Post War Fletchers

We live for this stuff here.

Bill

Just a couple of questions did she have the Mk6/7 or Mk9 depth charges after her refit in 51. And how many torpedo tubes did she have then.

I will refer you back to Captain Mac's posting of 9/22.   His third photo is after the 51 refit during which she received the tripod mast, among other changes.   She had 1 quintuple torpedo mount without the crew protection shield (tuna fish can).  This was on the after portion of the midship deckhouse, forward of 5"/38 mount #3 (mount 53).    His second photo (color) is after a later refit which lost the quint torpedo mount entirely, and added triple torpedo launchers P&S at the waist, replacing the 3" guns.

... and the photos posted by Rick Davis for you on Modelwarships show MK9 streamlined depth charges both on the stern racks and at the waist

EdGrune

... and the photos posted by Rick Davis for you on Modelwarships show MK9 streamlined depth charges both on the stern racks and at the waist

Pretty much, after '55 or so, all DC ought to be streamlined--Mk 9s are easier to source than some of the exotic Marks (like the 23 Mod 1) which are virtually the same shape (until you get to 1/96 or 1/72 or larger).

MarvinK9

One thing I see is how to fix the 01 level to take in the Hedgehogs, and finding some ready service lockers, as well as the other items to detail it. still need to find out about her stacks since their was a question on that.

The 20mm mount platform was circular, with a flat outboard to keep it from projecting over the side.

On some ships upgunned to dual 20mm mounts, the platform were--sometimes--made round to allow better footing for the additional ammo man.

When the hedgehogs were introduced, the generally just dropped on the base for the 20mm.  Sometimes the deck was made round, sometimes left square.  You need dockyard photos to know.

From just memory L'Arsenal makes a nice hedgehog with a RS box in 1/350; there are other makers (cannot remember if Model Monkey has an edition of this).  The Hedgehog was quite small, and the reload box was similarly small. 

At General Quarters, the HH was only manned by a talker and a rating (who might be anyone on the ship, really).  So, it did not need a lot of room.

Twinning was built by Bethlehem, and Bethlem, east and west, used that flattened section to build the stacks faster.  Bath and the various Navy Yards stuck to the Navy plans wit hthe mostly-elliptical stack plan (aerodynamics were a big "thing" in ship design when Fletcher was first designed, that's why they started with round bridges).

Took the 1954 photo, and clipped out some usefull detail.

Using my Mk 1 Eyeballs, that looks like a clipped edge above the liferafts, so the kit platform will probably be correct.

Note how the bridge has been given "windows"--per my father--, those are plexiglass panels set in sheet metal frames which rattle and sway in the wind.  They have joint between that admit spray and rain, too.  The cover above varies, on some ships it's a metal frame with a canvas dodger stretched over it, on some ships simple sheetmetal went over the frame.  The wisdth matches the front face of the bridge combing.  It's open at both sides, too.

Note, too, than only Mount 51 has the "cubby" for the gun captain, will wager that Mount 55 matches that.

Perhaps this will help

There was a question about the funnels, something about there shape I was looking at a bunch of photos and the picture on the box for the USA Fletcher and I think the flat areas on the funnels are some type of filter or screen of some type. What do you all think.  I have seen things like that when I was in and had to cross over the tender.

This is a 3D printed aft funnel for an early Fletcher, in 1:48 scale.   The forward will be similar, with differences to the platform (if any) and external piping.   The platform configuration is largely dependent on construction/refit period and yard.

There are uptake vents on either side of the funnel.   On the Tamiya kit they are separate pieces,  on The Sullivans they are molded as part of the funnel.    The Tamiya look the better of the two,  IMO.  There should be a rectangular casing at the bottom of the funnel which attaches to the superstructure, and the rectangle blends to an oval shape.

The discussion has been 'slab side' vs round.   There were some minor construction yard differences to whether the funnel would have a flat panel on either side or would have a more rounded shape.   The external shape differnces are minimal and indistinct in 1:350 scale and smaller (IMO - YMMV).

Since you have the Tamiya Fletcher as the base kit, use their funnels and fill the platform slot(s) needed for the early searchlight platform.   Add a new postwar searchlight platform to the aft funnel for the single light.   

Funnels are complicated beasts.  We tend to focus on the outstide--which is only natural.

Funnels often include the intake trunking to the boilers, which hleps preheat the air being pumped in.

There are various steam and similar exhausts run up the inside of the outside structural shape we see.

The actual "chimney" part of the boiler exhause is only a tit more than 25%  of the stack volume.

