by Peter Fulgoney
1/700 HMS Sussex 1942 (WEM)
I’ve had this kit in the stash for some time now and had started it some 4 years ago only to put it to one side as I thought I needed some more modelling experience before continuing.
The Kit is the WEM version of the 1942 heavy cruiser HMS Sussex, and comes with very fine resin detail, and a dedicated photoetch fret, again very fine, and superbly presented.
The instructions are very well produced and include a coloured camo scheme to save looking up the references.
The build is one for the Telford cruiser sig, and an excuse for me to finish. The theme which sparked the interest was a dvd about the Royal Navy that featured the Supermarine Walrus spotter seaplane, and how the craft was retrieved. “Walrus in the Slick” is a term used where the ship, speed 6 knots will make a sudden turn thus provide a calm to one side. This is my theme for the build.
HMS Sussex launched 1928 had a displacement of 9,730 tons (13,220 fully loaded)
The armament was 8 x 8 inch main guns with 8 x 4 inch guns secondary, and 8 x 21 inch torpedo tubes.
In November 1940 she was attach in dock by German aircraft, caught fire, and sank. It took 20 months to repair, but remerged as part of the Home Fleet in August 1942.
A great kit by WEM, and a fine example of the class is a worthwhile project for those interested in this period of the Royal Navy.
