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[tgdavies]

I'd like to scratch build a 144th scale RC model of a Catapult Aircraft Merchantman.

I'm not particular as to which I build, but I'm having trouble locating plans for any, other than the Glynn Guest Empire Jubilee, which apparently doesn't have a very scale hull. I'm willing to improvise the actual catapult from photographs, so any plan of a CAM ship pre conversion, or a sister ship, would also be fine.

Thanks for any tips.

Tom

[TailUK]

According to Wikipedia the following ships were used as CAM ships
Eight CAM ships were requisitioned from private owners, two of which were sunk: Daghestan, Daltonhall, Eastern City, Helencrest, Kafiristan, Michael E (sunk), Novelist, Primrose Hill (sunk).

27 CAM ships were Ministry of War Transport owned Empire ships, ten of which were sunk: Empire Burton (sunk), Empire Clive, Empire Darwin, Empire Day, Empire Dell (sunk), Empire Eve (sunk), Empire Faith, Empire Flame, Empire Foam, Empire Franklin, Empire Gale, Empire Heath, Empire Hudson (sunk), Empire Lawrence (sunk), Empire Moon, Empire Morn, Empire Ocean, Empire Rainbow (sunk), Empire Ray, Empire Rowan (sunk), Empire Shackleton (sunk), Empire Spray, Empire Spring (sunk), Empire Stanley, Empire Sun, Empire Tide, Empire Wave (sunk).

The Empire ships are pretty well documented so that may be your starting point.

[gingyer]

I can't remember which but traplet or my hobby store had drawings for a CAM ship

[pugwash]

Tom as has been mentioned some of the Empire ships of the 5000 to 7000 GRT were converted to CAM ships as well as some ships requisitioned
 so there was no set class of CAM ship - The Empire boats do appear to be the best bet as there were more of them  but though similar none were the same design
so I think you can have some modellers license.
All the pictures of the catapult assembly  do look the same though

Geoff

[tgdavies]

Thanks for the replies.

@gingyer I bet that's the Glynn Guest Empire Jubilee, which isn't scale enough in the hull department.

Does anyone know a source for plans of any of the Empire ships? I have googled extensively with no luck.

Thanks,
  Tom

[Bryan Young]

Do the "Escort Carriers" count as Cam ships? I only mention this as my first ship was a re-converted escort carrier (HMS "Puncher) and they generally were built on a C3 class hull. Just a thought. BY.

[TailUK]

A few interesting pics here.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?filter%5BtermString%5D%5B0%5D=%22convoys%22&filter%5BagentString%5D%5B0%5D=%22Royal%20Air%20Force%2C%20Merchant%20Ship%20Fighter%20Unit%22&query=

[tgdavies]

Hi Bryan,

I'm more interested in a standard CAM ship at the moment, although it would be interesting to know if there are any plans available for the escort carriers or other C3 types.

By the way, when the escort carriers were converted to merchant ships, did they keep their turbine propulsion? Was that unusual for a merchant ship in the 1940s?

Thanks,
  Tom

[Bryan Young]

Turbines were not unusual. 
The ship I was a cadet in had "Falk" turbines ...part of Westinghouse I believe.
The ships were not originally conceived as "carriers", but started off as converted general cargo ships. After WW2 they were brought back to the original purpose (not design). BY.