K63 HMS Picotee 1941 1/48 scale early short forecastle Flower Class Corvette

Hi Folks

Been a right few days since I last gave an update though things have been going on nicely. I have made a start on the forecastle, particularly the wooden decking. I scratched my head a bit regarding what colour or rather how dirty such decking on a fairly newly commissioned ship would be. I doubted it would have gotten dark grey/black that you see on the more well used flowers, equally it would not be 'battle ship' clean and varnished. So I settled for a greyish / brown sort of colour definatly darker than the wheelhouse and compass decks,(nice and clean for the officers), There are still a few bits of detail to add before I get down to the 4" gun and its bandstand. I have also added more rails to the compass deck. think I will have to add canvas dodgers to look right.
But the Jewell in the crown was in making the engine room sky lights. This was quite a challenge as I had to make a lot of very small fiddley bits. Over 180 pieces at the last count and I still have rivets and glazing to go. But I quite like it so far.


Some pics.


IMG_20250214_083427.jpgIMG_20250215_084508.jpgIMG_20250215_153043.jpgIMG_20250218_134145.jpgIMG_20250218_141219.jpgIMG_20250220_100408.jpgIMG_20250220_100728.jpgIMG_20250220_142104.jpgIMG_20250220_142113_1.jpg

Cheers folks JJ..​
 
Jack Jäger said:
Hi Folks

Been a right few days since I last gave an update though things have been going on nicely. I have made a start on the forecastle, particularly the wooden decking. I scratched my head a bit regarding what colour or rather how dirty such decking on a fairly newly commissioned ship would be. I doubted it would have gotten dark grey/black that you see on the more well used flowers, equally it would not be 'battle ship' clean and varnished. So I settled for a greyish / brown sort of colour definatly darker than the wheelhouse and compass decks,(nice and clean for the officers), There are still a few bits of detail to add before I get down to the 4" gun and its bandstand. I have also added more rails to the compass deck. think I will have to add canvas dodgers to look right.
But the Jewell in the crown was in making the engine room sky lights. This was quite a challenge as I had to make a lot of very small fiddley bits. Over 180 pieces at the last count and I still have rivets and glazing to go. But I quite like it so far.


Click to expand...
The skylight with all the details looks great, Jack.
Regards, Peter
 
Sometimes it is the little bits that take the longest. Hi folks, to my surprise it has take the best part of a week to make and add the little details to the bridge/wheelhouse. I have also joined the three sections of this complex together and now they are ready to fix to the deck. There is still some details yet to add but they will wait until everything is fixed in place. I have added the canvas dodgers to the compass deck, except the lower area in the wings where the AA guns are situated, the reason being I am not sure what type or how many guns there are. From the one, and so far only, photograph of Picotee I have it looks like a single barrel, (could be two),and quite chunky. This suggests a Lewis .303, but they mostly came as pairs. Hotchkiss .303 came as a single gun but their barrels were air cooled and thin. At first glance I thought the barrel was very long, suggesting a 20mm Oerlikon but 1940 was most likely too early for them to be fitted to a corvette. And when I looked again what I thought was a long barrel was just something in the background, a puzzle for another day. Just temporarily I have shown a pair of unshielded Hotchkiss, a gun still popular despite its pre WW1 vintage. So I guess its pay your money and take your choice.
The compass deck is getting quite crowded and there is still the wireless trunk to be added, I cannot see it in the photograph but I an sure there would have been one. The panniers hanging on to the rails are used to hold the navigation balls and 'at anchor' balls. The flag locker is made from 0.5mm apple. And I cannot think of much else to say and it is on with the engine room casing now.
Some pics..


