Hi all,

today I bought the Tamiya 1/350 King George V, as I wanted to build a ship, and something different to the Axis stuff I usually build.

This might become my big summer project. Now on the side of the box, they show a far more interesting and atractive camo-scheme then the standard grey. They list it as the 1944 scheme, but warn that the ship is in 1945 configuration. So this leads to the following questions:

What is the difference between the 1944 and 1945 configuration, and how noticable is it?

How easy is it to backdate the kit?

Does anyone have/know a decent and fairly cheap reference? Frankly I am not willing to pay big bucks ($ 40/50+) for a reference, as I would like to spend it on other things (perhaps Su-27 with conversion).

Can someone help me out? Thanks a lot in advance,

Harm

There is a huge difference btwn the 1941 verson and the 45, but from what I can tell, the ship was modified in 1942. It had the aircraft replaced by a boat deck and the 40mm were increased (all those little guns in a tub at the rear and front of ship. Btwn 44 and 45 I don't know, perhaps a few less 40mm gun tubs. Ask this question on the modelwarships web if you don't get a response here . Half-yank seems to know quite a bit about the British battleships

Harm,
I've limited research on the KG V as she was in May 1943 (Warship Vol. III Conway Maritime Press, 1979) it's 2 rather small line drawing and a few sentences. I'll just copy the text here for you and hopefully you'll be able to join the dots as it were because although I have the kit I can't remember what options the kit's instructions gave.
Early '40: pom-pom director platform between forward HACS directors replaced by Type 271 surface warning radar.
Dec '40:UP mountings removed, Type 271 replaced with 273 (lantern on foremast starfish) five Type 282 radars added. 18 single 20mm oerlikons fitted (5 on forecastle, 5 on quarterdeck, 2 on each side no.1 platform above forward 5.25" turrets, 4 on boat deck.
Early '42: four Type 285 radars added.
May '43: Two 32' cutters abreast forecastle removed, 20 single 20mm oerlikon added(2 each side mainmast, 4 on each side catapult deck, 4 abreast B turret and 4 on quarterdeck) upper bridge extended aft and Admirals bridge forward.
Below are listed alterations of her Feb-July '44 refit at Liverpool. So anything listed here would have to be OMITTED from your model.
Added-2 US quad Bofors, 4 twin 20mm on former boat deck 2 pom pom and 2 Bofors directors on after superstructue.6 twin 20mm oerlikon, radar Type 279B aerial on mainmast, 8 barrel pom pom on Y turret, searchlight platorm on forefunnel modified to accomodate single oerlikons, internal degaussing coil fitted.
I'm not sure if in '43 she had quad or 8 barrel pom poms on B and Y turrets and she would have still carried her aircraft and associated equipment.
If I find anything else to help you I'll post it here.
Good Luck and Happy Modelling
Tom
P.S. Don't forget to post plenty of pics!

Well,

if it is going to work out, I'll have a lot to do... and fear for having to get the expensive reference as I'll need the pics. Anyway, I do have the time till June at least before ordering...

Anyways, I have to finish my other models first. Ofcourse I will post as many pics as possible (if my housemate will lend me his digicam...

Thanks for the help.

Harm