Before anyone asks, the title is a play on the wartime memoirs of the writer and Naval officer Nicholas Monsarrat, (Three Corvettes), as I have two Corvettes to build. After some thought, rather than build them concurrently or consecutively I would start one, get that under way, once I had the hull painted, and the first few stages of the build, at that point lay the keel of the second Corvette.
The first Corvette is FNFL MIMOSA, Keel laid 27/04/40, commissioned 11/05/41, and transfered directly into the Free French Navy. her career was short, torpedoed 09/06/42 and sunk by U124,
61 of the French officers and crew were lost and 6 of the British, only French 4 survivors picked up by a Canadian destroyer. (source U-Boat.net)
Not a problem, exhibit as yet unnamed has a more squared off stern as she was originally fitted with mine-sweeping gear, build will represent her after the mine sweeping gear had been removed, and she had rebuilt with a long fo’c’s;le.
Hi, these are from Black Cat Models, Very cleanly cast rest hulls, most of the rest of the kit is 3D printed parts, a small etched fret and turned brass parts for the masts and suchlike.
I have started on the construction, not enough yet for an update. This did involve removing the plaques of 3D printed parts from their little boxes, one thing I learnt from the Agassiz build, in the instruction each plaque is given a letter, so as I removed each plaque I wrote it’s letter on the underside. On this build as their will be a second corvette I added the pennant No. so i don’t mix them up.
There are 2 H’s in the instructions, but as they are very different very easy to tell apart. Like the Agassiz the instructions are well laid and very clear. I think these a re great and a joy to build. I will be ordering the two I don’t have next month.
The weathering around the hawsepipes needs tidying up. The bridge structure, a couple of figures in their winter gear have been added, the helmsman and officer of the watch are inside the wheelhouse, barely visible.
The Bridge in place, and the build so far test fitted into a sea base I am working on for this ship. The sculpting of the waves still needs some tinkering to get the effect I want, a confused sea. wind against tide.
Most of the detail forward of the bridge structure done, a few bits to go on, then vents and other bits and pieces on the funnel casing. good fit all round.
The spare bit of anchor cable draped across the foredeck was a sample sent by Black Cat, very cleanly printed a good size and easy to handle, and would work ships from corvettes to fleet destroyers. I will be ordering some, very useful size. Hope to have some more progress on both Corvettes within the next week or so,
Apologies for long silence…here and on your other projects.
Once falling behind it’s difficult to catch up, but I will do my best to stay tuned again!
Fine build logs as always and - as always - interesting subjects and nice work! One day I will do on of those corvettes myself. Nice boats and nice kits on offer meanwhile!
Based on the starting camouflage of “No. 2”, may I suggest:
You got it in one, HMCS Sackville, and thank you for the very nice reference photo. The Black cat Flowers are really nice little kits and five distinctively different ships I think we all understand that real life gets in the way of the hobby. It is nice to see some progress on the Gneisenau,
The decks around the funnel casing done, except I have just notice there is a cable / hose real missing from the stbd side just fwd of the ladder down, that will be rectified by before the next update.The etched railings around look very good in place, very well half etched through on all the bends. One thing that is exceptional about this kit, it has parts to give the builder the option to builder HMS Myosotis instead of Mimosa. I might have to get another one of these at some point.
The gun platform and all it’s bits and pieces added , the Anchor cable is Black Cat’s, I will confess, I think I hit it with slightly too much paint, that clogged a few of the links meaning it hangs a bit odd. The bridge is only test fitted, a fair amount of work on that before it is ready to be fixed down. The rocket flair launchers on the 4” gun shield are very finely done.
Both ships so far. I am very much enjoying these builds, the level of detail is very good and they are complete, the only thing I will have to provide for myself is rigging material, that is not a problem, always have plenty of stuff for that.
A bit more progress since the last update, both ships moving along quite nicely, Mimosa, I have all the detail on the engine casing, and started on the ready use depth charges. I did manage, being a bit clumsy to break the depth charge off one of the throwers, I have a couple of spare ready use depth charges, If I can find the right figures I will try and make a little vignette on the deck of them reloading the thrower, If I can’t find the right figures, even with a bit of converting I can trim up the spare depth charge and fit it.
HMCS Sackville, The bridge has been done, just needs a watch on deck, the funnel and the two boats are ready for rigging, I do like the the ready use depth charge stowage on the Sackville, most of them are in two racks running down the side of the engine casing, four parts instead of forty(ish).
As in the update above, detail has gone on the engine casing, no just missing the pompom platform. Also some of the ready use depth charges have been fitted, the fo’c’sle deck extensions have also been fitted, need a very little tidy up, no big deal.
All in all it has been a slow week at the bench, and this week is likely to be even slower.
On Mimosa all the ready use depth charges and throwers are in position, I have three figures outside on the bridge, I might add another lookout or two or a signal party at the aft end of the bridge.The platforms for the liferafts have been fitted too,
Well, “slow week at the bench”…I’ve experienced slow months at the bench, so don’t worry.
They are looking verifiably neat, both of them, and it’s very nice to see the distinctive differences between the two - your last picture of both together is very nice!
I’m not worried, these sort of things just happen. They are very nice kits, the level of detail is exceptional, and they compare very well with my references very little for me to add, rigging and a few figures as they will be going on sea bases.
Good to see progress on the Gneisenau, and he is nearing completion.
On both ships I have been working on the engine casing, and the details that go on it, all the ready use depth charges are on; Mimosa also has the 2 Pdr platform fitted, not quite that far on the Sackville, I have fitted the funnel stays before anything, like the whaler gets in the way, i have added some etched oars to the whaler.
Si
