1/35 Scammell Commander with 62 tonne Crane Fruehauf semi-trailer

HMS General Wolfe was one of the Lord Clive-class monitors, a special type of warship built by the Royal Navy during World War I to support land operations with artillery fire from the sea. The Lord Clive class comprised only two vessels (HMS Lord Clive and HMS General Wolfe) and was designed with an emphasis on heavy armament and shallow draft to allow operations in coastal waters and estuaries. Monitors of this type were not designed for conventional naval battles - their low speed (around 6-7 knots) and wide hulls made them unsuitable forHowever, they provided a stable firing platform for artillery support of Allied positions on the Western Front.

HMS General Wolfe was originally named HMS General Craufurd and entered service in June 1915. The main armament consisted of two 12-inch (305mm) guns in single-barrel turrets (one forward, one aft), sourced from decommissioned Majestic-class battleships. In 1918, the Monitor underwent a major upgrade, gaining one 18-inch (457mm) BL Mk I main gun - the largest naval gun used by the Royal Navy during World War I. This gun had a range of up to 32,000 yards (approximately 29 km) and allowed it to shell targets deep in the enemy's rear, such as bridges and logistics centres off the Belgian coast. Secondary armament included smaller calibre fast-firing guns (6-inch and 4.7-inch) for defence against destroyers and aircraft.

HMS General Wolfe operated primarily as part of the Dover Patrol, the unit responsible for controlling the English Channel and protecting Allied shipping from German destroyers and submarines. The Monitor took part in operations against German coastal fortifications, including the famous raid on Zeebrugge in 1918, where its heavy guns provided fire support to the attacking troops. Because of its shallow draft and stable design, it could operate close to the coast where conventional warships could not. After World War I, HMS General Wolfe was retired from active service and sold for scrapping in 1921, as were most of the Royal Navy's smaller wartime monitors. Some guns from these ships were later reused in the construction of new monitors during World War II.

The 1:350 scale Hobby Boss kit offers the opportunity to build this historically significant but lesser known type of warship. The monitors represent an interesting chapter in naval history - vessels designed for a specific role that did not have the ambition to dominate the high seas, but excelled in supporting land operations. For modellers, HMS General Wolfe is attractive because of her unusual appearance (low profile, massive turrets, wide hull) and historical significance as the carrier of the Royal Navy's most powerful weapon in the 1st World War. Scale 1:350 allows for detailed treatment of armour, firing stations and other features characteristic of monitors, while the final model remains space-efficient. The paint scheme matches typical Royal Navy schemes of the 1st World War. World War - usually grey or dark tones with the option of highlighting wear and service marks according to the chosen period of service. The pack does not include the paint or adhesives required for assembly.