Source for 1:600 Ship Bits

[monkeyhanger]

Hello All,

I've been looking around for a source of 1:600 bits and pieces to "upgrade" (AKA Whif) Airfix ship kits. I was thinking og HMS Tiger, 3 inch gunns replaced by Exocets and Sea Cats, King George V with reduced 5.25 inch gun complement and replaced by Sea Dart etc. I've found White Ensign models but does anyone know of any other sources? I was also thinking of new radars etc.

I remember seeing a plan in the 1980s to replace the County class Seaslug and helicopter flight deck with a number of vertical launch Harpoons. I think that there was a real world plan to sell Devonshire (?) to Egypt with the Sea slug removed and an increased helicopter complement.

thanks in advance

[Mr.Creak]

It might be worth your while getting in touch with Skytrex (white metal "kits").
I spoke to their salesman at a wargames convention a year or so ago about exactly the same thing.
We have an on-again off-again wargame campaign (starting in 1945) where each player runs their own "country" and lots of WHIFs result. The rep did like the idea of selling "bags of bits", but finances prevented me following it up for the time being.

[Joe C-P]

If you're interested in photo-etch for the radars, Gold Medal Models and Tom's Modelworks both make sets in 1/600.

[Weaver]

Chile actually did the "DDH" mod to two of their Counties, i.e. removed the Seaslug, lengthened the flight deck, and added a new, full-width hangar for two Super Pumas, with (later) Barak VLS launchers at it's front corners. Excellent mod in my view.


Pre Barak:




Post Barak:





They also did variations on this to their Darings:









Later boxings of the Airfix County and Amazon have Exocets in them as afterthoughts, although their scale has been questioned. Apparently, they scale out to more like 1/700th, while ironically, the Exocets on the Dragon "1/700th" weapons sprue are over-sized enough to pass for 1/600th....