Hi everyone
With the lockdown affecting us all and I have a bit more time at work (at times!) adopting new shift patterns to allow for social distancing, I decided to buy a kit to build at work in my Brize Norton Barrack Block. I decided on the Manxman kit which I have eyed up since it was released about 15 years ago. after a nice chat with Ron he sold me a prototype kit with new laser cut parts for the superstructures and decks replacing the the old but familiar pre-printed plastic that we have grown to be accustomed to from Deans Marine. There were a few corrections required but this is why he asked if I could trial fit the new parts so when it becomes available later this year your versions will be okay.
A bit of history first…
HMS Manxman was one of the Abdiel class Fast Minelayer used famously in the Second World War. The class were split into two sub-classes, the first four: Abdiel, Manxman, Welshman, and Latonia were armed with three twin four inch guns whilst the later two vessels, Apollo and Ariadne only had two. They were ordered after experience in WW1 and a couple of failed attempts to produce a fast minelayer (HMS Adventure) between the wars. The Royal Navy ordered the first four ships in 1938, with a further two acquired as part of the War Emergency Programme. They were specifically designed for the rapid laying of minefields in enemy waters, close to harbours or sea lanes. As such they were required to be very fast and to possess sufficient anti-aircraft weaponry to defend themselves if discovered by enemy aircraft.
A large load of up to 150 mines was required to be carried under cover, therefore a long, flushdecked hull with high freeboard was required. The mines were laid through doors in the sterns; the ships carried their own cranes for loading.
In size these ships were almost as long as a cruiser but laid out much like a large destroyer but the three straight funnels were an instant identifying feature. Welshman was disguised as the French super destroyer ‘Leopard’ with her funnels being modified with funnel caps and suitable paint work to change her appearance. Top speed was specified as 40 knots (74 km/h). To achieve this they were given a full cruiser set of machinery and with an installed output of 72,000 shaft horsepower (54,000 kW) on two shafts, they made 39.75 knots (73.62 km/h) light and 38 knots (70 km/h) deep load. To put this into perspective, the contemporary Town-class cruisers had 80,000 shp (60,000 kW) and a full load displacement of 12,980 tons, just short of four times that of the Abdiels.
The ships were initially to be armed much as destroyers, with three twin HA/LA Mark XIX mounts for QF 4-inch (100 mm) L/45 Mark XIV guns, with an elevation of 70°, in 'A', 'B' and 'X' positions, a quadruple "multiple pom-pom" mounting Mark VIII for the QF 2-pounder Mark VIII and a pair of quadruple 0.5 inch Vickers machine guns.
Wartime modifications involved adding a Type 279 radar at the masthead, a primitive metric wavelength air warning set, later replaced by a Type 286 then a Type 291, as they became available. A Type 285 radar was fitted to the rangefinder-director on the bridge, this was a metric set and could provide target ranging and bearing information. The centimetric Type 272, a target indication radar with plan position indicator (PPI), was fitted to the front leg of the foremast. Following the loss of Latona to air attack, the surviving ships were re-armed to remedy the shortcomings in anti-aircraft defence. Six single Oerlikon 20 mm cannons were initially added on P Mark III pedestal mountings, although these were later replaced by powered twin Mark V mountings. Ariadne and Apollo had two twin Mark IV "Hazemeyer" mountings for Bofors 40 mm gunssited amidships, replacing the pom-pom in 'Q' position, and these mounts carried their own Type 282 Radar for target ranging; Ariadne had an additional "Hazemeyer" mounting in 'B' position, replacing the 4-inch guns. In July 1945, Ariadne was refitted in the United States for far eastern service, when the Bofors mounts were replaced by American pattern models (Mark I) with off-mounting "simple tachymetric directors" (STD) fitted with Type 282 Radar and the Oerlikon mounts regunned with Bofors guns (this combination was known as the "Boffin").
Information from Wikipedia and Very Special Ships by Arthur Nicholson
The build so far has concentrated on the new laser cut parts which is why the usual running gear has not been fitted yet. The two main deck pieces are new laser cut items which I trial fitted with a little bit of trimming required at the stern and bow ends by a couple of millimetres just to sit nicely inside the GRP hull.
The forward superstructure is made up from laser cut parts with the forward gun blast shields and side screens. The main bridge and crew shelter fit nicely together and the the strange boxes behind the superstructure are the RDF cabin and the Engine Room Vent which were slightly modifed to fit. The bridge wings or signal platforms I managed were fun and I left overnight to completely set the glue to ensure no mis-alignments. The kit is also perfect for super detailing which I will show later on once I have confirmed that all the new parts fit without any problems. The fittings pack is certainly comprehensive and I will show in the next update so you can see the 4 inch gun mounts and derrick bases. Enjoy.
