While working on the DUKW, i thought I would sneak a look at what I want to build next - Revell 1/72 HMCS Snowberry (ex Matchbox Flower class corvette). This is a kit which I have always wanted to build for years, but could never afford it and it went out of production when Matchbox folded. Luckily Revell re-released it a few years back, and I picked up one

The Flowers were a very important but unglamorous class that helped defeat the U Boat threat in the Battle of the Atlantic (1942-43). Slow and primitive, they were equipped with ASDIC, radar and depth charges.

In my opinion, the greatest kit ever made by Matchbox, as it was very ambitious for its time. This kit is almost 1000 parts and 3 feet long (same size as Italeri 1/35 Schnellboot but far more complex) This is incredible in 1978 when first released, and impressive even today. Details are typically Matchbox with some simplified and overscale parts. This kit has a cult following it seems.

This is a huge project, even OOB. I have not yet made a full strategy on how to tackle it, or what to replace/improve. Aftermarket resin and PE are available, but VERY expensive....the ones i checked is about 86 UK pounds for just the deck fitting set..total of all sets is like 200 pounds excl postage (RM 1200!!!)....gila :o Looks like I wont go that way!!

There is some good ref on the net with scratchbuilding tips which I think i will follow instead. Also will not follow the kit colour scheme, and find some other ship in the class (267 produced - lots of choice)

Some preview pics (I think the biggest kit ive ever built to date):

1. Giant box full of parts


2. Hull is in four pieces...and massive. Gonna be tough to move it about on my workbench...even to turn it around oso problem :blink:




3. Instructions total 183 steps!!


This build is gonna take months haha, but just got to try it . Hope i survive! :lol:

Shah,

For your speed, less then one month lar...

... and the obligatory 'maroon box of death' is there too :P

so which version are u planning? there are some ref pages on different versions & profiles here and here (i think you found these sites already)

Go, go, go.....
Wanna make this a group build? I have one sitting pretty underneath my bed too and have been scratching my head when to start with it. Totally agree on the cost of the upgrade sets but the details are really showing their age and lacks finesse.

Must 'leech' the research work from you one of this days ... :P

Vince: LOL...this one, seriously, will take time. I kid you not man....

Jimbo: Thanks for the links, already knew them, lots of info in there tapi belum decide which version yet

Loo: Of course, you are welcome to dig out yours hehe.....actually I suspect a number of people will have this kit hiding somewhere in the stash. Agree on the details. Am considering the Sirmar detail sets. Here is some early reference apart from what Jimbo put up:

1. Basic improvements: HERE

2. Sirmar detail sets : HERE. I have email them for prices on the 4 in gun, Hedgehog, Bridge set and stanchions set which seem to be the major areas needing details. Lot cheaper than the GLS aftermarket sets.

You are one brave soul man

But I'm sure you can do less than two month as usual

Landy,

I got this one as well... besaq gila :P !!! Don't know when to start. Low's brother used to build this many moons ago. I think he also got the blue print of the real ones. U can use that a guide.

Sarjana Six Zero, out!!

'Berry interesting :)

Almost got one of these meself. Looks like it'll be a fun build.

ahh.. looks like there's 4 or 5 of us with the 1/72 Flower ship.... so, who's up for a group build? or maybe not... :P

LOL....Flower class group build....Fuyo!!!

However, as has happened before, most likely Ill be sacrificed as the experimental white mouse to jump in the deep end first, while you guys are entertained by my suffering :P :lol:

NO FEAR! JUST DO IT! :D

Mr. SpeedShah leads the way :lol:

Same opinion here. 1000+ parts in 1978 was practically unheard of.

Had a chance to buy the original Matchbox version when HHQ Australia was selling them 7-8yrs ago but then not much $$$ so had to wait until last year when HHQ KL brought them in. Its safely parked in my store room as the biggest item in my stash. Back then more time, not much cash, no kit....now got kit, no time.... :D

Will be checking out this thread regularly to see how the sifu's are doing it.

Shamsul: You got the ori Matchbox kit? Can I get a photocopy of the original Matchbox instructions off you?

The info I have is that Matchbox offered 3 versions to build (HMCS Snowberry, USS Saucy and HMS Bluebell) while Revell offered only the Snowberry and Saucy
However, the Bluebell parts are still on the sprues, just marked as not used.

This would be interesting, to build it as Matchbox originally designed. Would be hard to figure out without instructions, with 1000 parts to sort from...

Boleh ka?


