Navis Neptun 1/1250 133N HMS Argyll, British armoured cruiser, 1906-1915
A 1/1250 scale metal model of HMS Argyll, representing her class of armoured cruisers as built.The model was updated and detailed in 2011, just in time for the 200th anniversary of the Bell Rock lighthouse. It was the Bell Rock (or Inchcape) rock that was Argyll's nemesis in 1915 during a heavy storm. Argyll ran hard aground on the rock facing the lighthouse and 150ft of the hull was ripped open. The ship was abanndoned the following morning and the wreck was destroyed immediately afterwards to disguise her loss. A model of the Bell Rock lighthouse in 1/1250 scale is available from Antics.
Argyll was one of the second batch of WW1 "Counties", otherwise known as the Carnarvon class. The Monmouth's had been criticsed for only having 6" guns so some of these were replaced by 7.5" in this follow on class. The other unfortunate member of this class was HMS Hampshire which hit a mine and sank off Orkney when taking Lord Kitchener to Russia in 1916. Carnarvon took part in the Falklands battle and many carried dazzle camouflage schemes later in the war when they were on patrol to enforce the blockade of Germany by intercepting merchantmen - the ultimate irony for a class of cruisers designed for trade protection.