1/350 scale USS Nields(Benson Class) late war (finished!)

[GTDEATH13]

A superb build...

A true inspiration, since I am planning to build USS Ludlow as she appeared after the anti aircraft refit and another upgrade with tripod mast and radars.

Thanks for sharing...

[MartinJQuinn]

A really superb build - very, very crisp and clean.

[happycamperfla]

WOW!!! Fantastic work, Erik!!!
Love you, Aunt Sarah

[Devin]

Great work. I love the early photos of the unpainted kit with the PE applied. I've considered building one of my older resin DD kits that way and leaving it so.

[Erik W]

She looks amazing! I had a question, how did you get your scratch-built gun tubs to look so clean and precise? Keep up the good work.

I used .010" sheet styrene for the gun tub walls and .030" for the tub floors. I cut the base of the tubs out using a circle stencil. I then pre bent the tub walls around a rod smaller in diameter than the tub would be. This helped when gluing the tub walls onto the tub floors. I guess the real answer is, I took my time and if I didn�t like the results I started over.

Erik

[ArizonaBB39]

She looks amazing! I had a question, how did you get your scratch-built gun tubs to look so clean and precise? Keep up the good work.

I used .010" sheet styrene for the gun tub walls and .030" for the tub floors. I cut the base of the tubs out using a circle stencil. I then pre bent the tub walls around a rod smaller in diameter than the tub would be. This helped when gluing the tub walls onto the tub floors. I guess the real answer is, I took my time and if I didn�t like the results I started over.

Erik

Thanks for the reply, sounds simple enough. Thanks!

[Sr. Gopher]

Wow. I always loved how many guns were out on ships after the kamikazes, but I never thought they could be armed to the teeth! By the way, Awesome work!

[Erik W]

Here's more photos of where I am now. I've added/painted the last of the details, not including masts and crew. I realized I forgot the depth marking decals on the bow, so I'll gloss coat and then add those. Next comes weathering and adding the crew. I'll also be working on the base.











Erik

[Quincy]

Bob Pink

[pingjockey]

Beautiful!

[Rick E Davis]

Sweet!!! It looks like there should be crewmen walking the decks.

[MartinJQuinn]

That is certainly the nicest Benson/Gleaves class kit I've seen - be it work in progress or finished. Really crisp work - I want to build like you when I grow up.

[Erik W]

Sweet!!! It looks like there should be crewmen walking the decks.

Rick,

I have a set of the L'Arsenal naval figures I'll use to crew the ship.

Erik

[Erik W]

Here's the latest. I weathered the ship using a pin wash with oil paint diluted with turpentine over a gloss coat. The ship is very lightly weathered because I'm modeling her right after she had finished being overhauled. I also added the crew figures. I'm working on the display base/water as well. I just need to apply a matt coat, and add the mast and rigging.











Erik

[Quincy]

Nice!!!




Bob Pink.

[Rick E Davis]

Erik,

You have a WONDERFUL build here and I wish I had noticed this before.

I pointed out your build to Dave Baker and he noticed something I had overlooked ... your 20-mm mounts. The Anti-Kamikaze MOD for BENSON-GLEAVES destroyers had two twin Mk 24 20-mm mounts forward of the bridge and two single Mk 10 20-mm mounts on the main deck amidships. Both the Mk 24 and the Mk 10 were tripod type mounts which replaced the earlier war Mk 4 solid cone shaped mounts. I have attached some close-up views of the "standard" installation of 20-mm mounts on the Anti-Kamikaze MOD that show the tripod mounts. Note the cut-down bulwark shields to allow for super depression of the 20-mm guns.

I'm so sorry for not noticing this before. Your model is so excellent I don't know what to suggest. Your mast work alone is a work of art. I believe that L'Arsenal carries Mk 24 and Mk 10 20-mm mounts in 1/350 scale if you desire to replace the 20-mm mounts. What you decide is up to you. In any case your work is wonderful, I wish I could be this good.

Close-up of the twin 20-mm mounts on DD-616 NIELDS isn't very clear


Close-up of the twin 20-mm mounts on DD-431 PLUNKETT


Close-up of the twin 20-mm mounts on DD-443 SWANSON


Close-up of the amidships single 20-mm mounts on DD-608 GANSEVOORT

[Erik W]

Rick,

Thanks for the heads up. Where were these types of photos when I was starting this project! I guess I should've asked . . . Anyway, I checked my parts stash and I have a PE set from Voyager models that has the twin 20mm tripod mounts. I originally bought this figuring the Nields had tripod mounted 20mm guns. Unfortunately, the Voyager tripods are poorly done, which is why I didn�t wind up using them. Though L'Arsenal makes the twin 20mm guns, they don't offer the tripod mount or the Mk 14 gun sight, so they would be incorrect. I have some Yankee Model Works tripods from their Gearing kit. I tried using the YMW tripods with the Voyager twin guns and shields. The YMW PE tripods when folded don't look good either and the Voyager 20mm twins are over scale, being about 75% longer than the L'Arsenal guns. I may replace the front pedestal mounted 20mm singles with L'Arsenal 20mm twins, if I can get them quickly. They'd be more accurate than the single mounts, even if still not completely correct. When I think about it, I have yet to see a 1/350 scale late war ship build with tripod mounted, twin 20mm guns with Mk 14 sight. I'll have to skip the cut down bulwark shields. Attempting to correct that at this point would be too difficult.

Erik

[Rick E Davis]

Erik,

I'm sorry that I didn't look closer at your build when you first started posting. I was focused on your mast work ... in love with it you could say ... your work on the mast is amazing. I could have pointed out the armament modifications early on if I had focused in that area.

I know about the lack of finding tripod mounts for 20-mm guns. I can not think of a plastic kit that has them ... even the DML GEARING uses the solid mounts for the twin 20-mm mounts. I can understand that it would be difficult to mold those. But, I was hoping that the after-market guys would find an acceptable solution. I have several projects where I "should" use tripod type mounts, but your summary doesn't look promising. In your case, replacing the forward singles with twin 20-mm would be acceptable and about as close as you can get without scratch-building the little blokes.

[Erik W]

Rick,

It didn't even occur to me to ask on the forum about some of the areas I wasn't sure about, the forward 20mm area being one of those places. I figured their wasn't much info on these Benson anti-Kamikaze mods out there. I have a ton of info and plans on Fletcher and Sumner destroyers, for possible future builds, but this one seemed a bit lacking as far as the research material I could find.

I think Master Model hit the ball out of the park with their Mk 4 20mm single mounts. I used L'Arsenal on the Nields, but I'd use these next time:

Photo borrowed from ModelWarships.com Review page.

I'd love to see Master Model offer the Mk10 single and Mk14 double on tripod mounts with the correct Mk 14 sight. At a bare minimum I'd like to see someone offer a credible tripod mount, L'Arsenal are you listening?

My plan of action is to continue to finish the Nields and then go back and address the 20mm mounts when the parts arrive. I am ordering the L'Arsenal twin 20mm mounts, to replace the forward single mounts. I'll fashion the correct sight for them as well out of a piece of styrene. At that time, I�ll also replace the sights on the amidships single mounts.

Thanks for the nice words on my mast. I just matt coated the ship. I'll put the mast on in the next day or so and post more photos.

Erik

[Christian Bruer]

Hi Erik,

congrats for your USS Nields. An exellent clean build just as an clean paint job

I'm looking forward to see USS Nields on a display