Pooh: Speedshah pulak, haiya every day oso got new name ka :lol: :lol:

Sori , sori.... the version i got is the same as yours ...Revell also...tersilap gramar......

Sori potong stim bang... :P

No problem Bro...Still diggin around to finalise exactly what to do with this build.
My research has found the following re. conversion to HMS Bluebell - posted it here as a resource for everyone:

In step 13 trim parts g24/ g25 to line,
Step 23 build as saucy,
step 26 replace all with e5,e6&g50,
step 39 omit altogether,
step 47 f5 do not cut,
step 53 replace h14 with h4,
step 63 /64 replace m1/ m11 with m9 /m15,
step 85 replace g11,L9,e20 with g38,L6,g56,g57 still use k58,
step 107 omit h23, h8 , h24,
step 110 as snowberry,
step 112 part g34 not used,
step 117 5xh45 smoke floats fitted just in front of vents, one fitted to rear starboard,
step 139 g34 not shown,
step 140 m37 as snowberry,
step 142 replace name to bluebell,
step 146 swap h33 nearest lifebouy to other location near name plate,
step 150 5x depth charges placed to the left of h33 (the one thats in its original position) one depth charge placed to the right of h33 moved in step 146 nearest nameplate (starboard side only shown, im assuming port side is the same)
steps 152 153 & 154 not used,
step 159 put m43/m46 & m44 where the assembly shown in step 153 is meant to fit, place two liferafts one on top the other onto m43/m46,( i assume port side is the same) so ignore steps 160 161 &162,
step 160 omit, construct j60/j1 m25 & m27 x2 this makes up the spare depth charge racks these fit port & starboard of the depth charge racks. place m37 on top of depth charge racks one in front of the other, place m50/m51 into notches moulded into stern bulwark


The major differences are that:

Bluebell has a circular Radar lantern not the octagonal one fitted in Snowberry,
The 4" Gun shield is the one with the rounded top not the square one
The depth charge layout.Bluebell has 2 throwers a side, 2 racks at the stern plus a reload rack either side.
There is no connection between the bridge and the next deck house as there is on the Snowberry.
Life rafts on one rack
Hedgehog only has 2 rows instead of 4
Paint colour scheme

Based on the above info, Ill try and figure it out...this is how Snowberry (K166) and Bluebell (K80) look:



Another interesting scheme is HMS Campanula:


Lovely wartime colour pic of HMCS Regina:


More info will be posted as I continue digging :D

Landyshah,
This is going to be another interesting and challenging built, bro. :D

Regards!
TS. :D :lol: :D

.....................................................................^.....................................................
Cool subject , would be lovely to see this being given the "SeaShah" touch.

Also I think I have spotted BigFoot in the pic above.
Finally! Photographic evidence. :P

Wah! Big Foot running around Mid Valley! This I have to see... :lol:

Faizal, yes seen around MV recently:

Bigfoot with Maroon Box!!! Lethal combination....:P

Sarjana Six Zero, out!!

Sarge,

He must be hiding the maroon box somewhere..can't see it..:blink:

wah lan hang jadi naval dockyard la ye....banyak projek...tapi yang paling best hang beli ship nie percume rokok sekotak yek? hehehehe...aku pernah tengok model nie sekali kat midvalley. cool man...mmg cool subjek

Ye lah man, dapat dunhill skotak haha

Anyway, this project on hold kejap cos something ive gotta build first....so nanti akan continue when i finish those :D...should be about 3 weeks

Back on the case!

1. Wash all the sprues, printed out reference material. This gonna be a long marathon project..I expect 2 1/2 - 3 months B)


2. Evidence of its former identity under Matchbox


3. Found this book in soft copy which is about the best ref on this ship there is:



Lots of studying to do here.....

4. The first thing to build is definitely the mounting stand. This itself is bigger than many kits! My usual working stand is too small for this fella:


5. Front half of hull joined. This alone took almost an hour. Dont play play..the moulds are old, need to be cleaned up and aligned. Superglue was used. Clamp and leave overnight as the parts are big and heavy enough to break apart easily. Join must be strong. Scary.



Cant get in touch with Sirmar models for the aftermarket accessories...duno they tapau already or what....I think Ill go with scratchbuilding improvements as the other option of the GLS sets are way too expensive.

Excited :D so pulun somemore...lebammm....

1. Joined rear half of hull and then joined the front and back together. Despite dry fit and sanding, seam lines needed to be fixed. Critical one is the keel and the front-back join. Filler needed, and lots of sanding....fair amount of flash too. Sheer size and old age means that fit isnt that great.



