Calling all Oliver Hazard Perry-class FFG fans

[Mk 75 Gunner]

Just a quick update, I've been working on some other kits but I have managed to start some of the sub-assemblies. I wanted to see what the P/E mast looked like compared to the kit mast. Even though the kit mast was a PIA to get to fit right and required some modification to look right it still looks so much better, much more realistic. I also finished the towed array opening on the stern. Again, Thanks for looking and let me know what you think.

This shows all 3 for comparison. The P/E,Kit, and scratch built.




The kit mast has extra "bits" on it that require cutting, the small white bits are filling in the gaps left. There was never any horizontal supports at deck level on either mast.


And my attempt at my own prop, can you guess what is wrong with it that will require a complete redo?


The towed array, Yes I know that FFG-7 was a short hull but she did have this added but retained the short deck.


Let me know what you think, does it look to scale?

[Landlocked]

Even though the kit mast was a PIA to get to fit right and required some modification to look right it still looks so much better, much more realistic. I also finished the towed array opening on the stern. Again, Thanks for looking and let me know what you think.

Good work so far, I think you made the right choice for the mast. I'm really enjoying building this kit, I think it's a well thought out and well produced item.

[Willie]

Hi there Mk 75 Gunner and all,

I fully agree : The PE masts do not look real at all, because they should be round and not flat as they actually are in PE. The model offer is much more convincing, and the parts you have made with Evergreen rod are the most convincing, so keep the excellent work.

Regarding your question :

And my attempt at my own prop, can you guess what is wrong with it that will require a complete redo?

I would say you need to redo one of the blades, and add a fifth one. This process is relatively easy. I have had the same problem in the past, and the solution was not extremely difficult -- when you have found it, as everything else in life... This was it -- at the end of this page :

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=21745&start=140

Very best regards from Spain,

Willie.

[Willie]

Hi all again,

Here you are a further update of my Santa Mar�a.

The first thing was to set in place a stretched sprue thread along the borders of the decks. Very easy to do once I managed to produce +1 yard of sprue with the same thickness, which was the true trick. This is an item that these frigates have too, and appart from another element for further realism it will allow to paint the decks very precisely afterwards.

The next was to close completely the bulkhead and the wings of the bridge, adding the aft bulkheads for the staterooms of the conn. and the admiral. This is what had to be done :

As can be seen, it has got many elements in a quite limited space, so it is necessary to be careful with distances. The vertical ladders are made with a piece of PE, as are the rest of the vertical ladders in this model. This is then the bulkhead with the first elements already set in place.

I added then the rubber defences, the signal platforms and the little derricks the latter support :

The macro pics make the derricks look bigger than necessary, so maybe I have to redo them.

The link between the wings and the bulkhead to main deck seems to be a double welding, using a steel strip as a bridge :

My solution was to attach the upper borders of bulkhead and wings to 02 deck and the aft tip of the wings to the main deck using as linking elements the two big tool boxes in the port and stbrd. corridors. For the lower line of the wings I used a piece of evergreen strip sanded to make it barely perceptible ( n�.2 in pic ). Both bulkhead and wings are firmly attached to the main and 02 decks, and this will create a division between hull and bulkheads to facilitate painting. It is now like this :

As you can see in ( 1 ) I have placed the navigation lights as well. As can be seen in all these frigates, these lights are practically invisible when not in use. I use Humbrol enamels : the green is OK, but the red is far too bright, so had to kill it with a black dry brush.

The hangar has the same linking, which in this case is useful to close the seams as well.

So that everything set in place it looks now like this :

I hope you like it, and very best regards from accross the seas,

Willie.[/size]

[Mk 75 Gunner]

Fantastic work!!! I was planning on adding that weld strip to mine as well, this was the junction point between the aluminum superstructure and steel hull. I'm also going to add the crack repair patch that all US FFG's got on the superstructure. It is an aluminum plate about 1 in thick by 14 inches wide and a very visible patch (plus a damn trip hazard) If I recall right this is a 1/300 scale that you are building? Who makes that kit? I'm thinking of getting the Mk1 P/e set also as it has a few other items in it such as hatches and turned brass life rafts.
Watching this build is what gives me confidence in building mine, I look forward to each of your updates

[Willie]

Hi again Mk 75 Gunner,

If I recall right this is a 1/300 scale that you are building? Who makes that kit?

Yes, this is 1/300, the only plastic non-1/700 Perry FFG in production in 2006.
It is produced by Lee, and lousy, to put it very politely. Honestly, I would never buy it again having Academy 1/350 available now.

