The Ship Model Forum

Question on the color of the SPY-1 radar panels. Most of the pics seem to show them lighter than the adjacent surfaces, but some seem to be the same.

So, is it a different color? If so, what color? Or is it just a matter of it being the same as the rest of the vertical surfaces and it fades faster due to being on the dielectric panels?

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Gecko 1/16 Panzer II Ausf. F

Recently completed:
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The picture you have above of the real DDG shows the correct color I'm familiar with from my time on an AEGIS cruiser. They might have changed the color since then, but I don't know why they would do that.

It should not be the same color as the ship; the ship is painted haze gray, the radar face is not painted for obvious reasons. It's a pale gray, kind of reminded me of a concrete sidewalk. The entire face is a rubberized covering over the many radar emitters underneath. Whenever the SPY techs would have to inspect or replace emitters they'd cut through the covering, do repairs, and then repair the cover with a silicon compound much like gray RTV.

-Devin

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We like our history sanitized and theme-parked and self-congratulatory, not bloody and angry and unflattering. - Jonathan Yardley

Blandcorporation,

Have you any photos of your extended hangar bays on your IIAs? I'll have to do the same thing on my Mustin kit to replicate the Sampson DDG-102

I am so, glad that this issue was pointed out. I definately would have overlooked it. I was, however, somewhat confused when looking at this aerial view of the Sampson and the larger gap between the deck edge and the "box" aft of the aft VLS launcher than what is on the model.



Does anyone know what the pair of large retangular objects (port and stbd) are aft of, and on the same platform as, the chaff launchers on the IIAs?

There are some nice photos of the Sampson on
http://www.homeportmodels.com/gallery.html

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Carl Musselman
(Formerly Back-Aft Models)



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Here is how I have extended the hangar on my Sampson model. (1/700 DML Mustin kit)
I extended it about 5/32". I still have to fill in the curved part a little more with putty. I'm going to airbrush this part to see how my seams turned out.






I didn't want to extend it too, far, but the helo deck still looks a little longer than the real thing when compared to this photo.

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Carl Musselman
(Formerly Back-Aft Models)



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I recently picked up the 1/700 DML Mustin with the intention of doing the Halsey (DDG-97). Obviously some changes have to be made. Are there photos of the Halsey in the Classic Warships book and/or the Squadron Arleigh Burke In Action book?

Any further suggestions, hints, or tips are more than welcome for this planned conversion!

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Fred Sirois
Tace et Exemplar Aedifica

hi,

the following url was taken from a post of SteelNavy Forum, and shows UNREP operations of USS Mustin Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1349377/u ... in_at_sea/

The interesting detail of this footage is the lack of the CIWS on the fwd platform. However is cleary visible the aft CIWS mount.
I thought both CIWS mounts had been removed from the AB Flight IIA versions...

Link with aditional data on USS Mustin DDG-89:
http://navysite.de/dd/ddg89.htm

regards
Ayala Botto
Lisbon, Portugal

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Ayala, thanks for the link. Very interesting footage!

Fred, I'm currently also working on DML's Mustin kit turning it into the USS Chafee. Apart from the obvious changes that have already been covered here, I will also try to add just a few more details to the bow section. I hope you post a few pictures along the way. Would be interesting to see another conversion happening. Cheers!

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Heiko S. | MY SHIPYARD | Under construction: JDS Takanami (Takanami Class Destroyer)

Nice job, Orb. What is the dimension that you used for the extension to the hanger?

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Fred Sirois
Tace et Exemplar Aedifica

or in other words, what's the length of the flight deck?

Ayala

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Thanks guys! Since the Flight IIA ships are around 4 feet longer than the Flight I ships, I inserted a 1mm thick plastic sheet between the hull and the part E27 - both combined get fairly close to the needed 1.7mm. (If you're wondering how I did all those conversions, I once found a nice little scale calculator on some modelling website. Send me a pm and I could send it to you if you'd like)

The hangar itself was extended about 0,9-1cm. Again I used plastic sheets which were cut into the right shape and glued together. I used four separate parts so I could align them to the rest of the hangar so the angles could be retained. Then one more plate for the extension of the 'roof' and finally putty to fill in all the cracks. Then the sanding could begin. I also filled up the spot where the VLS launchers would have been placed, but these are known to be out of proportion as well. Luckily I read about all these mistakes on this as well as other sites before I began building.

A few more pictures

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Heiko S. | MY SHIPYARD | Under construction: JDS Takanami (Takanami Class Destroyer)

the location of the aft VLS launchers must also be changed, regarding the extension of the hangar?

thanks in advance
Ayala Botto

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Ayala, good question. I really can't tell you for sure. Perhaps someone here in the forum has the actual dimensions of the hangar bay and aft VLS system? However, since the supplied VLS is too small, it will extend to one side or the other anyway when replaced with the actual sized one. I read that DML's Arthur Radford kit has a spare one that can be modified and used.

One thing I did notice just now when I was comparing pictures is that I completely neglected the fact that the Chafee is one of the ships that had the aft CIWS refitted after already being in service. Since the platform where the CIWS is mounted is not part of the Mustin kit, I guess it's more scratch work.

