DD-670 USS Dortch 1-350, Take two (Complete, pg 2)

Thank you Mike, this is a fun one, and it was launched in 1943. 

This was how I held the whaleboats in position while I applied glue to hold them.  It was a little tricky positioning everything just right.  

I'm running out of parts to apply.  The end is in sight.  

Last night, I worked on rigging, touch ups, and PE adjustments.  I'm doing my best with the rigging with references from pictures and diagrams, but it's hard to decipher.  Each ship is a little different.  It's also the case that the EZ line (which I love), is a bit thick for scale.  I hope to get more done tonight, but much depends on the weather (c'mon rain!).

Looking good and yes, rigging can be a major PITA.

Thank you Modelcrazy, 

I'm calling the rigging done, and I think it looks good.  The forward, main-deck handrails were installed last night.  That only leaves the aft deck handrails, depth charge roller racks, depth charge storage racks, and waist position Oerlikans.  I plan to go over the model touching up paint after all of the PE is installed.  That may take a bit.  Brass/metallic paint is on order for the screws.  It should be here either by Saturday or Monday.  

I've had a heck of a time with a good wood base for the model.  Michael's has wood pieces which are the appropriate size.  They are nice flat boards with routed edges, but they don't take stain well.  I've tried two of those.  I'll attempt to make my own wood base this weekend, but my routing skills are not developed.  I'll keep working on the base until I can get a nice dark, smooth display base.  I have a lamp finials to attach the model to the base with screws and nuts (epoxied to the inside of the hull).  

Here's how she's looking today.

I have some clean up and touch ups to do, but  today I worked on the aft deck rails and stern depth-charge racks.  I also decided to add supports for the forward Bofors mounts.  I see them in reference pictures, but I generally don't see them called out by model or aftermarket manufacturers.  I used some brass rod for the supports.  She's getting there, but I'll save some for tomorrow.  I'm in no hurry, because I have to find a solution for my display base delema.

Wow, you have made an excellent work on this ship. Congratulations

Jorge

If you'd wanted a bit more work, in war-time service the whaleboats were swung out overboard and griped back ( a "Y" shaped strap that pulled the boat against a small spar between the davits) so as to be ready for service.

They are swung inboard wen brougt up to a pier or when nested together.  At anchor or on a mooring, a boat boom would be out with one of the whaleboats bent to that.

Since you are doing a full hull, you'll not want to forget the sonar dome.  It's about 6-7' in diameter and forward of  the 51 mount on the centerline.

Not a lot of good graphics for these.  I know it's on the Floating Drudock plans for USS Boyd DD-554 with actual scale-able dimensions.

Which does not show the dome faired in.

Cassin-Young  DD-753

Thank you Jorge

Thank you CapnMac.  I think the whaleboats are best left where they are, but had I known, I would've swung them out.  I figure that port configuration would be OK since I'm displaying the ship on a base with pedistal stands.  Also, I put railings around the torpedo mounts, which I'm sure those railing were up only in port.  The sonar dome is definately something to look into.  It doesn't look like it'd be very difficult, and I still have plenty of my hull paint mixed up.  Thank you for the information.

OK, I did some reading, and I still have questions about the sonar.  These are the pages I was reading:

http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/Q/c/QC_sonar.htm

http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/Q/g/QGA_sonar.htm

Is the under-hull fairing for a QC or QGA sonar?  Fletchers were equipt exclusively with QC sonar until 1944, when new ships were equipt with QGA.  I'm wondering if Fletchers, such as Cassin Young and Kidd, were equipt with QGA during their anti-Kamikaze refits and modifications.  I'm wondering if the fairing was for QC, QGA, or both.  I was going for a pre-Kamikaze refit Dortch, so the QC sonar would be appropriate.  I'll keep digging.  If you have any more insight into this, your input is greatly appreciated.   

It's my memory that all the Fletchers (eventually) had QC mounts.  Some of those may have been in "bathtup" domes about 4' x 8' x 3' which was the standard (maybe) on the pre-Fletcher classes.  Later ships were given an 8' (96 or 100") diameter dome about 3' below the keel.  Ships scheduled for refit in '44 got the streamlined domes which were teardrop shaped (around a 100" diamter dimension).  For some Fletchers this happened post war, as the refit schedule allowed.

