Antics most recent batch of Alk models from Albatros contained repeats of two models which were commissioned about 15 years ago. Albatros had indicated that he was going to produce Falklands Conflict models and Antics asked for HMS Antelope and HMS Ardent instead of the "as built" generic, type 21, Alk86, then in production. The models arrived as Alk86A, Antelope, and Alk86B, Ardent.
I decided to update the photographs for Antics website and the models came home to be photographed in one of my dioramas. The models had the wrong numbers on the sides of the hull and Ardent had the wrong letters on the heli-deck!
Time for some research, so I enlisted the help of some AI chatbots, Claude and friends from Google and a couple of departing ducks. Here are the results for the whole class:
Antelope, F170, letters AO,
Ambuscade, F172, letters AB,
During the Falklands Campaign these two did not have Exocet launchers.
Active, F171, letters AC,
Alacrity, F174, letters AL,
Ardent, F184, letters AD,
Arrow, F173, letters AW,
Avenger, F185, letters AG.
These five did have Exocet launchers.
Amazon was reported to be in the Persian Gulf at this time (F169, letters AA).
All sources agree that identification letters and numbers were painted over in the South Atlantic and decks were a dark grey.
The AI chatbots say you should all check these "facts", so, OVER TO YOU.....
This story does end happily because I darkened the decks and painted out the letters and numbers and replaced the photographs with some without identification markings.