HMCS Snowberry – Revell 1/72 Scale
HMCS SNOWBERRY was commissioned at Quebec City on November 26, 1940. HMCS SNOWBERRY arrived at Halifax on December 13 for further work and sailed February 9, 1941, with convoy HX.108 for the U.K. There she completed fitting out at Greenock, completing April 3, and worked up at Tobermory before joining Western Approaches Command, Creenock, in May. She left Aultbea early in June to join convoy OB.332, arriving at Halifax on June 23 to join Newfoundland Command. From July to October she made three round trips to Iceland, and on December 8 arrived at Charleston, S.C., for six weeks refit. On February 12, 1942 she left St. John's to escort SC.69 to Londonderry. In March she joined the newly formed WLEF shifting in June to Halifax Tanker Escort Force for one round trip to Trinidad and two round trips to Aruba with tanker convoys. In September she was placed under U.S. control, escorting New York-Guantanamo convoys until March, 1943, when she arrived at Charleston, S.C., for refit, including focsle extension. On completion in mid-May, and after workups at Pictou, she joined the newly established EG 5 (later EG 6) and returned to U.K. waters in August. While serving with this support force on November 20, 1943, as escort to a U.K. Gibraltar/Freetown convoy, she took part in the sinking of U 536 north of the Azores. When the group replaced its corvettes with frigates in March, 1944, Snowberry proceeded to Baltimore, MD, for five weeks' refit, afterward returning to Halifax. She went to Bermuda to work up in July, and on returning was briefly assigned to WLEF but left St. John's in mid-September for the U.K. There she joined Portsmouth Command for the balance of the war. She was handed back to the RN at Rosyth on June 8, 1945, and used the following year as a target ship off Portsmouth. Her remains were broken up in 1947 at Thornaby-on-Trees.
The build took 6 months. I scratchbuilt all the guns as the kit parts were too bulky. Railings, gun platforms were mostly scratchbuild. The weathering was done with airbrush and paint brush. The chipping was done with pastels.
Hope you enjoy it. Comments are welcome.
Impressive build.
That old kit is a b***h.
I really like the bleached colours of the cammo.
Thank you, Ulf. The fading is achieved with very light coats of the main colour sprayed over the cammo.
Aahhhh, Breeze! But what does the "h" mean?
Halvar, the "H" in this case means His as in His Majesty's Canadian Ship.
Now that looks like a ship thats been on active service in the North Atlantic!
Always wanted one of these, haven't, yet.
Is it back, again? I suspect Revell has the molds, I've seen some of the Matchbox aircraft, anyhow.
Really striking, and beautifully done!
Thanks Bernard. It is indeed the old Matchbox molds used by Revell. They have recently re-released the kit.
Fantasties! Superb weathering and an impressivebuild! Well done!
Thanks again Morne.
That looks a fair size! Great weathering as well, it looks to have braved the elements! Thanks for the history also.
Thanks. It is quite a handful measuring in at close on 890 mm in length.
That is definitely a big b***** there Tappie.
Nicely done mate, well worn and used.
Thank you Simon. If i can afford another kit I would like to convert it into one of our SA Navy Minesweepers.
"Brag Gat" nice build Again Bud, I love your airbrush work, great weathering. (I wouldn't tell you to your face though, could get a big head) well done.
My Boet, I think I have "studies" under the best airbrush painter I know. it is amazing how your modelling skills grow when you have frequent contact with fellow modelers.
The good old from Matchbox. Impressive build, Tappie, well done
Thanks again.
Tappie,
Absolutely beautifully done.
Thank you Frank. I appreciate it.
Nothing like a day in the Western Approaches to put the final finish on the paint!
That is just inspirational, ought to be in museum someplace.
I'd come visit and drool on the case 'til ejected.
Bernard, thank you for the kind words. It is highly appreciated.