Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Mobile Bay, CG-53 AEGIS Cruiser, OOB Review & Buildup, Kit #80702
My Review and Build of Trumpeter's 1/350 scale Kit #80702,
The USS Mobile Bay, CG-53 Ticonderoga Class AEGIS Cruiser
Last updated: Main guns, CIWS, and Main Deckhouse (with hangar) built - January 30, 2013
Introduction and What's in the Box- January 27, 2013
Genrally, Trumpeter has become the pre-iminent manufacturer of 1/350 scale model warships, particularly modern warships. But this kit, kit #80702, is an older model, and was released under the Mini Hobby Model brand. It is actually of the USS Bunker Hill, CG-52, but it has the decals to build several of the vessels of the class and I choose to build the USS Mobile Bay, CG-53. The Ticonderoga AEGIS crusiers, 22 of which are still in commission (though that number will reduce to 17 over the next year or two), are a testament to a platform that was designed to be upgraded over its service life. The AEGIS system and the VLS launchers have been through multiple upgrades and are continually improving. These vessels, with their 128 VLS cells for firing Standard Missiles in their several varieties, Tomahawk missiles in their several varieties, Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles in quad-packs, and SUBROC ASW missiles, are the heart and soul of fleet defense on the surface. The 17 vessels that will remain in service will do so for another 5-15 years as the Flight III Burke Class Destroyers (which will actually be as large as these vessels in displacment and be mnore like cruisers themselves) are buillt to replace them.
For the model itself, as one of their older models, this kit does not have the detail, the crisp molding, or the extra photo etch parts that their newer models have. When it comes to Ticondergoa Class AEGIS cruisers in 1/350 scale for plastic injection molded models, you have this Trumpeter model, a Dragon model of the USS Mobile Bay, CG-53, and Italeri Kit #5554, the USS Gettysburg, CG-64 to choose from. I choose to go with the Trunpeter/Mini Hobby kit because it was readily available to me.
The kit comes in an illustrated box (the picture is more a depiction than a real-to-life view) and the box is well built and protective. Inside, the hull comes in a single piece and there is a small DC motor in the hull, already mounted to be run off two AA batteries to drive two screws. I will build the model without making it motorized. The props that come with the model are not at all accurate, they being made to propel this model through the water and have three blades each which is not representative of the actual vessel where there ate five blades on each prop. So, I purchased some brass props for the model, specifically for the Ticonderoga class, from G Factor through TotalNavy.com. These will work nicely to depict the true nature of the props on this vessel. There are a total of six sprues with about 215 parts, one of which is the set of parts for the props, shafts, and coverings for the shafts on the exterior of the model. There are no Photo Etch parts, so I purchased a Photo Etch after market set for the Ticonderoga class from White Ensign Models through Free-Time Hobbies. I also purchased some Mk-38 25mm auto cannons from White Ensign models in 1/350 scale so I could upgrade the vessel to the modern standard of having these close in, anti-surface weapons to help prevent another incident like what occurred to the USS Cole in Yeman when a small craft came up to the vessel in port and exploded, severely damaging the vessel.
The plastic parts on this model are, as stated, not nearly as well molded as the newer Trumpeter models. There is a lot of flash, and the pieces are attached to the sprues with quite thick attach points. The pieces themselves are not nearly as delicate or detailed as the newer models. For this build, it's back to the 1980s where a lot of sanding, trimming and some cutting and filling will be necessary to get the more detailed look. I intend to use my standard US Navy paint schemeof Model Master Neutral Gray for all major vertical surfaces of the ship, a mix of 2 parts red and one part brown of Model Masters paints for the below water line hull, Flat Black for the waterline stripe and other flat black areas, Weathered Black for the funnels and the windows, Model Master Flight Deck Stain for the horizontal surfaces, Model Master Light Gray for the hangar interior walls, and Flat White for the radomes and life rafts. Other colors (such as Ensignia Orange for the life buoys), as required. Here are the initial parts out of the box.
The parts themselves come on spures where the parts are more or less catergorized into the major side panels for the deckhouses, the below water line rudders ans shaft supports, the smoke stacks and rear deck house along with the hanger and landing pad (which on the Ticonderogas is amidships on the second deck, and the rear deck, with various deck details ...weapons and sensors...included on the various sprues. The bulbous bow is particularly of concern. It does not flair into the bow as it ought to and will require some attention (sadning and filler) to get the desired and actual effect.
The instructions are somewhat lacking. Very little english, but fairly good, intuitive figures showing how everything is put together. The color scheme is old and deficient...we have really become spoiled by the newer, full color, very nice glossy color schemes in three views that most kits include now, showing multiple paint supplier's paint numbers for the various colors. You do not get that on this older model.
The Build - Painting all model parts their respective colors- January 29, 2013
Per my normal practise, I first go through and paint all of the parts on the sprues their respective colors, figuring to do any touch-up work later after they come together where necessary...and it is always necessary. This started with the hull, which I got masked off for the red, and then the double mask for the black waterline mark.
The bulbous bow turned out pretty good after some sanding and filler.
The other parts all were painted nicely, using the Neutral Gray for the verticle surfaces and the Flight Deck Stain for the decks themselves.
Kind of boring...but all necessary steps to get to the point where we can actually start putting the vessel together. I hope in my next installment to have the hull and main decks and main deck houses together. Hopefully by the installment after that, when I have completed the second level decks, the PE parts will have come in for all of the railing and sensors so I can then add those before I detail those decks and start on the masts.
