Calling all Farragut-class and Coontz-class DDG fans

[maxim]

Apparently Preble was not repainted for her deployment as part of Desert Storm. She still had black masts, when she was in in the reserve fleet on James River:

http://www.usspreble.org/pics1994.html

There is only one ship on the photo of the Farragut/Coontz class with grey masts, which is USS King. Dahlgren, Dewey and Preble had the old scheme.

William V. Pratt got grey masts, but retained the HighViz number:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/05014415.jpg

MacDonough had black masts, but a grey number:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/05013919.jpg

Confusing mixture...

[maxim]

I have started to built USS Preble using the Coontz kit by Niko Models (1/700). To see the original parts of the kit, see this review:
http://www.modellmarine.de/index.php?op ... 0&catid=49

There are a lot of small problems with the kit:

1.) there is platform on the starboard side, but not on the port side. Platforms on both sides of the bridge were added to the ships probably in the early 1980s. Here Coontz in 1978:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/05014019.jpg

and 1980:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/05014039.jpg

The platforms are still missing, but in 1983 there are there:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/05014041.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/05014038.jpg

2.) the Mk 68 director with the SPG-53 radar is too large. It would perhaps fit for a 1/350 kit!

3.) the same with the OE-82 satellite antenna. They are probably from the old Skywave kits and are too large (they would fit for 1/350!).

3.) the Mk 32 torpedo tubes are too thick. They are also probably from the old Skywave kit.

4.) there are differences on the main mast between the ships, especially in regard of the length and the top of the spar.

Here some photos of my Preble in progress:


(still with the torpedo tubes from the kit, but with new Mk 68 and satellite antenna)


(with new torpedo tubes and the new platform on the port side)

[Snaffoo]

QUOTE
There are a lot of small problems with the kit:

1.) there is platform on the starboard side, but not on the port side. Platforms on both sides of the bridge were added to the ships probably in the early 1980s.


Maxim, I reported to USS Luce DDG-38 in October 1982 during her overhaul at Philadelphia Shipyard. During this period the Port/Starboard side Chaff launchers and reload magazines where installed on the new platforms you are talking about.

I'm not sure when USS Preble received hers but your estimates in time are accurate according to the Luce installation.

Your model looks great Thanks for the update!

Scott

[maxim]

Hi Scott,
thank you for the information! That means these white boxes there are the reload magazines for the chaff launchers? I had wondered what they are and thought that they are probably related to the chaff launchers.

Cheers,
Lars

[bwross11]

Lars,

We put Preble into the Pearl Harbor yards in 1979; it was during this refit period that she picked up the SBROC platforms port and starboard. Up until that time the port side of the superstructure had been clean from the 01 up to the 03. On the starboard side there was a ladder from the 01 to a small platform on the 02 level and then on up to the 03. It was also during this period that she picked up the harpoon launchers port and starboard aft.

Bruce
OSC, USN-R
Uss Preble DLG-15/DDG-46

[maxim]

Hi Bruce,
thank you for the information about Preble!

Some other ships, e.g. Coontz, got the Harpoon before the SBROC platforms.

Do you perhaps now what this antenna here on the photo in front of the Mk 68/SPG-53 is? The round disc, installed horizontally on the lower right corner of the photo?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... SPG-53.jpg

Best regards,
Lars

[el Cid]

"Do you perhaps now what this antenna here on the photo in front of the Mk 68/SPG-53 is? The round disc, installed horizontally on the lower right corner of the photo?"

Looks like a small, commercial-type (e.g. Furuno) surface search radar. Beginning in the early '80s, I believe in response to the high density of small boat/dhow traffic in the Persian Gulf, many ships had such "off-the-shelf" units installed to help the bridge watch.

HTH,

Keith

[maxim]

Thank you, Keith!

[Snaffoo]

Hi Scott,
thank you for the information! That means these white boxes there are the reload magazines for the chaff launchers? I had wondered what they are and thought that they are probably related to the chaff launchers.

