WW1 Royal Navy Monitor M33

[HMS Zulu]

In dry dock at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, with unfortunately no access and just a small display board, one of three surviving WW1 British warships (the others being HMS Caroline in Belfast and HMS Saxifrage on the River Thames - an Anchusa class 'Q' Ship, now known as the President, a floating bar). M33 was commissioned in June 1915 and supported the Gallipoli Campaign from the Suvla Bay landings onwards with some of her sister ships. After the campaign M33 stayed in Dardanelles area for the rest of the war and in 1919 was involved in the Russian Civil War

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/m33/m33-history.htm

[PICKETBOAT]

HMS Zulu

Thanks for posting these great pictures. Only the other day I was looking at a back issue of Model Boats with an article by Mr Freshney the editor, scratch building one of the smaller monitors of this class at 1/48th scale. A great subject.
A great pity M33 is not open to viewing. It might be that there is little left internally that is original or worth seeing? It could be that it's a mess and health and safety dept will not let visitors in?
You mentioned HMS Caroline at Belfast. Although still in commission I believe there are open days to look around her. That would be a must see.

[Niall]

HMS Caroline has now been retired by the Royal Navy and is to be restored. There is a new item here -
http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/news/news486.php

[Olaf Held]

It might be that there is little left internally that is original or worth seeing? It could be that it's a mess and health and safety dept will not let visitors in?

A couple of years ago I talked to one guy at the Portsmouth University who was somehow involved in the restoring process. I don't recall the details but I think I remember that he said that they stripped M33 to the bulkheads and that the hull was in bad condition after a long period idling at Gosport. After moving the boat into the dock they saw that the hull was pierced along the waterline and that daylight was shining through.

Happy modelling ~ Olaf!

[JIM BAUMANN]

One interesting feature of this ship--which should make it an easy scratch build--is the complete absence of any sheer fro and aft ( deckspring) and the virtually imperceptible deck camber--about 2 inches rise in 1/1 --so can safely be ignored.. in small scales!!

a few additional images of the port side to complement your stb side views

along with some interesting images --including the only know extant photo of M33 in dazzle
upon which the current paint scheme is based

Cheers
Jim B