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scratch building an USN Destroyer Escort in scale 1/35


rammstein

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hello all, :(

 

I am going to build an USN Destroyer Escort in scale 1/35. I will show how I work , items I use and so one.

 

First I will give some information on Destroyer Escorts (DE)

 

The first DE 's built in the US were ordered under the Lend-Lease for the UK in Early 1941. The original 50 ordered was expanded to nearly 250 early in 1942 , but ironically only 55 of this group were actually transferred to the UK , the remainder being retained by the USN which had not planned to build any.

 

Of the 1005 DE's finally ordered by 1943 , only 563 were completed , including 56 completed as high speed transporters (APD).

 

first the Evarts Class was built , or short hulls . they were 289 feet 5 inches long with a beam off 35 feet , draught was 10 feet . This shallow draught saved many DE's from U-boat attack. These DE's were armed with 3 x 3inch/50cal guns one 1,1 inch AA gun later replaced by 40 mm Bofors twin gun , up to 9 x 20 mm Oerlikon guns , depth charge racks and depth charge throwers known as K-guns and Hedgehog anti -submarine spigot mortar system.

 

After the Evarts Class came , Buckley Class , Cannon Class and Edsal Class or long hulls , they were 306 Feet long with a beam of 36 feet 10 inches , draught was 14 feet. these ships were armed as the Evarts Class , but they had also triple torpedo tube installed midship. Later in the war the torpedo tube was removed and additional AA was installed 4 x 40 mm single cannons Army type .

The difference between these 3 classes was power plant.

 

After these Classes came the Rudderow Class and John C. Butler Class , they had the same lenght and beam as the above Classes only their draught was rated at 11 feet 2 inches . These ships had a lower silhouet to. these DE's had 2 x 5 inch/38 caliber guns , 2x 40 mm Bofors twin guns , some had their aft twin removed and quad 40 mm Bofors installed , up to 12 x 20 mm Oerlikon guns , triple torpedo tubes , depth charge rollers K-guns and Hedgehog system.

 

Some of the DE's were converted to High speed Transporters APD. Everything behind the bridge was removed , the sides mid ship were enlarged, 4x boat davids to handle LCVP was installed . These ship carried US Marines or US Rangers

 

There was a large variety of camouflage used on these ship , from 1 colour Navy Blue , to up to 3 different colours used , the APD's had a mixture of 3 greens , brown and black.

 

The ship I am going to build is 2 meters 66 long by 30 cm.

 

Now I will show some photo's so you have some idea how the ship will look like.

 

IMG_2165.jpg

 

IMG_2167.jpg

 

these are photo's of Buckley Class ships

 

IMG_2166.jpg

 

Photo's of an APD high speed transporter.

 

More photo's to follow,

 

regards,

 

Rammstein

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Guest Peterpools

Rammstein

Quite an ambitious project. I am certainly looking forward to following along and know i will be picking up lots of scratch building techniques and ideas.

Good luck with the USN Destroyer Escort.

Peter

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hello all,

 

Thanks guys for showing some interest.

 

I am going to build the hull by vacuum technique. Wether it is a hull of a ship or a fuslage of an a/c , the working progress is the same. The ship will have 4 seperate moulds.

 

Making the base , cutting out the frames , glueing them together and the start has been made.

 

IMG_1311-1.jpg

 

Start has been made on the center part of the ship.

 

IMG_1905.jpg

 

IMG_1906.jpg

 

The aft part of the ship , the rough contours have been made , these mould are about 1 meter long.

 

IMG_1907.jpg

 

The front starboard side of the ship.

 

IMG_1908.jpg

 

The 2 parts temporarely placed together. These moulds are about 80cm long.

 

regards,

 

Rammstein

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Interesting project, my old Dad served on one of these as a sonar operator - HMS Conn 21st Escort Group based at Londonderry NI from late 1943 to the wars end. She sank several U-Boats and he had a few gruesome tales to tell. The group was one of the most successful in Western Approaches Command. I have some photos somewhere....

 

I built a 1/350th scale resin model for him some years ago. The type was well liked by the crew (they had ice cream makers and bunks!) and was a good sea boat, one even survived having its stern blown off by an acoustic torpedo.

 

Almark (of blessed memory) did a monograph on the type in RN service and I have a copy of "The Captain Class" in the library (I'm at work at the moment) which I may be able to scan some pics.

The RN vessels did away with the torpedo tubes and had a much bigger depth charge complemnt along with rather more small calibre AA armament.

 

Dave

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hello all,

 

@ Kagamusha : the model will be a static one , I am not into r/c.

 

@ Dave : I also have that book , I will use it also as reference.

 

@ Mike in calif : a DE in scale 1/72 will be +- 126 cm long .

 

The next thing to do is fill in the voids , I use for this Styrene foam ,MDF and some styrene strip.

 

IMG_1904.jpg

 

IMG_1903-1.jpg

 

center part.

 

IMG_1954.jpg

 

the aft part

 

IMG_2072.jpg

 

the port front side , only styrene strips have to be glued on

 

IMG_1937.jpg

 

IMG_1938.jpg

 

the center part on side is completely sanded. This gives you an idea how I work

 

IMG_1953.jpg

 

the aft mould , one side is completed.

 

regards,

 

Rammstein

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Thanks for the reply.

From whom do you get your stock of styrene?

How much do you anticipate this bad boy will weigh when complete?

 

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mark

 

Mark I have bought a large quantity of styrene at Vink NV Belgium . I have plates of 1 mm 2 meters x 1 meter in colours white , light grey , dark grey and black. Now I am waiting for styrene plates in 1,5 mm thick , this thickness I need for vacuum forming the hull. I will keep you informed how much the complete ship will weigh , but I can give you some idea , the hull of my german torpedoboat weighs about 5 kilo or + 10 lbs , not that much I think.

 

the following photo's shows how the moulds look like when finished.

 

IMG_2069.jpg

 

the complete aft part.

 

IMG_2070.jpg

 

the center part.

 

IMG_2067.jpg

 

IMG_2068.jpg

 

2 photo's of the starboard front , the port front is still in progress.

 

To Charles Metz , I will place my ship not on a mantle piece but in my little hangar. :) :(

 

img_1197.jpg

 

regards,

 

Rammstein

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