1/700 7019 Niko Model Guichen D607 French Navy Fleet Escort 1952 - ex Scipione Africano Italian Capitani Romani Class Light Cruiser
Resin Model Kit, Box Condition: NM
Very, very rare and the only 1/700 model ever of this subject. Features beautiful high definition resin cast parts, numerous photoetched brass details and even decals. Never started. The parts are still in the internal factory sealed bags and includes decals and instructions. This ship had an amazing and successful history under two flags. First was her Regia Marina service. Ordered under the 1938 naval program, Scipione Africano was the tenth member of her class, laid down at the Odero-Terni-Orland shipyard in Livorno on 28 September 1939. She was active through all of WWII and did see successful combat. For the Armistice of Cassibile, On 29 September 1943, Scipione Africano departed Brindisi for Malta, carrying aboard her Marshal Badoglio, the effective head of government. Arriving at Valletta the same day, Badoglio signed the terms of the 'long armistice' aboard the British battleship Nelson, which confirmed the Italian surrender and made official its entry into the war on the side of the Allies as a co-belligerent power. From that point on she was very active on the Allied side, sailing over 156 additional missions for over 56,000 nautical miles. After WWII was over, she was given to France for war reparations and renamed S.7. S.7 was commissioned into the French Marine Nationale as the light cruiser Guichen and was assigned to the 2nd Light Cruiser Division on 7 September. She took part in operations to transport the French gold reserves back to France in 1949 and in March 1951 was re-classified as a ‘destroyer-escorteur de 1st classe' (1st class destroyer escort). On 14 July 1951 Guichen began a massive reconstruction at the La Seyne dockyard intended to modernize her and better integrate her into the French fleet, fitting her with new weaponry and sensor systems. Work completed in 1953, and she was returned to service in 1955 as an 'Escorteur d'Escadre' (Fleet Escort). This model represent that version. The refit reduced the stability of the ship, caused the maximum speed to fall to 39 kn (45 mph) and the operational range to 3,600 nmi (4,100 miles) at 18 knots. However, the sensor suite was much more complete, and the ship had a much more powerful anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare capability than it did before. Upon re-commissioning Guichen gained the NATO hull pennant D607, and was assigned to the 2nd Division out of Bizerte. In 1957 Guichen was refit once more, in order to make her a command ship, which removed one of her aft 10.5 cm (4.1 in) mounts and a pair of torpedo banks in exchange for better radar and command facilities, and subsequently became the flagship of the Atlantic Light Fleet. Guichen was replaced in this role by her sister Chateaurenault on 16 April 1961, and subsequently placed in reserve. She was disarmed in June 1963, and used as a floating platform for the Lanveoc Poulmic Naval School. She was struck from the French naval register on 1 June 1976, given the serial number Q554, and was finally sold for demolition in January 1982.
$68.00