Captain Brown Builds a Second Flower Class Corvette..."he did say flower?"

[Captain Brown]

So I am back in a historical frame of mind...so a break from Sister's of Battle and Imperial Guard models and for a second time I will delve into the world of historical models with a repeat with some deviations of my last foray.

Some (well actually most of you who frequent the historical model forums) will remember my previous ship model in 1:72 scale built for the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Navy. I know in that thread many suggested that I build a U-Boat to match up against the humble corvette, but living in Vancouver in a condo means that space is a premium and only one large ship model can be built at a time. U-Boat fans can take solace in the fact I do have a 1:72 U-Boat waiting in the wings, but it is at least two projects off.

You see my father was so impressed with the first corvette he asked if I would build one he could show at his place in his "nautical corner". Being an ex-fisherman he has a collection of ship fittings and other nautical nick-nacks and a few old books and logs.

So I started a second 1:72 scale build of a Flower Class Corvette, but this time I promised myself I would do the corvette in the long foc'sle or refitted version that more resembles the kit. Being a British Columbian, my dad asked that it be a Canadian Corvette so that immediately meant that I would be deviating from the kit again.

Here is the start of my second ship model.



This time I will be using more of the hull...but since I will again build an RCN corvette I will be flattening the stern once more.

So I figured since I had done so much research on her I would build a second, later version of CHILLIWACK, the same ship I built the first time at about 18 months later in her career.

Courtesy of the Ken Macpherson Collection:

CHILLIWACK in 1945 (due to the rocket racks on the 4 Inch)

A rather famous photo of CHILLIWACK after her participation in the sinking of U-744...since this was taken after a fresh coat of white paint she looks almost new. Note the censor has deleted the radar lantern to hide the "secret" centimetric radar.

A picture of CHILLIWACK's crew from 1944 I believe, see the pet cat in the sailors hands in the front row on the left side of the photo.

Picture of the boarding of U-744 in 1944....it has been touched up for a newspaper so you can see the shell holes and the White Ensign on the conning tower, as well as the U-Boat's emblem. That swordfish emblem might be familiar to anyone who has watched the movie Das Boot (The Boat). It was originally the personal emblem of Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock's U-96 and was later adopted by the 9th Unterseebootsflottille when he assumed command of the flotilla.

So wish me luck.

Cheers,

CB

PS: Revell has sadly discontinued the model kit, but I suspect it will be re-released again in the future.

[Captain Brown]

First progress...funny the hull is a lot easier to build when you don't have to cut it up...





The stern is still the round cruiser stern at this point. I did fill in two of the port holes on the port side that were unnecessary.



Not a whole lot of work...other than sanding down the excess keel, the enlarged stem, joining, filling, more sanding...and I even used the bilge keels from the kit.

However conversion-artists don't dispair, the stern is going to get flattened by boiling hot water and a wooden board soon enough.

The long painting war continues...

CB

[BigbyWolf]

Looking forward to see this progress CB, I enjoyed the last one and also the history it comes with!

[Captain Brown]

BigbyWolf,

I hope it keeps you interested. Another update, when you work mostly from the instructions the project flies by (funny that).

First up is the bridge while I wait for a good time to take over the range in the kitchen for heating up my styrene.

While it fit together quite quickly I did deviate from the kit somewhat, mainly by sprucing up the parts. This time I used the kit canvas dodgers (instead of building them from white metal and piano wire). However I used the Dremel to sand down the plastic to create the effect of canvas stretched over pipe railings. It worked quite well; all I did was use a marker to trace the line of the pipe rail on the outside and sanded down between them. For those looking to build an R/C model this works well and is still quite strong (whereas while the GLS railings look really accurate, they are very delicate).



I will probably re-do the MF/DF navigation coils, I did this one out of brass wire just to test it out...going to go back to my styrene tubing for the final version. Again most photos of CHILLIWACK have the round coil vice the square one that comes with the kit, but I have seen two photos with the square one, but they are from 1945 after a refit that added the illumination rocket racks to the sides of the 4-Inch.



I also drilled holes in the grating for the base of the radar lantern (very time consuming and not really recommended) and added a non-watertight door. Also fitted on my wood paneling for the deck of the open bridge, which is very different from the bridge of the short focsle version. CHILLIWACK looks like it did not add splinter matts to the bridge after focsle extension.