For my father's DD, USS Boyd, she did not get QCA until '46.  Which was replaced with QCC in 1950, and a different set just two years later.

We covered various kinds of hull-mounted sonar in SWO school, but mostly in genralities.  My specific knowledge tends to be limited to the research I've done on my father's ship  DD-554.  So, my knowledg winds up being a mix of a mile deep and an inch wide mixed with mile wide and inch deep

The Encyclopedia for American Fighting Ships is still pretty good by "D" (falls off like they ran out of energy starting with "E"

WesPac ships were much lower priority for QCA sets given how few Japanese submarines were left, and the probability of engaging them.  So LantFlt ships were more likely to get new sets, and the hull fairings, too.  Which is complicated by ships being swapped from WesPac to LantFlt and vice versa.

Thank you very much for the info.  I'll keep digging for QC domes on Fletchers, but I would never have imagined sonar installations unless you had mentioned it.  Thank you.  

This is what I've found on QC sonar domes.  I wish I had more, but I think it's enough with which to work.  

Here's how the Dortch is looking now.  It still has some paint issues to work out, but I'm happy with her overall appearance.  

Forgive the list.  She's supported by two pieces of sprue stuck through the base mounting holes.  

I began to form a sonar fairing.  I took a piece of scrap metal from a brass photo etch fret.  I formed it into a teardrop shape with a stiring rod, then I glued the ends.  I squeezed it to compress the fairing to make it skinnier.  The interior of the brass teardrop was filled with super-glue.  I'll give it some paint tomorrow.

That looks sharp.

And, Tin Cans are supposed to list--that's how you know they are working :)

Haha!  Yes!  I just applied the hull numbers.  The Dortch will get some clear coat after they dry.  Then, I'll do some light weathering.  

I have a question about flags and ensigns.  I have a nice decal set from Blue Ridge Models.  It has a nice 48-star Stars and Stripes flag waterslide decal.  It looks like the flag decal is meant to be folded over on itself to form the two sides of the flag.  I've been looking over the internet to see how these decals are applied, but I'm not having much luck.  I thought that I could apply the decal to a piece of Scotch tape.  After it dries, I could fold it over and trim the tape as necessary.  

How do you make flags waiving then the wind from a decal?  Do you just fold the decal over on itself?

ridleusmc

How do you make flags waiving then the wind from a decal?

My preferred technique is to use Heavy Duty aluminum foil, the regular is a shade too thin.

Align a fine bit of thread (6/0 suture thread, 25 dernier silk, whatever) to one endge of the foil.  It helps to have something withe really flat clampint surfaces (I used to use wooden spring clothespins with the legs inverted and sanded flush to each other).

Now, stand that assembly, thread side up between two bulldog spring clamps.

Now, you will be able to drape the flag decals over the foil on both sides, with the hoisting thread pinched inside.

Let that dry thoroughly, then use a brand new xacto blade to slide the foil free (leaving the thread intact.

At 1/350 only national ensigns are worth that much effort.  For signal flags, just string a thread between two handy objeccts and drape the decals over that thread to adhere to themselves.  To scale, each signal flage ought to have 72" of lanyard, which is 0.205" at 1/350, call that 3/16" a hair over 5mm.  (From the top of the signal flag.)

CapnMac82

 

 

ridleusmc

How do you make flags waiving then the wind from a decal?

 

 

My preferred technique is to use Heavy Duty aluminum foil, the regular is a shade too thin.

Align a fine bit of thread (6/0 suture thread, 25 dernier silk, whatever) to one endge of the foil.  It helps to have something withe really flat clampint surfaces (I used to use wooden spring clothespins with the legs inverted and sanded flush to each other).

Now, stand that assembly, thread side up between two bulldog spring clamps.

Now, you will be able to drape the flag decals over the foil on both sides, with the hoisting thread pinched inside.

Let that dry thoroughly, then use a brand new xacto blade to slide the foil free (leaving the thread intact.

At 1/350 only national ensigns are worth that much effort.  For signal flags, just string a thread between two handy objeccts and drape the decals over that thread to adhere to themselves.  To scale, each signal flage ought to have 72" of lanyard, which is 0.205" at 1/350, call that 3/16" a hair over 5mm.  (From the top of the signal flag.)

