For those that asked, yes I am doing a Butler DE, a modified one though. I'm almost done with the design drawings. I'm drawing them to scale so I'll be able to easily transfer them to the kit and knock out the mods in no time. Anyone have a favorite member of the class they think I should depict? So far none of the names jump out at me. Any of them named for a particularly unique individual? I'll have to read up on their namesakes while I build and decide on a good candidate. Nice thing is the kit comes with a huge sheet of numbers so you can mix and match to get any ship you want! I'll post a scan later on tonight. Cutting of the plastic should start tomorrow.
Everyone's builds are looking great so far! Glad to see more people joining in the fun as well. I can tell the finished builds thread will be beyond awesome already
Edit: Alright I've found my ship! The USS Oswald A. Powers (DE-542), named for a ENS Powers, a member of VT-3 (CV-5) at Midway and one of the 10 planes that did not return; only TWO returned to The
Yorktown, 4 to The
Enterprise, and none to The
Hornet. A very bad day indeed. The
Powers was one of several DEs that were suspended following the end of the war and were subsequently scrapped incomplete. I'll remedy that and have her in commission as planned in 1945. To facilitate the modifications I'll have her get torpedoed during the battle for Iceland, limp back to the States, and get re-built as the lead ship of the modified Butler Class. The rest of the new class will be built from the keel up or modified on the slipways with the new mods. Several DEs ate a U-Boat torpedo and survived to be repaired so the events are more than plausible.
This project is coming together now

Drawings soon.
Edit 2: Alright here's the drawing!
Mods:
-25' Hull plug inserted in between the funnel and bridge structure allowing for sufficient internal hull space for an emergency diesel generator and more fuel oil. Above decks the plug allows a deck house extension to be be added housing two fixed 21" torpedo tubes (staggered) for Mk-35 long range homing torpedoes with 2-3 reloads per tube, 6-8 total.
-Two fixed Hedgehogs mounted atop torpedo deck house (about 25-30 degrees off the center line) with reload lockers. Two reloads for each mount.
-Mk-56 director atop the bridge to control the 5"/38s.
-One quad and two twin 40mm Bofors installed in place of the triple torpedo tubes.
-Whaleboat re-located to port side of the funnel.
-Funnel 20mm mounts moved aft of whaleboat and reduced to two mounts.
-ECM mast added abaft the funnel with one TDY-1 jammer ala DD-445 Class.
-Radars upgraded to SC-2 and SG.
-Added supports to 20mm mounts that hang off the superstructure.
I goofed a few things in the drawing
-Forward 20mm mounts beside the bridge will be reduced to one per side.
-Starboard 20mm mount abaft the funnel will be moved forward abreast the funnel. Port mount was displaced aft due to whaleboat.
So there you have it, enjoy! I'll slice the hull in half tomorrow and start on the plug.
Any thoughts, ideas, comments, etc... are appreciated as always!