The long painting war continues,

CB

[Col. Frost]

I was astounded by your previous incarnation of the Chilliwack, so im looking forward to this later version.

Subscribed

[Captain Brown]

Thanks Col. Frost, but I suspect this one will have a little less hyper-detailing...although you never know.

Some shots of a completed hull and adding the basic superstructure. Unlike last time I am going to add the engine room casing earlier due to warping...I had a real tough time adding it onto the short focsle build. You can really see the curved lines of the corvette and the flat stern of the RCN version (as well as the shortened engine room casing). For those two conversions I used the same methods as for the short focsle, I boiled up some water and dumped the stern into it, then used a guide to flatten and pull the stern out to create the flat version. Some extra styrene added in the gap and then glue and a lot of sanding.

In this photo you can see I have removed the last two windows of the kit wheelhouse as well as styrene strips to simulate the wood paneling. Also added the RCN galley to the after portion and moved the mast.

Placing the deck was easy as pie since I did not cut down the hull, although I used the Dremel to remove the fake wood edging that is reversed and just bizarre. Funny how easy things fit together when you follow the instructions.
I added wood panelling for the focsle deck, simply took a piece of plain white paper and a pencil and made a rubbing and used that as a template to cut out the deck covering. So some strategic cuts to simulate the planks and then some coarse sandpaper to rough it up and act like wood grain for later painting with an ink wash.



Same for the sweep deck (although very hard to see in that photo).



You can see the RCN galley in these two photos as it sits aft of the wheelhouse and now thankfully enclosed by the focsle extension. I also cut back the engine room casing and added three water-tight doors aft.

The kit funnel that has been shortened with the deletion of the RN galley.


One deviation is that I extended the focsle deck further aft, RCN Corvettes did this to because they placed the ship's boats further aft than their RN counter parts.

And I also had to sand down the bow again and remove lots of the excess keel.



I mean once you have done it for one model any repeat just would look silly without that work...I am trying not to do too much conversion work...honest.

The long painting war continues...

CB

[Captain Brown]

Extra post needed as I seemed to fill up my image quota, must remember not to use the emoticons!

Since I have done this before much of the kit improvements are just flowing as I move through the, sometimes so fast I am done before I realize it. Like the sanding of the ventilator mouths to make the kit parts far more realistic.



Also added the tread to the forward bandstand, again having done it once before it was quick:



I also built the skylight:





Beside the kit part it is replacing:


The long painting war continues...

CB

[salty]

Looking good, Catpain Bruin! Your last build was outstanding, so I can't wait to see how this one turns out.

Salty

[Captain Brown]

Thanks Salty, your name is appropriately nautical for the log as well.

This next conversion will be familiar to those who followed the last log, converting the Depth Charge Throwers into...well Depth Charge Throwers. Now even though CHILLIWACK went through a major refit in Oct 1943 to extend her focsle and upgrade her weapons she retained the earlier Mark II Depth Charge Throwers (you can tell because the photos still have the wooden stalks straped to charges down the port and starboard breezeways).

Scale drawings and Kit versions:

The drawing above are from John McKay & John Harland's Anatomy of the Ship - The Flower Class Corvette AGASSIZ and even though it was done for a short focsle RCN Corvette (sister of CHILLIWACK built at the same yard in North Vancouver), the Throwers remained the same. The plastic throwers are those included in the kit...rather simple tubes at a 45 degree angle, hardly threatening at all.

I trimmed off the excess plastic for the forward support and much of the plastic protrusion that is supposed to be the firing chamber. Top is the unchanged basic assembly and below it is my trimmed version.

To construct the firing chamber I used the same method as my short focsle version and the two Lewis Gun supports from the kit were pulled and cut down to get two cylinders.

When divided were just about the perfect length as shown below:


Now I cut and sand down most of the top part of the barrels, just something to mount the firing chambers on:


Mountings for the throwers are constructed from flat styrene (0.20 thickness) and some small L brackets.




Comparison between the kit version and my ‘upgraded’ one, the firing pins came from some small 1/35 tank tread ends (with a pin), some styrene rod and .020x.010 styrene strips to make the brackets:



Too many images...so a double post is coming.

The long painting war continues...

CB

[Captain Brown]

Continued...

More shots of the finished versions:



The long painting war continues...

