1/350 HMS Quorn (Scratchbuilt)
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by Anton Taminiau |
1/350 HMS Quorn (Scratchbuilt)
I have always had a soft spot for the hunt class destroyers, while not the most graceful destroyers of WW2 a very versatile and active vessels. My grandfather in-law was a telegraphist onboard HMS Quorn from 1942 and one of the few to have survived her sinking off Le Harve on the 3rd of August 1944.Quorn has a rather colourful wartime story apart from protecting convoys and escort duties with the 21st Destroyer flotilla she was one of the five destroyers that intercepted and sunk the German auxiliary cruiser Komet in October 1942. Also in June 1944 Quorn was an escort for convoys of personnel during Operation Neptune (the naval support of D Day). On 3 August, she was hit and sunk by a human torpedo during a heavy attack on the British assault area by a force of E-boats, Linse explosive motorboats, human torpedoes and low flying aircraft. Those that survived the initial attack spent up to eight hours in the water before being rescued, and many of these also perished. Four officers and 126 ratings were lost.
I built this model for ‘Harry’ after a long search for a possible kit to start as a base. Unfortunately the only kits are a resin 1/700 offering which as a single ship would be too small for ‘Harry’s eyes and a 1/96 which would be too large for Harry to display so I decided that scratch-building at a scale of 1/ 350 would be a good choice as PE railings would be readily available. The hull, decks and superstructure are built out of plastic card. The fittings are a mixture or brass rod, card, stretched sprue for rigging and Eduard Royal Navy 1/350 PE railings. Anchors, ships boats and some barrels were modified from my spares stash as best as possible. The model is built as she appeared on the 3rd of August 1944 with British Admiralty disruptive pattern of grey and blue strip between rear and foremost turret on hull. Steal decks are dark grey, the brown is corticene non slip over the deck. Vallejo pigments and Atlantic blue gel was used for the water surface over foam base with pulled cotton to represent the white wash.
