Building the Revell Flower-class as HMS Bluebell (help needed!)

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Jeff

Looks like that's what I'll have to do!

Hi Im currently building the Bluebell as of 1943, if you still need help I will try to give a list of part numbers that require changing. Have you visited DJ Parkins Great little ships web site? also white ensign models can supply a A4 plan showing the colour scheme Im using.
regards from Blighty.

I'll check my files-- I may still have the old set from Matchbox.....

That would be very helpful - All I really need is a list of what optional part numbers are used for the Bluebell, and if possible a rough guide to where they go.

I've accumulated a lot of photographs and reference drawings from Internet searches, both of built models and of the
real thing (some of the preserved HMCS Sackville) which will be sufficient reference for detailing and scratchbuilding
parts. The Flower-class will be my next ship modelling project, currently I'm working on the old Revell 1/240 Buckley
(assembly + detailing nearly finished, almost ready for painting).

I've got access to the HMCS Sackville if you ever need a picture taken of a particular area.

QT

hope this helps, ive cross checked the instructions from the revell kit to the matchbox kit. In step 13 trim parts  g24/ g25 to line, step 23 build as saucy, step 39 omit altogether, step 47 f5 do not cut, step 63 /64 replace m1/ m11 with m9 /m15,step 26 replace all with e5,e6&g50, step 53 replace h14 with h4, step 85 replace g11,L9,e20 with g38,L6,g56,g57 still use k58, step 107  omit h23, h8 , h24, step 110 as snowberry, step 112 part g34 not used, step 117 5xh45 smoke floats fitted just in front of vents, one fitted to rear starboard, step 140 m37 as snowberry, step 139 g34 not shown, step 146 swop h33 nearest lifebouy to other location near name plate, step 142 replace name to bluebell, step 150 5x depth charges placed to the left of h33 (the one thats in its original position) one depth charge placed to the right of h33 moved in step 146 nearest nameplate (starboard side only shown, im assuming port side is the same) steps 152 153 & 154 not used, step 159 put m43/m46 & m44 where the assembly shown in step 153 is ment to fit, place two liferafts one on top the other onto m43/m46,( i assume port side is the same) so ignore steps 160 161 &162, step 160 omit, construct j60/j1 m25 & m27 x2 this makes up the spare depth charge racks these fit port & starboard of the depth charge racks. place m37 on top of depth charge racks one in front of the other, place m50/m51 into notches moulded into stern bulwark i make no claim to the accuracy of these guidelines, good luck (e mail me if your still stuck).

Thanks very much for the info - I'll save this list on my PC and print it out later.
I'll probably start work on the Flower next week. The Buckley is nearly done, just need to add the last few railings and then paint + weather it.

The major differences are that  Bluebell has a circular Radar lantern not the octagonal one fitted in Snowberry,the 4" Gun shield is the one with the rounded top not the square one and ,I think ,the depth charge layout.Bluebell has 2 throwers a side, 2 racks at the stern plus a reload rack either side. There is no connection between the bridge and the next deck house as there is on the Snowberry.The weapons are the weakness in this kit ,the oerlikons should be chucked away ,the 4" and the 2pdr are basic and need detail work. Some years ago when I was showing my model of Bluebell at a show in England ,I met an old sailor who had seen Bluebell torpedoed in Jan 45. He said he was a couple of miles away ,there was a blue flash,and she vanished, and no sound of an explosion. Makes you think.

Another question, regarding the 40mm/2pdr AA gun:
Was this a standard Bofors gun? If not, what model of gun was it? Some sources I've read suggest that it isn't a Bofors.
If it IS a Bofors, a simple and cheap way of improving it would be to buy the Airfix 1/72 Bofors Gun + Morris truck kit. Most of the Bofors parts from this kit would be usable for a ship-mounted gun, other than the shield and chassis.

I'm probably going to buy some Aeroclub white metal Lewis guns to replace the kit guns. I don't usually buy AM stuff but at 90p (around $1.50) for 2 they aren't going to break the bank, and I don't really want to scratchbuild them. Unfortunately I've used up all of the spare Lewises left over from my Roden 1/72 Felixstowe WW1 flying boat, on various aircraft models.

The gun is a Vickers 2pdr Pom Pom. The kit gun has the basis for a good model but needs layers and trainers positions each side (standing -no seats ) plus prominent cartwheel sights .

Is it the weapon seen on this page ("Vickers 2pdr pom-pom")?
http://www.dutchsubmarines.com/pictures/pictures_mystery.htm
Looks rather like a scaled-up Vickers/Maxim machinegun.

That's the one,the Maxim type one. If you can get hold of the book"The Flower class Corvette Agassiz",which is in the Anatomy of the Ship series published by Conway,ISBN No. 0-85177-614-0 ,there are excellent scale plans of the 2 pdr, and of the 4 inch gun. The ship itself is of the Canadian type and therefore different slightly in hull and layout to Bluebell, but the book is an very good guide to armament and fittings of corvettes in general.

The Pom Pom is an old weapon dating before 1900 and was first used by the Army on a wooden carriage like a field gun .It was an antique when the corvettes got them.   

Thanks for the info again. I'll post some photos of the Flower once I've started work - still working on painting the 1/240 Buckley though. (about 75% done)