Pete,
Yes I goofed on the Spence. I have it right in my spreadsheet, but when I looked at the DESRON database I have, I just listed these ships without a close look. I generally figure that any ship that had the 6-40mm standard for 6 months or so (too much time for training), had gone to the Pacific already. Checking DANFS, it seems Spence was one of the Fletcher's that did one tour as a convoy escort, configured as a 6-40mm version, in the Altantic before going to the Pacific. She stopped off at a West Coast yard (Hunters Point NY) and was updated to the 10-40mm standard in July 1943.
By the way, I pulled out one of my old Skywave Fletcher kits (SW-01) and the Callaghan (W-1) kits from my stash. It isn't as straight forward as I detailed earlier. The earlier kit has the smaller 20mm tubs in front of the bridge, but the instruction sheet shows twin 40mm guns are to be put there. The plan on the outside of the box shows 20mm guns installed ... go figure. But, the instructions have several errors and I wouldn't pay much attention to them. The bridge looks like it is configured for the Mk-51 directors ... but those can be removed without much effort and a 20mm added to the top of the Bridge. Then the W-1 kit has the twin 40mm tubs in front of the bridge, but they also include the elevated centerline tub for a single 20mm gun ... the instructions show one option to install 20mm guns there. The earlier kit does NOT have the centerline elevated 20mm tub as one of the included parts. But that wouldn't be too hard to make.
Martin,
Sorry. As best I know the Fletcher didn't change the D/C racks until the July/August refit. The best picture of the Fletcher during this period ... dated 26 March 1943 ...
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/imag ... h53916.jpg ... at Purvis Bay, shows her with the original "post" style D/C storage and cranes. Actually, I had not paid much attention before, but the Fletcher got the double storage rack earlier than I thought they started to appear.