The Build - Main guns, CIWS, and Main Deckhouse (with hangar) built- January 30, 2013
The Ticonderoga class is armed with two 5" (127mm) dual purpose guns for self defense, strike at sea, and fire support missions. There is one forward and one aft. it is also armed with two 20mm PPhalanyx CIWS systems, both located amindships on either side. These assemplbies were fairly straight forward. I also started constructing othe rsmall assmblies for the upcoming main deck house. The guns, CIWS and some of these parts are shown below. In the last, you can see some of the flash and attachment point resulting from these older moldinghs. Lots of stuff to trim away and straightren out...which anyone building this model will want to take care to do.
Then it was time to put the main deck house (which included the hanger and helo deck) together. On the Tocinderoga Class (like the Spruance Cladd DDs the hull is based on), the helo landing pad and hanger are located amidships, on their own deck above the main deck, and not on the aft of the vessel as has become the standard and desired location. Here atre those parts and assemblies coming together.
This produced a very recognizable and well fitted (after the sanding, trimming, anbd filling necessary because of these older molds) deckhouse. Not all detailed up at this point. but that is fine, that will come later after the other deck houses are comple and I get the railing on all of these relatively bare structure.
NExt, I will finish the forward deck house containing the bridge, and then add the railings. Then it will be time to glue the main deck pieces to the hull and add these deck houses so I can thereafter start detailing them.
SCHEDULE for Future Activities - January 30, 2013
- By Feb 22, 2013: Complete Trumpeter USS Mobile Bay, CG-53.
- By Mar 15, 2013: Complete Trumpeter USS Freedom, LCS-1
- By May 01, 2013: Complete entire PLAN Carrier Group.
- By Jun 15, 2013: Complete Entire US Carrier Group (Just the CSG).
- By Jul 01, 2013: Start the UK Carrier Group Centered on Airfix's HMS Illustrious.
- By Aug 15, 2013: Start the JMSDF Carrier Group Centered on Fujimi's JMSDF Hyuga.
- By Oct 01, 2013: Start the French Carrier group centered on Heller's Charles de Gaulle.
- By Nov 15, 2013, Start the US ARG centered on the USS Iwo Jima and USS Sommerset.
The completion of the PLAN Carrier group, centered on the already completed Trumpeter's 1/350 scale PLA Navy's Aircraft Carrier CV-16, Liaoning, (in addition ot the other escorts already completed) will incluide Mini Hobby's's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168; the PLAN Ningbo, DDG-139; and the PLAN ChangZhang5, SSN-405 by Hobby Boss. If a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, is added, I will add one of those, propbably LPD-999, Jinggangshan.
The completion of the US Carrier Strike group, centered on the completed Tamyia's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65, (in addition ot the other escorts already completed) will include Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. (Both of which I already own). When a 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-80 (or any Gerald R. Ford Class) comes out from Trumpeter, Airfix, Tamiya, Dragon, or whomever else, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser. Whatever Ford Class coms out, I will build her as the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.
The UK Group will indlude the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious (which I already own), two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs (which I own and should arrive in January 2013), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates (which I already own), and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN and Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Tragalgar SSN, both of which which I already own. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier and a 1/350 HMS Ocean LPD come out, I will add both to this group.
The French CSG will be centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gualle (which I already own). I have purchased 1/400 scale Heller French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, the French Duquesne, D603 DDG which is an anti-air multi-purpose DDG, and the French Aconit F713 FFG and Gueprattet F714 FFGs, both of which are Lafayette class frigates. These five vessels will round out my French CSG. As soon as a French Robin class nuclear sub, like the French Perale S606 SSN comes out, I will add that to the group. Also as soon as the Forbin D620, Horizon class anti-air DDG is available, I will purchase it and add it to the group as well.
The Japanese JMSDF group will be centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181, which I own. It will be escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG (which I have purchased), Trumpeters's 1/350 scale DDG-114 Susunami (A Tachanami Class DDG which I own), and by the 1/350 scale SS-503 Hakuryu (which I own), one of Japans new, very modern and capable AIP Diesel Electric submarines. As soo as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale becomes available, I will add it to this group.
The completion of the US ARG will include Tamiya's 1/350 scale, USS Iowa, BB-62(which I have already completed), Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Gallery's 1/350 scale USS Sommerset, LPD-25, Cyber Hobbies USS Independence, LCS-2, and Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS The Sullivans DDG-68,
Then, finally it will be a complete Russian CSG (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov which is available but I have not purchased yet) the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumperter (which I own), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Udalaoy DDGs (which I own), Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN (which I own), and the Russian Alfa Class SSN, which I have already completed.
Recently I purchased Heller's 1/400 scale Foch, the Clemceau Class carrier that was sold to the Brazilians in 2000 and in 2002 was refitted and bacame the Brazilian CV, Sao Paulo, using steam catapaults. I will build the model as the Sao Paulo and thus start a Brazilian group, though the Type 22 DDGs and the FFGs the Brazilians use are not available at present.
Then, again, once the models are available, I'd like to build an Italian Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, and ultimatly an Australian Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs. If they ever build the models, an Indian group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier the Vikrant and their Kolkata class DDGs and Shivlak class FFGs would also be nice.
You can see all of these actual carriers, read their histories and specifictions at my site:
WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
...and most of their surface escorts at:
AEGIS AND AEGIS-LIKE VESSELS OF THE WORLD