Calling all Charles F. Adams-class DDG fans

[NukeMM]

Can anyone I.D. the white triangle emblem on the side of the USS Sampson DDG-10. This is from the 1980's and also appears in 1991 photos of the Sampson.

I assume that it is a DESRON emblem, but I can't find a close up of version of the emblem. I'd like to make some decals of this for my model. She was in DESRON 12 out of Athens, Greece during this time, I believe.

[NukeMM]

Nevermind. I found it! This was on DVIC.

Thanks for your help, if anyone started looking for it, for me.

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Been a little while.......
I have over-fixated on accurizing the 5"54 Mk42 gun mounts. These things are half the size of the end of my thumbs!
The 1/96 BuShip drawings gave me the dimensions I needed to confirm the exact 1/350 l x w x h and I figured I had a little room to do some re-shaping as the WEM mounts did not look quite right to me, and were a little too large. This is arbitrary and specific at the same time; an oxy-moron.
The length, width and height, I got exact after doing some re-shaping on the gun mounts. The extreme difficulty was copying the curvature of the gun house, as it has curves on all corners. I used as many close ups of the gun mounts as I could find, and then locked in on a select few offering specific angle views and surface details. The WEM gun mounts would suffice, but not if you want them to look like the real gun mounts. No sooner do I say this, do I contradict myself, as I have chosen not to add on all of the grab irons on the sides, front and back!! I'm drawing the line here. As it was, I replaced the bug eye bases and cupolas; which will have clear domes. Additionally, I added on the bottoms made from plastruct I-beams, to more accurately copy the gun mount base perimeters like the real originals. Also, the brass barrels from BMK will be attached using an accurate shaped muzzle base made from some re-shaped and drilled styrene. The p/e doors had to be reduced in length and height to duplicate the BuShips drawings. On the real ones, the gun house side doors were flush mounted, and the outline should have been traced onto the sides, not adding on the p/e doors which made them stepped away for the gun house's exterior; modeler's prerogative.
If I continue changing things, I'll be further behind on this project next month than I am today!
I intend to take this DDG finished to the IPMS Nats this coming August.
Heck, the gun mounts are'nt even finished yet!
Check these out...




More sooner, Tony

[Devin]

Looking good, Tony. It's nice to see you struggling and figuring out these small details, that way when I build DDG-6 I can just copy your work!

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Devin,
I still have 2 1/700 5"54 Brass barrels from Steve Nuttal to use when I build the 1/700 DDG you gave me. I was thinking DDG-6 for two reasons: You served aboard her and one of my fellow San Diegans did as well.
If I stopped building DDG's after this 1/350 model, what will I do with all of this stored information? My brain is about to cave in from Iowa class and now Adams class information being stuffed in there along with all of my childhood memories. I can just barely see a message inside my eyelid when I blink, and it reads, "NTFS:C memory full". I need a larger hard drive in my head!
Where will I store more info when I start on my 1/350 Coontz DLG? I also want to build an early Nuc sub. Oh wait, but there's a 1/192 Seaview on the horizon...well, that'll be easy!

I'm going to have to kick it up a notch to get this DDG finished in time!
Tony

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
After 2 weeks of studying drawings; reducing 1/96 plan measurements 1/96 x .274 = 1/350, I'm mostly finished with the 5" mounts. This type of effort typifies my desires to build a highly detailed and accurate model. The problem is, I am intending to take this model to the IPMS Nats finished; three months away. I spent two weeks on two gun mounts! I still have a LOT of work to do.
The guns mounts still have some detail to be added, but will render them too fragile to handle; so I'll finish and paint them later; onward.
But first.......








There is a second scuttle on the foredeck that nees to be added, then the aft superstructure need a vent added on the stbd side. Then I'll figure out how to replace the bridge windshields. I was thinking using clear acetate with a smoke color behind...lots of work though. It would be simpler if I just made the correct number of bridge windows from blanks and added them back on; like originally on the kit; just the correct number this time. Problem is, the bridge windows were NOT raised, but finely recessed on the real ships. Hmmmmmmm suggestions are always welcome.
Tony
ps Rest in Peace Philip B Bunch
ps Rest in Peace Wally Bigelow

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
The latest foredeck efforts.
Just some simple add-ons that are correct for DDG-22.
Once again, many of the deck details per ship were similar, but not necessarily the same in configuration and location.
Study, study and more study.
Finding a suitable 8 spoke brake wheel was not so easy. I dug thorugh many p/e sets before finding one. Where did I find it?????





