Well finally I am now, again, just starting to build HMS Intrepid as she was in September 1943 when she was sunk in harbour by JU88 bombers at the Greek Island of Leros. I was about to start in December but santa came and I felt obliged to build what Santa brought so I didnt offend my daughters who had been kind to their old dad.
So now their builds are done its finally onto building HMS Intrepid. Intrepid was an I Class Destroyer with the majority of her build and fittings similar to A-I destroyers from the pre war building prorgramme. So the 'Donor' vessel is HMS Daring from Deans. A lot of the build build will be unchanged out of the Deans Box but there will need to be a few essential changes I have to make which are mainly:
The I class were the first with the angled front bridge not the slap squar front bridge of the D Class so there will be a significant alteration required when building the bridge.
The boiler casing is slightly shorter
The funnels were cut down after the start of the war
Masts were changed to allow for firing arcs,
Aft bank of TTs removed and replaced by a 3in HA starshell gun in a splinter sheild surround
Mid ships platform on top of boiler vents much larger and different shape to carry 2x vickers .303 quad mounts.
Forward TT now a bank of 5 not a quad mounting.
I will also change the shafts as although the Deans ones are functional and perfectly adequate for sailing I do like the exposed realistic look of shafts from G Sitek although getting hold of him over the last two weeks hasnt been successful and his website seems to be affected by spam and doesnt show products.
There is a fair bit of literature out there on her including a book on modelling A-I destoyers, George Mack's autobiography from serving on her and a few other bits and bobs from my own research through my membership of the HMS Intrepid Association which although primarily for those of us who served on the modern Intrepid L10 LPD but does include a member who is a survivor from the sinking of her predecessor.
I had hoped to finish the previously started sanding down of the hull today and complete the filing and drilling of the tube outlets and portholes but as we are presently in a drought and there is no rain just a *******ing monsoon outside I havent been able to. Instead I made a start on some of the minor superstructure parts such as the galley, the boiler vents and the searchlight platform. I will post pics when I get really into her but not sure anyone wants to see a boiler vent, platform box structure and box galley in 1mm plastic!!
Hopefully an enjoyable 3 or four months, or longer, lies ahead.
