ESCORT Issue 88 June 2010
H.M.A.S. VAMPIRE
Model by Nigel Denchfield
with additional research and drawing by Peter French
Model by Nigel Denchfield
with additional research and drawing by Peter French
The Tamiya 1/700 kit of Vampire offers many possibilities. I decided to modify the kit to her appearance during her final months when serving in the Far East in late 1941 to early 1942. Well it seemed like a good idea at the time, but proved to be quite complex undertaking; the modelling was easy, deciding just what to model was the hard part. This is where the expertise and knowledge of Peter French came in most handy. He sees things in photographs that normal mortals totally miss, and this coupled with his extensive files and contacts made him a key part of this project. He had already come up with a provisional layout and colour scheme. The inspiration for this came from the private collection taken by HMS Exeter’s Gunnery Officer sent home via a HMS Hobart’s crew.
Vampire was on very active service during the first years of the war. The four Australian V &W destroyers, Vampire, Waterhen, Vendetta and Voyager were sent to the Mediterranean in 1939, and en route took part in operations against the surface raiders. Once in the Mediterranean they formed the 10th Flotilla, also known as the ‘Scrap Iron’ Flotilla. They took part in all the campaigns and most of the convoy operations plus many other smaller but downright dangerous missions like supplying Tobruk. Waterhen was lost in late June 1941. Various Internet sites provided full histories of Vampire, although even the official Australian Government site contained errors, but Peter spotted them and provided the right answer. The aim of this research was to work out just what her armament fit was when she moved to the Far East; it wasn’t easy as so few photographs exist. Amazingly I found some on a site that deals with the search and finding of the wreck of HMS Hermes. They aren’t very clear, but offered some help...and confusion.
This picture probably dates from near the end of her time in the Mediterranean, certainly after the evacuation of Greece and Crete. The dark grey can clearly be seen extending upwards. However, look carefully; the searchlight platform is to starboard and forward of the funnel and the 3” AA mount is sited rather high. Peter thinks that she is on her way to have damage incurred repaired. An athwart ships platform seems to exist aft of the funnel bearing a single quad machine gun mounting, on the port side. In the original picture, a pair of support stanchions can just be seen, so a rectangular platform is most likely.
This delightful picture confirms some of the above. It was taken at Keppel. Peter got this confirmed by Bill Francis who served in HMS Exeter during this time. The pennant number looks like I68. I still cannot determine what is behind the after funnel. Peter is convinced that the quad platform is still there. With no screens and no weapons. Unfortunately, by the time this picture turned up, the model was complete!
This final picture was taken during her time at Tandjong Priok. She is transferring stores to/from an unknown ship.
In the bridge wings twin Lewis guns appear to be fitted, the dark grey looks to carry onto the superstructure and the funnels might have bands on them, maybe red. What is not clear is a crucial area just aft of the smaller after funnel. Is there any form of platform there, and if so, what shape and what is on it? The pennant number still looks like I68. Did she carry ‘D’ in the Mediterranean, then switch to I on leaving? Why do the bridge wings only have twin Lewis guns, when it the Mediterranean she carried Oerlikons? One answer might concern the shortage of Oerlikons in the Mediterranean where they were desperately needed. It was common practice where possible to remove Oerlikons barrels from sinking ships if there was time so to do. So as Vampire was leaving the theatre for along refit in Singapore, it is probable that her Oerlikons were removed, as they were needed more in the Mediterranean than where she was going…but this was in mid 1941!
The pictures show the current state of the model, which I thought was finished, but now needs some alterations.
In the bridge wings I need to remove my Oerlikons and replace with twin Lewis guns. I think that the splinter mattresses shown in the final photograph would still have been in place when she was sunk with Hermes, so these need adding.
The gundeck aft of the funnel, I will probably alter to an unshielded rectangular platform carrying no weapons, but for now I am leaving it as it is just in case somebody else has information. The pennant number is also a problem that needs to be resolved, and maybe the funnel bands need adding.
If any of you have any ideas regarding these aspects, please let me know.
