by Anthony Polychroniadis
1/350 HMS Laforey (White Ensign)
Perhaps I have been reading too many books about Royal Navy destroyer actions in the Mediterranean, but HMS Laforey has long been a very evocative name for me, as has been the name of her last commanding officer, Commander “Beaky” Armstrong, one of the many distinguished RN destroyer officers who lost their lives in that theatre of operations.
This is my rendition of HMS Laforey, the leader of the “L” class destroyers, which, after a long and distinguished career, was lost on 30th March 1944 after being hit by three torpedoes from U-223 north of Palermo, Sicily. There were only 65 survivors from a company of 247. Commander Armstrong was not among them.
As in the case of my previous two builds, HMS Glowworm & HMS Havelock, the White Ensign Models kit received additional work, including but not limited to:
Hull plating simulated with Mr Surfacer 500
Top hull (forecastle) reshaped
Portholes drilled and "eyebrows" added
Scratchbuilt brass masts
BMK main armament barrels
Master brass barrels for pom-pom
BMK/WEM depth charges and scratchbuilt throwers
Detailed bridge
Detailed boats
Detailed torpedo tubes
Detailed auxiliary steering position
20mm AA by L’Arsenal
Appropriate WEM Colourcoats suitably lightened
