Peter Francis
Lot 567
Exhibition quality scratch built scale model of the Royal Navy 'Dido' class light cruiser 'HMS Hermione' 1850 tonnes fully loaded with a length of 485ft, 512ft overall, 50.5ft beam drawing 114ft, powered by Parsons geared turbines to four shafts with four Admiralty three drum boilers producing 62000shp, built by Alexander Stephen & Sons of Glasgow, launched 1939, sunk June 1942 by German Submarine U205 in the Mediterranean with loss of life. Finely detailed model with figures on bridge, turrets and armament. Electric motor powering four propellers for radio control. On wooden display stand, overall length 1.6m approx.(B.P. 21% + VAT) A couple of items in the way of one mast and deck fittings have become loose in transit but basically good condition.Provenance: these models by Robert Gerald Iles (1940-2019), a former British Army Officer who had always been interested in model making but did not have enough spare time whilst serving, resident in Pembrokeshire and joined the Pembrokeshire Model Sailing Yacht club where he won numerous trophies at club and national level. He also started his own business 'The Top Rig' making sails for model yachts, he then started making model ships for his own enjoyment, primarily British war ships and he took his models to modelling exhibitions all around the UK. Particularly well known in Wales.
