Calling all Charles F. Adams-class DDG fans

[Devin]

Not to be picky, but has that gig been measured against plans of an actual boat? Looking at the photo below, those kit pieces look suitably "chunky" like the real-life gig.

-Devin

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Devin,
About the gig; couldn't say one way or 'tother, but I did recognize them to be copies of Dragon's Tico gig.
I thought at first; Tamiya's 1/350 New Jersey, but all of the Tamiya boats are open.
Tony

[Charles Landrum]

Devin, I was primarily refering to the DML gig. The WEM gig looks right beam-wise; the underwater hull does not. While my seaman's eye is no substitute for plans, it was calibrated by service on 4 US Navy ship which had the 26ft gig (on most of those ships I was responsible for the operation and upkeep of the boats). Still it is far more managable than the DML.

[Devin]

Charles, I understand. My time in the Navy was spent with the missile systems, so I'll defer to others with more boat experience.

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Slow build progress, but a lot of research done. After studying 1/96 BuShip drawings, and studying era-specific DDG-22 pics, I have determined the following:
1) WEM kit Mt52 base plate has 4 storage boxes, not on DDG-22 from 1972..removed from WEM kit.

Mt52 after removal of boxes

2) WEM 1/350 DDG kits' bridge wings on 02 level don't extend outward laterally from the ship's longitudinal c/l distant enough. Additionally, the back rake of the bridge wings is too extreme.
Basically, the MK32 torpedo launcher should be beneath the over-hanging bridge wings, and on the kit, they're not. I guess I'll be making a change here, as this ship and this project means something special to me. I suppose I'm exercising extreme, "modeler's prerogative". Also, there were some boxes molded into the 01 deck in front of the bridge; not on DDG-22; also removed. I removed the Mk32 torpedo tubes bases, as the Veteran Models Mk32 torpedo tubes have this integral.

O-head view of bridge

3) Forecastle detail has been removed except for the wildcat. I may remove this too.
a) Need to add on c/l 6000lb anchor chain guides. There was a chain path that I sanded away, as it did not look this way in any pics I have. I drilled a hole in deck to allow the kit anchor to come through the bow hawser tube so I can attach the anchor chain topside.
b) BuShips drawings show 4 twin bits on the forecastle area, and that's how the kit is configured. DDG-22 had an extra pair further forward of the fore-most twin bits.
c) WEM decided not to cast in or include any closed chocks, but DDG-22 had 27 in all. This is going to make adding on the p/e railing s a bit of a chore! I'll remind myself repeatedly; "I LOVE THIS HOBBY, I LOVE THISHOBBY!!" I have a L'Arsenal 1/350 Twin bits/chocks asst that will meet all of my closed chock needs. The missing pair of twin bits, I'll have to make myself as the L'Arsenal twin bits are the 20" kind and are meant for BB's, CV's and the like; too big.
d) Anchor chain routing will favor the c/l 6000lb anchor. The Danforth anchor stbd side will have chain attached, but will be free from the wildcat; just stayed in place. Most pics I've seen showed this anchor chain arrangement; probably all. There was no kit Danforth anchor bolster molded in place, so I'll be adding this on too. I wish I had better pics of the stbd side anchor chain bolster.

Forecastle after detail removal

After all of these items are addressed, I'll start the painting process.
Hope this thread is interesting to the DDG fans.
Thanks, Tony

[GTDEATH13]

HI AGAIN...

THE PLACE OF THE ANCHORS AND THE CHAIN PATHS DERIVE FROM SHIP TO SHIP BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS OF THE SONAR DOMES ....
IF ANYONE WANTS TO DECIDE HOW TO PLACE THE ANCHORS CHECK OUT WHERE WERE THE SONAR DOMES POSITIONED (E.G IF THE DOME WAS AT THE FOREPEAK THE ANCHORS WERE PLACED AT THE TWO SIDES, IF THE DOME WAS A LITTLE AFT FROM THE FORECASTLE THE ANCHORS WERE ONE AT THE SIDE AND ONE AT THE BOW. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THIS DETAIL....

THE ANTENNA ON THE AFT 5'' GUN WAS PLACED AFTER THE MID 70'S SO IT IS OPTONAL.

THE FOR GUN FOR THE ADAMS CLASS DESTROYERS LOOKS LIKE THE ONE IN THE PHOTO

[GTDEATH13]

THIS IS THE GUN FROM THE FORECASTLE

[GTDEATH13]

THIS IS THE ASROC LAUNCHER AND ALSO CHECK THE CAPTAIN'S BOAT AFT...

