RT Issue 36 4 RCN Tribals
RT Issue 36 4 RCN Tribals
RT Issue 36 4 RCN Tribals
by Ian Moore Above: The HMCS Haida (G63) and HMCS Iroquois (G89)
IPMS Canada C#0018 1/350 conversions from Trumpeter and Iron Shipwright
xxxxxxxx, Nova Scotia
masts on later ships found in this ship class.
With the release by Trumpeter of HMS Eskimo and RCN Tribals served with distinction in the English
HMCS Huron the opportunity exists to build any of the Channel and European waters, as well as during the
RCN's WW II and postwar Tribal class destroyers. The Korean War. They steamed on from Canada's east and
Trumpeter kits are not perfect, in either 1/700 or 1/350, and west coasts with additional modifications up until the
require a number of modifications to correctly represent mid-1960s. HMCS Athabascan was the only was loss of
any of the RCN's Tribals. They do, however, represent a the group. All the remaining ships except HMCS Micmac
much more affordable alternative to the venerable Iron served in the Korean War. HMCS Micmac had been in a
Shipwrights resin kit of HMS Zulu, which lacks detail collision with a merchant ship, preventing her deployment
and requires many of the same changes needed for an during this period.
RCN ship. The Resin Shipyard 1/350 HMCS Haida is
a beautiful but expensive postwar Tribal version with all Today, HMCS Haida is a museum in Hamilton, Ontario,
the modifications included. There was also the out of and is the sole survivor of her class. Of course, the best
production and expensive Ultracast 1/700 HMCS Haida reference for the modelling of RCN ships is to check
pictures of the specific ship and time period you wish to
The RCN's Tribals model.
11. BOATS
Replace both the port and starboard motor Mushroom
Depth
boats with British pattern 25’ motor boats. charges vents
The kit-supplied motor boats are of a
German pattern and are incorrect. White Carley raft
Ensign makes an excellent replacement Depth charges supports 12
set. (part number PRO3534) Added Carley floats, aft depth charge chute, White Ensign Models
Pompom, HFDF aerial , radar and searchlight
b. replace the kit-supplied rowboat with
a 27’ British whaler – again from White situated against the bulkhead superstructure side on the
Ensign PRO3534, or a spare from the Zvezda 1/350 kit main deck.
of the WW I cruiser Varyag, which is an excellent source ii. two floats stacked on a cross-braced ('X-shaped')
for whaleboats. Use the WEM PRO 23534 motorboats support rack on the '2' deck level forward of the bridge AA
on the aft starboard boat and forward port boat positions gun wing.
Photo 13 iii. a single float on the outboard side of the aft
c. add Carley floats to the following positions: deckhouse AA gun wing. The wing has corner supports
i. a single float on the forecastle deck below 'B' gun – with a cross-braced support.
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HMCS HAIDA - Wartime pennant # G63, postwar # 215 were Canadian-built ships.
HMCS HURON - Wartime pennant # G24, postwar # 216
There are lattice masts on all three ships. They had
Type 271 radar mounted aft. Carried tripod masts until various fits postwar, and all had 4.5” guns with 40 mm
1945. Six, single-20mm AA guns. No director control tower. Bofors secondary armament. They were initially painted
(the first tower on bridge deck) Photo18 Light Sea Grey overall with a B20 hull panel along the
centre two-thirds of the lower hull. Later they had the two
Special home fleet emergency scheme in colours G20, tone dark/light grey scheme as shown modelled in Photo
G45, white with mid-grey decks. Humbrol numbers 7, 90, 20.
33, 128 respectively.
By the Korea War in 1951, all RCN ships' hulls were
CANADIAN-BUILT SHIPS Dark Grey, essentially very similar to British Extra Dark
Sea Grey (1-GP-12b colour 1-9, later renamed under
HMCS MICMAC - Wartime pennant # R10, postwar # the revised 1-GP-12c standard as colour Grey 501-102.
214, Photo 19 Today, the US FS595 colour standard is used in Canada,
and Grey 501-102 is now substituted with FS16099), with
HMCS CAYUGA, - Wartime pennant # RO4, postwar
Light Sea Grey (1-GP-12b Grey 1-6, 1-GP-12c Grey 501-
# 218; HMCS NOOTKA II - Wartime pennant # R96,
105, now substituted by FS26329) upperworks and decks.
postwar # 213; and HMCS ATHABASCAN II Wartime
Pennant numbers 213-218 were painted in white. Carley
pennant # R79, postwar # 219
floats were painted light grey.
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Parts List