The Ship Model Forum

Lots of great scratch building here and excellent reference material, including some hi-res photography. Great stuff, will be looking for your latest builds on the forum.

something to look at.
DD-938 USS Jonas Ingram Booklet of General Plans (1970) https://archive.org/details/dd938bogp1970

[attachment=0]dd.dlg4.jpg[/attachment]started new a build using another atlantis 1/320 Forrest sherman kit, this build here will be on hold until i get decals, looks like I have print my own decals, for now I be focus on the new build of 3rd F.Sherman kit http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=380921

[attachment=1]dd.ddg94.jpg[/attachment]added the large whip antenna that was displaced by the second SPG-51 missile fire conrol radar on the DDG-32, swapped the locations of Mk56 gunfire control radar moved to front, and the mk68 gunfire control radar moved to rear on the DD-931, by habit I aways place the mk68 forward. Next is to wait for decals for DDG-32

One of the reasons, I did a conversion of a DD into a DDG and have two SPG-51 Fire-Ctrl Radars installed, I wanted a C.F.Adams class or some close to it. now that have some experience with scratch building with these three builds the two F.shermans and the one skipjack Iam feeling more confident to scratch build more. one of the reasonings I was playing around with scratch building things like the Phalanx, harpoons, chaff lchr etc. is to do another future build using another Atlantis/Revell F.Sherman kit in 1/320 scale.

[attachment=0]ssn.dd.ddg.jpg[/attachment]finally painted my skipjack SSN put on the shelf with the F.Sherman DD/DDG types

Added the decals, and some flags, eventually will replaced the decals on the ddg the #32 sits too high, tried to move the decal then it started to tear so left it as is, the small # 32 the on port side the # 2 was torn, that needs replaced, I dont have the ship's name decal for the stern. added Ohio flags to flagstaff, and jolly roger type flags to mast. other than getting some new decals Iam about done with this build. the scratch building part was fun, Iam motivated to build another one[attachment=0]dd.ddg82.jpg[/attachment]

[attachment=0]dd.ddg80.jpg[/attachment][attachment=1]ddg.ddg79.jpg[/attachment][attachment=2]dd.ddg78.jpg[/attachment][attachment=3]ddgchaff.jpg[/attachment]Added set of chaff type launchers to the DDG, used the online image of C.F.ADAMS DDG-2, as to where to place the launchers. added small extensions to port and starboard sides of level-4 deck adjacent to Mk-68B Fire control radar, provide a location for the Chaff launchers.

[attachment=0]dd.ddg77.jpg[/attachment]Just painted the harpoon SSM lchrs, included in to photo is two sets of RBOC/SRBOC (Chaff type lchrs), one Mk-71/55 8" gun turret, two Vulcan-Phalanx CIWS to add to a F.Sherman type build in future, *after playing around with placing these items on the two ships **space is a problem probably one of reasons why these ships were retired from service in 1980s, and that the ships have high pressure steam plants.

[attachment=0]dd.ddg76.jpg[/attachment]For fun scratch built a set of Harpoon SSM lchrs, possible used on a future build.

Just painted 8"/55 gun turret, and added the sighting system, that sits on top the barrel just inside the turret opening.

As for DavidP thanks, Iam aware of the raise gun foundation/platform, I choose not to built it, as this is not the DD 945 Hull, the Hull has higher forward main deck (raise three ft at the bow tapering back to front of gun position). I built the turret this for fun, may use it on a possible what if future build.

Added the outside "Skin" (using 0.4mm plastic card) to the gun mount now is a turret, the shape is little off some but the size is correct, came out little more rounded than what the real thing is, had a hard time getting the plastic to into the shape, four pieces: one front 3/4 wrap, two rear side sections, one top piece, glue and sand into shape.

Thanks dhenning,

Still have few old kits to build sitting under the table, these kits will getting large amount of scratch building.
Right now Iam working on a scratch built of an 8"/55 mk71 gun, as tested on DD 945 Hull, just completed the barrel now need to add the outside skin of the turret, and sights.

Great job on these! I have a soft spot for taking the old classic kits and updating them.

Scratch built three sets of Chaff type lchrs, and printed a couple Ohio flags glued the paper flags to aluminum foil, The red color was off used red colored pencil correct the red on the flags, plan to add one set of chaff lchrs to the DDG, save one for future ship build, one I'am giving away to someone who is going to add it to his F.Sherman build.

Built two Vulcan-Phalanx's, and modified the aft 3'/50 gun position on the DD to mount one vulcan-phalanx roughly similar to what was done on the DD-942 Bigelow, *this is not glued down, able to switch back to the 3'/50 twin gun.

reserving the two the Vulcan-Phalanx's for future conversion of an F.Sherman type DD, now thinking of an what if conversion of an F. Sherman DDs with Aft helio deck/hangar plus more modern systems of late 1970s-early 1980s.

for fun scratch built two vulcan-Phalanx CIWS, that could be added to the DD/DDG, or used on a future build, saw on NavSource that a F.Sherman class DD (942 Bigelow) tested the vulcan-Phalanx system around 1976/1977

added the liferafts retangles, the larger ones represent the mk3 rafts bundle available in 1955 when the ships first commissioned, slightly smaller bundles represent the mk5 raft available 1967

lastest update:

just added anchors plus the chains (dullcoated the chain instead of using glue to hold them to the deck), added depth charges to DC rack (using dullcoat instead of glue), and added ship's boats to the boat davits, more touch up painting, finally added the flagstaff and jackstaff.

next to do is add life raft rectangles, rigging, wire antenas, then finally decals.

finally see the light at end of the tunnel

First just the black waterline areas pulled off with the tape, happened again when doing touching up painting on the black waterline a little bit of the hull red pulled off with the tape, done now fix it without using tape, then used brush on dullcoat over touched up areas and then recoated whole waterline

normally I never have this issue.

using model master paints: flat black, H-5 haze gray, hull red, believe these paints might be discontinued
used tamiya primer spray can, testors spray can dullcoat
using tamiya tape , "my favorite model tape"

where at in the build

having issues with paint peeling off, when using tape to mark off the waterline boot, even use dullcoat to protect the paint, still peels off