IMG_20250227_091100.jpgIMG_20250227_091214.jpgIMG_20250227_091228.jpgIMG_20250227_091238.jpgIMG_20250227_091250.jpgIMG_20250227_091345.jpgIMG_20250227_091401.jpgIMG_20250227_091421.jpgIMG_20250227_091450.jpgIMG_20250227_091509.jpgIMG_20250227_091521.jpgIMG_20250227_091851.jpg

Cheers JJ..​

​

 
Hi folks,
A few days of more little fiddley bits, not least 36 small wooden chocks that will support the depth charges that are stored along the engine room casing. These DC's are attached to their throwers and the throwers are also attached to the casing. By making and fixing them, along with to long hand rails I am all but ready to permanently fix the ER casing to the deck and that will be a big step forward. It also reminded me that now while there is not too much superstructure already fixed and it is still easy to invert the whole hull that it is time to add the hull markings and pennant numbers. I have finished the port side and then coated that side with semi gloss lacquer. I cant do the starboard side yet as I have run out of roman numerals, planning eh!
Anyway to give me an idea of the overall shape of things I set some finished fittings in place, and I am quite pleased of how things are starting to look. See pics..

HMSErica3.jpgIMG_20250302_083946.jpgIMG_20250302_084005.jpgIMG_20250303_202857.jpgIMG_20250303_220639.jpgIMG_20250303_220701.jpgIMG_20250303_220857.jpgIMG_20250303_220919.jpgIMG_20250304_092013.jpgIMG_20250304_092145.jpg

P.S. the ship photo is of HMS Erica also built by H&W not a great pic, but it looks like she also has raised companion ways.​
 
Hi Folks.
Circumstances have had it that I have been a bit remiss in updating my progress for a while, and I am still behind the eight ball. However here are a few pics. of the state of play. Most everything you see is now permanently attached, particularly the engine room casings so that leaves me free to start work on the boat deck.



IMG_20250320_073135.jpgIMG_20250320_073233.jpgIMG_20250320_073407_1.jpgIMG_20250320_115259.jpgIMG_20250320_120749.jpg

More detail and photos. soon.

Cheers JJ..​
 
Jack Jäger said:
Since I have no actual plans and only one viable photograph of HMS Picotee I have been building her using mainly the plans of HMS Alisma ( also built by H&W ) in 1/96 scale and drawn by Mr John Lambert along with 1/48 scale plans and AotS book of HMCS Agassiz by John McKay, I have complemented this by viewing the numerous photographs of other 'Flowers' available in books and on line. However there is a feature shown on my photograph of Picotee that I have not seen on any other flower and it has left me scratching my head.

To my eye these look like two companion ways with stern facing w/t doors opening to port. very similar to the one in the centre of the pic between the two large cowl vents that has some crew members sitting beside it. on both sets of plans there are hatches situated around this area but nowhere else have I seen companion ways, strange. I knocked up a pair to what I hope is the correct size but am not sure weather to add them or not, I can only find two completed models of Picotee on line and neither shows them.

Apart from this quandary I have been working on the compass house above the wheel house, another reminder of the penny-pinching way that the designers went about building these early Flowers. Since they gave these ships only a magnetic compass the had to house it in a wooden cabin/ shack! Then deciding that wood doesn't offer much protection against gun and cannon they added a steel 'X' box (my name) or as called 'armoured crucifix', of course being metal and prone to disturb the compass it had to be placed as far from it as possible (not very in this case) and just to make sure that communications where tip top old boy they added a voice tube, (actually a bit of rubber hose with a mouth piece that dangled over the top between the four hiding places!).
Here are some pics..


View attachment 499164

View attachment 499166

View attachment 499174
Click to expand...
I would wait until you have the boats in place before deciding if you leave the companion ways in or not. If it looks too crowded or weird, discard them. And you are setting the standard again ... what beautiful detail!
 
Jack Jäger said:
Hi folks,
A few days of more little fiddley bits, not least 36 small wooden chocks that will support the depth charges that are stored along the engine room casing. These DC's are attached to their throwers and the throwers are also attached to the casing. By making and fixing them, along with to long hand rails I am all but ready to permanently fix the ER casing to the deck and that will be a big step forward. It also reminded me that now while there is not too much superstructure already fixed and it is still easy to invert the whole hull that it is time to add the hull markings and pennant numbers. I have finished the port side and then coated that side with semi gloss lacquer. I cant do the starboard side yet as I have run out of roman numerals, planning eh!
Anyway to give me an idea of the overall shape of things I set some finished fittings in place, and I am quite pleased of how things are starting to look. See pics..

