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The Caine Mutiny, by Herman Wouk, has been and remains my favorite WWII novel (which is of itself an interesting fact, in the 60's I was a fan of the James Bond novels and movies - you could not pay me to read or watch them now). I also liked the movie, but the book easily wins, think of Willie's first view scene - which is more realistically decrepit, a 20+ year old converted WWI "flush decker" or an "almost new" converted Gleaves?
So I put a 1/350 plastic "flush decker" in my mental list of "ships I want". Visiting the ISW web site one day, I ran across the HMS Campbeltown in the discontinued-clearance list and reasoned this ship would be a good base for a DMS conversion. The price was right and I thought that plastic would never come, so I bought two, since Wouk served on both DMS-14 Zane and DMS-10 Southard. Into the stash, no incentive to "build now".
Then came the hype over the Dragon Buchanan. At first I was unmoved, I had built two YKM resin ships of this class (Gleaves, Mayo, Benson, Livermore - there are too many names for this class), was happy with the results, and thought that I guessed wrong again but did not need a third. Then cane the reviews of the kit and then Dragon USA's deal and then I concluded that I had to build the movie version of the DMS.
I have started with the flush decker's, the first two pictures show the conversion roughed out. The hardest job till now has been the false stern, I think it will turn out OK after the Bondo phase. I lucked out with parts, the boats, davits and 3" guns came from an England to Butler conversion. The last picture shows the 3" gun, in an attempt to add detail to this "spare" gun, the seats shown in the bottom gun were made from a 20mm shield. I will add control wheels also, but first I want to bend the barrel up a little.
Having a good time so far.
Jim
The Caine Mutiny, by Herman Wouk, has been and remains my favorite WWII novel (which is of itself an interesting fact, in the 60's I was a fan of the James Bond novels and movies - you could not pay me to read or watch them now). I also liked the movie, but the book easily wins, think of Willie's first view scene - which is more realistically decrepit, a 20+ year old converted WWI "flush decker" or an "almost new" converted Gleaves?
So I put a 1/350 plastic "flush decker" in my mental list of "ships I want". Visiting the ISW web site one day, I ran across the HMS Campbeltown in the discontinued-clearance list and reasoned this ship would be a good base for a DMS conversion. The price was right and I thought that plastic would never come, so I bought two, since Wouk served on both DMS-14 Zane and DMS-10 Southard. Into the stash, no incentive to "build now".
Then came the hype over the Dragon Buchanan. At first I was unmoved, I had built two YKM resin ships of this class (Gleaves, Mayo, Benson, Livermore - there are too many names for this class), was happy with the results, and thought that I guessed wrong again but did not need a third. Then cane the reviews of the kit and then Dragon USA's deal and then I concluded that I had to build the movie version of the DMS.
I have started with the flush decker's, the first two pictures show the conversion roughed out. The hardest job till now has been the false stern, I think it will turn out OK after the Bondo phase. I lucked out with parts, the boats, davits and 3" guns came from an England to Butler conversion. The last picture shows the 3" gun, in an attempt to add detail to this "spare" gun, the seats shown in the bottom gun were made from a 20mm shield. I will add control wheels also, but first I want to bend the barrel up a little.
Having a good time so far.
Jim
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