Flower Class Corvette photoetched parts????

Wilbur Wright wrote:

I have to make due with my skills and the OOB kit..........the after market parts are insanely priced.....unless I was building one for a museum. I'm sure they are fantastic, but where does the budget end?

This is what I did when I built this kit, as HMS Bluebell - other than some photo-etched gunsights and Aeroclub metal Lewis guns. It turned out very well - you can see the model in my sig photo!

The advantage of large scales like 1/72 is that it's fairly easy to scratchbuild extra details, with moderate skill and a good collection of Evergreen styrene stock; you don't really need PE except for very fine parts like gunsights and mesh gratings. 

Jayman.....my build is progressing and is probably 3/4 as of today. It has taken a lot of work from bad fitting parts. All the parts representing glass had to be tossed and custom cut from clear stock......they did not even remotely fit. As far as paint on the western camo scheme........I used

Tamiya Sky for the light green........and mixed MM enamel light blue down with flat white to get the blue............I use flat white for the hull instead of camo grey, as in my experience when weathered properly camo grey is too dark. I can get you the MM color # if you would like.

I had a lot of work to do on thinning the funnels, and filing ejector pin marks. Its starting to look pretty impressive. I also sanded off the innacurate molded wood deck planking and scribed deck plates where needed..........a great deal of work. I'm usually not on the forum everyday so if you leave a message I will respond when I see it.

Good luck 

EdGrume & Thunder - Thank you sooo much for your comments. Yes, I do believe  that To Sea in Haste was the book I was thinking of. I found a used copy through Barnes & Nobel and have ordered a copy.

As for my build, I do not have the modeling skills of even the average reader of this forum. I am going to build it pretty much out of the box with a view of having it represent the USS Saucey. Since it will be radio controled, it will lack the detail of a display model. I will not even put on details that I know will get damaged in use as a radio controled model. (For instance, the rigging of the mast to show radio antennas.) Life long lessons as a boater have taught me to abhor any mechanical or electrical equipment that can't be easily accessed. So, both the fore and aft decks are removable. The decks are held down by stainless steel screws through beefed up deck beams. I just hope they are not too noticable.

Oh well, enough for now. I'm off to the hobby store.

 Hey Jayman

  Regarding the Flower class book...if it's the same publication it's titled "TO SEA IN HASTE" (Acropolis Books 1975) written by Roland T Carr, an officer stationed on the ship. The book is pretty much unknown and only made one printing(as part of a bi-centennial series from the publisher). It's hard cover, 260 pages, and contains 20 B&W photos. The story centers around the USS HASTE, a Coast Guard manned, (modified) Flower Class corvette. It's a well written tale giving the reader a day to day look at life aboard these little escorts, largely ignored by American naval historians. Being a Coast Guard vessel, this may account for it's lack of interest by maritime readers who tend to favor the exploits of bigger naval operating units. Still, if you build Flower class corvettes, this book might be worth a read, every convoy didn't equate into a U-boat battle, rough weather and monotony were an enemy unto themselves.

As to building a 1:72 Corvette, I have you all beat. I purchased mine in 1979 under the Matchbox label. It sits 75% compleat in my "Shipyard",  it took me a looooong time to decide in what configuation to build it. I have about 20 magazine articles dating back to the early 80's dealing with building the 1:72 corvette but everyone pretty much builds it out of the box. I wanted mine to be a little different and radio controlled. In the interim, I've built 15 R/C boats(mostly scratchbuilt) and the corvette model, which looked so "big" and sea worthy in 1979 looks pretty undersized these days. So I took the motor and all the R/C gear off and decided it will be a "shelf queen" when complete.  The ship will be the USS INTENSITY configured with American weapons and deck hardware. Like others have commented, the GLS fittings are a little pricey but well worth it. I plan to purchase a set when I "save" enough money, being retired everthing is "cash on the barrelhead" these days.  

Still it's an impressive model when completed,(there are some outstanding corvette models on the internet)  all it takes is a little money and a little "time".

PS Snyder and Short have a great line of ACCURATE naval paint, US, British, etc. that are spot on, check out their web site, perhaps you'll find what you need..

Regards

Mike M.

jayman1 wrote:

The instructions refer to anthracite grey, mouse grey, stone grey, tank grey etc. I thought it would be simple. I went to my local hobby store. They had a lot of paints. Model Masters, Testors, Tamya and others. But I could not find anything which matched the colors in the instruction book. Is there anyone with a cheat sheet which wold equate the colors refered to in the instructions to colors commonly available from recognized manufacturers?

Here is where the question gets turned back to you.   Are you building it as Royal Navy,  Royal Canadian Navy, or US Navy?   Are you building in Western Approaches scheme, or one of the other schemes?

Here are several pages of camouflage applied to Flowers.

http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/PROFILE/Profiles-01.htm

http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/PROFILE/Profiles-02.htm

http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/ARTICLES/USN_Flowers.htm

There is also an article on lessons learned in converting the model to RC

http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/MODELS/Lessons_learned.htm

as well as articles on adding & improving details

The website also provides links to paint brands.   It is a great reference

http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/

Wilbur,

I'm taking a stab at this model.

One of the reasons that I was facinated by this model is a book I started to read about 12 years ago. It was written by a Captain of one of the US ( I think it was US) Flower Class Corvettes. It was very well written and I think that even Joseph Conrad would have enjoyed the author's description of this little warship guarding conveys in the winter north Atlantic.

Well, the book belonged to a friend of mine. In fact, I think she claimed to have known the author. (In every sense oif the word.) I said goodbye before I could finish the book. (I have regretted leaving under such circumstances.) Does anyone have any idea as to the possible title/author of this book?

Now, I have decided to make this a radio control model. This means that it will not have the detail of a static model. I am not an experienced modeler. I am more of a life-long boater. To take a paraphrase of Bluejacket Shipcrafters saying: "If you can't be working on a real boat, might as well be working on a model". (Actually, I have numerous opportunities to work on real bosts. Right now, I choose to limit that activity.)

I have the motor bedded in and the rudder installed and am starting to do some painting. Now this is where I could use some help.

The instructions refer to anthracite grey, mouse grey, stone grey, tank grey etc. I thought it would be simple. I went to my local hobby store. They had a lot of paints. Model Masters, Testors, Tamya and others. But I could not find anything which matched the colors in the instruction book. Is there anyone with a cheat sheet which wold equate the colors refered to in the instructions to colors commonly available from recognized manufacturers?

I would like to know how your build is progressing.

I am about 1/2 done with my Snowberry, so if anyone else is building one please start a thread.

I have to make due with my skills and the OOB kit..........the after market parts are insanely priced.....unless I was building one for a museum. I'm sure they are fantastic, but where does the budget end?

I'm really enjoying the build. 

Loyalhanna Dockyard also has a lot of aftermarket PE and cast parts for the Flower Class Corvette.

http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/contents.htm

http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/REVIEWS/GLS_Sirmar/GLS_Sirmar.htm

These two links should put you underway to a fantastic model corvette and financial ruin once you have decided "I WANT IT ALL" .......................................

Don't be put off though, David Parkins' great little ship material is really out of this world.

Julian