ORP „Krakowiak” – the Polish escort destroyer

ORP “Krakowiak”, like her sisterships ORP “Kujawiak” and ORP “Slazak”, belonged to the 34-ship series, known by the Royal Navy as “Hunt II”. They were designed just before the start of the war as units specifically for escorting convoys, anti-submarine and anti-aviationwarfare. Although lacking a torpedo armament, these were well armed and equipped and formed the backbone of Allied strike forces against enemy submarines and aircraft. The keel of ORP "Krakowiak" was laid on December 5, 1939, launched on December 4, 1940 and named HMS "Silverton", handed over to the Polish Navy on May 22, 1941 and crew training began, which ended in mid-July 1941, when the ship was included in the 15th Destroyer Flotilla. Until November accompanied cabotage convoys. Repaired a month later, in December 1941, it took part in the Allied raid to Lofoten. On his return to England, he again accompanied the cabotage convoys. In 1942, the crew of "Krakowiak" shot down the first enemy plane - a Junkers Ju-88. Throughout the war, the ship's crew fought German submarines, planes, other ships, escorted Atlantic and Mediterranean convoys, fought submarines, covered the landing of the Allies in Salerno, was repaired after battle damage, modernized, participated in the D-Day landing operation in Normandy, in May 1945 together with "Slazak" he met the end of the war in Wilhelmshaven, participated in operation "Deadlight" - the sinking of surviving German U-boats. In July 1946, the ship was transferred to the reserve, on September 28 it was returned to the British and regained its original name - HMS "Silverton". Cut in 1959. During the war, the ship sailed 146,000 sea miles under the Polish flag, escorted 146 cabotage and 9 transatlantic convoys, repelled 24 enemy air attacks (shot down 3 planes), sank 1 enemy ship and attacked submarines 13 times.

A small, but quite complex and highly detailed model of ship in colorful 1942 camouflage, designed for intermediate to advanced modelers only.