lot of work:

new upper part of the bridge
modified foremast with new radars and lattice-type upper part of the mast
new funnel cap for the forward funnel
new superstructure where the hangar had been
new positions for the light AA guns (and new light AA guns) on the forecastle, on and around the bridge, midships, on the rear superstructure and the quarterdeck...
...