¹⁄700

The Fine Waterline group are releasing their 1/700th Grimsby class sloop .

This kit will consist of casting of the hull, deckhouse, bridge and platforms, funnel and AA platform as fitted on the Wellington.

As a point of clarification as with their previous kits Fine Waterline will provide the basics needed for a model, hull, superstructures and funnel, all the remaining parts required are already available from aftermarket sources and a list of recommended parts will be included with the kit.


By way of clarification Fine Waterline are the Fine Waterline Special Interest Group of IPMS, the International Plastic Modellers Society. These are a group of modellers based in the UK.

We understand that these kits are being sold on a not for profit basis, any monies remaining after costs are covered will be donated to charity, in this case the Royal National Lifeboat Institute.

This kitsets expected release date has yet to be confirmed and the suggested retail price is £6 including postage in the UK, £7 outside the UK.

We will of course update you with more detail as it comes to hand.

Historical Background
The Grimsby class sloops entered service between 1934 and 1936 in the Royal Navy, the six RN ships initially served on overseas stations. On the outbreak of war they were recalled to the UK and equipped for escort duties where they served as convoy escorts both in the North Sea and in Western Approaches.

Most of them eventually were employed on the Freetown convoy routes for which their endurance of 5,000 miles was needed. All except Grimsby survived the war, and Wellington can still be seen on the Thames in London.

Four more ships of similar design were built in Australia and one enlarged vessel for India, but these differed in armament. The Australian ships served in the Red Sea, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Pacific. Warrego and Yarra were lost, with Yarra sacrificing herself to save a convoy against overwhelming odds of two Japanese heavy cruisers.

Images and historical background courtesy of Fine Waterline.