1/600 HMS Diana D126 (Airfix)
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by Shaun Garnham |
1/600 HMS Diana D126 (Airfix)
This picture shows a representation of HMS Diana D126 a Daring Class Destroyer Commissioned 29th March 1954, Decommissioned 1969 and sold to Peru where She was named BAP Palacios DM-73, finally being discarded in 1993. I have taken a few liberties here with artistic licence as it alludes to when the Ship followed a Nuclear cloud across the Indian Ocean after a British Nuclear Test explosion in 1956. This shows the Ship going towards the explosion (not following the cloud), the explosion is taken off a Greenpeace Album cover and photo's on line and not the actual one. Idea was to show the dangerous aspect of task instead of the Ship following a cloud, which in reality has invisible radiation from fallout, with particles in the air and on the Decks.The model kit was Airfix and I enjoyed making it and used the 1/600 HMS Daring etch ATEM60013 from Atlantic Models, which was a great addition to the kit.
My Father was on HMS Diana during this evolution, unfortunately passed on now, He was an interesting very Sociable Man. I remember My Nan sending a Liverpool Echo to My Dad in the mid 80's detailing the high proportion of Leukemia and other radiation type problems/deaths the crew had suffered, a fair few being Liverpudlians like My Father. He Himself died of various complications but I never Myself heard Him moan about this, also it is possible it had nothing to do with His Health issues. He was good company and full of interesting funny anecdotes, He loved the Royal Navy, the Devonport Field Gun - ex-crew Himself and Secretary of the Association for a time and lived life to the full. Picture is not meant to be political, it certainly is not actually factually correct as I have explained earlier, its just a Nod to remember something My Father and His crew mates were involved in. The painting is rough, possibly worst one so far, the Ships colour is dirty looking, but I decided its not something to look at and like, it just is what it is. There are no Mythical Sea Monsters in this picture, not required. No disrespect is intended to surviving or past Crew or Anyone involved or affected by the incident so poorly portrayed.
