Calling all King George V-class (WWII) fans

[Mike W]

Howdy, I am a little new to the British side of ship building, so I was wondering:
I have 2 kits of the Tamiya 1/700 KGV. I bought the second one because I thought I was missing parts, but I found them. If I wanted to build another KGV from the second kit, which one would be the easiest to build from that kit? Thanks.

The 1/700 Tamiya KGV is only 'accurate' as such oob for KGV herself! You'd need to do some research as all the others had later versions of the HACS directors and some of the bridge platforms were different. AA fit would differ a little ship to ship. The easiest to do other than KGV would probably be Duke of York. Duke of York had Mk V HACS and an enlarged platform around the aft funnel, I can't think of any other differences off the top of my head other than perhaps a slightly different radar and light AA fit. The WEM etch has the funnel platform for DOY but you're on your own for the HACS!

thanks
Mike

[krgf15]

Outstanding, thanks. Looks like i have a little research to do.....

[Haijun watcher]

Would anyone at this thread be willing to please answer my question at this other post (click here)?

[krgf15]

I would help you if I could, but I am just learning Royal Navy stuff lately. I have the shipcraft KGV class book on the way, and if its in there I will let you know

[Haijun watcher]

I would help you if I could, but I am just learning Royal Navy stuff lately. I have the shipcraft KGV class book on the way, and if its in there I will let you know

Seems I found the answer to my question with at this other thread about the KGV's paint scheme.

Here's a quote and pic about Duke of York's paint scheme during the chase for Scharnhorst:

*The G10 and G45 codes described below for RN colours are dark grey and warm light grey respectively, as defined by the White Ensign Models site.

This is on the Scharnhorst chase and I am also told that the hull could be G10 and structure G45. Obviously that is similar to 507A and 507C.

[Sutho]

I would help you if I could, but I am just learning Royal Navy stuff lately. I have the shipcraft KGV class book on the way, and if its in there I will let you know

Seems I found the answer to my question with at this other thread about the KGV's paint scheme.

Here's a quote and pic about Duke of York's paint scheme during the chase for Scharnhorst:

*The G10 and G45 codes described below for RN colours are dark grey and warm light grey respectively, as defined by the White Ensign Models site.

This is on the Scharnhorst chase and I am also told that the hull could be G10 and structure G45. Obviously that is similar to 507A and 507C.

I believe the HMS Howe and HMS Anson both in 1943 had the same disruptive camouflage pattern as depicted on the cover of the Tamiya 1/350 kit with the colours 507A, B5, B6 and 507C. All those ships wore a variation of that same scheme as I have discovered.

Be careful with the above picture of Duke of York as I attempted the same thing and got mixed responses. It is either the colours as you say or 507A and 507C

Incidentally 507B is a 50/50 mix of 507A and 507C.

[Mike W]

I would go with 507a on the hull and 507c on the upperworks for DOY. I'm doing it in the same scheme when I get round to it. I think 507a decks as well.

Just remember she had an extended platform on the aft funnel and Mk V HACS (not the Mk IV in the kit).

thanks
Mike

[Haijun watcher]

Gents,

Would you consider it advisable to use Revell Germany's HMS Duke of York 1/700 kit to model an earlier King George V or Prince of Wales? The only reason why I would do it is because here in Vancouver, the Revell Germany Duke of York kits are substantially cheaper than the Tamiya 1/700 kits. Our local model shop here has several unsold copies of the DoY kit...

So would it then be reasonable to infer that the differences between the 2 earlier sisters and DoY are too numerous to make it worthwhile?

[Haijun watcher]

Gents,

Would you consider it advisable to use Revell Germany's HMS Duke of York 1/700 kit to model an earlier King George V or Prince of Wales? The only reason why I would do it is because here in Vancouver, the Revell Germany Duke of York kits are substantially cheaper than the Tamiya 1/700 kits. Our local model shop here has several unsold copies of the DoY kit...

So would it then be reasonable to infer that the differences between the 2 earlier sisters and DoY are too numerous to make it worthwhile?

Umm, anyone?

Would someone please answer my question?

If it's too elementary for the rest of you, what would be best source then to consult to point me in the right direction?

V.E. Tarrant's book on this class?

[EJFoeth]

I think you'd be better off here, or here, or buy the volume.

