Revell HMCS Snowberry Flower Class Corvette Build in 1/72 Scale Part III

The smaller parts are taped to cards in groups for painting. This is where the limitations of the Matchbox tool are readily apparent. The majority of the small parts have been reworked or replaced, many of the shapes are inaccurate and are poorly molded. For several of the small vents it was easier to build a replacement from plastic tube than to clean up the kit part. In the background are the sprues, laid out on a folding table and labeled to help locate the parts.

Some of the Matchbox kit parts are almost unrecognizable. This is where the reference drawings in the Anatomy of the Ship, Flower Class Corvette Agassiz book proved vital. Although the Agassiz was of an earlier configuration than Snowberry, the ships carried much of the same equipment and the detail drawings are applicable. Here is the kit Hedgehog launcher at top, and a scratchbuilt replacement following the AoS drawings at bottom.

Likewise, these are replacement Hedgehog projectiles and the kit parts. Notice the soft detail and prominent mold lines, along with the shape issues of the kit parts. The replacements were made from plastic tube and rod.

These are depth charge projectors, called “K guns” in U.S. Navy parlance. Its not difficult to fashion replacements from plastic stock, the kit parts only slightly resemble the real thing. The Flowers carried four of these.

Ship’s boats can be projects in their own rights, there was little interior detail on the kit dinghies. I took the easy way out and provided these with canvas covers make from masking tape rather than spend days detailing the inside. The two lifting hooks are made from metal rod and are drilled though the boat and supports, these will fit into holes in the deck to mount the boats securely.

The kit signal lamps and spotlights also need some TLC. These will go on top of the superstructure. With few exceptions, the majority of the smaller parts need improvement.

Part IV here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2022/01/14/revell-hmcs-snowberry-flower-class-corvette-build-in-1-72-scale-part-iv/