Merchant Vessel SAN DEMETRIO, LONDON

SAN DEMETRIO LONDON Produced by Michael Balcon, Directed by Charles Frend

Hell Drivers produced by Benjamin Fizs & Earl St. John, Directed by Cy Endfield

‘San Demetrio London’, is s British film is based on a true story from World War II. The crew of a merchant vessel - the San Demetrio - have to abandon their damaged ship and after several days adrift they come across the damaged ship which is badly damaged but still afloat. The film follows their efforts to get the ship safely home to port. This is one of those films that here in the uk might be referred to as a Sunday afternoon film. Lovely.

The ship is depicted almost solely with miniatures, which are well done for the most part. The main model built for the film (approximately 10 feet in length - approx 1/48th scale) is on display at the Imperial War Museum in London. All of Airfix’s big ship kits were in 600th and at 450 feet long this imaginary model would come in at about 9 inches in length. This painting shows the ship battling rough seas in the North Atlantic. The kit would come in tact - prior to the U-Boat attack - and it would be up to he modeler to provide the appropriate damage, although the kit instructions could indicate which parts were damaged and destroyed.        

Click to watch ‘what if Video #9’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n91Cd2R0c4