I was thinking about this afterwards, but it might have been easier to add on the deck details AFTER painting the deck grey........some mistakes just keep getting made over and over again! Also, on DDG-22 from 1972 there was a whole lot of meandering non-skid; the majority of the main deck was still painted deck grey.
I'm so used to building ships with the majority of deck detail already molded in position.
Conversely......that's the way this model came out of the box.
Here's to the DDG fans.....
Tony

[DanCinSD]

Don't tell me the handwheel is a 1/350 L'arsenal bike rim ?!

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Dan,
The 8 spoke p/e part came from GMM's Modern New Jersey set in 1/700 scale. It is a fuel line hose reel half for the aft refueling station in the aft most quad 40 tubs.
I think so anyway........that was two days ago.
Build on!
Tony

[DanCinSD]

Thank goodness Tony, I would hate to think there was a bicycle rim holding the anchor!!!
Nice ship so far

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Here's the latest.
I have removed the base for mount 52. Apparently, the base was not as big on DDG-22, ( and most others I studied{remember I'm looking for differences}in the ship's class), as the model depicts. There were a pair of hatches in the vicinity and the tartar observers station; all were replaced using the BuShips drawings for reference. Additionally, there was a "raised" w/t door p/s in this vicinity that very much stands out on the DDG's that WEM omitted.







All comments welcome, Tony

[MartinJQuinn]

That is some fine looking work Tony! Well done. Ya think you'll have her done for VaBeach?

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Hi Martin,
Yes, I hope to come to Va Beach with a finished DDG.
The problem is; I have a true affection for DDG-22 and I'm finding so many differences between the kit and the real ship that it's difficult to decide between, "necessary",and "not quite so necessary", kit mods. Then there are the changes just to make the kit accurate for ANY Adams DDG. Remember, this kit is specifically of DDG-22.
As did probably all of the Adams DDG's, the changes throughout DDG-22's service life were many. There were more changes made before she was decomm'd than I will be doing, as my build of DDG-22 will be as she was configured in 1972; relatively early on her her service life. My problem is; I have to backdate the kit! I have studied every pic out there of DDG-22. Unfortunately for me, there are many more pics of, "Bennie Sweat", as she was configured in the late 70's and on than from earlier like....1972. The WEM kit is kind of configured moreso towards DDG-22 as decomm'd than earlier, but the 01 vertrep platform lateral extensions were long gone before her decom; but they're in place on the model.
This kit is good, but it could have been a whole lot better.
In fact, Any DDG before DDG-20 would be inaccurate OOB, as the earlier ships in the class had a shorter hull, less sheer, a different anchor config, sonar dome etc etc......
Tony

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
I added one more small detail to the 5"54's. I would now say that they're finished.
I added on the spent shell ejection chute; below the barrel. This was made from scrap p/e folded and sanded/filed to shape. Thanks for the i-net and the abundance of 5"54 gun mount pics; makes adding small details possible. Yep, the spent shell casings shot out onto the deck in front of the gun mount.
Here is a Knox Class with her 5"54 in use.........note the shell casings....same on Adams DDG's.............


Here is the finished 5"54 mount 52 before painting.
Note the shell chute below the barrel.......


Now, onto other areas........I have the next three days off........let's see what I can accomplish!
Tony

[Jeffcsr]

OMG! You gotta quit before I end up buying a Charles F Adams kit!!! When will this End?!??!

[Sean Hert]

Aw man, now I want one too! Dangit Tony! Like I didn't have enough goin' on already!

Excellent work!

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Jeff and Sean,
Thanks!
I did not get squat done today; too much cleaning time in the home needed. My hands are quite clean though. Really hot here today also; 100f!
I'm working on the DDG now and I did some stuff done on the aft superstructure last night. Plus, I got some work done on the aft main deck area. I'll post some pics this eve or tomorrow.
Tony

[NukeMM]

Progress on my 1/700 DRAGON DDG - USS Sampson DDG-10

[Jeffcsr]

That is a nice looking ship NukeMM...

Does anyone know if the Dragon kit #7019 is the same as #7059 just minus the P.E.? The Premium ship has multiple parts to make 1 of several different Adams class ships... Are all the U.S.N. versions armed the same for the most part? :

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
Jeff,
There is a very in-depth kit review on SteelNavy.com

http://steelnavy.com/DMLAdamsPrem700.htm

The kit review makes it easy to uderstand what's new with the kit and what's not.
Basically, the p/e set is all that's new.
The model from Dragon is all that's available in Adams DDG's, but I've seen plenty of justice done to these old kits.
See Carl's for a prime example...look up!
Tony