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

Would you consider it advisable to use Revell Germany's HMS Duke of York 1/700 kit to model an earlier King George V or Prince of Wales? The only reason why I would do it is because here in Vancouver, the Revell Germany Duke of York kits are substantially cheaper than the Tamiya 1/700 kits. Our local model shop here has several unsold copies of the DoY kit...

So would it then be reasonable to infer that the differences between the 2 earlier sisters and DoY are too numerous to make it worthwhile?

I reviewed the Revell kit some years ago for a Dutch modelling magazine (MIP) and found that the kit actually portrays the King George V, not the DoY. One giveaway is the shape of the deck below the bridge. However the differences between the ships were quite minimal in this phase, as can be learned from the references EJ Foeth mentioned.

So you have all good reason to take the Revell (ex Matchbox) kit of DoY to model any of her sisters, in their original configuration. But take always care to look for the little differences in armament, the Warships article gives a wealth of information. One thing to look for in particular: the KGV (and PoW?) had square shutters for the admiral's quarters around the quarterdeck, the later ships just had portholes there, I believe the KGV's were changed to portholes as well during her mid-life update in 1943.

[JCRAY]

I've been a modeler since the 60's so I had to buy books.
I have both if you are interested.

[Haijun watcher]

I think you'd be better off here, or here, or buy the volume.

EJ,

On looking at the unassembled deck of the kit and on your 2nd source above, the model deck in the Revell kit doesn't seem to match any of the ships' deck plans in the class.

So it's essentially supposed to be KGV on commissioning?

[EJFoeth]

I don't know the Revell kit I'm afraid, but Maarten pointed out it's close the KGV; if there are deck differences you may need to adapt the kit slightly. KGV and POW were initially nearly identical with the admiral's quarter hatches in the stern of KGV a notable difference. The article by Dumas points out the various differences nicely, though I haven't thoroughly checked how good this source is yet.

[Haijun watcher]

I reviewed the Revell kit some years ago for a Dutch modelling magazine (MIP) and found that the kit actually portrays the King George V, not the DoY. One giveaway is the shape of the deck below the bridge. However the differences between the ships were quite minimal in this phase, as can be learned from the references EJ Foeth mentioned.

Maarten,

I looked at the kit's hull near the quarterdeck area and found no square shutters, only portholes, so it can't be KGV per se at her commission, put more possibly a later version of her.

Furthermore, could you please elaborate further what you mean with the section that I highlighted above in bold?

I went through the Dumas article and did not see any distinct differences in that area you mentioned...unless I wasn't thinking of the same thing to look for.

Thank in advance if you elaborate.

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

Hi CCGSailor

I have a little problem: I haven't got the Revell DoY kit anymore, as I didn't want to build it myself, I only did the review. So I can't check it anymore.

However I recall I compared the parts with the drawings in the Warship reference, and it struck me that the deck halfway up the bridge building (don't know the correct name for it) wasn't what you would see on DoY, so I concluded it to be closer to KGV.

As for the shutters on the quarterdeck, you are right, these have not been modelled in this or any other kit so far, but need to be added if one wants to build the early KGV. As one of my projects is KGV in 1:350 scale from the Tamiya PoW I had to add these too.

[Haijun watcher]

Hello Maarten,

I was actually more interested in making PoW than KGV from the DoY kit.

However, I think you may be mistaken in your past review when it comes to that deck "half way up the superstructure" as you described above.

Here are scans of the KGV, PoW and DoY from the Dumas article. Please note the red arrows or circles I photoshopped in to illustrate that even DoY has that deck as well.

As you can see below, that deck seems to be present in all 3 sisters. Furthermore, the deck diagrams show to me that the DoY deck I have in my Revell kit seems to be closer to the first DoY scan below, as opposed to the KGV Oct. 1940 scan.

*The 2nd DoY pic towards the very bottom is from Maritime Quest.

DoY, March 1943


PoW, July 1941


KGV, October 1940


Plus other photos:

DoY port side, 1942:


KGV starboard side:


Thoughts? I hope we were referring to the same deck area.

If I can't make the PoW, was thinking that the kit could be correctable to make it a more accurate DoY.

[JCRAY]

It was the signal deck that was different on D of Y and Anson, above the deck you have pointed out. hth

[Haijun watcher]

It was the signal deck that was different on D of Y and Anson, above the deck you have pointed out. hth

Is this what you mean? The area circled in red at the pic below also seems to be present in all sisters from what I see in the Dumas article. What am I missing?

[JCRAY]

Ensign 1 King George V class Battleships by A. Raven in the drawing section near the end of the book.
hth !