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Captain Brown builds the Flower Class Corvette HMCS CHILLIWACK (What did he say?!)  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
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Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka





Surrey, BC - Canada

Tank you Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll and youwashock,

After looking at the best photo of the period I am building a 2 Pounder Pom-Pom for the aft bandstand. While CHILLIWACK was almost certainly constructed with two duel 50 Calibre machine guns, at this point in her career there were "upgrades" taking place.

So the kit variant is again almost just a “simulated” item to represent the 2 Pounder (the name Pom-Pom comes from the sound the weapon made, it was an anti-aircraft weapon designed to use up the vast stocks of 2 pound ammunition left over from the First World War) and it could only pass for the weapon from a great distance.

So I began by cutting out a shield from 0.010 thickness styrene, embossing some rivets with my stitch marking roller.



Then I added some more styrene to make the supporting frame using the drawings from Anatomy of the Ship: Agassiz and Shipcraft Special: Flower Class Corvettes





I did use the base (although I had to sand down the bottom support to fit my rebuilt aft bandstand) and I cut off most of the raised portions on the top to move the shield forward to account for the foot stands. This picture also has the side supports cut from another sheet of left over styrene.



Here is a slightly earlier picture of the aft bandstand with the hole that this weapon will pivot in.



The barrel was built from styrene tubing and the muzzle cut from the kit weapon (with the end drilled out to give the impression of a hollow barrel), picture of this was too small and fuzzy to share. The breach was made from sprue as was the magazine hopper. For the magazine I used some thin styrene rod and cut into small dowels and laid them side by side, then some angle bracket was laid over the ends to make it look like an ammunition feed (you can see that the best in the top down picture).



Also added a pair of my home made wheels for training and elevation, plus some discs and other extra styrene rod and some kit railing material for the aiming bars…afraid my targeting rings are rather solid, but I just don’t have the fine etched brass bits to use.



Top down look so you can see the foot rests. These I made from plain styrene card (0.020 thickness) and them some fine screen mesh was glued on top of it to create the tread effect. You can also see the ammunition hopper on the right and a look at the top of the aiming bars. My swinging hinge is also a little warped, but other than that not to bad.



The long painting and converting war continues...

CB

   
Made in ca
Damsel of the Lady





drinking tea in the snow

The details you get down to always astonish me.

realism is a lie
 
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut




Wisconsin

More amazing scratch built models. Looks good Cap!
   
Made in ca
Grisly Ghost Ark Driver






That's a beautiful pom-pom. Absolute attention to detail. Mind-blowing.

See what's on my painting table Now painting: Necron Warriors 
   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka





Surrey, BC - Canada

Thank you everyone for the comments.

Now that the major additions and changes have been made I still have some minor changes and upgrades. Those little things that were overlooked in the model kit and in my planning…

Starting the last of the mine sweeping gear, here are the rope reels (I used the kit parts for the focsle reels and boat deck reels), I added handles made from kit railing sprue.



Next up for the Engine Room Casing is the Dan buoy storage which will be outside the pipe rails.

On the aft end of the Engine Room Casing I added the gong and on the aft bandstand the stern running light, which was originally mounted on the end of the deck, according to the Burrard Dry Dock drawings, however in photos it was quickly moved up to the bandstand for better visibility. Also added a ladder and a circuit box against the casing.



The depth charges sitting on the deck needed major work, so I simply cut off the sides to make them the right dimensions, and then added a 10 x 10 mm square cut from 0.010 thickness polystyrene for the holder portion of the carrier. Some styrene tubing made the stalks for the carriers and viola…instant depth charges.



Here are the supports added under the extended bridge wings, CHILLIWACK was one of the first Corvettes to get extended Bridge Wings…but sadly the 20mm Oerlikons intended to be placed there were slow to arrive so she kept her .50 Cal twin mounts…however it did save on the supports (once the Oerlikons were mounted they added bracing to prevent the bridge wings sagging)…although there is a picture of ALBERNI with sagging experienced with just the twin .50 Cal mounts.

Based on the photos of CHILLIWACK and some other short fo'c'sle Corvettes as these were additions beyond the initial drawings I have of CHILLIWACK.



Speaking of mounts, here are my second, larger versions:



I also found the photograph I am using shows that CHILLIWACK added some splinter mats to the canvas dodgers on the 4 foot pipe rails on the bridge so I made six more out of epoxy putty (I am especially proud of the one sagging at the top corner as a line has come loose). I also added another locker and finally the MF/DF navigation coil made from kit railing rod and some extra sprue.



Dan Buoys and a few bits and bobs and I will be done construction.

The long painting and converting war continues...

CB

   
Made in in
[MOD]
Otiose in a Niche






Hyderabad, India

Kind of a side question if you don't mind. I see you're assembling the whole ship before painting, is that going to be a challenge? Or does it come apart for priming and painting?


