Glenorchy was one of six of a class of ships that were under construction or newly completed for Glen Line which had been taken over by Alfred Holt &Co. in the late 1930s. Most of these ships became Fleet Supply Vessels for the Royal and Commonwealth Navies but from 1941 three were converted to LSIs while Glenorchy was selected to join the Pedestal Convoy of fast freighters in a last ditch attempt to re-supply Malta in 1942. Glenorchy was sunk in the attempt. The names of the sister ships were Glenroy, Glenartney, Glenearn and these plus Glenorchy could be finished in Glen Line colours as they entered service before WW2 began. These and Glengyle could be painted grey as they were taken over for war service with he Royal Navy. Glengarry was completing in Denmark and was taken over as Meersburg for the Kriegsmarine and painted grey. This kit could also be used to represent the ships post war when they were returned to their owners. Glenroy, Glenartney, Glenearn and Glengyle returned to Glen Line but in 1970, Glengyle became Dardanus briefly before being broken up in 1971. Another sister-ship was completed in 1940 as Empire Activity (see defensively armed ships) and became Breckonshire in 1946. Glengarry (which had been prepared as a German armed raider with the name Hansa) became Empire Humber until 1948 before being handed to Glen Line and became Glengarry until 1970 and very briefly Dardanus before scrapping. See also MV304B for armed versions of the ships