CB

[Captain Brown]

Another repeatable process seen earlier on my Short Focsle Corvette and needed a second time is the aft bandstand (also called the gun tub). Since I have already moved the base pillar support further back to my abbreviated engine room casing as built on RCN Corvettes it was a matter of replacing the kit bandstand which leaves much to be desired.



So off come the sides (with my mini-Dremel and some eye and hand protection...I grip the part with a plastic hand clamp and wear construction gloves to protect my hand from Dremel slips):



Then some 0.10 by 0.20 styrene strips are added as the steel spider web foot grips. Then a piece of 0.20 styrene was cut 13mm high to circle the base and I ran my little rivet creating 'stitch wheel' to create the rivet impressions along the bottom:



More styrene is added to make the lip (here you can see the rivet impressions):


Unfortunately the lip is already starting to droop.

The long painting war continues...

CB

[Captain Brown]

Good morning, more work completed on the aft bandstand.

Now this 'gun tub' was for the Pom-Pom (2-Pounder) anti-aircraft weapon. Due to a shortage of 2-Pounders in Canada, many corvettes mounted a pair of twinned water-cooled 0.50 Calibre machine guns or paired 0.303 Lewis guns from the First World War. Some corvettes would acquire a 20 mm Oerlikon in the UK, but often these were removed when the corvette stopped in at Halifax for a refit as it "exceeded the design's weapon's fit" - how is that for bureaucracy! By 1944 CHILLIWACK had the 2-Pounder, so that is what will eventually be fitted here, but I don't plan on building one like I did last time (more on that later).

I replaced the wilting top lip with several 0.20 x 0.20 thickness strips glued to the top edge. Then I cut out a segment for the access hatch (depending on which shipyard did the work there were variations in this, but Burrard Dry Dock did a cut out and square splinter shield on the aft port quarter).



It just does not look right...

When I compare that to the one I did for the short foc’sle I just was not happy...the splinter shield is not round and the spider-web grips are a little sparse. When you scratch build something you need to be satisfied otherwise you will keep looking at the part and feeling it is somehow unfinished.



So I chopped off the shield, sanded down the base and started again. Not everything goes the way you planned when you scratch-build.

The long painting war continues,

CB

[Sgt John Keel]

Nice to see you at work again, it's interesting to see just how much (or rather, little) of the original kit is still there when you're done.

Anyway, is the kit accurate for any Flower class corvette?

[Captain Brown]

Nice to see you at work again, it's interesting to see just how much (or rather, little) of the original kit is still there when you're done.

Anyway, is the kit accurate for any Flower class corvette?

The hull could accurately represent a British Flower, all the US Flowers (which were lent to the US for the duration from RN and RCN yards), all the Allies Navy's Flowers (so Free French, Norwegian, etc) and the 10 Canadian Flowers built under UK accounts (all with flower names). The basic superstructure is the same; so you have all the basics you need to build a later refitted Flower Class Corvette (one with the focsle extension, removal of the pilot house, addition of heavier secondary armament). Where the kit falls down is all the detailing and fittings are generally quite simplistic, which at the time of the kit's original production is quite understandable. You can build the kit straight OOB and get a decent model that from afar would look like a wartime escort - so folks who motorize their corvettes are generally quite satisfied. To someone who does not look to closely the sheer number of parts and fittings tends to prevent someone focusing on the accuracy. But if you want your model to look like the ship it is supposed to represent you need to super-detail. There are some companies out there that produce parts/decks/fittings to do exactly that, in fact I will be using a few in this build to speed up the process. But just like our hobby of model soldiers, half the fun is in the converting and detailing. I think most armour and aircraft modellers are similar.

Back to the kit, the next project is one I have been avoiding for a while because it is quite challenging and one that will need a lot of fiddly work and that is the building of a 27' Whaler.

RCN corvettes after refit with the extension of their focsle dropped the two small 14' dinghies which were fine for the English Channel and Irish coast, but were totally unsuited to the North Atlantic. These were replaced with an extra pair of Carley Floats on the port side and the 27' clinker hulled Whaler on the other. (This was not done for the 10 ex-RN corvettes loaned to the RCN as their fittings were paid for by the UK and the standard 14' dinghies remained)

Here is CHILLIWACK just after the war and you can see the Whaler clearly:

Photo courtesy of DND archives.

