by Rick E Davis » Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:32 pm
In truth, all of the plastic 1/700 scale and for that matter most of the 1/350 scale and in particular the 1/144 scale FLETCHER kits are lacking. There are errors with all of them. The Matchbox and Greenmax/Pitroad SKYWAVE kits are very old (dating from the 1970s), the Trumpeter kits are poor in detail and have accuracy issues, the Tamiya kits are generally nice, but could be better and they never did a Square-bridge version in 1/350 scale. The Revell 1/144 scale kit is a mess ... leaving off many pieces of equipment from this large scale kit is just sad and how could they get the wrong Mk 37 director?? Some of the resin kits have looked quite nice, but others have errors as well. I have the out-of-production 1/700 scale Samek THE SULLIVANS kit and it is nice.
The FLETCHER class was large, with 175 units, during WWII there were at least eight major configurations where at least two-three ships had the same configuration. And there are more "one-of-a-kind" units. Post-WWII the configurations add another five major types. With eleven builders, there were plenty of variation even with-in the major groups. In most cases, the kits out there focus on the first FLETCHERS built by Federal. Ignore the next four groups and some cover the mid-war 10-40mm and anti-kamikaze versions. Only the resin kits cover ... or did cover ... any of the post-war versions. I don't expect a kit manufacturer to produce a kit that can be built out-of-box with parts for all these variations, but some have kits that don't really match any of the versions. The Square-Bridges are wrong on most kits ... the wrong shape to the navigation bridge.
I find the Tamiya 1/700 scale kits to be the most accurate for the versions they model ... expect for those undersized 5-in/38 gun mounts. The Skywave kits have the wrong shaped 01 deckhouse below the navigation bridge for either of the two Square bridge types ... for the six or ten 40-mm configurations. The third type of bridge Pitroad includes with the CALLAGHAN kit goes to the JMSDF FLETCHERS in the 1950-60s. The 5-in/38 mounts on both kits need to be replaced.
I have mixed and matched parts from various 1/700 scale kits trying to get a nice model and have still run into problems. I have done the same with the two available 1/350 scale plastic kits from Tamiya and Trumpeter ... and run into issues that neither have some key parts.
Yes, I wish DML or some other company serious about producing accurate kits in both 1/350 scale and 1/700 scale would do so. Some post-WWII kits would be nice as well.
In truth, all of the plastic 1/700 scale and for that matter most of the 1/350 scale and in particular the 1/144 scale FLETCHER kits are lacking. There are errors with all of them. The Matchbox and Greenmax/Pitroad SKYWAVE kits are very old (dating from the 1970s), the Trumpeter kits are poor in detail and have accuracy issues, the Tamiya kits are generally nice, but could be better and they never did a Square-bridge version in 1/350 scale. The Revell 1/144 scale kit is a mess ... leaving off many pieces of equipment from this large scale kit is just sad and how could they get the wrong Mk 37 director?? Some of the resin kits have looked quite nice, but others have errors as well. I have the out-of-production 1/700 scale Samek THE SULLIVANS kit and it is nice.
The FLETCHER class was large, with 175 units, during WWII there were at least eight major configurations where at least two-three ships had the same configuration. And there are more "one-of-a-kind" units. Post-WWII the configurations add another five major types. With eleven builders, there were plenty of variation even with-in the major groups. In most cases, the kits out there focus on the first FLETCHERS built by Federal. Ignore the next four groups and some cover the mid-war 10-40mm and anti-kamikaze versions. Only the resin kits cover ... or did cover ... any of the post-war versions. I don't expect a kit manufacturer to produce a kit that can be built out-of-box with parts for all these variations, but some have kits that don't really match any of the versions. The Square-Bridges are wrong on most kits ... the wrong shape to the navigation bridge.
I find the Tamiya 1/700 scale kits to be the most accurate for the versions they model ... expect for those undersized 5-in/38 gun mounts. The Skywave kits have the wrong shaped 01 deckhouse below the navigation bridge for either of the two Square bridge types ... for the six or ten 40-mm configurations. The third type of bridge Pitroad includes with the CALLAGHAN kit goes to the JMSDF FLETCHERS in the 1950-60s. The 5-in/38 mounts on both kits need to be replaced.
I have mixed and matched parts from various 1/700 scale kits trying to get a nice model and have still run into problems. I have done the same with the two available 1/350 scale plastic kits from Tamiya and Trumpeter ... and run into issues that neither have some key parts.
Yes, I wish DML or some other company serious about producing accurate kits in both 1/350 scale and 1/700 scale would do so. Some post-WWII kits would be nice as well. :worship_1: