HMS Hotspur conversions

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday All. Like many here I enjoy modifying/converting Airfix 1/600 scale ships into others, both actual ships and whiffs (what-ifs). One of the kits that I've done this with is the HMS Hotspur kit, of which I've done four to date. All where purchased as part of the 'Naval Destroyers of WW2' set.

The first was simply done OOB and I named her HMS Greyhound, to keep the Hotspur name free. I was going to name her HMS Glowworm but that ship had quintuple (pentad) torpedo tubes. My model building was very crude and basic back then.

HMS Greyhound jm7

The next was HMS Hotspur herself but modified for convoy escort work. This involved the second set of tubes replaced by a 4-inch AA gun, X gun removed for more depth charges and some 20mm Oerlikons fitted.

HMS Hotspur jm10. My scratch building was very basic back then too, but I enjoyed doing her.

My next conversion started as an attempt to build HMS Hardy, the extra gun coming from my Hotspur build. But some of the modifications required I learned too late to do them so I cut my losses and looked for a fourth kit. I removed the spare gun as I would need it later and fitted a scratch built quad 2lb pompom in it's place. I decided to do the same with X gun. As this was now a whiff I named her HMS Igraine.

HMS Igraine jm9. I didn't realize at the time that the 'I' class introduced the wedge-shaped bridge front so iconic to mid- and late-war RN destroyers. But as every sailor knows, it's bad luck to rename a ship so the name stayed. I also added four 20mm Oerlikons from another (1/700) kit.

And my final (to date) conversion, HMS Hardy, incorporating all the modifications I had to do, such as lengthening the hull, lengthening the foc'sle deck, modifying the forward superstructure, scratchbuilding a larger aft superstructure and midships deckhouse with bandstand.

HMS Hardy jm3. This ship earned undying fame as the flagship of Capt (D) Warburton-Lee in the first Battle of Narvik on 10th April 1940.

That concludes my conversions of this kit to date. I have one more that my son tracked down recently and I plan to convert her to the type II Hunt class destroyer HMS Ledbury, which is similar to Ratch's HMS Dulverton.

And a final photo of all four together.

G,H and I class destroyer 1. From top to bottom, HMS Igraine, HMS Hotspur, HMS Greyhound and HMS Hardy. The black wood mounting blocks are a bit of an eyesore in the photos but are surprisingly discrete in my display cabinet.

Thank you for your interest. Stay safe and regards to all, Jeff.