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Author Topic: 1/700 scale models of QE class battleship and Invincible  (Read 1159 times)

raflaunches

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1/700 scale models of QE class battleship and Invincible
« on: October 16, 2020, 06:07:47 pm »

I’ve always liked the 1/700 scale for warship modelling as it allows size comparison to be seen so easily.
In the section What’s in the Box? I started to cover the Trumpeter QE class battleships Barham, Queen Elizabeth and Warspite. I’ve recently bought the latest 1/700 scale model available from Flyhawk of the battlecruiser HMS Invincible as she appeared in 1914.
I remember reading Captain McIntyre’s book Jutland and the appearance of the 5th Battle Squadron was described as the giants had arrived! When you compare the QE class against the Invincible you can see how the 15inch gun armed super Dreadnoughts were considered big by the standard of the time- they tower over the Invincible. :o
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Nick B

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Colin Bishop

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Re: 1/700 scale models of QE class battleship and Invincible
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2020, 06:38:17 pm »

Yes Nick, I've always liked collecting my miniature 1:1250 scale liners for the same reason. It is fascinating to compare the sizes of the various ships and also interesting to put up a modern big ferry against something like the old Queen Mary.

With warships, the QE class eclipsed the Invincibles but they in turn are dwarfed by the Iowas and Yamatos. And of course now the latest RN carriers are huge compared with the later Invincible class.

It just demonstrates that you can't beat models for making comparisons and bringing history to life in a way that 2D images never can but museums just cannot seem to see this and have put many of their models into permanent storage. It is tragic really.

Colin
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raflaunches

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Re: 1/700 scale models of QE class battleship and Invincible
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2020, 07:22:10 pm »

Hi Colin


Absolutely, it’s one way of having a fleet that fits on the shelf!
Thinking about comparison I found my old Tamiya Hood that I built as a 12 year old and here she is with Invincible- the first and last British battlecruisers!
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Nick B

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Colin Bishop

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Re: 1/700 scale models of QE class battleship and Invincible
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2020, 07:32:20 pm »

An interesting comparison. The Invincible class battlecruisers were actually not far removed from the earlier last large armoured cruisers. They were just a bit faster and had an all heavy gun armament which was enough to put them into a different class altogether.

It was those heavy guns which put them into the battle line which they were never really intended to occupy with the inevitable consequences. The following Indefatigable class were really no better, just slightly bigger but basically the same design.

In some respects they were like the later German 'pocket battkeships'. Neither one thing or the other.

Colin
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raflaunches

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Re: 1/700 scale models of QE class battleship and Invincible
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2020, 06:51:06 pm »

Another use for building smaller scale versions of the model you want to build gives you a sense of scale to others you may have in your larger collection without building them.
I have a 1/100 scale hull of SMS Scharnhorst and I was lucky enough to get a Combrig 1/700 kit to go with the new Flyhawk Invincible kit and now I can see the physical size differences between the two warships. One thing that has opened my eyes is that Invincible wasn’t a big vessel when you compare her to Scharnhorst but had a greater amount of firepower. Considering that they were built roughly at the same time the change in design and policy can clearly be seen.
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Nick B

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Colin Bishop

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Re: 1/700 scale models of QE class battleship and Invincible
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2020, 09:26:24 pm »

It is interesting to compare the ships of the WW1 Falklands engagements. The Gernans initially wiped out the two British armoured cruisers with their largely reserve crew members and were in turn sunk by the RN battlecruisers.

HMS Good Hope: 14,150 tons; length 533 feet, 2x9.2 and 16x6 inch guns; total broadside (10 guns): 1,656lb

HMS Monmouth: 9,800 tons; length 463 feet, 12x6 inch guns; total broadside 1,008lb

SMS Scharnhorst and Gneisenau: 12,780 tons, length 474 feet, 8x8.3 inch and 6 5.9 inch guns; (each); broadside 2,086lb

HMS Invincible and Inflexible: 17,250 tons, length 567 feet,  8x12 inch guns; broadside 6 guns 5,100lb; 8 guns with cross deck firing 6,800lb

So at Coronel the RN ships were outgunned 4,172lb to 2,664lb.

At the Falklands the Germans could only put up their 4,172lb against the RN 10,200/13,600lb.

Says it all really.

Colin
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