Calling all Allen M. Sumner-class & Gearing-class DD fans

[ScottBono]

USS Shannon DM25, I've been checking the kits available for the Sumner Class DD's but have yet to find one of the DM conversions (like DM25). Is this a project that will require me to scrath-build the appropriate parts? I have about 20 photos of the ship and know the obvious differences in the DD vs DM but any suggestions are more than welcome.

[James Noblin]

Yankee Modelworks sells a USS Shea DM-30 kit that should meet your needs.

[ScottBono]

Yankee Modelworks sells a USS Shea DM-30 kit that should meet your needs.

Great! Thanks for the guidance!

[Seeling]

My father was on the USS Perry DD 844 and I believe it was a Gearing class destroyer. He was on it around 1950 and I was thinking of making a model of it for him. Anyone know of a 1/350th scale model of the Gearing class that I could make into the Perry?

Any assistance would be great!

Seeling of MN

[Timmy C]

Here's a Gearing in the Radar picket role: http://www.yankeemodelworks.com/dd808.htm

Don't think that's FRAM one though.

[Werner]

My father was on the USS Perry DD 844 and I believe it was a Gearing class destroyer. He was on it around 1950 and I was thinking of making a model of it for him. Anyone know of a 1/350th scale model of the Gearing class that I could make into the Perry?

Any assistance would be great!

Seeling of MN

There is a suitable resin model: Trident Hobbies.

Of course, you still need to research the differences.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I don't think Perry was a DDR conversion in 1945-1955. She was attached to the Engineering School during this interval.

Ask your Dad about 21-inch torpedos. Two banks means a regular Gearing

W

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Hello Seeling from MN,
I just found a 1/350 Gearing by Commander Series models. It is kit 4-164, and the price is $115.00. See the listing on....

http://www.commanderseries.com/ships_350.html

The ship is offered as she was in 1945, so you will have to do some research to find the differences. I don't imagine there would be too many differences, but I've been wrong before.
If you call them, be sure to ask about their specials.
Great customer service.
faithfully submitted, Tony Bunch

[Timmy C]

From Tony's link, I found a FRAM 1: http://www.commanderseries.com/pages/Johnston.html
You'd have to account for differences between the Perry and the Johnston, but I think this is the closest match (although for a '50s DD the model seems kinda modern looking...but I don't know much about DDs).

[Werner]

USS Perry website

If this is not doctored, it is a picture of Perry around 1950-55


Certainly not a DDR.

[Timmy C]

http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd844txt.htm
According to DANFS, the Perry underwent FRAM conversion from April of '59 till May of '60, so the ship you're trying to represent would probably not be in its FRAM state.

And so, it would probably be best if you got a '45 (or if you find one, a more recent '50s version) Gearing and add some modifications based on some photos.

[Seeling]

Thanks for all the quick responses. You guys are the best! I remember seeing a photo album when I was a kid but the last time I asked him about it he could not remember where it went as he has moved several times. May have to try harder next time so I can get the details a little more accurate. I will check on the torpedo launchers should help determine fit at the time he was on her.

Thanks again-

Seeling of MN

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Seeling,
Try this:
Go to

http://www.navsource.org/

In addition to what you will find there, look at the bottom of the ships' page for links to the ship from that page.
This will be a good start!
Good luck and happy hunting!!
Tony Bunch

[ModelMonkey]

Greetings, fellow Minnesotan! I grew up in Saint Paul. Good place to grow up.

Here's a photo of Perry taken in February 1946 posted on http://www.DestroyerHistory.org:

http://www.destroyerhistory.org/sumner- ... n92397.jpg

[Werner]

Looks like the '40s may have been replaced by 3-inch by 1950 or so; that's going to be the only tough issue based on the available photos.

Maybe a change to fire controls aft, too.

Certainly by the 1950 photo the quarterdeck AA are gone; probably the same time the 40s were replaced and the fire control instrument aft of the funnel was replaced.

Actually, looks like most of the "K" guns are gone, too.

(Are those Mk32 triple torpedo tubes near the fore funnel in the color pic?)

W

[TWoyma]

Slight change of topic, but...

I'm thinking of starting to build USS Meredith (DD-890) post-FRAM, but I'm having difficulty finding plans that fit. I can find plans at Floating Drydock for post-FRAM Gearings that retained Mount 51 and 53, but Meredith was one of the seven that kept Mounts 51 and 52 instead. I submit to the learned members of the board the following question:

Besides this difference in gun mounts, is there any major difference that would prevent me from using plans for, say USS Johnson (DD-821) in building Meredith?

[MartinJQuinn]

Here's some shots of my 1/350 BWN Gearing, which is finally (after four years) nearing the finish line. I had originally bought this model to aid me in building the old Tom's ModelWorks Sumner-class kit. Since the Tom's kit was a collection of parts and not even a whole kit, it had no instructions. I figured by building the BWN Gearing at the same time, it would help me with the Tom's model.

Well, the Tom's kit - which was built as the USS Moale - got finished first and presented to my friend Bill in February 2004. Meanwhile, the unfinished Gearing languished on the shelf as other projects took center stage.

With so many unfinished projects laying around, I decided to try and knock off the incomplete stuff before starting anything new. Two BWN DD's, the Johnston and the Gearing, were the closest to being finished, so I have been trying to plug away on these.

Here's some shots of the Gearing . Since this picture was taken, I've added some more detail to the main mast (which I think I made too high). I also did some touch up painting on the 20mm and 40mm guns.




The kit is okay, but has a myriad of fit problems, especially with the photo-etch shields for the bridge and the 40mm mounts. I also had shave off the ring for the #2 mount and relocate it a little farther aft.

One thing I'm sorry I did is chisel off the aft 40mm tub to add the aft torpedo tube mount - in hindsight I think it would have looked better with the third 40mm quad.

Next up - gloss coat, then decals, weathering and rigging. Once the model is done, I've got to add more acrylic get water to the base - I really did a lousy job of mounting this model in the gel.

[Devin]

As always, looks great. Makes me want to dig out my YMW Sumner kit.

If you're referring to the gaps where the hull and water meet, I've found the best way to fill those is take some of the gel medium, thin it with water, and then draw it along the waterline with a fine paintbrush. It'll take a few coats to fill in all of the pockets, but I find it easier to control than straight gel applied with a tooth-pick.

-Devin

[Dirk Mennigke]

Hi Martin,
looks good, very clean build!!!
You are right the main mast is a little bit to high, but I think its no
problem to cut off a small piece.

Dirk

[Guest]

I love all these ships.....anyone with sugestions?

[Karsten]

I have a Sumner, Gearing, 2 Gridley class and a Stack on the way but I haven't seen them yet.

Karsten