ESCORT Issue 88 June 2010
H.M.S. MONTGOMERY
In the last few months, two ‘large scale’ kits of the Town Class Destroyer, H.M.S. Montgomery, have been released – a plastic kit at 1:400 scale from Airfix/Mirage and a resin kit at 1:350 scale from White Ensign Models.
Before looking at the kits, a little bit of history. Originally named U.S.S. Wickes (DD75), nameship of the class, she was laid down by Bath Ironworks in 1917. Her active service only lasted until May 1922, when she was put into reserve. Re-commissioned in 1930, the Wickes was active for some seven years before returning to reserve once again. At the start of WWII, she served on Neutrality Patrols until the lend lease agreement led to her transfer to the Royal Navy in October 1940.
Commissioned at Halifax, Nova Scotia, in Canada where she had been sailed by a U.S. Navy crew, she sailed to Devonport with a British crew for a refit which lasted until January 1941 when H.M.S. Montgomery joined the 7th Escort Group. As delivered, the destroyers were not in the best of condition and all needed various amounts of work before they could become operational with the Royal Navy. Not all the work was carried out immediately, but eventually the destroyers were all re-armed with British equipment (guns and torpedo tubes) and depth charge throwers were fitted. As with most ships, during the war AA armament was augmented usually by the addition of 20mm Oerlikon guns. Radar equipment was also fitted.
Whilst with the 7th EG, Montgomery rescued survivors from the Scottish Standard in February 1941, the same month in which she sank the Italian submarine Marcello. After a refit, she joined the 4th EG where she took part in four convoys before receiving another refit. Montgomery then transferred to Halifax, Canada in January 1942, becoming operational there in March 1942 and remaining until December 1943. Returning to the U.K., she paid off to reserve until put up for disposal in March 1945.
H.M.S. Montgomery had a length of 314ft 5in and a beam of 31ft 8in, displacement being 1215 tons. Her top speed was 35 knots. The revised armament included two medium calibre guns (4in forward and 3in aft), four 20mm Oerlikon guns and two 0.5in machine guns. There was also one triple torpedo tube mounting, four depth charge throwers and two depth charge rails.
When considering the two kits, there are two main points to keep in mind (as well as the different scales) – the resin kit is about ten times the price of the plastic one and the resin kit represents just one of the many Town Class destroyers whereas the plastic kit is one of a series of four different kits (Mirage have released four but Airfix have only released two of them).
The Airfix instructions begin with a page giving a short history in five languages. Then there are some basic instructions in twelve languages. The main instructions are contained in 19 assembly diagrams on four pages. The final page is a camouflage diagram with the paint colours identified from the Humbrol range.
The WEM instructions are very similar in format but are in English only. The short history on the front page includes a photograph of the ship plus some technical details. Page 2 identifies the resin components and shows the sheet of etched brass. 25 assembly diagrams are included on four pages and an identical camouflage pattern to that with the Airfix kit, is shown in colour, the paint identities being from WEM’s own Colourcoats range this time.
The Airfix kit comprises four medium grey sprues – two larger ones identified by the letters H and X, two smaller ones identified as B and M – plus a display base. Some of the sprues are common with the kits of other ships in the series and others are specific to this particular kit.
The plastic hull is a full hull with assembly consisting of two halves and two deck sections. The scuttles are clearly marked and can be easily drilled out if the modeller desires. The superstructure assembly is a little more complicated than is usual with a kit of a destroyer, primarily because of the many parts involved, the manufacturer (Mirage) using common parts for each of its four models wherever possible. The number of detail parts is also higher than usual, parts such as the bollards being moulded separately rather than as part of the deck. The parts are finely moulded (care is needed with the masts in particular), the main gun comprising four components plus shield, the smaller guns two components each and each anchor consisting of two. The depth charge rails are moulded with the depth charges in place and look quite acceptable.
There is a small decal sheet containing two pennant numbers and a white ensign.
The hull of WEM’s resin kit has an integral deck and is split at the waterline. Small details, such as the bollards, are moulded in place which makes the main assembly much easier but painting more complicated. Assembly of the resin components is relatively simple, there only being 26 different part types, although some of these (e.g. carley floats) are provided in multiple numbers. The two main guns are supplied as single castings with the shields provided on the sheet of etched brass.
And it is this sheet of etched brass which really makes the difference between these two kits. Not surprisingly, the sheet includes railings, ladders, radar antennae, funnel grills, davits and depth charge rails (the depth charges are supplied in a length of resin moulding). The 20mm Oerlikon guns are also supplied on the sheet but some modellers think these are too flat and prefer a more 3D appearance – suitable resin pedestals are available from the French company, L’Arsenal.
One slight surprise is the inclusion of alternative propeller guards – the original U.S.N. style (as included in the plastic kit) and the later British style. The sheet includes other parts (e.g. the lattice mast) that enable the model to be assembled as when in U.S.N. service, but this will require some research - the instructions are for the ship as in R.N. service. WEM do produce an American vessel – the Reuben James – for those more interested in the U.S.N.
For more details of the British vessels, see ‘Destroyers For Great Britain’ by Arnold Hague. For some good photographs, particularly of U.S.N. vessels, see ‘Warship Perspectives – Flush Deck Destroyers In World War Two’ by Glenn R Arnold. The latter also includes a large scale, detailed drawing of Montgomery as in early 1943 by Alan Raven, who also produced the other drawings in the publication.
