John's Model Shipyard MV101 SS Athenia a kit to make the Donaldson liner of 1923-39 1/1200
Athenia is a 3D resin printed kit in 1/1200 scale of the Donaldson liner built in 1923 for the Glasgow and Liverpool to Canada run that had the unfortunate distinction to become the first maritime casualty in WW2 when she was torpedoed on the 3rd of September by U30. The kit is by John's Model Shipyard and requires metal or plastic rod for masts and derricks and glue and paint to complete.
Athenia and her sistership Letitia were built by Fairfields in 1923 and 1925. They sailed from Glasgow to Liverpooland then across the Atlantic to Quebec and Montreal with a winter service to Halifax NS. Athenia had 1418 passengers and crew on board when she was was hit by a single torpedo from U30 and sank the following day. 93 passengers and 19 crew lost their lives and the rest were rescued by City of Flint and three British destroyers.
Donaldson Atlantic Line livery was black hull and white upperworks, black funnel with a single white band. Masts and derricks were dark buff with the mainmast black above funnel height and ventilators were black.
Sistership Letitia served as an armed merchant cruiser with 8x6" guns, then as a hospital ship and finally as a troopship. After WW2, she served as an emigrant ship, sailing to Australia under the name Empire Brent and from 1951 to New Zealand under the name Captain Cook. She was withdrawn in 1959 and scrapped.
The large image shows the Athenia kit made up as her sistership, Letitia, as a hospital ship.