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Revell 1/144 Fletchter class destroyer


Brenhen

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Every so often I need a break from planes, and seeing that Fletcher destroyers have always been a favorite of mine, Revell's kit was a great distraction. Now if they would only make a square bridge fletcher!

 

This is the platinum version of the kit with added photoetch that really helps improve the original. I also added some scratch building and shapeways items to create the USS Jenkins early in the war. The primary issue with the Revell kit is that it limits you out of the box to building either the Fletcher or Radford as they looked leaving the shipbuilders. Once they got to the Pacific they had already been modified. Additionally, the decals the kit gives you for the Chevalier can't be used because the armament that comes in the kit doesn't represent that ship. With the constant modifications that the class experienced throughout the war, it would be great to get a couple of extra sprues in the kit to model a range of ships and times. Anyway, all in all it was a great build and I'm happy with the outcome. I hope you enjoy it (big ships are a little hard to photograph!)

 

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19 minutes ago, Jennings Heilig said:

Gorgeous!  I really need to get that kit.

 

I believe Shapeways has a comprehensive bunch of parts to modify your Fletcher.  I know I've seen a square bridge, and I believe there are a number of other armament mods available as well. Pricey, no doubt, but if you want a square bridge Fletcher it's that or scratch build it...

Thanks Jennings. I actually bought most of the shapeways parts a couple of years ago when they were having a sale. The sale didn't help that much, they are definitely expensive! My issue was with the printing quality. Certain sides of the bridge and other pieces are glass smooth, while the other sides are rough with vertical ridges along the surface. I know it is a limitation of the printing process and could probably be worked out with some filling and sanding, but it was a little disappointing. Also, even after washing the parts, I was having a lot of trouble with paint flaking badly. That project has stalled, but I plan to get back to it one day.

 

If you are thinking about the getting the round bridge fletcher, I highly recommend it. It is a fun kit to build!

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I faced a similar dilemma with a friend. He wanted a square bridge Fletcher to build the destroyer that his father served on in WWII, so I set out to fetch the Revell kit and the shapeways add-ons,... until I saw the prices of the shapeways stuff. I bought him the smaller Tamiya kit instead.

 

I bought the Revell kit for myself, but long before the Platinum edition was released, now I feel that I got robbed.

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Very nice looking ships here, both the Uss Jenkins, and the Bismarck. I love the paint job, and the attention to detail is amazing. Some very nice work. 

I'm also digging the Hornet and the A-7 on the top shelf there too! 

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On 6/6/2019 at 11:35 AM, Jennings Heilig said:

Y'know in 2019 there's really no reason for that.  Especially given the prices they're asking for their stuff, they could print out stuff that's gorgeous.  Paul Fisher has had stuff done that was so perfect (and you know how anal retentive he is) that he put it straight into rubber without touching it.  That's disappointing about Shapeways.

 

Fortunately the only Fletcher I'd really want to do is USS Radford, which was the second ship in the class.  Named for Adm. Radford, who is related to the Radfords of Virginia, for whom Radford University where I got my BSN from  is located.

 

 

It is frustrating how inconsistent shapeways products can be. Maybe some day I’ll break out the stalled square bridge set and try again, but most likely not. Good call on the Radford. When I started this kit that was my plan as well. There are a couple of great photos of Radford after rescuing crew members from another Fletcher that had been sunk. Ultimately though, I liked the idea of scratch building the 20mm tub on the front of the bridge that Jenkins had and Radford did not. It fills the space in between the bridge and the 52 mount.

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