1/400 R81 Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (Heller)

Short History:
1945-1948 "HMS Venerable" Royal Navy - British Pacific Fleet (BPF)-
1948 sold to the Dutch Government.

1948-1968 "Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman" -1955-1958 major refit, angled deck Holland Signaal Radars, new island, new boilers - 1968 major fire in engine room –
1968 sold to the Argentine Government.

1969-1992 "ARA 25 de Mayo" - 1982 shortly involved in the Falkland War –
1999/2000 Towed to Alang (India) and scrapped.

Diorama:
“Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman, entering the harbor of Toulon, 03 November, 1967. The carrier is being assisted to her anchorage by the French Navy coastal tugs Robuste and Hercules. On the flight deck during this informal visit are twelve S-2A Grumman Trackers and eight SH-34J Sikorsky helicopters.
The rubber oil hoses on the deck are not yet stowed away. These would be connected and lowered into the water on the rear side of the deck. The hose would be floating on the surface and picked up by, for example, trailing destroyers and frigates, to fill up their oil bunkers.
Lockheed Neptune (SP-2H) "214" (The Eyes of the Fleet) from the Naval Air Base Valkenburg, is making a low pass over the rear flight deck of the carrier, before heading to the French Naval Air Base of Hyeres, near Toulon.”

The S-2A Grumman Trackers, SP-2H Lockheed Neptune, winches for operating the derrick, harbor tugs from the Acharné Class are all from Larsenal.
Crew is from North Star and Larsenal.

Note:
For the actual visit of the carrier see this link.
 

Gallery updated 7/21/2015

© ModelWarships.com