I ask because I always to the same thing and always kick myself for doing it.

 
   
Made in us
Walking Dead Wraithlord






Astounding, as always. Can't believe it's nearly done.
   
Made in gb
Renegade Kan Killin Orks






Northern Ireland

Astonishingly good as ever. I do love watch your build. It's really inspiring.

   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka





Surrey, BC - Canada

Thank you Kid_Kyoto, youwashock, and theCrowe

So the superstructure is not glued to the hull yet so I can remove it for painting, as are the main gun, Pom-Pom, some of the deck fittings, etc.

So here are the Dan Buoys, the last main item that needed to be completed before painting:



They are a little further aft than the drawings, but some of the photographs of the Engine Room Casing have them moved back (I suspect a correction made during construction, it was noted in research that many modifications took place during the building because the drawings from the UK had never been finalized prior to their sending to Canada...hence the mainmast still being listed and added to RCN Corvettes when first built).



Now I have started painting…having never used an air-brush before this has been a bit of an experience…and a messy one. The white is now on…the trouble with an airbrush is that I have to do it outside (not having any sort of space to use it with proper ventilation)…which with West Coast weather has been quite challenging.

Spoke with some veterans again on some of the colours. Carley Floats were a grey colour and the floats for the mine sweeping gear were painted an off-yellow rather than white.

Next update I should have the base coats down, just waiting for a dry day to do the Green and Blue.

The long painting and converting war continues...

CB

   
Made in us
Walking Dead Wraithlord






In the endgame, now. Amazing project. Strong finish!
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

Your attention to detail is amazing.

   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka





6 foot underwater

Excellent stuff, read through it this morning I do love seeing a super-detailing project, and also love seeing a good boat build. Top marks sir!

cyborks & flyboyz : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/300067.page
heretical ramblings : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/302773.page
imperial preachings : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/303365.page
Da Waaagh-ky Races : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/325045.page
Briancj: You have the Mek Taint, MT, and the only thing we can do is watch in horror/amazement.

 
   
Made in gb
Ancient Venerable Dreadnought






Good to see your still keeping the Corvette going CB. Good luck with the airbrush and weather

Goberts Gubbins - P&M Blog, started with Oldhammer, often Blackstone Fortress and Void Panther Marines, with side projects along the way 
   
Made in ca
Damsel of the Lady





drinking tea in the snow

It's been remarkable following this, every stage has been impressive! Keep up the good work, and i hope that the weather will be better for you soon.

realism is a lie
 
   
Made in gb
Posts with Authority






Norn Iron

I don't feel qualified to even comment on this. Regardless: absolutely astounding. Much respect.

I'm sooo, sooo sorry.

Plog - Random sculpts and OW Helves 9/3/23 
   
Made in us
Is 'Eavy Metal Calling?





Affton, MO. USA

I applaud your tenacity and skill with this build. All the labor of love is definitely paying off.

LOL, Theo your mind is an amazing place, never change.-camkierhi 9/19/13
I cant believe theo is right.. damn. -comradepanda 9/26/13
None of the strange ideas we had about you involved your sexual orientation..........-Monkeytroll 12/10/13

I'd put you on ignore for that comment, if I could...Alpharius 2/11/14 
   
Made in us
Speed Drybrushing





Colorado, USA

An astoundingly impressive project. The detail you've put into this ship is incredible.

   
Made in us
Druid Warder





Looking just a few steps from being alive! Great project, sir, please, do not hurry!

Painting progress tracker:
2017: 50 of 50 planned; 2018: 80 of 60 planned; 2019: 75 of 75 planned

Pledge 2020:
6 to sculpt, 75 to paint (2/57 done) 
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

Quick, someone place some periscopes around his workstation. Give him a little motivation to get under sail.

   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka





Surrey, BC - Canada

Thank you everyone.

Here is the first WIP shot of the model as it gets its basecoat. For paints I have been using White Ensign Model enamels (all based on the real paint chips of the period), Games Workshop Acrylics and Vallejo Acrylics.



For colours I made several checks, speaking with Ted Paxton and Cully Lancaster about colours of the corvettes they sailed in, as well as the handful of black and white photographs available. I also tried to use the colour photographs of ARROWHEAD and WEYBURN, but this last source caused some problems, because when I painted the hull it just did not look right…


(Photo source DND Archives Project Pride Ken Macpherson Collection)

CHILLIWACK looks to have been in the Western Approaches Dazzle Paint Scheme in 1942, a change from the standard grey that corvettes where painted when first built. There was a fair bit of leeway given to captains, for example Ted Paxton says that SHEDIAC’s captain had grey mixed with everything to give the ship a simple grey toned dazzle paint.