2. Due to the size of the thing, had to stand it on the floor to work. Lot of handling to manuever it about, so the joins must be strong, otherwise sure pecah barai...


3. Once all joined up, it swallows up my worktop....fuyoo



Even from these few parts, I can tell the moulds show their age. Not much different from an old Airfix....and ive only used 10 out of 1000 parts :lol:

gila besarrrrrrr :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: mesti enjoy buat benda ni :P

Boss,
after completion, I need to borrow your references !

Looks like you are building a 1 man sampan!

Huge man!!!!

may the force be with you...............

Yeah guys....HUGE....and I can sail down Sungai Klang in it :lol:
Bro Loo: I can email the thing to you....soft copy mahhh...want?

Two days and I'm still on the hull:

1. Lots of sanding...and I mean lots...makan habok....but the front/back join is cleverly engineered to blend into the hull plates, needs a bit of tidy up


2. Matchbox made the whole deck have planking, which is not the case...only certain sections have it and the rest is steel. So, following refs have to sand away all the raised planking.....MORE SANDING!

besar siot.......good luck bro

wow huge and good luck looks like there going to be a lot of dust O.o

Shah,
frightening work!

as for the book, my email address: cklooarc@gmail.com. thanks mate!

Alamak Loo, I just realised the file is 89 MB haha...email takboleh lepas.....Ill PM you about it

AMARAN KESIHATAN: MODEL PLASTIK INI BOLEH MENYEBABKAN SAKIT JIWA
Ill tell you that since i am the white mouse for this kit (cant find anyone else tried in the forum). Even at this point, Ill say its scary : the 70s matchbox moulding, bad fit, poor location, warped, flash etc etc.....if you got it in your stash and wanna start it, be warned...no quickie and no shake n bake :ph43r: But then, I'm sure with patience, everyone can do it :D

1. I'm still on the deck and hull....rear section cemented in (filler and trimming needed). Superglue was used to secure in place before reinforced with ABS glue. Red arrow shows wood deck section, green shows areas to be sanded off. Do note if you are modelling a mid/late war Flower this is how the wood layout looks. In early war boats, there was more wood at the bow and also some in the middle:


2.Forward deck dry fit. Bow section is not ngam at all... have to do lot of trimming to get it to sit right:


3. 1/72 figure for scale:


4. OK I couldnt resist :lol:


Engkau lompat, aku lompat ! (cue Celine Dion....once moreee...you open the doorrr....and youree heree in my heaaartttt.....)

5. Added the stabilising strakes....horrible fit, needed lot of filler:


6. Finally, foredeck fitted. Superglue and clamping needed but got it together in the end


Now leave all to dry before sanding again... :wacko:

BTW, for the sake of something different, Ive chosen HMS Bluebell as the subject. Therefore, will use all the extra parts in the kit, and do some CSI work to figure out the missing instructions....life should not be too simple :P

If i find a place to display this, I'd try building one as well.... The pictures are really poisoning me.

Its time to think about painting....once the basic hull is complete and rear cabin added will have to paint already as it will become impossible to move/handle later...

HMS Bluebell has two different colour scheme depending on early or late war. Actually it was sunk by a U Boat in 1945 with only 1 survivor..... :(

This is the early war colours:


This is the late war scheme:


As Revell give the colours in their own paint code, while I use Tamiya and Gunze, had to revert to my homemade paint convertor excel. The camo is called the Western Approaches scheme (WA) and it has some unique colours which will need mixing:


Kit instructions are wrong when it comes to deck colours...doesnt make sense. Should be dark grey for steel sections and tan for wood. Also the lower hull is red and not black.


After translating the Revell codes and other info from the refs, I printed out a paint guide for easy reference...the kit one (on the left) is soooo tiny, almost useless:


Will go for the late war scheme...it looks a lot more interesting and colourful :D

well researched syah...
i can see that the donald duck logo will be use with this "flower" ek...
that is their official logo ke?

i also voted for the Late war scheme... colorful

kuman :D

Late war scheme ....betul2 racun.... :o

:D tunggu LS SAKIT JIWA dulu dan tengok progress Big Mutha dia baru gonna start mine :lol:

It's gonna be a very hard work

Haha, BH.....sakit jiwa tu confirm. Even now.....planning of painting of camo scheme celah celah all the fitting.....adoi. Biasa la aku jadi tikus putih......

Kuman: Each ship ada mascot dia painted on the gun shield....for Snowberry is Donald Duck. But its more common on the Canadian compared to the British ships.