Very best regards from Spain,

Willie.

[Mk 75 Gunner]

Your work Willie is just amazing and as I dig deeper into this build I realize just how much the kit is lacking in decent detail. I have been working on some ammo lockers, SRBOC lockers and smaller stuff. I do have one request, I'm wondering if I can see a pic of how you did the flag bags. They are really bad on the kit and need replacing. Again, thanks for the compliments and I will do my best I look forward to seeing more of your stunning work.

Sean

[Willie]

Hi there sean and all,

I'm wondering if I can see a pic of how you did the flag bags. They are really bad on the kit and need replacing.

Actually if you are building the Academy FFG, you are blessed. Honestly, I would have never started this Lee if there had been an Academy three years ago.

Here you are the flag boxes construction, at the bottom of the page :

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=21745&start=20

Please notice that the desk should go down to 02 deck, something I had not realized at the time, and that has already been corrected in my model.

The boxes themselves are Evergreen strip Ref.189, size .125x.250. You simply have to file it to shape in a strip, and then cut. I have made it a number of times and it is as easy as can be. Here you are a piece left of the HMS Campbeltown boxes :

I hope it is of some help, and best regards from Spain,

Willie.[/size]

[Willie]

Hi all again,

This time I was busy with the fuel intakes on 02 deck. This is what has to (or should) be reproduced :

The tricky thing was to make rod sections that are bent 90� exactly, because the cuts and the curves are very easy to make, but they open inmediately to almost 130� when they are under no pressure. I tried with flame heat, but Evergreen gets swollen when heated, and this ruins the diameters. I tried soaking the curves with glue so that they soften a bit, set them in position with pressure keeping the 90�, and let dry a whole night. It worked this time.

These are the big intakes :

The little ones required more complex pieces. As in the big ones case, the wheels are made with a rivet of stretched sprue, with a cross made with a piece in double rivet, which was a bit more complicated, and required some testing. These are the pieces :

The four intakes, with everything present :

First station, Stbd :

And both stations, Stbd. and Port :

I hope you like it, and very best regards from across the pond,

Willie.[/size]

[Landlocked]

I just finished my 1/350 Academy OHP as USS Nicholas - (click to link), was a really nice kit to build.

A few notes on the PE sets:
The PE railings worked very well, I used MK1 (KA Models) on the superstructure as it mounts correctly just below deck level on the bulkhead sides. I also used their very convincing but very fiddly MK1 helideck netting. All the ladders also came from the MK1 PE set.

I used the WEM railings on the weather decks and masts as it was a little thicker and stood up better to handling and bending. WEM supplies the 50cal guns in its set, as well as replacements for the satcom antennae; also the new-style boat deck, but the crane needs to be scratchbuilt.

The Master antennae set is worth a look - MK1 provides new PE housings for the antennae which look very nice.

I used the WEM etch exclusively for the helicopter - again, a very good fit and not too fiddly.

I think the existing model is very nicely produced, just the simple addition of some PE railings will ensure a good-looking Perry. If you have the budget I would also recommend looking at the Veteran Models selection of modern USN fittings and weapons - they are stunning.

LL

[Mk 75 Gunner]

Just a quick update, I've been busy with a bunch of detail parts for the 02 lvl and superstructure. I have made most of the ammo lockers and small deck storage lockers. I'm looking for detail pics of a few things to go further can not find them, I'm hoping someone on here might have pics of the old 26ft mwb used on the older Perrys, pics of the flag bags and of the stern deck gear mostly the rear chocks and fan tail light area. I unfortunately will be moving soon so I've had to pack up my hobby room I hope to be back up and running soon.
Any help with the pics would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Sean

[carr]

Sean,

Here's a photo showing both the old boat and the flag bags.


Here's a shot of the stern of a long hull FFG.


Hope this helps.

[Mk 75 Gunner]

Great!!! Thanks, This does help alot, you'd think after 9 yrs on FFG's I'd remember this stuff This will help alot and shows me what I'll have to scratch up. Building up a mwb will be fun to say the least.

[pingjockey]

Well for Father's Day my wife and boys got me the Academy Limited Edition 1/350 USS REUBEN JAMES FFG 57. It comes with a pretty good PE fret, and this will be my first attempt at using PE. I hope to post some pics as a progress through the build.

[carr]

For those interested in the new Academy 1/350 Perry class (USS Reuben James), I�ve received the kit and can offer the following initial impressions. At first glance, the kit evokes a combination of excitement and disappointment; the excitement being provided by the photoetch and an unanticipated brass gun barrel and the disappointment being the fact that the model is absolutely identical to the original release other than the stern extension for the long hull and the correspondingly different flight deck.

