WWII Naval Ship Models

[Artisan]

I have been having a search around the internet for WWII naval ships but have not had much success finding what I want. Can anyone point me in the direction of suppliers selling either card kits, 3D printed models, ready made white metal models, white metal kits or plastic construction kits. Ideally the scale should of course be 1:148 but 1:144 would be okay.

[Merrylee]

Revell used to do the flower class corvette in 1/144

Plus i'm Sure i've Seen u boat plus landing craft before.

Try googling 1/144 scale and click on images, should get some on there.

1/144 scale is more common.

Ron

[Ditape]

Revell still have the flower class corvette it is 480mm long just short of 19 inches, it costs around £40

[martyn]

What type of warships are you looking for?

In the past, I've googled or Ebayed some, but mainly battleships (think Bismark/Hood).

Otherwise, as others have said, the 'Flower' class corvette is available, and also some landing craft. Try googling 1:150 scale as well, as I think this is a common wargamers scale.

martyn

[Artisan]

Thanks for the information. As the layout is only small. Just something I am doing over this winter I don't want the ships to be too big. What I am creating is a 4 foot by 1 foot shelf layout which is in the theme of a port with WWII British forces preparing for the D Day landings in 1944. I want to show a couple of ships with perhaps one small warship and one naval transporter tied up at the dockside and plenty of action on the quayside with armoured vehicles, military utility vehicles, field guns and supplies waiting to be loaded. I also want to show the port with buildings which can be either old Victorian port buildings and others like Nissen huts. I want the port defended with pile boxes and anti-aircraft guns and perhaps land based naval guns to combat the threat of motor torpedo boat raids. So you can see I don't want much in such a small space! No, to be honest, that is what I would like. What I can fit on the layout is a different matter!

[exmouthcraig]

Some motor launches were moved by rail, so if you can manage to get hold of some that would make an interesting load!

Mrs ECs dad was in Falmouth as a teenager during D-Day preparations so remembers all the Americans and Ships being prepared at Falmouth harbour.

He remembers a huge explosion and fire at an oil store so last year while on holiday we went to the Maritime museum library and spent a good few hours with a friendly bloke there trying to find all the information about it. It was fantastic.

It turns out the oil store caught fire and oil ran through the streets on fire. An American airman commandeered a bulldozer and formed a mud bank to stem the flow saving the town and harbour. He received a bravery award. The fire burned for a few days!

[Snowwolflair]

Gramodels do a LCT Mk IV for £31.80

My dad landed day two of D Day with his radio trucks from one of these.

[Artisan]

Some motor launches were moved by rail, so if you can manage to get hold of some that would make an interesting load!

Mrs ECs dad was in Falmouth as a teenager during D-Day preparations so remembers all the Americans and Ships being prepared at Falmouth harbour.

He remembers a huge explosion and fire at an oil store so last year while on holiday we went to the Maritime museum library and spent a good few hours with a friendly bloke there trying to find all the information about it. It was fantastic.

It turns out the oil store caught fire and oil ran through the streets on fire. An American airman commandeered a bulldozer and formed a mud bank to stem the flow saving the town and harbour. He received a bravery award. The fire burned for a few days!

Thank you. A very interesting story. Before moving to were we live today we lived in an old and large Victorian house in Bude North Cornwall. Prior to the landings the house had been commandeered for use as living accommodation and an officer's mess for US forces.

[exmouthcraig]

It was phenomenal the scale of what was moved and prepared for that mission.

Dont forget the barrage balloons that would of been at the harbours.

Falmouth (like most ports) was protected by anti aircraft guns and the huge search lights right at the top of the hill actually in the school field as it disappears down to the harbour.

[Artisan]

Thank you. Yes of course there would have been barrage balloons above and search lights. I had forgotten both of them. Oh Dear! Am I going to have enough room on my little layout!

[martyn]

Hi Greg;

About 12-15 years ago there was a large exhibition layout with this very theme. I recall seeing it at Southend show, but for the life of me, I can't remember its name........I think it was in 4mm. There is/was another layout called 'Somewhere in England' but this is of a military camp in the Hampshire area prior to D day.

However, if you can find it either of these, it may give you inspiration and ideas for what you are looking for.

martyn

[martyn]

Is this any help?

https://nscaleships.com/n-z-scale-ship-index/110-world-war-ii-subchaser/

Note these are from the USA and can be bought as kits or ready made (at a price).

He has other small warships available, but I don't know if they served in Europe.

This one might be converted to look something like a fairmile D (Dog) boat; but its a bit long;

https://nscaleships.com/n-z-scale-ship-index/173-us-navy-patrol-ship-1942-1970s/

Martyn

Later; don't forget these are 1:160 so would scale out slightly shorter Prototype length in British N.

[Stuart Down Under]

The best site I have found for plastic ship kits is hannants.co.uk. Excellent search facility too. Worth checking all of the ratios from 1:142 to 1:160. There are loads of submarines in 1:144, but very little else. I have a Flower Class corvette which will one day emerge as a post war marine research vessel. They built 294 of them, so many were sold into civilian use after the war.

Stuart

[martyn]

Revell also make a 1;144 Landing Ship (Medium) but AFAIK, these were only used in the Pacific theatre until after WW2 ended.

Stuart; I've also used Hannants as a reference site for models, it is a very comprehensive list of what's available, even if it takes a long time getting through it!

Martyn

[martyn]

See this thread for a conversion of the LST by Al;

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=36341.msg427688#msg427688

Martyn