Topic: HMS Curacoa

[Horatio123]

I am looking to build a model of the cruiser HMS Curacoa of WW2 , I am thinking of purchasing the hull from Deans but wondered if anybody has any idea where I can obtain a set of plans from ?

[minerva]

As The NMM have priced themselves out of the market now.
Id try on the internet. I recently acquired the plans for an Assurance class
armed  Admiralty rescue tug for a very good price. It was in 1/48 scale and as I always
model in 1/96. I took it to my local copy centre and they scaled it to 1/96 for me.
I also did the same for an Aberdovey class fleet tender.
The NMM seem to have opted for the decorative market, selling plans for framing.
Which is a great shame.

[Horatio123]

Thanks for your reply I had ruled the NMM out too , friend of mine had to take out a second mortgage for a set of cruiser plans !!!!!!
I have sent a message to the Great Britain Trust who hold the MacGregor plans collection but not had a reply yet , I know they have Norman Ough's plans for Curacoa in the collection ,
Will try the Internet when I come back off my holidays .
Thanks for your help much appreciated .

[Horatio123]

Good news the Great Britain trust can supply the plans on CD at 1/16 scale very modest cost about £15/£20 .

[minerva]

That's great news for builders assuming that other plans are also available via this route.
Makes up for the NMM putting their plans out of economic reach of model makers.
Perhaps you could give us all the contact details of how to go about this please.

[Troy Tempest]

I found a great list here :
http://www.ssgreatbritain.org/sites/default/files/kcfinder/files/david-macgregor-ship-plans-collection-july-2013.pdf

[Horatio123]

Hi Folks
      That is the list I found too .
Contact details :-
Phillippa Turner | Assistant Curator of Library & Collections | ss Great Britain Trust
E:   phillippat@ssgreatbritain.org
T:   0117 926 0680 Ext 402

not all the plans are in good condition but its a fantastic collection .

[minerva]

Thank you both for this information.
Opens up a new route for us after the NMM decided to price their plans
out of our reach. (as one really needs several plans to each build)
Perhaps like myself, many of us do have many sets of plans
 - of the NMM type- why not create a central pool for these plans so
 they may be used in some way for future builders ?
Seems such a waste to have them loafing in tubes in the loft ?
Would there be a way for maybe Deans getting involved to hold a pool and then
send out copies for a more reasonable fee to new builders.
Just a thought.
For myself I have NMM plans for the Cat class frigate, Leander class, Castle class, River class,
Type 14, County class, Kingfisher class, Assurance class,

[colin]

that not a bad idea Pauline..    we would probably be breaking some NMM rules.. 
a case of...    nothing through my lips..
I have Bittern, Algerine, and Pelorus-classes

[Troy Tempest]

Sadly (or stupidly) I've cut my plans of HMS Zulu (Type 81) up to make them easier to manage on my work bench.   Happy to send them on and share when I am done though.
In the meantime some portions of the plans make good A4 scans

[minerva]

If we put our "used" plans on e bay we would not get a great deal for them, so why not pool them and make them available for new builds by copying them. I don't think the NMM have a say over second hand plans. As you can e bay them without problems. They do not have any NMM stamp or identification on them. Also they can be scaled up or down to be used in 1/96 or 1/72 or 1/48 scales. Plans that have been cut could be laid down on paper backing and then copied thus making a good complete drawing. Any thoughts from Deans on this idea ?

[Troy Tempest]

Sounds like a plan (sorry I couldn't resist it)
 

[Horatio123]

Pleased to say the CD with the Norman Ough plans for Curacoa arrived today  , just have to go to my friendly local printer who says he can print and enlarge as I require .
I can now order the hull from Mouldeans range , I am looking to update to the 1940 armament layout as she was when my Uncle was wounded on her in Romsdaal Fjord , Norway on 24th April 1940 , he was the only survivor of 'A' gun crew after it was hit by a german bomb , the ship was very badly damaged .
I hope my model will be an apt tribute the brave men who were lost on HMS Curacoa in Norway and in the ultimate collision and sinking my RMS Queen Mary on 2nd October 1942.

[Alistair]

Glad to know that the system at ssGB works well as I'm one of the volunteers who have spent the last five years or so sorting out the 7,300 ship plans in the David MacGregor collection.  The Norman Ough originals were part of the collection and as 2015 was the 50th anniversary of his death I wrote a 10 page article on him for Model Boats Magazine (Sept 2015 issue).  As a result of this Seaforth publishers asked me to write a book on Ough - which I have now done and it's coming out late October early November this year via the Naval Institute Press. Not sure of the price as it appears to alter on different websites!  Probably £25-£30.
See www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Ship-Models-Norman-Ough/dp/1591146178   - it has various ships plans, ordnance, general details, etc.all Ough's work.  Re. Curacoa have you seen the 1955 video of Norman Ough's radio controled, steam turbine driven Curacoa featured on the BritishPathe news website?  I don't appear to be able tp get a direct connection with the site but if you Google British Pathe and Curacoa model ship it'll come up.  Good luck and best wishes with the rest of your build.  Alistair

[Horatio123]

Hi Alistair
      Thanks for the info . I built a model of HMS Agincourt some 40 years ago using David MacGregor plans and she is still going strong , had to do a fairly major rebuild about five years ago but she is still exhibited at our Surface Warship Association Exhibitions .
       I did manage to find the Pathe news item re Norman Ough , very interesting . He was a great modeller .
       I hope to make a start on Curacoa in a couple of months , still working on USS Arizona at the moment and July,August and September are our busy exhibition months in The Surface Warship Association calendar .
       Will post some photos when I get started .