The Captain class Frigates were what the Royal Navy designated the Buckley and Evarts class lend lease Destroyer Escorts, They were all named after Royal Navy Captains, Mostly from the 18th and Early 19th Century. K352 was named in honour of Captain George Duff, Captain of the 74 gun HMS Mars at The battle of Trafalgar, at which he was cut down by a canonball.
HMS Duff was a Buckley, so the base kit is Trumpeter’s USS England. I will be using the WEM etch as this has a lot of parts that will come in for the conversion, a few Black Cat bits and peices as well.
The etch has gun sheilds for the 3", Type 291 radar, 2pdr bow chaser (that will be replaced with a 3d printed part), cable reels, depth charge stowage, Davits, HF/DF antenna, different life raft stowage. Etc.
Hope to get the keel laid before Christmas.
Cheers, Si
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Interesting history and interesting kit/AM… Hopefully you don’t encounter any “tribal” issues with this effort from Trumpeter… 
Thanks Russ,
The Buckley isn’t too bad a kit, for shape and detail, I will be replacing the armament with Black cat parts, the 3", the 20mm, the depth charges, the hedgehog. The Duff also had a twin 40mm replacing the quad 1.1". With a bit of luck I will get the keel laid next week.
Cheers, Si
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Very small update, the keel has been laid, just.
The upper and lower hull sections are a good fit, as is the deck, a few holes to fill as the RN converion included reducing the number of depthcharge throwers to four, the space freed up allowed the stowage of more ready use rounds.
The basic lower superstructure parts, I have started to add etched watertight doors.
This is likely to be the last update before Christmas. Wishing all shipmates on here a happy holiday season and may Santa be generous to your stashes.
Cheers, 
Si
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Looking great. I’ve got a couple of the 1/700’s (Skywave?) I might try and convert to the Royal Navy fit. So I’ll be watching and keeping notes! I did read a while back that another of the modifications the admiralty insisted upon was removal of the ice-cream machine! Can’t see it being popular on a cold Atlantic run though.
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Welcome aboard, I too have read that the ice-cream machines were removed upon the Admiralty’s insitance, I guess, because they weren’t standard fit on any R.N. Ships. I wouldn’t say that no two Captains were the same. All had the quad 1.1" mount removed, replaced in some cases with single or twin 20mm, or twin 40mm, or even nothing. Quite a few other changes, most had a second boat added. NavSource is a good start, there are some photos of different ships after they were modified by the R.N.
Cheer, Si
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Thanks. I’ll have a look at that.
The kits are packed away at the moment, but from what I remember they were generous with extra pieces and secondary weapons. Plus I have a few other bits and pieces in spares from other projects. Should in theory have everything to make a close approximation for the scale.
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Not much bench time over the holiday season, but some small progress on the Duff.
The basic main superstructure assemblies done and test fitted together.
Quite a bit of etch to to be added before it is ready to have paint shot at it.
Some of the 3d printed parts I will be using, repacing the kit 3", and an etched gubshield from the WEM fret. The twin bofors, the RN boats also depth charge racks, throwers etc. The only decent photo I have found is on Navsource, the ship has the RN Pennant No. on the bow, and the 2pdr pompom in the eyes of the ship, no gunshields fitted, The 2 pdr was generally fitted to escorts covering Channel Convoys, gunshields were more common on escorts covering the Atlantic. So no Gunshields. Unwanted holes have been filled.
More before too long, I hope.
Cheers. Si
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After a small break on this build, a little progress, the hull and deck have been sprayed, and test fitted together.
The open bridge is a little bland, I have no pictures of the Bridge of an RN ship of this type, but a bit of detail has been added, based on other small escorts, a
few voice pipes and a couple of boxes.etc,
Most of the weaponry, sprayed, except the depth charge rails and throwers etc.
.
The motor boat came from my HMS Grenade build, I replaced that part with a 3D printed one, It will suffice for this build, as there are etched parts for it on the WEM fret.
More a bit sooner, I hope.
Cheers, Si
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I do love me some Destroyer Escort action. They always seem to punch well above their weight class and your HMS Duff is looking great so far.
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Thanks for looking in, I do have a soft spot for the smaller escorts, the hard worked maids of all work on the convoys. One advantage the U.S. built ships had, you guys shoe horned it a lot more light AA than a British built Destory escort of Frigate. I should be ready to post another update soon, I would like to get some of the Anglisization on.
Cheers, Si
Latest progress has been on the Anglisiation of the ship for Royal Navy purposes.
A few minor changes on the compass platform, I found some more RN like binocular mounts than the kit parts, the after pair were replaced with 10" aldis lamps, 3D printed by Black Cat, standard bridge fit on most RN ships, also found a spare pair of RN seachlights, much nicer and match the photographs better than the kit parts.One thing the compass platform is missing is a magnetic compass binacle, I will have to have another rummage in my spares box. The RN davits for the motorboat in place, the forward one needs painting in the darker camo colour.
As the Duff spent her time in the RN escorting the North Sea and Channel convoys she was fitted with a 2pdr pompom in the eyes of the ship, anti Schnellboot, also anti air. The AA armament was bolster by a twin 40mm in place of the U.S. Quad 28mm, a futher pair of single 20mm were also added between the RN style carley float racks.
More soon.
Cheers, Si
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There has been a litte hiatus at the bench.
Finally some real progress. a few final details added the bridge including a magnetic compass binacle and the Captians chair.
The most of the Anglification has been done. RN boats and liferafts fittied, the davits ,need rigging, Some extra depth charge stowage in place of the forward pair of throwers.and the 2pdr pompom in the eyes of the ship.
.
Foredeck railings, the mainmast with a British radar and a few other details and this one will be done.
Cheers, Si
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Yesterday afternoon, after a good session at the bench, finally commissioned HMS Duff.
An overview of the ship.
The bow, with 2pdr pompom and the RN davits with the 27ft whaler, all the carley floats except the ones below the bridge were replaced with RN racks and floats.
The stbd side with the 27ft fast motor boat in the existing U.S. davits.
The stern, the reduced number of depth charge throwers and some additional stowage for ready use deoth charges.
The 2pr in the eyes of the ship was generally only fitted to ships on the North Sea coastal convoys, as an anti E Boat weapon, also the enhanced AA. The Pennant number is a bit undersized, but I can live with it.
Another escort vessel comming sonon
Cheers, Si
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Beautiful, Si… Great work 
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Thanks Russ,
Appreciate your very kind comment.
Cheers, Si
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Another winner! She looks fantastic 
Thanks Rory,
appreciate your very kind comment.
Cheers, Si
Si,
Great work and congratulations to your commissioning of this fine escort vessel!
Sorry for not really commenting on the final leg…
Cheers
Jan
Hi Jan,
Thank you for your very kind comment, hope you get back to your bench before too long.
Cheers, Si
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