But from descriptions provided with the black and white photos I know CHILLIWACK was a little more like this:

I traded some emails with Bob Pearson, who did the coloured paint scheme images for the Shipcraft Special: Flower Class Corvettes

At first glance it looks like the corvette has only two colours:


(Photo source DND Archives Project Pride Ken Macpherson Collection)

The large dark triangles are WA Green, and the hull would be the off white of the RN/RCN.

WA Blue is so light that it is almost impossible to notice unless you look for it (so I thought I might have a bad batch and opened another tin and used a different agent to thin it for painting...and it was just as faint). However the paint chips Jon Warneke and Jeff Herne showed that the WA Blue is really light and that the blue from the colour photo of WEYBURN was probably B6 or 507A. I read somewhere that CO's could replace any missing colour with 507C and Ted Paxton says his CO insisted that it get mixed with each of the colours so that SHEDIAC was a series of greys.

With that in mind you can see a slight change in colour on the 4 Inch and on the bridge wings with a diagonal, especially in this photo:


(Photo source DND Archives Project Pride Ken Macpherson Collection)

There is even a little contrast on the dodger on the bridge deck. It also looks like the funnel and ventilators might be WA Blue (as the large hatch cover between the ventilators is probably white) with WA Green for the top funnel band.

The long painting and converting war continues...

CB

   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka





6 foot underwater

Looking great with the bases down. I like all the reference work you have to do even on the colours, makes an enjoyable read.

cyborks & flyboyz : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/300067.page
heretical ramblings : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/302773.page
imperial preachings : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/303365.page
Da Waaagh-ky Races : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/325045.page
Briancj: You have the Mek Taint, MT, and the only thing we can do is watch in horror/amazement.

 
   
Made in ca
Grisly Ghost Ark Driver






The attention to detail continues to be amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your research with us! I'm sure your finished result will make Paxton and Lancaster proud!

See what's on my painting table Now painting: Necron Warriors 
   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka





Surrey, BC - Canada

Thank you both.

More photos in better light, now I am starting the highlights and touch-ups before the first coat of varnish before weathering.

Midships


Quarterdeck


Focsle


Just the base colours, nothing more at this point.

Never use any form of spray paint on thread…word to the wise. I used black thread for some of the railings that had rope and not wire...it did not react well to the spraying.

The long painting and converting war continues...

CB

   
Made in us
Walking Dead Wraithlord






I cannot wait to see this thing finished. Truly amazing project.
   
Made in es
Inspiring SDF-1 Bridge Officer






Astounding. This is something I would expect to see in a museum.
   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka





Surrey, BC - Canada

Thank you youwashock and Albertorius,

So I have started the weathering, the soot and grime that comes from Oil fired ships who sailed in convoy with coal-fired freighters of the SC (Slow Convoys) that became the favoured targets of the Kriegsmarine’s U-Boat arm. I cannot leave a model with it’s pristine paint…as within minutes of painting the elements and regular use with start to corrode/chip/dirty up everything. Especially on a heavily used escort ship that sailed back and forth across the Atlantic in the middle of a world war.

First, the ship with soot and grime (rust has not been added yet), in this photo the Corvette is starting to look nearly done.


Nothing is really glued down yet as I have to add the window glass after all sealing is done. I will just have a black backing on the glass so the wheelhouse and Asdic house interiors will not be visible. The grime is a mixture of black wash, water and lacquer thinner (to prevent the water tension in the wash beading). After this was applied over a glass varnish it was rubbed down with more lacquer thinner to create the streaks.

Bow


Midships

I have started making straps for the Carley floats (need to do some for the lifeboats next), they are simply tin foil folded over to make a strap with some cut up polystyrene tubing for the ring…trouble now is painting them as the tin foil is not the best medium to paint on.

Stern

The off-yellow floats are a little pristine still, they were actually that colour for no known reason. I have actually used a couple of GW hand grips from a tank kit to make the top bracket which was a basically the top of a large triangle, for this scale the handle is good enough.

So next up is the rust and then the rigging…just need to get the lifeboats right and add the straps...then the rust...then gluing down everything and placing the depth charges.

The long painting and converting war continues...

CB

   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

I’m probably repeating myself from before, but your attention to detail is amazing. Watching this come together is astonishing.

   
Made in in
[MOD]
Otiose in a Niche






Hyderabad, India

Congratulations on getting (near) the end of a fantastic project.

 
   
Made in us
Walking Dead Wraithlord






It's going to look like a real boat. Like you went out and zapped one with your miniaturizationizer. I await the rust.
   
Made in gb
Renegade Kan Killin Orks






Northern Ireland

Fantastic painting so far. The finished article will be a masterwork!

Not sure if you mentioned already but what is the plan for your CHILLIWACK once the project is complete? Will it be on display somewhere?

   
 
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