Cheers,
Lars

Hi Lars,

Yes, the white boxes are reload magazines or "Ready Service Lockers" as I should have called them.

The port and starboard SRBOC platforms on the USS Luce were modified to accommodate a .50 cal gun for the 1984 Persian Gulf deployment.

After looking at your USS Preble photos again I believe the MK10 missile launcher arms are mounted backwards. The shorter end of the arm should face aft when the launcher is in the stowed position.

Here's a picture of the Starboard side SRBOC platform on the USS Luce, both launchers can be seen here (partial). I hope this image is a help to you.

Regards, Scott

[maxim]

Hi Scott,
thank you for the information and hints!

I realised yesterday, when I worked on the missiles (the ones in the kit are really bad), that I glued the launcher arms the wrong way.

Unfortunately I cannot see the photo.

Cheers,
Lars

[maxim]

25 years after she was part of the ships active during Operation Desert Storm my model of USS Preble (1/700, Niko Models):



An comparison with other ships of the same period:



I had to modify a lot:
New 5 in gun barrel by Orange Hobby
new platform on port side of the bridge for SBROC launchers
new OE-82 satellite antenna (the one in the kit are too large)
new Mk 68 director and SPG-53 radar (the one in the kit are too large)
new Mk 32 torpedo tubes (their diameter was again too large)
two additional Bushmaster guns in front of the bridge
safety rails around the helicopter deck
new boosters for the SM-2ER
new top spar for both foremast and main mast


More about the model:
http://www.modellmarine.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4455:lenkwaffenzerstoerer-uss-preble-1700-niko-model-von-lars-scharff&catid=112:lars

[Garry71]

[maxim]

Very nice model of Preble! Which scale the model is?

[Garry71]

1:200

[gtbred]

wonderful build Garry!

[Guest]

Hey guys, I just joined this forum. I have been doing R/C tanks for a while now. But now I'm looking at a new direction. Anyone know where I could get info/purchase a larger scale model of this class for R/C use? I was on the USS Dahlgren DDG-43 BTW.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?view= ... ajaxhist=0

[Navy2000]

Scale Shipyard has a 1/96 scale model that is 64 1/16 inches long by 6 9/16 inches in beam. Fittings can be bought has a package set as well. You will have to build your own structure and decks and other items. You can also make your own shafts or have Scale Shipyard make them for you. The hull is made of Fiberglass and the parts are cast resign. The order can take some time once in a while due to all items are made after the order is put in. Lee doesn't keep the hulls in stock do to storage area is not large enough.

Good luck in looking around for a larger scale model.

Duane

[proudfox13]

I Is anyone building a model or has completed a model of one of these ships they wish to share photos and stories about the project.

[rileyr679@yahoo.com]

I am starting a build of the Preble using the 1/350 Iron Shipwrights USS King kit.
I have been analyzing the build and have some feedback on this kit.

Be warned, this kit has several molding issues. My resin copy had several miscast problems which will cause allot of rework. The molds need to be redone from the master. The only redeeming part is the hull - it appears appears fine, but the superstructure and all the details are very poorly cast broken and not up to the kit price.

I have sourced many printed parts to replace the kit parts as a result, Including all weapons, radars (electronics) torpedo tubes, gun turret, boats, etc.
Even the propeller shaft is very sad. The usable parts are the hull, the PE sheets, the decals. The rest has to be replaced.

Good thing I am not afraid to do some scratch-building, and because if I didn't have a veteran friend who served on her I wouldn't be going to all this trouble and expense with this kit.

Perhaps if the owner reads this post, he/she will take action and prepare new molds for all the details - I really can't believe that they sent me this garbage and call it a kit. I have spent about $150 more for all the details needed to replace the kit crap.

rant ended.

[mikegr]

I find the Cold war ships as the most handsome and interesting to built.
I do have some in my stash but have built any yet.
From this class the only i know available is the Coontz by Niko