Most people already know that the parts for the long hull version were included in the original offering.

Time Frame.

The time frame for this model can be fairly accurately tracked by noting the various modifications that have been made to the class over the years and examining dated photos of James. Given that the only modification present from the �as built� configuration is the substitution of the RHIB for the motor whaleboat and addition of CEC antenna, the time frame is right around Sep 2002. Starting in 2003, additional changes occurred which would render the model�s configuration invalid. James underwent a major refit from Jul-Dec 2004.

Pros

• -The overall shape of the hull and superstructure look to be pretty accurate. The hull dimensions are right on compared to published figures.
  -The location of deck and bulkhead detail is generally excellent.
  -Very nice photoetch details, though somewhat limited (basically railing and SPS-49).
  -Excellent brass gun barrel for the 76mm.
  -Very nice illustrated locating instructions for the photoetch.

Cons

• -The topside deck detail is very soft with every rectangular item having very rounded corners.
  -The stabilizer is missing.
  -The bilge keel is incorrect.
  -The rudder is on the centerline; it should be offset to starboard.
  -The Prairie/Masker tubes on the side of the hull should extend all the way down to the keel.
  -The RAST �bubble� on the flight deck is an unrecognizable blob.
  -The locating holes for the plastic railings from the previous version remain and will have to be filled in if the photoetch is used. Some will be quite difficult to fill without damaging surrounding detail.
  -The fore and main mast structures fit very poorly and present assembly challenges.

Modernization

On a personal note, I was hoping that this issue would not only portray the long hull version but also include many or all of the modernization changes so as to enable a �current� version of a Perry to be built.

Modifications to build a current version include:

• -Forward UNREP gear removed
  -Mk38 over Mk13 mount
  -Sidekick with SLQ-32 moved atop bridge
  -Port RHIB with slewing arm davit
  -STIR antenna removed and replaced with ?? antenna on enclosed base
  -Bridge mounted 0.50 cal MG (2x)
  -CIWS with Electro-optical backup
  -Nulka decoy launchers atop bridge with deck extension walkway
  -Optical sight octagon platforms removed from atop bridge

Overall, the kit presents an accurately shaped hull and superstructure which can be built into a decent representation of the real thing. Academy had an opportunity to clean up the original offering, correct some of the deficiencies and offer a really nice, new version without having to totally rework the molds which would have been prohibitively expensive. They opted not to do so and the result is an average kit with the potential to provide the basis for a very nice model with some additional work.

My rating: 7 out of 10

If anyone would like a more detailed discussion or photos of any particular aspect, let me know and I�ll be happy to oblige.

[Mk 75 Gunner]

I agree with a lot of the issues you have brought up, I am currently building the OHP FFG-7 as she was when I was on her in the mid 90's. I think that Academy could have have had an outstanding kit with just a little bit more work or thought. If they had added the original MWB and a pre-RAST helo SH-2 it would have covered the vast majority of Flight builds. Their "detail" on the 02 lvl is dismal at best and I have taken off most of it to scratch build it. I have also gotten both the WE and Yankee p/e sets and find the WE set to be better quality. Overall I am really enjoying this build even with it flaws but really wish that Academy had put just a little bit more thought into it.
I look forward to seeing your build and I'll post updates of mine very soon.

[davidwaples]

I'm have the new Reuben James kit and I think it's the basis for a nice model. I'm also planning on building her in her current configuration with the Mk. 38 Mod 20 mounted to the platform on the foredeck. I did order the MK1 design photoetch set which is very nice. As you said the kit photoetch is well done but this is a step up from that. Note that there are two releases, one of which is the long hull version. I'm going to build mine waterline. I just think these modern warships look better in the water.

I'm really enjoying the builds on this thread. Some very good tips that I'm going to borrow.

Dave

[davidwaples]

The things in the red circle are Nulka decoy launchers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nulka

You can find them on the platforms next to the forward funnel on Arleigh Burke destroyers as well if you need more pictures.

Greetings all,
I'm wondering if anyone has any more information about these Nulka launchers. I've seen some photos of the rocket itself but nothing on the launchers. This is something I'm going to have to scratch build but there's just nothing that I can find to get a start with.
Thanks
Dave

[carr]

Photos of the Nulka are common on the Internet both by itself and aboard various ships. Try looking at photos of Burkes. Here's an example of the launcher.

[Cliffy B]

NavyDave has scratch built some in the past for one of his 1/350 ships. He might be able to help you with dimensions or construction tips.