1/144 Scale USS STODDARD (DD-566) - Kitbash, Revell FLETCHER

[Willie]

Hi there Hank and all,

I've now got more than enough boats (26' MWB & Mk. 5 Fiberglass Gig) completed and tied up in the boat yard, waiting to be assigned.

These whaleboats are breathtaking, and the canopy is 100% realistic, and there nothing else I can say about it.
Congrats, and keep posting your excellent progress.

Nice going from this side of the seas,

Willie.

[BB62vet]

Willie,

I certainly appreciate the nice comments!! Thanks! Yes, this canopy situation was a bit of a mini-project in itself. Our Captain's Gig had a rather unique canopy which I've only found on one other FLETCHER class DD from the same time period. So, there isn't a lot of data to go on except for guesstimating what the size and shape are and making it look realistic.

At least that's one more part finished and stowed in the boat locker for later!!

Hank

[BB62vet]

While perusing Willie's JORGE JUAN build log, I decided to go ahead and do a 3D design for my after stack cable tray. It is very much like his, although STODDARD's was centered on the stack, not off on one side as JORGE JUAN's cabling was mounted. Here is a pix of my 3D parts which comprise the upper and lower cable trays:

The front of the after stack has a slight angle to it and is also separated by a circular joint which necessitates creating two parts for this cable tray. I checked photos of the actual stack to make sure this was the correct configuration. It is.
I plan to use very thin dia. styrene rods for my cables, bending where they need to be - this is all conjecture at this point. It may turn out that the old 6 wire telephone cable is better suited for this. One thing is that I will count how many cables are actually in this run (if possible ) so as not to overdo this whole thing. I've started the 3D design & test printing of the several RADAR units, but have some further work to do on all of them.

Whether or not these parts print out will also be a gamble - it is only 31mm in length (o.a.) and 2mm wide - so, rather tiny!! I am currently in the middle of replacing the LCD Module on my 3D printer - once it has been inspected and approved by NAVSEA I'll run a few test prints of non-naval parts to make sure it works.

[Fliger747]

Hank

The object is to then feed the wire (or whatever) through the frame ? Be interesting to see what the ( to coin a term) the final solution is. As one gets along in the scratch bits workin through the trials to arrive at a satisfactory end can be a challenge. I am always reminded in theory the results should all be the same without regards to the materials employed.

Cheers. Tom

[BB62vet]

With work on the LSM/R-194 in progress my work on STODDARD has somewhat been diverted, as well the a/c unit in the shop being back at the manufacturer under warranty ( ) I'm not getting much shop time due to the typ. August summer heat.

But, I have continued the design drawings for at least one of the parts - the forward tripod mast and it's upper service platforms. I'm now fairly close to running a test print (yes, the printer is back on line and working nicely!!) -

This part will NOT have any of the RADAR antennas or other elec. equipment pieces - those are all separate and will be adhered to the proper locations at the proper time. I'm probably going to continue the tripod mast legs/supports, etc. (everything below the Service Platform level) in the same design file and once drawn up I will move it to a separate file for printing, editing, etc. By doing it this way, I can assure myself that everything fit together properly before being divided for printing.

[Fliger747]

Hank:

The mast assembly design looks good! Will be very good looking when complete. I expect that all the fine components will require several iterative improvements to achieve the final item. Will be interesting to see this come out!

Regards: Tom

[BB62vet]

Hank:
The mast assembly design looks good! Will be very good looking when complete. I expect that all the fine components will require several iterative improvements to achieve the final item. Will be interesting to see this come out!
Regards: Tom

Tom,
Thanks! Yes, I may get to this today (if a return visit to pick up CaddyShack doesn't take up the entire day!) or tomorrow. I'm doing a bit of mental thinking about the layout of the part for printing - whether to leave it completely flat or angle so the mast is upright (leaning towards that orientation). Of course, supports will be needed all around. We'll see soon enough!

Hank

[Willie]

Hi there Hank and all,

Excellent sketch, that has been already added to my own files. Eagerly looking forward to the rest of the mast. I will have to start with it soon too.

Nice going and all the best,

Willie.

[BB62vet]

Willie,

Thanks so much! I've got the forward leg & ladder of the tripod drawn up and angled (5�28'-10" (per my calculations ) from straight up, but will not print that as I have much more to add (2 legs/supports, etc.).

As I mentioned above, I'll add all the tripod leg structure w/supports and then pick a height and severe the upper portion to be printed separately. I'm thinking now that the lower yardarm and supports may have to be printed as a separate assembly, as well. Will do some further thinking on that....

Hank

[Fliger747]

Hank:

Rigidity is always an issue for such items printed in resin. As a though, at least for the one's large enough (main legs etc) perhaps printing them hollow and inserting a metal rod or tube? The small one's won't be large enough. As to halyards using stretched sprue might work best as a threads tensioned to make them straighten out will easily bend the yard arms.

Cheers: Tom

[BB62vet]

Hank:
Rigidity is always an issue for such items printed in resin. As a though, at least for the one's large enough (main legs etc) perhaps printing them hollow and inserting a metal rod or tube? The small one's won't be large enough. As to halyards using stretched sprue might work best as a threads tensioned to make them straighten out will easily bend the yard arms.
Cheers: Tom

Tom,
I've actually thought along those lines - at the point of cutting the tripod legs adding a center resin pin to one end and hollowing a slightly larger diameter hole in the other. I think this could be done as well on all three legs.

