Calling all Fletcher-class (DD-445) fans

[JohnMGD]

Hi guys,

Does someone has this drawing in Hi-Res ?? I like to build a cut away model of FLETCHER in scale 1:100 !
Hope someone can help !

John.

[Rick E Davis]

First off Stephen,

Sorry, I missed your post. The various deck non-skid materials were as far as I know always painted as part of the deck treatment. In overhead photos the non-skid surfaces are quite noticeable for several reasons. First off the texture is rough, needed to be to serve its function, and as such will look different in various light conditions than the flat steel surface. Second, the decks got a lot of abuse from foot traffic and exposure to the weather so wear on the non-skid and steel decks would start showing up with time after the last painting. The crew, it kept the CO and Chiefs happy by keeping the crew busy, would touch-up/paint the deck surfaces and any other areas that were showing wear/rust. But, many times NOT the whole deck, only sections at a time (foot traffic HAD to get around an active ship).

In other words, the decks were almost a constant matrix of "shades". In modeling, people use decals for the non-skid walkway, if provided, or do things like paint the walkways a different shade and/or use a more flat paint to highlight their existence.


John,

I don't have that illustration. If you could provide the source of where you found this illustration, maybe locating a higher res version would be possible. Also, if the source is a website, contacting the webmaster asking about obtaining a higher res copy maybe possible.

[Guest]

Thank you Rick

Your reply is much appreciated. I think i will use a contrasting shade to pick out the walkways.

Kind regards

Steve

[MatthewB]

I don't know about using it on a 1/700 kit, but they do make textured powders for models that would work well for the non-skid surfaces.

They are usually used for things like mud, or dirt, but if you masked off the area of the non-skid walkway, and then dusted the powder into the paint while it was still wet it would provide a textured and contrasting surface.

The closest I would have come to anything like that was making 1/300 scale roofing for buildings.

MB

[Rick E Davis]

Using any kind of powder on a 1/700 scale model to duplicate a rough surface would be overkill and out of scale.

Some kits etch in the walkways and some modelers think that is over scale and sand it off.

[MatthewB]

Using any kind of powder on a 1/700 scale model to duplicate a rough surface would be overkill and out of scale.

Some kits etch in the walkways and some modelers think that is over scale and sand it off.

That is why I said that I doubt it would work in 1/700.

I thought he was building one in 1/144?

That's why I suggested it.

Because I figured that if the Textured roofs we make on 1/300 buildings looked OK, that it would work in 1/144 scale as well.

But I know what you mean about the etched walkways in 1/300.

The two Bensons I am building that have the Flyhawk PE non-skid walkways look kind of silly.

But I am not good enough at applying the decals that would substitute for the walkways to attempt that... Very frustrating.

I've thought about using a baking soda eraser to texture the plastic in 1/700, but that would require a LOT of masking.

But it would allow a wash to darken the textured areas....

Why does building models have to be so stressful?

MB

[MatthewB]

So where can I buy some of this patience?

Does it come in cartons? Six-packs?

Or is it packaged like plastic spoons?

I just want to get this week over with.

MB

[Bill Mitchell]

My name is Bill Mitchell and I am new to this forum. This is my first posting. I am preparing to build the Bluejacket USS KIDD model as the USS Van Valkenburgh DD 656. I have really been impressed by Robert Steinbrunn�s model of the USS KIDD and have read his 5 photo-essay installments in the �Ships in Scale� issues of Jan/Feb thru Sep/Oct 2001. I would like to clad the hull with styrene hull plating as he did but have been unable to locate a hull plating plan to follow. In his photo-essay, Steinbrunn states �The compass was used to find the strake locations on the plans and to transfer them to the hull.�. But I can�t determine which plan he is referring to because, unless I�m really missing something, the hull plating lines don�t appear on the Bluejacket plans that come with the kit. They are also not shown in The Floating Drydock Plan Book for the Fletcher Class.
Does anyone have a recommendation of where to find Fletcher Class hull plating plans?

[Rick E Davis]

Welcome Bill.

First off this inquiry will be moved to the FLETCHER class CASF forum eventually.

I'm not familiar with Robert Steinbrunn's model of USS KIDD, but in the scale of the Bluejacket FLETCHER kit, 1/192 scale, the hull plating seams would be barely visible. There were some overlapped welded seams on the hull, but 3/4-in plates are extremely thin in this scale. Some modelers and even some model companies have over-emphazied the plating on the hull of ships so that they show. Ironically, other modelers work at "reducing" the thickness of these plating steps.

But, if you which to add some depth to your models hull, adding weld lines and what has been done by some is to perhaps apply some thicker layers of paint where desired would be more in scale. As for hull plating diagrams, I think the only plans available are from the BIW (Bath Iron Works) FLETCHER CLASS Engineering Drawings DVD that Dave McComb had generated from the NARA microfilm file for those drawings. They are now available at Tincan Sailors Organization as described in in this posting ...

... viewtopic.php?f=49&t=8105&start=1540#p647860 ...

Calling them is the best way to order the DVD and to arrange payment.

If you have not done so, going through the FLETCHER Class CASF forum in this Destroyer CASF forum, has a lot of useful info.

Here is an image of USS VAN VALKENBURGH (DD-656) as completed that barely shows the plating.



Here is a view of the museum destroyer USS CASSIN YOUNG (DD-793) that shows the plating fairly close-up.

