Troopers & Hospital Ships

A 1/1250 scale model of Drottningholm 1n 1944 on diplomatic and repatriation duties by Albatros SM AL71S.

This is a limited edition model of the elderly liner Drottningholm sailing between ports of belligerent nations to re-patriate prisoners of war and diplomats late in WW2.

Akaroa, ex-Euripides, is a waterline resin model of a liner for passengers and refigerated freight and general good employed on the UK to New Zealand route. In WW1 she had been employed as a troopship but in WW2 she continued in Merchant service to New Zealand and Australia. On a couple of occasions she did deliver goods and military and diplomatic passengers to places not far  from her normal route but always while carriying her normal paying passengers and freight to her usual destinations! During the second half of WW2, she would have been painted in MOWT grey as modelled here.

Wilhelm Gustloffbecame a hospital ship in August 1939. Modelled here in 1/1250 scale and waterline form by Coastlines Models, CL-M528HS fully assembled and painted.

A 1/1250 scale metal model of the Italian liner Conte Verde in use as a diplomat exchange ship in 1942 by CM Miniaturen CM423.

Ceramic the White Star liner as a troop transport at the start if WW1 bringing troops from the British Empire to fight on the Western Front by CM Miniaturen CM-P37

Von Steuben, ex-Kronprinz Wilhelm was requesitioned from internment in US waters when America joined the Allies during WW1. The ship was converted to a troopship and sent to France filled with US troops being sent to the Western front. Initially, she was painted in medium grey overall but was quickly given a camouflage pattern to ensure that German submarines would be deterred from attacking. The camouflage takes the form of painting a destroyer overtaking the troopship in the hope that the submarine would delay firing until the warship had moved on and allowed a clear shot at the more valuable troopship. By the time that the submarine realised the deception, the opportunity to fire a torpedo would have been missed (see photograph).

This model is made in Germany by CM Miniaturen, CM-P57

Warehouse delivery is expected in mid-November. Price to be advised and pre-orders will be notified of price once the models have arrived at the Antics Warehouse.

This Wilhelm Gustloff is a hospital ship version of the former German cruise ship after she had been requisitioned for war service in August 1939. The model was bought new in the International Maritime Museum im Hamburg and professionally re-fitted with painted wood effect decks and new insignia and green stripe fitted for display purposes. The original metal waterline model was finely cast by CM Miniaturen, CM-P61 and is in 1/1250 scale, see large photograph.

The small image shows a model in ex-works condition.

Dilwara was a purpose-built troopship and this 1/1200 scale, waterline, 3D resin-printed kit is by John's Model Shipyard RN801.

Good looking waterline model of Britannic  in 1/1250 scale metal model, assembled and painted by Albatros, carrying the Red Cross that didn't stop her from being sunk off Kea in the Aegean.

Britannic was completed as the third ship of the Olympic class and intended to provide the White Star Line with three ships for a weekly transatlantic service. She was altered to increase safety after Titanic sank. The Great War started before she was finished and she was laid up in Belfast until 1915. Britannic was converted to a hospital ship for the Galipolli Campaign but was sunk by a mine in the Kea Channel later that year and sank.

A 1/1250 scale model of HMHS Aquitania as a hospital ship. The model is cast in metal, assembled and painted and fully finished in hospital ship livery (white with buff funnels, green hull stripe and red crosses on the hull).

Wilhelm Gustloff, troop transport is a waterline, 1/1250 scale model of the former cruise ship in service with the Kriegsmarine from December 1940 to January 1945. This model is cast in Easyflo 60 polyurethane resin to make finer, more stable castings and has been given wood-effect painted decks and additional details by Coastlines Models CL-M524S, see photograph.

A cheaper, all grey model of this ship is also available, see CL-M528.

Cunard Line's Aquitania was designed for the Southampton to New York service to work in rotation with Lusitania & Mauretania. Not as fast as the other two but bigger & more luxurious than Olympic, she was an excellent choice for the service.  Not having been designed as an auxiliary cruiser, she was employed as a troopship & hospital ship throughout WW1. here she is depicted as a troopship in a WW1 dazzle camouflage scheme.

In 36 years of service, Aquitania survived military duty in two world wars and returned to passenger service after each. Aquitania's record for the longest service career of any 20th-century express liner stood until broken in 2004 by the Queen Elizabeth 2, which extended the mark to 40 years.

A 1/1250 scale metal model of USS Europa AP.177 of 1945 by CM Miniaturen CM-P1091.

A 1/1250 scale metal model of Lafayette as a troopship in 1942. The former French tranatlantic liner Normandie was commandeered by the USA and converted and camouflaged at her New York pier. During conversion sghe caught fire and sank. She was salvaged but so badly damaged that she was never repaired and was scrapped after the end of the war.

A 1250 scale metal model of Justica in dazzle camouflage. Justica was the former Statendam building in the UK but taken over and put under the management of White Star as a troopship. She sank after being hit by 6 torpedoes from 2 different U-boats between Skerryvore & Lough Swilly.

A 1/1250 scale metal model of Olympic in WW1 dazzle camouflage when the transatlantic liner was a troopship.

A 1/1250 scale metal model of the Italian hospital ship, Sicilia, during WW2.

Modelled here in wartime grey with painted decks. GLR also make Caronia in WW1 dazzle camouflage.

A 1/1250 scale model of the Channel Island ferry Isle of Jersey in full hospital ship livery.

Empire Halberd is a kit of an Empire Battleaxe-class LSI provided to the UK new in 1943 under Lease-Lend. The 1/1200 scale, waterline, 3D printed kit is by John's Model Shipyard JMS RN401.