U.S.S. Fletcher Launches

[robtmelvin]

Kevin, she looks good so far. Makes me itch to get started on mine. I'm debating right now whether to launch (so to speak) into another Fletcher immediately after finishing the 1/350 scale Tamiya kit, or to take a break and try something else. I'd planned on doing either Revell's box scale Buckley or Trumpy's 1/350 U.S.S. San Francisco in her 1942 fit. I have the PE for both kits. Right now I'm interested in trying to build up a number of the ships involved to one degree or another in the Guadalcanal campaign in '42. But, that doesn't really help the choice that much since both Fletcher and San Francisco were there!

 

Anyway, on to the progress report. Fletcher is about 90% complete. About all that remains is to finish attaching the railing and then rig her. Finally, a coat of dull cote, which, thank God, will cover up a multitude of sins such as accidents with over spills of CA. So, without further ado, I present for your consideration progress photos of U.S.S. Fletcher:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts, comments, guys?

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Bob

[Jeff Herne]

Looking good Rob!

 

Rotate your anchors 90 degrees counter-clockwise.

 

 

By the way, I have you to blame... I just did a deal for another North Carolina kit!

 

J

[LSP_K2]

Looking good Rob!

 

Rotate your anchors 90 degrees counter-clockwise.

 

 

By the way, I have you to blame... I just did a deal for another North Carolina kit!

 

J

That's the scheme I'll be doing on mine.

[robtmelvin]

Jeff, thanks for the tip on the anchors! I hope to complete her this week. I'm at the point where I have to say "enough is enough" as far as fiddling about with even more PE. I think all I will do now is attach some hose reels, etc., to busy up the deck and some bulkheads, then attach the railing and finally rig her. I don't know about you, but sometimes I find it hard to say "ok, I've done enough, no more fiddling with her".

 

I'll happily take the blame for your deal on another North Carolina kit. For all of its faults, it really is a great kit of a great ship. Once Fletcher is done I think I'll focus on getting some real progress made on North Carolina before starting another kit. I'm interested in trying to build up a selection of ships that were involved, in one way or another, in the actions around Guadalcanal in the August to November, 1942 period. Some great ships were there.

 

Hope you'll show us your progress on your new North Carolina when you get a chance to get started on her.

 

Thanks again for the tip on the anchors,

 

Bob

[Jeff Herne]

I'm working on a 1/24 X-wing fighter at the moment, but the ShowBoat has been staring me down from across the table. I have a diorama that I need to finish, a 1/350 USMC amphibious assault, APDs, AK, PC, SC and tons of LCVPs and LCMs...all of the large ships are done, I just have to finalize the layout and start putting dozens of PE figures on the models...ugh.

 

J

[robtmelvin]

It seems like day after the Independence Day holiday is a good time to announce the launching of Tamiya's 1/350 U.S.S. Fletcher. I realize she is not perfect, but over all I'm proud of the result. I ended up doing her in Measure 22, as I have some information suggesting that she may have worn this scheme in '42 at some point, and I frankly like it better than Measure 12. But, I do have Revell's 1/144 Fletcher warming up in the stash and I will probably do her in Measure 12. This build was done with a mix of Eduard's dedicated U.S.S. Fletcher PE set along with some additions from Yankee Model Works generic Fletcher set. Painting was done with WEM's Colourcoats. Rigging is stretched sprue. I did some minor scratch building, such as support braces on the bridge wings. Molded on anchor chain was replaced by some chain I picked up it he model railroading section of my LHS.

 

So, without futher ado, I give you U.S.S. Fletcher DD-445:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments welcome.

 

Bob

[spacewolf]

I'm not big on ships but that is some sweet work ! Crisp, clean and very nicely displayed. Very well done ! Thats one to be proud of.

 

Cheers

 

Vaughn

[WrongWay]

She came out beautifully! Well done!

 

Cheers,

Don

[robtmelvin]

Thank you, Vaughn and Don, for your kind comments. As I said, she isn't perfect, but I never expected that she would be. On the whole, I'm quite proud of her never the less and I'm proud to have her on display in my office. I've actually already had a few clients comment on her. I've learned a few new tricks and tips building her and I expect my next effort to turn out even better.

 

I can't say enough good about the kit itself. I would make a great little build right out of the box, and with some PE and a few other additions, plus a bit of basic scratch building, it can be built into a little show stopper. She actually whetted my appetite for Fletchers and my experience with her induced me to add Revell's new 1/144 Fletcher to my stash. I hope to be starting on her before too long, as soon as I finish one of the projects I have on the bench now. Fit was excellent with no flash to speak of, and Tamiya's instructions were quite logical. If I had any complaint at all with the instructions it would be that there are parts in the kit for different configurations of Fletcher (for instance, before and after the addition of the aft 40mm tub), and that was not made particularly clear in the instructions, basically leaving it to the builder to research the fit he or she wants to build.

 

All in all, a great example of a modern injection molded kit, with decent detail, but without the over engineering that Dragon has be accused of in some of their recent efforts (a criticism I find to be valid to a degree).

 

Love to see some more ships posted here, even though this is primarily a large scale plane forum. Seems I just can't kick that addiction, try as I might! LOL

 

Bob