HMS Dido bombards the Italian coast whilst two USN Livermore Class destroyers (one shown) circle her providing AA cover.

Dido is a White Ensign Models kit the destroyer is a Benson Class kit. 1:700 scale

May Day 1942 started well for convoy PQ-15 with the escort succinctly beating off an attack by JU-88s. However, this minor triumph had been offset earlier by a tragedy that had occurred 350 miles east of Iceland. While with other destroyers providing a screen to Tovey's capital ships, the Tribal-class destroyer Punjabi (Commander the Hon. J.M. Waldegrave) ran under the bow of the flagship HMS King George V and was cut in two. The accident took place as the combined Anglo-American battle fleet ran into fog. HMS King George V signalled all ships to cease zigzagging forthwith, but this was not received aboard Punjabi in time.

The sad incident was compounded when the destroyer's fused depth-charges exploded as her stern quickly sank, increasing the damage inflicted to the King George V's bow and killing many of Punjabi's crew. The destroyer's forward section remained afloat for forty minutes, sufficient time for 206 men to be rescued. Vice-Admiral Curteis arrived from Hvalfiordur in HMS Duke of York the following day and Tovey shifted his flag to her, while the King George V returned first to Iceland and then to Scapa and Liverpool for a refit. The diorama depicts K.G.V and HMS Oribi at Iceland at about the 4.5.42 shortly before the former departed for Liverpool.

The models are K.G.V : Tamiya 1:700 K.G.V and PoW (both kits used for early war KGV) Oribi: Tamiya O Class destroyer kit modified as per Nat Richards/Tim Stoneman. Detailing kits: a variety of White Ensign Models resin 'pro' series KGV class battleships etch brass and Emergency War Destroyers etch brass set.

In order to insure a successful voyage, convoy PQ-18 was provided with a large escort force. On the 14th. Of September the first German planes struck. Later a much larger force arrived, comprising JU-88's and HE-I I Is. The Ju-88s attacked high but the HE-111s came in low with torpedoes in a terrifying mass assault. They attacked in unison from the starboard side and one doomed ship, the MARY LUCKENBACH, loaded with ammunition took several torpedoes and went up in one cataclysmic explosion. Another Liberty ship NATHANIEL GREENE was close to her when the explosion occurred and suffered heavy blast and debris damage that injured several crew members and caused damage to the ship and deck cargo. The engines were stopped and the ship pulled out of formation, requesting assistance. A Royal Navy destroyer came alongside and transferred the seven seriously injured crewmen.

The air attack still raged while this was going on. It is this moment that this diorama depicts. The NATHANIEL GREENE is nearly dead in the water, with surface damage and her deck cargo dispersed and scattered from the force of the exploding MARY LUCKINGBACH. The "0" class destroyer HMS ONSLAUGHT is alongside. The destroyer's guns are trained to fire at the attacking planes. Another "0" class, HMS OPPORTUNE, races up the now vacant ninth column. A HE-III bomber is seen trailing smoke and about to hit the water. HMS OPPORTUNE wears a 1942 Special Emergency Fleet design with colors G20, G45, and White. ONSLAUGHT wears a modified version of this pattern.

The destroyers are conversions of the Tamiya "0" Class kits. The NATHANIEL GREENE is a Tom's Modelworks resin kit with many added details.

For a more complete description of the event see p.19 of issue 24 of Plastic Ship Modeler.