[GTDEATH13]

THIS IS AN AFT VIEW. YOU CAN SEE THE TARTAR LAUNCHER AND THE AFT GUN.

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Thanks GTDEATH13!
I've been under in a boat, crossed over in a car and flown over the Coronado Bay bridge! Never in a war ship though! You got me! Very cool!
The forescastle picture is of a pre-DDG-20 ship, This is ascertainable by the central bollard/twin bit and the symmetrical anchor chain and deck details. This ship would not have had the bow mounted sonar dome. The view of Mt51 looking forward eliminates the question, "does Mt51 have the little round dome in the middle and the 35' antenna on top?" This picture makes clear the square antenna base with the little dome BEHIND it. Another very useful picture!
Too cool!
Many thanks for sharing!
Tony

[GTDEATH13]

Hi Guys,
Thanks GTDEATH13!
I've been under in a boat, crossed over in a car and flown over the Coronado Bay bridge! Never in a war ship though! You got me! Very cool!
The forescastle picture is of a pre-DDG-20 ship, This is ascertainable by the central bollard/twin bit and the symmetrical anchor chain and deck details. This ship would not have had the bow mounted sonar dome. The view of Mt51 looking forward eliminates the question, "does Mt51 have the little round dome in the middle and the 35' antenna on top?" This picture makes clear the square antenna base with the little dome BEHIND it. Another very useful picture!
Too cool!
Many thanks for sharing!
Tony

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT....

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF HS NEARCHOS DDG219 EX USS WADDELL DDG24.. I THINK THEY WILL HELP YOU AS WELL... THE BOW CONFIGURATION IS SAME WITH THE ONE YOU ARE WORKING WITH...

[GTDEATH13]

HERE IS ANOTHER ONE.. YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE CAPTAIN'S BOAT... SHE IS AT ANCHOR OF PIRAEUS PORT DURING NAVY WEEK

[GTDEATH13]

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL PHOTO ... FINE LINES THOSE SHIPS HAD AND VERY SEAWORTHY.... I SERVED FOR TWO YEARS ABOARD THEM..

[GTDEATH13]

AND HERE IS SOMETHING I THINK YOU WILL LIKE VERY MUCH....

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Just for fun, I did a search on youtube..."DDG".
Here is one video I thought to be worth passing on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7dlpaekrb0
Enjoy, Tony

[Gone Asiatic]

I had a buddy on WADDELL; they visited Yokosuka sometime in 1983 - I was on BLUE RIDGE at the time.
He gave me a tour and showed me his rack which just so happened to be the worst on the ship - the "Rack From Hell." Bunks aboard ship are three high and his was so sclose to piping in the overhead he couldn`t roll over.

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Been at it!
The forecastle area is ready to be re-built; just need some close ups of this area...I'll re-check my pics and my RB picture CD.

The bridge wings have been extended, but I still need to add on the bulwarks.
Here are some pics of the BuShips drawing and the re-done bridge wings.

1/96 dwg and model

o-head view of bridge 1

o-head bridge wing view 2

.....not a huge change, just a change.
Tony

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
The bow is ready too....
I fitted the 6000lb bow anchor......I still need to fashion an accurate chain end for the anchor so to add on the chain.
Here is the 1/96 drawing with the hull showing the Adams class great, "lines"!

1/96 profile with model

Here is the bow after some re-shaping and the center hawse bib ready to receive....

center anchor hawse-bib

Here is the 6000lb center anchor in place...

6000lb anchor in place...

I'll have to finish the bridge-wing bulwarks, get the forecastle work done and start painting.
Tony

[Devin]

Tony,

On the top of the bridge were the TDTs (Target Designation something or other). Do your plans have any drawings of them? They looked like a binoculars mount with bicycle handle bars, if memory serves correctly. I was thinking of using a 40mm director for them, but would like to get them more accurate if possible. It's a trivial detail for most, but that was my GQ station on Barney, so I want to get it right.

-Devin

[GTDEATH13]

Tony,

On the top of the bridge were the TDTs (Target Designation something or other). Do your plans have any drawings of them? They looked like a binoculars mount with bicycle handle bars, if memory serves correctly. I was thinking of using a 40mm director for them, but would like to get them more accurate if possible. It's a trivial detail for most, but that was my GQ station on Barney, so I want to get it right.

-Devin

THERE YOU GO...