Hank

[BB62vet]

While I wait for another paint order to be shipped for work on the LSM/R-194 project ( I may have to flog the Supply Division - they're getting sloppy and surly; sometimes at the same time !!) I decided to go ahead and design & print the BT Wench. Of course, finding any info on this item today is like hoping the current admin in DC actually accomplishes something other than Total Chaos & Mayhem - which appears to be their ongoing modus operandi. With Nat'l Archives pretty much out of reach there simply isn't a lot of info readily available. But, you do the best you can with what you have to work with.

Anyhow, there appears to be 2 different versions of BT wenches used on FLETCHER class DDs - a small compact winch and a larger more robust unit. Judging from my photos of STODDARD, I can only recall that there wasn't a lot to this equipment, so I'm going with the smaller unit - and only one photo that Willie provided on his build. So, here is the design file drawing of that wench:

I will print one at scale and one with 5% as I usually do and see which one prints correctly. I've added those to my exterior 12" portholes so they'll all (hopefully) print out tomorrow.

[Fliger747]

hank:

Looks really good, only addition might be some cable texture on the drum? I have had some luck (emphasis on the later) in findingphoios showing such equipment in the background of onboard personnel photos.

Cheers: Tom

[BB62vet]

hank:
Looks really good, only addition might be some cable texture on the drum? I have had some luck (emphasis on the later) in findingphoios showing such equipment in the background of onboard personnel photos.
Cheers: Tom

Done! Check it out - I've got it and several other parts printing - so we'll see how it looks soon enough!

[Fliger747]

Nice job Hank! One does start to appreciate how many such items even a small ship like a Destroyer contains and how each is a research project on it's own.

Cheers: Tom

[BB62vet]

Well, it's been over 6 months since I've posted anything on this build so I figured an update was in order. I've recently been doing a bit of work on this model - I've finished the basic hull work and have now gotten the boot topping painted and am starting to tape off the actual measured black waterline area. Completing the support struts for the shafts is next and then spraying the hull bottom. I am using Mr. Color flat or satin lacquer sprays.

A couple days ago I was looking over my scratch built 01 Level 3"/50 R/S room w/Mk. 63 FC Directors and realized that it was quite substandard in quality and decided to go ahead and design/print this entire unit in 3D. So, over the last couple days I've done just that. Here are the results:

DD566 01 Level 3in50 R/S Room

There is also a 3D Pelorus which I also design/printed which will be installed in place of the purchased part from Shapeways. And lastly, the Mk. 63 FC Directors are parts that I've slightly modified from Tom Falley's original design. Here is what these look like:

Mk. 63 FC Director

I had early on purchased two of these parts from Shapeways, but having broken one of them and fixing it was nearly impossible, this has proven to be a good exercise in design and sharing, etc. All of these items will be printed in Rapid Black resin which has a more "giving" or flexible attribute to it than does the older style white resin used in the Shapeways products. I no longer purchase any of this stuff - why should I, I can make my own

Hank

[Willie]

Howdy Hank and all,

Again excellent progress, and if you are able to print all this (very easily, I presume, after seeing what you did with the 3/50 battery), hats off to you sir.

I had early on purchased two of these parts from Shapeways, but having broken one of them and fixing it was nearly impossible, this has proven to be a good exercise in design and sharing, etc.(...) I no longer purchase any of this stuff - why should I, I can make my own.

Absolutely. No need to buy what you can make yourself, letting aside the pleasure of seeing something you have done alone.

Nice going in NC, and very best regards from this side,

Willie.

[BB62vet]

Thanks, Willie!!

Yes, the 3D design/printing is working out well. STILL - a work in progress as learning how to do things and what will/will not work is ongoing. But that's the name of the game.

I hope to have photos of the R/S room, etc. later next week if I do get around to running a print of that part.

Hank

[Fliger747]

Hank:

Looking forward to seeing the printed superstructure parts! The Mk 63 prints OK in 1:144 using the Rapid Black, the counterbalance arms seeming to be the most fragile part subject to breakage. Yes the increasing quality of what we are able to do often leads to serious modification and replacement of our previous efforts. On the APA I replaced every one of my hand made LCVP's and all of the 20 mm Orlikons and every 40 MM Bofors. Rather laboriously hand constructed!

Cheers: Tom

[BB62vet]

Tom,

You'll have to wait a bit longer....my first two printings of the R/S Room are OK, but I've made a few redos on small items that didn't print a well as expected - handrail stanchions and the FC Director Tub walls. So, I'll do a 3rd edition sometime today.

The Mk. 63 FC Directors you provided thru our CONUS Lend-Lease program are now printed & painted:

Mk. 63-3rd Edition_1

It took 3 printings to get it to the proper size. I made a couple minor mods to the basic part and then begain printing. I now have 5 out of 6 (I broke one in removing supports), so currently have a surplus as I only need two of these. Here's another shot of a couple more of them:

Mk. 63 FC Directors 3rd Edition

I would say that these are quite a bit better than the ones available thru Shapeways that I had already purchased.

So now back to get the R/S room deck house successfully printed, etc.

Hank