parsifal
Colonel
This is a model i bought last year from le Arsenal. it cost a bomb, because they are fairly rare. I plan to paint and finish her in the colours that applied in 1951 (conversiuon of the HMS Glory).
Reg" Lascelles, a former crew member, recently said of his time in Korea ;
"You will see driving along roads under construction signs stating that radios should be turned off as explosives are being used. This turns my mind back to Korea. Carrier personnel are aware that transmission aerials are positioned on the Port side of the flight deck and are about 20 feet high. While not flying aircraft, the aerials are in a vertical position and when flying is being undertaken, are placed in a horizontal position. After the sorties of the day had been completed the aerials would be raised so that normal transmissions could take place. It became normal practice at that period for returning aircraft to be re-spotted, re-armed and re-fuelled for early morning take-off for what was colloquially referred to as the Milk Run over Korea. During this period the Armament Department got into full swing, usually at dusk, with gun changes, loading cannon shells and 60 pound rocket projectiles with their high explosive (HE) heads into each aircraft. Rockets were loaded onto rails under the wings, 6 rails taking 2 rockets each, making 12 rockets per aircraft. At the rear end of the rails were sockets into which the leads for each rocket were plugged. As a safety precaution, into each socket a small globe was inserted. If, for any reason, the globe lit up, that part of the equipment was deemed to be faulty and would be replaced. The globes would remain in the sockets until the aircraft had been positioned on the catapult for take-off. Prior to this, happening, each aircraft would be rechecked while the engine was being run up to ensure that no fault was recorded. When the Leading Armourer was satisfied that all was well, the globes would be removed and the firing leads plugged into the sockets. The rockets were then ready for firing.
Now, to go back to the flight deck. The ship is blacked out. All aircraft have been checked and reloaded. Those not on duty are asleep. Some are still working in the hangar repairing flak and other damage to aircraft. The ship is steaming along. Across the flight deck came two armourers. They stopped in their tracks as they sighted two small lights flashing on and off. This was caused by the aerials being raised to the vertical position and the ship transmitting signals. Can you imagine what would have happened if they had have been plugged into the firing circuits?. Each of the aircraft, with 12 rockets, all pointing at the Bridge of HMAS Sydney !!!. The rearming procedures were changed post haste with no rearming carried out in darkness. A valuable lesson had been learned on the dangers of radio transmissions and explosives".
This build daunts me to be honest, and it will take some time, something i dont have a lot of these days. Many of the components are tiny, almost microscopic, and the instructions on the build are very poor. but i want to give it a go. i had friends that served on the Sydney (or the Nung Tau Ferry as she was referred to). Her career as a carrier was cut short because her deck was not angled, and this prevented her operating the more modern jet engined aircraft entering service in the mi 50's. But she did serve in two wars,and served Australia well in my opinion
The opening shot ive attached is the hull section, which ive placed next to a nearly complete 9and very bad) model of the USS Constellation. They are roughly the same scale (Constellation is 1:850, Sydney is 1:750). There was a reason why USN pilots ohn exchange refused to land on either the Sydney or thge sister Melbourne)
Reg" Lascelles, a former crew member, recently said of his time in Korea ;
"You will see driving along roads under construction signs stating that radios should be turned off as explosives are being used. This turns my mind back to Korea. Carrier personnel are aware that transmission aerials are positioned on the Port side of the flight deck and are about 20 feet high. While not flying aircraft, the aerials are in a vertical position and when flying is being undertaken, are placed in a horizontal position. After the sorties of the day had been completed the aerials would be raised so that normal transmissions could take place. It became normal practice at that period for returning aircraft to be re-spotted, re-armed and re-fuelled for early morning take-off for what was colloquially referred to as the Milk Run over Korea. During this period the Armament Department got into full swing, usually at dusk, with gun changes, loading cannon shells and 60 pound rocket projectiles with their high explosive (HE) heads into each aircraft. Rockets were loaded onto rails under the wings, 6 rails taking 2 rockets each, making 12 rockets per aircraft. At the rear end of the rails were sockets into which the leads for each rocket were plugged. As a safety precaution, into each socket a small globe was inserted. If, for any reason, the globe lit up, that part of the equipment was deemed to be faulty and would be replaced. The globes would remain in the sockets until the aircraft had been positioned on the catapult for take-off. Prior to this, happening, each aircraft would be rechecked while the engine was being run up to ensure that no fault was recorded. When the Leading Armourer was satisfied that all was well, the globes would be removed and the firing leads plugged into the sockets. The rockets were then ready for firing.
Now, to go back to the flight deck. The ship is blacked out. All aircraft have been checked and reloaded. Those not on duty are asleep. Some are still working in the hangar repairing flak and other damage to aircraft. The ship is steaming along. Across the flight deck came two armourers. They stopped in their tracks as they sighted two small lights flashing on and off. This was caused by the aerials being raised to the vertical position and the ship transmitting signals. Can you imagine what would have happened if they had have been plugged into the firing circuits?. Each of the aircraft, with 12 rockets, all pointing at the Bridge of HMAS Sydney !!!. The rearming procedures were changed post haste with no rearming carried out in darkness. A valuable lesson had been learned on the dangers of radio transmissions and explosives".
This build daunts me to be honest, and it will take some time, something i dont have a lot of these days. Many of the components are tiny, almost microscopic, and the instructions on the build are very poor. but i want to give it a go. i had friends that served on the Sydney (or the Nung Tau Ferry as she was referred to). Her career as a carrier was cut short because her deck was not angled, and this prevented her operating the more modern jet engined aircraft entering service in the mi 50's. But she did serve in two wars,and served Australia well in my opinion
The opening shot ive attached is the hull section, which ive placed next to a nearly complete 9and very bad) model of the USS Constellation. They are roughly the same scale (Constellation is 1:850, Sydney is 1:750). There was a reason why USN pilots ohn exchange refused to land on either the Sydney or thge sister Melbourne)
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