Click to expand...
Ooh, you found another Flower with those "strange" raised parts. Indeed look like companion ways.
 
Jack Jäger said:
Hi Folks.
Circumstances have had it that I have been a bit remiss in updating my progress for a while, and I am still behind the eight ball. However here are a few pics. of the state of play. Most everything you see is now permanently attached, particularly the engine room casings so that leaves me free to start work on the boat deck.



Click to expand...
Just magnificent work!
 
Jack Jäger said:
Hi Folks.
Circumstances have had it that I have been a bit remiss in updating my progress for a while, and I am still behind the eight ball. However here are a few pics. of the state of play. Most everything you see is now permanently attached, particularly the engine room casings so that leaves me free to start work on the boat deck.



Click to expand...
It is always a step that you think about: gluing something permanently. Am I sure that everything is correct etc.? And then the relief that you took the right step. It’s looking good, Jack.
Regards, Peter
 
Hi friends.
Before I can fix the last of the superstructure I felt it wise to add the forecastle companion ways and adjoining rails as there would be very little room to manoeuvre in the gap forward of the Captains cabin. This involved a bit of soldering to attach the ladder rails to the posts. I used nickel silver 0.7mm rods as opposed to brass as it is easier manipulated. I like to solder on top of a sheet of aluminium as the plate acts as a good heat sink, especially if you are soldering multiple joints as is the case with the galley stove pipe. This pipe is a monster over ten foot tall and eight inches dia. in actual size, must have been a big stove. The galley was right at the stern in these early flowers, yet the crews mess is under the forecastle, must have been fun with rough sea. Later it was moved to behind the wheel house, a bit better anyway.
Adding all these rails you can't help noticing a little class/ rank discrimination, if you notice all the rails around the wheel house block i.e. officer land are taller and three barred, while the plebs/crew are two barred and lower. Conscious or subconscious? Fancy a swim matey?
Boat decks next, better start scratching my head.

Some pics.

IMG_20250313_113404.jpgIMG_20250321_070857.jpgIMG_20250321_150932.jpgIMG_20250321_151331.jpgIMG_20250321_152905.jpgIMG_20250321_222430.jpgIMG_20250321_222448.jpgIMG_20250321_223730.jpgIMG_20250321_223733.jpgIMG_20250321_231244.jpgIMG_20250321_231258.jpgIMG_20250321_231326.jpgIMG_20250321_231538.jpgIMG_20250322_045340.jpg

Cheers JJ..​

IMG_20250321_231314.jpg
 
Jack Jäger said:
Hi friends.
Before I can fix the last of the superstructure I felt it wise to add the forecastle companion ways and adjoining rails as there would be very little room to manoeuvre in the gap forward of the Captains cabin. This involved a bit of soldering to attach the ladder rails to the posts. I used nickel silver 0.7mm rods as opposed to brass as it is easier manipulated. I like to solder on top of a sheet of aluminium as the plate acts as a good heat sink, especially if you are soldering multiple joints as is the case with the galley stove pipe. This pipe is a monster over ten foot tall and eight inches dia. in actual size, must have been a big stove. The galley was right at the stern in these early flowers, yet the crews mess is under the forecastle, must have been fun with rough sea. Later it was moved to behind the wheel house, a bit better anyway.
Adding all these rails you can't help noticing a little class/ rank discrimination, if you notice all the rails around the wheel house block i.e. officer land are taller and three barred, while the plebs/crew are two barred and lower. Conscious or subconscious? Fancy a swim matey?
Boat decks next, better start scratching my head.


View attachment 509050
Click to expand...
Great small railing, Jack. It accentuates this part more and more.
Regards, Peter
 
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