I used a variation of Bob Pearson's (model making in Prince Rupert BC) excellent Whaler conversion http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/MODE.../02-Whaler.htm

So taking my two 14 foot lifeboats and cutting off the transom and stern off (leaving about 40mm of lifeboat) I had two ends. The gap was filled with 34mm of (0.40 thickness) styrene in three parts, a longer section for the bottom and one each side curved outwards to act as the bulwarks.




Once the glue was dry (wait 24 hours) and the styrene solid I sanded out the inside.


Next I added a keel from some scrap styrene of the same thickness as the ends from the kit. After that is was simply placing segments of 0.20 x 0.80 styrene strips starting at the keel and worked up.

Here you can see the planking, done with (0.20 x 0.80 styrene strips) layered over each other to create the clinker effect.

I used a small file to sand the ends of my simulated planks to the plank pattern on the ends.

More to come as I try to smooth out joins and build an interior to my converted dinghies...

The long painting war continues...

CB

[Captain Brown]

Now that the basic hull was dry next step was adding some ribs (0.20 x 0.20 styrene strips) about 4mm apart.



Then another strip about 4mm from the top of the gunwale on which to rest the thwarts.




Those proved to be a little bit low in the Whaler when I laid a test thwart so I cut them out and placed them about 2mm from the top of the gunwale (because I still needed to add more gunwale), you can see some of the pencil marks below the strip in this photo. It should also be noted this strip is level and does not follow the rise of the bow and stern.


Next is the drop keep, this is contained in a wooden box amidships underneath the thwarts, so I made it out of a single piece of 0.6 thickness styrene. I used a small saw to make grooves for the styrene ribs and keel so that it could be put right to the hull.


Then I built some of the gratings that sit in the bow and near the stern and these I made from some old screen and styrene (I could have probably used a finer mesh, but it is close enough).


Then thwarts were added (0.20 thickness) followed by knees (made from 0.15 x 0.60 cut into rectangles and then divided diagonally). The stern sheets and some more mesh for the upper stern grating. Plus six strips of either 0.15 x 0.60 or 0.10 x 0.60 strips for the planks (depending on their distance from the centerline to create a flat bottom deck and account for the curve of the hull).
The bulwarks/gunwale was built up with a 0.40 x 0.60 strip curved in the shape of the hull and placed over the top of the hull and then a 0.20 x 0.20 strip on top of that.



The long painting war continues...

CB

[IncrediSteve]

Good to see you at it again Captain! Your attention to detail is outright humbling...

[perplexiti]

Awesome stuff Captain! As others have said I loved your last Flower and this one's shaping up well too.

That attention to detail is just mind boggling, far greater than my hackers perspective by a large margin.

[Col. Frost]

Great work on the whaler, a mini project in it's own right

Are you finding this build easier than the first build, or is it throwing up new challenges?

[Captain Brown]

Thanks folks, everyone can do this stuff. all you need is a plan, and the PLOGs are great for finding ideas.

Are you finding this build easier than the first build, or is it throwing up new challenges?

Easier because some of it is a repeat and the really challenging bits were the minesweeping gear which was removed with the extension of the focsle.

Which reminds me that I have not really mapped out everything that I want to do...I am just sort of jumping from mini-project to mini-project...which probably is not a good idea if I want to stay on course.

Modified Parts Listing

Hull
Extra-large keel ground off (Done)
The stem needs to be removed and rebuilt (Done)
Bilge rails are way too large and thick, considering replacing with plasticard
Extra Portholes Covered (Done)
Port Hole Eyebrows…torn as the West Coast ships seemed to have these
Stern needs to be flattened out and pulled to make RCN hull (Done)

Deck and Fittings
Deck needs to have the fake reversed wood panelling taken off (Done)
Some water tight doors
Additional wood decking added to the focsle and at the stern of the engine casing (Done)
Windlass, this is going to have to be built from scratch or a substitute found
Hawse Pipes (Done)
Life Boat Davits need to be scratch-built for Whaler
Whaler (Done)
Hatches need detailing
Rope & Cable Reels need detailing or replacement
Small Ventilators need detailing (Done)
Need to add blake and bottle screw slip
Carley Float Racks
Stanchions
Mushroom vents (scratch-built)

