From the Chinese destroyers of the Type 052C there are plastic kits in 1/350 by Trumpeter and in 1/700 by DreamModels and S-Model. I made the mistake to buy the DreamModels kit, because it contains parts for two models. Besides the Type 052C also a Type 052D. But the kit has major problems: nearly every edge is rounded!? This is especially problematic on the hull sides, which are curved in the kit. The clearly visible edge of the real ship is missing:
Sanding alone is not sufficient, because the edge itself is missing because of the rounded forms. The material at the edges has to be added and then everything has to be sanded, which is not easy, especially in case of the hull. The edge at the hull has this elegant curve. It is probably easier with the bridge structure, which has the same problem.
Ok, but if you remove material -by sanding or scrapping - the hull, bridge etc. would be significantly smaller than it shout be. There is material missing at the edges/corners. A combination of filler and scrapping could perhaps work.
The parts look like, if someone would have sanded away all the edges. I.e. if there would have been someone responsible with an phobia against corners.
I have a 1/700 Trumpeter Type 51C, so apologies if slightly in the wrong topic but I wouldlike to know what colour grey to paint the vertical surfaces. I don't think that it would be different betweenthe Type 51 and Type 52?
Trumpeter, Flyhawk, and Dream Model all seem to agree that H61 IJN [aircraft] Gray from Gunze/Mr. Hobby is a decent match for the nearly-white gray that the PLAN uses.
More recently, there are specific colour sets that claim to match PLAN ships specifically, but they're mainly available in China or from Chinese sources like Taobao:
I ended up opting for the GS H61, it seems like a good match after all.
My next question is about the hull. Most modern destroyers have some sort of sonar gear in the 'bulge' beneath the bow and this area does not get the typical anti-foul paint treatment. Would it be safe to assume that the Type 051C also has sonar gear and would anyone have any pictures?
Jane's lists a DUBV-23 hull-mounted sonar for the Type 051C, so that's probably what's in the bow bulb (it's too low to be the type of bulb used for improving fuel consumption).
Based on photos of other Chinese warships, I don't think the sonar bulb is painted any differently from the rest of the hull - just red antifouling overall. They wouldn't be the only country to do so - the British Type 45, for example, also has overall red sonar domes.
Timmy C wrote:Jane's lists a DUBV-23 hull-mounted sonar for the Type 051C, so that's probably what's in the bow bulb (it's too low to be the type of bulb used for improving fuel consumption).
Based on photos of other Chinese warships, I don't think the sonar bulb is painted any differently from the rest of the hull - just red antifouling overall. They wouldn't be the only country to do so - the British Type 45, for example, also has overall red sonar domes.
I am building Trumpeter's 1/200 Chinese type 055 model. The underwater hull shape at the stern as depicted by trumpeter is implausible. The drag from such a stern shape would be huge.
Does anyone know if there are photos of the underwater stern of the Type 055? I�ve seen some very good photos of the underwater hull of type 055 in dry dock during launch ceremony, but I don�t see any showing the stern,
Thanks.
Last edited by Timmy C on Thu Mar 27, 2025 3:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason:merged into thread
Assessing the impact of new area rug under modeling table.