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Heiko S. | MY SHIPYARD | Under construction: JDS Takanami (Takanami Class Destroyer)

I think that the VLS and the little shack aft of it stay in the same place. I noticed that there is more space between the shack and the edge of the deck. This was even before I was informed about the extended hangar. I didn't put the two together until then.

USS Sampson DDG-102


I posted this one, previously. Still no progress since. I have the Pit-Road AEGIS Kongo/Arleigh Burke DDG PE. But have been trying to get the Midship Models' Flight IIA PE, but it may not be available, at all.





I didn't go as far aft with my hangar extension as you others. I didn't extend the hull, either, but finally noticed the little extension piece that came with the kit and had the circles on the stern.
There was still a little bit of the curve extending aft from the hangar bulkheads and the hull on the Sampson, so I left a little showing.

The railings on the ABs seem to angle back towards the superstructure. How does one deal with this at the corners?

There are vent grates missing on the forward end of the chaff launcher platform. The Pit-Road PE set has some of these that I think will work, and were meant for the Kongo ships.

Is anyone else making a IIA with the NUKLAS missile system? I'm probably going to have to scratch them for my Sampson model.

A nice fellow translated the parts list on the PitRoad PE Set, for me. Anyone interested?

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Carl Musselman
(Formerly Back-Aft Models)



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Unfortunately no Nulkas in 1/700 but they won t be too hard to scratchbuild.

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Various 1/700 aircraft.
Juan Carlos I LHD 1/700.
HMAS Canbera LHD 1/700.
FGS Type 122 class FFG 1/700.
LSD-41 class LPD 1/700.

Interesting. You're right about the space between the shack and the edge of the deck. But I think that I do have to move my launchers and shack further aft because I extended my hangar a little more.

I see what you mean with the little bit of curve from the hangar bulkheads. That's actually a good idea and it looks good. I just cut them off completely I hope bringing them into the right shape and reattaching them won't be too messy.

The angled railings I noticed too. In some places (e.g. the forward CIWS platform) the railings which face the bow are actually vertical, only the ones facing the bow and starboard side are angled. Still doesn't make it less difficult "bending" the railings at the corners in 1/700. Speaking of which, could anyone recommend a good PE railings set for the US Navy?

Carl, I found a German shop which has the Midship PE set that you are looking available. http://www.nntmodell.com/menu/menu-frame.php?language=e
Hope that helps.

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Heiko S. | MY SHIPYARD | Under construction: JDS Takanami (Takanami Class Destroyer)

hi,

Could you email me please that parts list?

thanks in advance
regards
Ayala Botto

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Hanchang Kuo translated the PE-139 PitRoad Kongo/Arleigh Burke DDG Photo-Etch Set parts list that is on the instrucitons. It helps out a lot.

I think that some of the helo pad safety nets may work for the missing vent grates near the chaff launchers.

This is our product for Aegis ships (Kongo, Arleigh Burke class). Photo etched parts for detail up.

[note] A=for Arleigh Burke, K=for Kongo, Nasi (a kanji means no footnote)=common parts


1. 12.7 mm machine gun M2 (13mm)<--(Japanese use 13 instead of 12.7 in some cases)
2. JMSDF machine gun mount K
3. JMSDF shield K
4. 25mm machine gun (Mk 38) A
5. Screw gruard A (I think it means propeller guard)
6. Harpoon launcher
7. Life ring
8. Staff (for stern) A
9. Mast top A
10. Rack for twin life raft
11. CIWS stay -1
12. CIWS stay -2
13. Hatch A
14. Life raft rack A
15. Illuminator electronics parts/element
16. Inclined ladder A
17. Command post 1 A
18. Command post 2 A
19. Mast yard 1 A
20. Mast yard 2 B
21. Stern staff K
22. Overpass board
23. Mobile stairs
24. Staff B
25. Port life net A
26. Starboard life net B
27. Stern life net C
28. Life net support A
29. Port life net K
30. Starboard life net K
31. Life net support K
32. Sandbag
33. Stack grille(small) K
34. Stack grille(large) K
35. Horizontal lamp platform K
36. Bridge window K
37. Signal flags A . B
38. Bridge window A
39. For use with deployed life net K
40. UH-60 main rotor
41. Hinomaru flag K
42. Rope
43. UH-60 tail rotor
44. Signal flags C-F

<for reference> machine gun positions` Kongo: On the deck between bridge and first stack.
Arleigh Burke: Right after the opening at the rear of the bridge.

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Carl Musselman
(Formerly Back-Aft Models)



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Great Models Webstore had them advertised on their site but couldn't get them. Brandon Lowe at Free Time Hobbies has a hunch that they were never created in bulk, and was going to check on this with Midship Models, for me. I haven't heard back, yet.

So, I wonder if NNT has them in stock or is merely advertising them.

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Carl Musselman
(Formerly Back-Aft Models)



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I thought that I'd share my AB IIA, USS Sampson DDG-102 with this Thread.

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Carl Musselman
(Formerly Back-Aft Models)



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Looks brilliant Carl! I met Pinckney last voyage while she came in Panama for bunkering. She came very close during her manoeuvring to her anchor spot. I got some nice pics and they sure are the nicest looking ships in the USN. And probably the most cost-effective ones too compared to the newer project!

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The merchant shipyard