Bridge
Detailing (Done)
Search Lights need some pretty major work
Bridge Deck needs wood planking (Done)
Bridge Ladder Moved (Done)
Radar Lantern House need door and detailing (Done)
Bridge Supports
Windshield…I will think of something
Rail Dodgers (Done)
Flag Box needs a complete replacement
Assorted Lockers need hinges and butterfly clips
Signal Light Platforms replacement or major conversion work
D/F Coil, replacement with a round version

Engine Room Casing
Needs to be shortened and corrected for Canadian version (Done)
Move the 2 Pdr Bandstand aft (Done)
Engine Room Skylight…needs to be completely rebuilt as the kit version is wrong on so many levels (Done)
Watertight Doors…the kit versions are really poor (Done)
Galley to be removed and moved aft of bridge (Done)
Funnel is a decent representation, but the rivets are such a noticeable feature I may replace it.
Large ventilators need detailing and reduction (Done)

Weapons
4-inch Main Gun & Shield replacement
Bandstand for the above will need treads and a replacement for the ammunition holders as well as some mesh and other detailing
2 Pdr replacement
The 2 Pdr Bandstand tub needs to be replaced and a tread added (Done)
Hedgehog Spigot Mortar needs replacement
Bridge Weapons 20mm Oerlikon needs replacement
Depth Charge Throwers (Done)
Depth Charges rebuild of stalks on those for throwers and cutting down to scale
Depth Charge Racks, too thick and too large
Smoke Candle Racks, see above
Floater Nets & Racks
Smoke Candles

Damn, my 'build it from the kit' plan is rapidly disappearing.

What, an update with no pictures???? I will get right on that and post my completed work over the weekend as soon as the camera is charged.

The long painting war continues...

CB

[Captain Brown]

Update with pictures...

So I have not been happy with the bridge, I attempted to use the kit’s simulated railings by taking a Dermel to the area where the canvas dodger would have been blown inwards between the pipe railings. While that method makes for a robust railing it leaves something to be desired. I have been so busy detailing everything else that my kit bridge, even with my improvements is not looking so hot any longer...

So I am going to scrap the whole bridge and start again...fortunately, since my previous corvette was a short foc’sle conversion I happen to have an extra bridge deck lying around.

First take kit part (D 14) and scrape/sand off the fake simulated wood markings. Then saw off the two Oerlikon mounts and the ammunition locker squares. The cut off Oerlikon mounts where then glued back into the holes from beneath and sanded flush (just to get rid of the holes on the underside...in fact most people will never look there as it would require them to peer under the bracing and look up...but for those who think they might...you could also cut out a disc from styrene card as well, but waste not want not.

Then I took some paper and taped it over the bridge deck and used a charcoal pencil to determine the outlines of the raised portions and the edges. The paper was cut into three templates for the wooden decks, leaving a 1 mm gap around the edges for the pipe rails and forward armour plating to sit. From these templates three sections of styrene card with wood planking embossed on one side were cut out. In the smallest a hole for the Pelorus and a square for the compass mount were removed. The next smallest only has a need to extend to the end of the Asdic Hut; and it covers the main raised portion. The largest covers the bridge deck and creates the illusion of the wooden decking.

The next two kit parts need a section cut off, they are the forward facing bulwarks that extend from the Asdic Hut, kit parts (G1 and G2). Just cut off the side that would have been part of the pipe railings. Then saw off the lip at the top and build a wind dodger from styrene. From speaking with veterans and reading up on the construction these "protective shielding" was just wood with a metal wind dodger built in sometimes.

Another set of parts need to be cut down and that is kit parts (G3 and G26). Just saw off the simulated railing section removed (as all that railing and canvas dodger material is going to be replaced with stanchions and wire covered in glue saturated tissue paper).




ASDIC Hut, the forward part of the open bridge was the ASDIC Hut, which had an armoured cover. Cut of the edge of part (E9) where it would join with part (G26), secure part (E7) as indicated in the instructions; just make certain your wooden deck fits against this part before gluing down to the deck (D14).



Now in these shots you can see I have started to add the 4' Pipe Railing. I am using the GLS versions, very nice, just a little delicate...OK very delicate. Measure then drill your pilot holes, making certain that the fitting will fit around the styrene decking (I trimmed excess off, just as a shipyard would have done).

The long painting war continues...

CB