Starting in the 20s, the naval fashion began to be that stacks were self-supporting, eliminating the need for guy wire rigging.  In Naval use that structure became a place to mount more things, like platforms, masts, antennae and the like.

Once you assemble the stringers and purlins and the like to support the stack, the skin of the outside can be about any shape.  When USS Fletcher was designed, USN ships were meant to be streamlined, aerodynamic, anythign to coax another knot of speed out and comply with the various Washington Naval Treaties.

So, Fletcher (and the Tamiya kit) have the poly elliptical plan form funnels.  The "round" bridge reall isn't, it's actually elliptical, too.  Per the naval architect for Fltech that shape was worth something like 1.5kts for top speed.  And presented no delay in peacetime paced building schedules.

Bethlehem's layout team looked at the number of Fletchers needed and the expected delivery times and made a number of suggestion for streamlining construction time.  Not all were accepted, but the scheme to use almost parallel sides on the funnels ant radii only fore and aft was accepted, on both East and West coasts.

This meant bending fewer plates and having to cut fewer curved stringers and frames, too.  Also, the forward intake louver could be made flat, and not curved, and the after intake to a single curve radius, and not a double radius.

Bethlehem estimated this took two weeks off the building time for a Fletcher.

Thanks this helps slot, I didn't know all that and when I looked at the funnels I only saw the uptake vents and thought that is what was being discussed. I now know better. And that's coming from a bubble head(submarine), the only surface ship I was on, or crossed over, was the tender. So thanks for the information and explanation that was very helpful. Now I just have to wait for parts to come in and make sure I have all I need before I start the build.  Again thanks to everyone who has helped on this.

It's what we do here, both in this forum, and a model ship builders.

We pour over photos, compare details, collect esoteric sources, buy books.

Part of that is in the nature of ships, even when built to a standard, they are never identical, and the differences are significant, sometimes minor, M4A3 versos M4A3E2; sometimes more major--JagdPanzer IV versus Panzer IV.

Which is no helped by some of the kit manufacturers offering us a Hurricane and calling it a Spitfire.

Shared knowledge is in creased, which makes us all better.

Black Cat Models out of France said today that they will be adding a set of twin 3"/50 guns to their offerings of 1:350 scale 3D printed armament.   These will be just the things needed to go into the waist gun tubs.    

If you have not seen what Ben @ Black Cat is doing you need to head over to blackcatmodels.eu and check them out

Sorry again was taking time out to get my house ready for winter. While I'm waiting on a reply from the veterans administration can someone point me in the right direction. I'm thinking on getting some brass screws to put on this model but I'm having no luck in finding anything. I know that I need one of each right hand and left hand but again I can t seem to find anything also which side would they go on, remember you are talking to a submariner , we only had one screw and the number of blades and pitch are classified. I know that they should be  bladed, but other than the l.h. and r.h. not sure on then size.

Thanks again for every ones help, I plan to record the build and take photos so ill post them when I get done.

Per the Floating Drydock Fletcher Plan Book, the props are three-bladed, 11' 6" diameter.    Only one of the two props is shown, but comparing pictures and plans in the FD book and in Raven's Fletcher class book, the props are the same.   Right hand twist.

There are a set of PE prop blades included in the Flagship Models 1:350 photoetch detail set.  Cut apart the hub and insert the flat blade piece.   Twist as desired.

I have found an effective way to replicate bright brass on plastic without the over scale metallic particles showing is to first paint with a Molotow chrome marker (ink based).   Then go back and overspray with Tamiya clear yellow, perhaps adding a tad of clear orange.

Naval screws are not really brass. That are a bronze alloy.   I use Reaper MSP Old Bronze paint on my props where I don't really want the bright brass effect

If I'm reading your question literally, you are thinking to get scale screws cast from brass. 
Ive had a few over the years, and read a bit from other modelers who buy them. 
I don't think they are worth it.

limited selection, mediocre casting quality. And like brass cannons, the actual material finish of the model part is not close to accurate.

Im happy with 3D printed ones. They come in a wide variety of sizes and blade counts. They are easy to clean up.

And per Ed's suggestion, PE ones are somewhat surprisingly successful.

My Midway has four- inboard pair are five bladed left-right; outboard are four bladed left-right. They were cut from a big selection on Gold Medals Revell Carriers 1/540ish sheet. You set the twist direction and pitch and shape a little curve into each blade. Cut the cone from the plastic kit parts or just make some up.

Hopefully your audience will spend time admiring all of the detail you put on the deck mounted stuff and not on the underwater stuff.

Bill