USS Cassin Young

Glad to help guys...email me if you have any questions or need reference photos...but be specific if ya do, cause I have more than 4000 of them...

Jeff

Jeff,
Thanks for the info. I think i've figured out what i'll do. If i have any questions i will e-mail you.
great help.

mtachill

Thanks Jeff
thank you very much, you're a real tin can expert.
The Dortch was one of my Great Uncle's Ships. He was a memeber of the crew from before Leyte Gulf until the end of the war. So I guess either before or after the Emergency AA would be appropriate. He passed many years ago, but I know my father will really enjoy this model. I have to order some parts, thank you very much for the info.
Chris

Yes, the same would apply to Dortch unless you intend to model her in the latter part of the war. Dortch recieved an Emergency AA fit...which I'll explain...the Tom's kit btw has the necessary parts for the Emergency AA fit included.

Standard Fletchers by late war had a pair of 40mm Mk 1 mounts on a box abreast the aft funnel. They had 2 40mm Mk 1 forward of the bridge, and a single 40mm Mk1between turrets 3 and 4.

The Emergency AA fits given to some of the ships (including Dortch, but not Cassin Young), involved removing the forward torpedo tubes, replacing it with an oval shaped platform that held two Mk 52 Fire Control Directors. The midship 40mm Mk 1 mounts were removed and replaced with a pair of Mk 2 quad 40mm, and the box they sat on was moved slightly forward of the after funnel. Also, all of the 20mm mounts on Emergency AA fit DDs were upgrade from single guns to twins.

Dortch underwent her Emergency AA overhaul between April and July of 1945, arriving on station to bombard Wake Island on August 8 while on her way to Guam. She then proceeded directly to Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremony and occupation duty.

So, if you want her modeled before April of '45 then build her just like the Johnston...if you want her after July of '45, then you'll need the Tom's conversion kit.

Hope that helps,

Jeff

I'd like to do the USS Dortch DD-670. Would the same conversion kits and accessories apply?

Mtschill,

First off, welcome to the jungle...err...ship forum!

You have a couple of options actually...depending on your budget and skillset.

Cassin Young is a square bridge Fletcher...the Tamiya kit is round bridge...and there's a slew of differences between the two.

You can purchase a resin kit of the USS Johnston, a square bridge Fletcher, and build her basically out of the box, you'll need to change her camo pattern if you want to portray CY in her 1944-early '45 configuration. Here's a link to the Yankee Modelworks site, that produces the kit. Cost is $120.00, but includes all the photoetch parts you need. Basically, you don't need to buy anything else.

http://www.yankeemodelworks.com/dd557.htm

Your second option is to purchase the Tamiya kit, and the Tom's Modelworks Square Bridge Fletcher conversion kit. It provides you with resin replacement parts to modify the ship into a late war version. You can purchase the set with or without the accompanying photoetch set. Be advised though, that if you choose this option, you really should replace the kit turrets, as they are too small for the kit, have the improper shape, and sit too far forward on the mounts. I would recommend any one of the three sets of replacement turrets, White Ensign, Corsair Armada, or L'Arsenal. I've used all three and liked Corsair Armada's the best.

There are other options you can explore for either kit, if you really want to go 'all out' on this ship. L'Arsenal makes incredible 40mm Mk1 mounts, as well as 20mm single mounts, Mk 51 Fire Control Directors, and other various small bits. These can replace both weapons in either set, as they are of superior quality to the white metal castings used by Yankee or Tom's.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me or post up here.
The conversion route with the Tom's set will be cheaper than the resin kit unless you decide to replace the turrets, then it will probably be very close in cost.

Jeff Herne