[Bill Mitchell]

Rick, thank you very much for your reply and information. I'll check with the Tin Can Sailors organization tomorrow.
Thanks again, Bill

[Guba]

Bill here's a link to a lot of ship plans. There are a couple Fletcher class DD's there. While they aren't plating plans, they do show the frames that the plates attach too. Look at the side plan view. At the bottom of the keel it's numbered. These numbers correspond to the frames which support the sides of the ship and are the ships "skeleton". Not all frames have the structural integrity to maintain shape if say a tug boat were to push on them, only the number frames are strong enough. Some of the frames are water tight (WT) bulkheads, these frames have a lot of strength too. Of course the decks would be the other part of strength, so with the decks, WT bulkheads and numbered frames, you can get a good idea what part of the ships side will be "oil canned".

http://maritime.org/doc/plans/index.htm

[Bill Code]

Hello Fletcher list... I am new to this list but not to ship modelling... I am presently grinding away at a Heller 1/100 scale HMS Victory... It is a beast of a kit.. I am here because I recently picked up the 1/144 scale Revell Fletcher kit at a model contest.. I paid 100.00 Bucks for it. It came with 2 Edward BIG ED 5305 brass sets and 2 G-factor Fletcher Armament sets.. I have just purchased 3 more of these armament sets .. I want to model this as the USS Hudson as she would of looked in 1944 off Okinawa .. I knew an old gentleman who is now passed on that was a member of the Hudson's crew.. He saw my little 1/350 Tamaya kit and remarked about the Hudson... I plan to donate this build to our local AMVETs when it is completed... I plan to model her at high speed in waterline at battle stations with her 5 inch and 40mm , 20mm elevated.. I need to know what Hudson looked like at this time frame.. I am guessing so far that she was in mid war fit with 5 twin 40mm guns... I have no idea what her 20mm disposition was... I plan to purchase the Round bridge Fletcher book and any ideas would be greatly appreciated as I gather material for this build.. Is this 1/144 scale kit a good kit ??? regards Bill Code

[Bill Code]

I will not be using them... I plan to bury the hull in high density Styrofoam board .. thanks for the pics ! Looks like she went to war with 3 twin 40mm... that 2nd pic in dazzle camo shows her in the common 5 twin mount mid war fit with the directors for the forward twin 40s directly above the bridge ... This kit is big enough that I may try a little oil canning on the hull... Figures should not be a problem as this is N scale railroad.. There are not many build ups of this kit out there so far.. I wonder why ?

[JCRAY]

Seems like the number of changes that are possible tend to bog down the builds. Most of the online builds on this site & others (like Brit Modeler) appear to have ended. Look through picture post.
Enjoy!

[Rick E Davis]

When USS Hudson was off Okinawa, she was in the five twin 40-mm configuration. She had an overhaul in November-December 1944 when she was upgraded with newer sensor equipment and painted in Ms 22 which she keep for the rest of the war.

On the Revell 1/144 scale kit, you will need bulwarks and a clipping room for the wing 40-mm mounts amidships and for the forward twin mounts. The aft centerline twin 40-mm mount needs a new lower "tub". Check out the 3-D printer guys for replacements if you don't feel inclined to building them from scratch. At least HUDSON was a round-bridge unit, so you will not need a replacement bridge.

I'm away from home and can't post a better image of HUDSON in December 1944. Give me a few days and I will.

[Guba]

There are not many build ups of this kit out there so far.. I wonder why ?

I built this kit back in the early 1980's, The kit instructions leave a lot to be desired with some of the parts placement. The deck did not match up to the hull very well, so I made a balsa deck. Way back then it was the "best big model kit on the market", as far as I was concerned. By todays standards, the details are lacking, but you said you have upgrade PE kits. I haven't seen the PE kits, so I don't how much more detail they give or correct. Good luck with your kit though, at $100 with added PE sets I think you scored a bargain!

[Bill Code]

When USS Hudson was off Okinawa, she was in the five twin 40-mm configuration. She had an overhaul in November-December 1944 when she was upgraded with newer sensor equipment and painted in Ms 22 which she keep for the rest of the war.

On the Revell 1/144 scale kit, you will need bulwarks and a clipping room for the wing 40-mm mounts amidships and for the forward twin mounts. The aft centerline twin 40-mm mount needs a new lower "tub". Check out the 3-D printer guys for replacements if you don't feel inclined to building them from scratch. At least HUDSON was a round-bridge unit, so you will not need a replacement bridge.

I'm away from home and can't post a better image of HUDSON in December 1944. Give me a few days and I will.

thanks for the reply.... Any info on the Hudson is much appreciated... I will probably scratch the new gun tubs if I can get good pictures of the 5 twin 40mm configuration... I see small director tubs above the bridge for the foward 40mm. The midship directors were on the 2nd stack ??

[Rick E Davis]

Yes the waist 40-mm mount directors were on the aft stack.

Going through the many pages in this CASF thread may help you get familiar with at least the general location of FLETCHER class layout and where there will be differences between units.

Bill,

I think you are thinking of the Lindberg 1/125 scale kit from the 1980's. The Revell 1/144 scale kit is much newer than that. Mybe only ten years old.

[Bill Code]

Yes if you did one in the 1980s it was not Revells 1/144 scale kit.... This is a very nice kit.. I think I got a real bargain with the brass upgrade sets included.. That old Lindburg Blue Devil is really more a toy than a model .. I saw a really nice build up of the Blue Devil years ago...Talk about a silk purse from a sows ear !! I have the book Round Bridge Fletchers on order... Any others that show the deck houses and gun tubs for a mid war Fletcher ?? I plan to scratch the tubs and cliprooms from plastic stock.. I take it Hudson had the 3 gun 20mm tub in front of the depth charges ??

[Rick E Davis]

Sorry Bill, I meant the comment about the Lindberg 1/125 scale kit for directing to Guba, not you.

Posting when you are tired isn't always a good idea.