 

 

Thank you for the technique.  Unfortunately, I finally found a method by searching another forum.  I folded the decal over a piece of aluminum foil, then I white glued it to a line which was already installed on the model.  It looks good, but your method sounds better.  I will try that next time.  I'll have completed pics soon.  I'm waiting for an engraved plate to come in the mail for the base.  

This one is done.  I was waiting a few days for the dedication plate to arrive.  

I was going to do some light weathering by applying an enamel pin-wash.  I experimented with turret 53, but I didn't like the result.   I cleaned it off, and I think it looks just perfect without weathering.  I'll just say that the model depicts the ship at commisioning, August 7, 1943.  

Thank you for looking,

That's an incredible build.

Really like the National Ensign at the masthead rather than at the stern.

If you really wanted crazy, you'd neeed a commissioning pennant (but, it would be a long sliver). 

If you get motivated with signal flags, though, underway, she will fly the four letters of her radio call sign (which wants needs eyeballing photos)

Still, a superb build.

It's the cat's pajamas!

You did a fine job on this build.

Thank you Gentilemen,

I had a lot of fun, and it opens the door to more ships in the future.  I've been building aircraft and armor for years, but ships present entirely different challenges.  They require a great deal of planning and a great deal of work.  They're worth it.  

Thank you for looking, 

Chris

Chris ;

 Hey How would like to have to do this in 1/96 scale ?

  Every part of the ship turns out to be a seperate kit in and of itself .I have been working on one such ship for a client .The U.S.S.KIDD .

 The books available on here contradict each other constantly because of her being hit by a Kamakazi in late war .

 She has different ladders , Rails and other stuff in different places than original and I find myself working out of two books constantly . If I can do it  ( What with that "Gunny" thing hanging on me ) You can and did it too . Wonderful job .Have you noticed how " Busy " she seems in the Blue Paint ? That's why since my "Butler Blue Incident " I don't use Sea Blue anymore in that scale .

 Again , great thread and wonderful work with the P.E.  T.B.     P.S. If you ever get to the Nauticus Museum and the U.S.S. Wisconsin . There's a model in there that I assisted on the build . Yup ! A 17 ' U.S.S. Wisconsin model !

Captain Mac ;

 This is for you ;

 Come on down to New Braunfels Railroad Museum on a First or Third Saturday of the month ( Kids Fun Day ) 'We can connect in person .T.B. Look for the Vice -President of Modeling ! That's 10 A.M.to 2 P.M.

Okay Chris ;

 I know Cap'n Mac explained about the list . Why didn't you correct it ? LOL.LOL.LOL. Oh an aside . Many of the ships , even in Blue had the funnel caps painted Semi - Gloss or Flat T.B.

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

Thank you Goldhammer,

Tanker - Builder

Chris ;

 Hey How would like to have to do this in 1/96 scale ?

  Every part of the ship turns out to be a seperate kit in and of itself .I have been working on one such ship for a client .The U.S.S.KIDD .

 The books available on here contradict each other constantly because of her being hit by a Kamakazi in late war .

 She has different ladders , Rails and other stuff in different places than original and I find myself working out of two books constantly . If I can do it  ( What with that "Gunny" thing hanging on me ) You can and did it too . Wonderful job .Have you noticed how " Busy " she seems in the Blue Paint ? That's why since my "Butler Blue Incident " I don't use Sea Blue anymore in that scale .

 Again , great thread and wonderful work with the P.E.  T.B.     P.S. If you ever get to the Nauticus Museum and the U.S.S. Wisconsin . There's a model in there that I assisted on the build . Yup ! A 17 ' U.S.S. Wisconsin model !

 

Thank you Tank Builder, 

Nah, 1/96 scale is too big for my display cabinets, but I'd love to check out the USS Wisconsin Model.  I selected the paint from AK Interactive, and I do like them.  They seem to fit references pretty well.  The USS Texas is a great reference for measure 21 camouflage.  There aren't many references to the wartime USS Dortch available, but I took queues from mid-war Fletchers.  I paid special attention to Kearny, NJ built vessels, and DD-671 (the USS Gatling) was well represented in books and on the internet.

I have to thank CapnMac for pointing to the sonar fairing.  I would've had no idea (even with all the money and time I spent on reference books).  

-Thanks for looking,

Chris