1/350 HMS Exeter Heavy Cruiser

[Typhoon Ace]

Ok heres a challenge Mr. Airfix... a 1:350 HMS Exeter, hero of the Battle of the River Plate, now i know a lot of the 1:600 scale modelers will come after me with a broom labeled "1:600 is the true ship scale" ready to wack me for even suggesting such an absurd idea, but hear me out. Currently im building a small flotilla of warships from ww2. I already have 2 USN cruisers in 1:350 (USS Indianapolis and USS San Fransico, plus the Mighty Mo as us yanks call her ;) and a Essex class carrier all in 1:350) The My british fleet right now is bone dry with only the KGV (1:350) and a couple of Airfix's old 1:400 scale 4 stack destroyers which i convince myself are actually 1:350 ones:) thus a 1:350 scale HMS Exeter would be a perfect fit. As the "winner" (in a sense) of the duel between her and the infamous Graf Spee, Exeter should sell well because of this achievement. Im interested in hearing everyone elses opininon, feel free to chime in!

[John Symmons]

As Airfix have already done the Leander class cruisers with the HMS Ajax, and also the Gref Spee both in 600 scale I've always hoped they would get arround to the HMS Exeter, and I'm still waiting. Only Eagle Wall did all three ships wat back in the early 60's as their first campain series then they issued the Altmark and HMS Cossack, all in 1200 scale and what superb little models they were. I often reckoned their Ajax and Graf Spee were better than the Airfix versions at twice the scale.

Personally I'd love to see HMS Exeter in 600 scale but doubt it'll ever happen but a 350 scale one I would buy it then maybe, just maybe Airfixcould do the Ajax as well.

Remember we do this for fun                        John the Pom

[Sailorman]

I'm all for 1:350 scale kits.  I'm surprised Airfix haven't produced more.  There definitely is a market for them, (though I don't really subscribe to that scale).   

It is the suggestion, in other posts, that Airfix should switch to 1:700 rather than 1:600 that I don't agree with.  

The major ships have all been modelled in 1:700 and there seems to be no point in going there.

 

[steven_kerfoot]

I'd agree with the suggestion that there's a lack of cruisers in 1/350 scale. I have the Belfast in that scale and a few Japanese, American and German WW2 cruisers too, but as for other RN ships it's pretty sparce at the moment. In fact, seeing as many of the WW2 battleships have been produced by other manufacurers to the tune of at least one of each class, (though so fat no Nelsons or Resolution class) a range of crusiers would be welcome in 1/350.

That said, and knowing what some of the responses may be, I'd not just stop at WW2. If you go back to the armoured crusiers, there are so many classes just in the RN that are ripe to be modeled. In fact, once you make the hulls, you could have multiple ships in various guises. Battleships are great but they take up so much space. A range of 1/350 cruisers is a great idea, and Exeter would be a fine addition to that.

Add a Norfolk or Suffolk, a Tiger or Blake, a Dido class ship, the list is long and so far vacant in a growing market. After all, look at Trumpeter's range and how well they sell. At the moment I'm building a Yamoto, KGV, Tirpitz, Bismark, New Jersey and Missouri in 1/350, (the boxes were totalled by water damage) an have really enjoyed going back to building 1/350 scale ships, (back from 1/35 scale AFVs).

Having enjoyed building the Illustrious a year ago, and with two Type 45s and HMS Monmouth next in the queue, I'd love to get a few RN cruisers or, and now I have my hopes, a model of the new HMS Queen Elizabeth in 1/350. In fact, while I'm aiming for the moon, why don't I hope Airfix might produce a 1/350 HMS Vanguard too, then there'd be the largest battleship and carrier available together.

[Paul Astle]

the bigger scale flopped. mainly because it wasmostly larger versinos of ships they had in 600 scale-oh look it's a ibgger bismark- so one might hope for that BUT since they have ajax and graff spee in 600 a 600 scale Exeter would complete a river palte kit.

[awt633]

Is everyone forgetting that Trumpeter have already done a 1/350 Exeter and from the reviews I have read it is an accurate and nice model to build, with that in mind I doubt that another model of the ship from a different manufacturer would be a financial success... :)

[Ratch]

This thread was started in 2017 and Trumpeter released their kit in 2018.

[Hurricane Boy]

As Airfix have already done the Leander class cruisers with the HMS Ajax, and also the Gref Spee both in 600 scale I've always hoped they would get arround to the HMS Exeter, and I'm still waiting. Only Eagle Wall did all three ships wat back in the early 60's as their first campain series then they issued the Altmark and HMS Cossack, all in 1200 scale and what superb little models they were. I often reckoned their Ajax and Graf Spee were better than the Airfix versions at twice the scale.

Personally I'd love to see HMS Exeter in 600 scale but doubt it'll ever happen but a 350 scale one I would buy it then maybe, just maybe Airfix could do the Ajax as well.

Remember we do this for fun                        John the Pom

HI John

While going through the stash I found this Eagle Wall 1/1200th model of HMS Ajax that I kit bashed (and I do mean bashed) together when I was maybe eight years old. I didn't use paint at that point after a couple of disasters where more paint ended up on the floor than on the model. We had the River Plate set and Altmark set completed and a good start at the Bismarck set but did not get any further. None of the others survived the battles on the living room floor, albeit sans masts etc.

As you say John, there is a fair amount of detail for 1/1200th scale in the early 60's. it is just 5-1/4" long./media/tinymce_upload/e782e73af251faa979c20fac0f40937c.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/fb6aab2b8aa5f40d96bc851480ee115c.jpg

[KiwiKev]

Not holding my breath on an Airfix 1:350 scale release of Exeter, but I have two Airfix Suffolks in 1:600, and this looks like it will be a good basis for an Exeter conversion, so one may be earmarked to become that ship.

Should be easier than some of my recent conversion efforts, but might be waiting in line for a while, the stash is now reaching quite healthy proportions.