When I was a kid the Triang catalogues used to show the ships both civil and RN as silhouettes. I subsequently found the Dumpy book of Ships which had similar silhouettes. These are common in military reference books like Jane's Fighting Ships.
Even now I tend to see these side views rather than photos as being my guide to what I want the model to look like.
I accept that everyone has a different take on this and am not trying to impose my view on anyone.
On this basis, however, I prefer the Charles Shave Triang Minic T23 to the CN release. But that is only my view. On the same basis I think the Triang one is better at capturing the T23 than the rather dumpy Albatros one. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.