Are there any larger WWII destroyer kits??? (Atlantic not Japanese)

The Deans kits reqire a lot of work not because they are bad but because they are not beginners kits and require a bit of experience before you start building one.
The term "Torpedoe Boat" as used in the German Navy (WW1 and 2) usualy refer to small destroyers and should not be confused with the modern term wich usualy refer to the Motor Torpedoe Boat (MTB, E/S Boat or PT boat).
The designation Destroyer is a contraction of Torpedoe Boat Destroyer which were big gun boats capable of fighting it out with the Torpedoe Boats. In the end these ships took on the role of ther former foe and became the moders Destroyer.
Dai

If you are open to the term "larger" , Dean's Marine offers some British destroyers in 1/96th scale. They require a lot of work..Randy

Actually, I had originally entertained the idea of building the FRAM II in 1/87 scale, putting it in drydock, and running the tracks behind it on an HO scale module.

Wow...now that's a project!

To be honest though, I can't really see what you'd be able to use from the Fletcher that shouldn't be replaced anyway...If you're going to do that much work, I'd get my hands on a BaD Shipmodels FRAM Sumner kit in 1/96.

Herre's a link... http://www.badshipmodels.com/destroyers.html

Jeff

Jeff Herne,
I thought there was something odd about the sheer of the Lindberg "fletcher". Thanks for clearing that up. I'll have to read your whole "trial by Ordeal". I plan to use the hull, and maybe some of the other parts, to kluge together a larger FRAM II Sumner. I'm guessing 90% scratch build (I hope). I'll use my 1/700 model as a "scratch pad" for the project.
Pete

The Polish company Mirage ( http://www.mirage-hobby.com.pl/index_en.html ) also produces some nice destroyers kits, scale 1/400.

ORP GROM & BLYSKAWICA were built in England in 1936, and ORP WICHER & BURZA in France in 1930... Unfortunately I don't know if the design was based on English or French destroyer classes. Pictures of the completed ORP BURZA can be seen at : http://www.wcm.com.pl/index.php?action=galerie&id=4

PE parts are of course most recommended, whatever brand you eventually choose. Mirage sometimes makes "special" PE parts for a particular kit, so check it out it you choose one of their destroyers... Finding a shop selling those parts ain't an easy task though.

The fun part is that Mirage also manufactures more modern vessels at the same scale, mostly Varsaw Pact small missile-launcher and ASW ships...

The Heller kits aren't up to today's standards for detail, but they assemble pretty well and can be made into nice looking models. For $9, what have you got to lose? Pick up some 1/400 PE railings and off you go.

Jeff

If you're willing to consider an older kit, a good one to seek out might be the old Revell Buckley-class destroyer escort. It has its problems, most conspicuously some pretty crude guns. (It is, after all, a 1960s kit.) But it has a remarkable amount of detail and does a good job of capturing the character of those attractive ships. Gold Medal Models makes an excellent set of aftermarket parts for it, too.

Thanks EdGrune,
I may break down and try a resin kit. but I need to build some of my stash before I feel ok with $110+ for a kit. I understand what you me by the cost adding up after all the AM is purchased but I'm new to ship modeling and wouldn't put a lot of AM on a plastic kit right away.
I've done some PE for aircraft models and had ok results but ships are very different types of models. I'm still getting used to correctly planning the painting and assembly order for ships. I've made more than one mistake with 1/700 battleships in this area.
Thanks,
chrisj

Jeff,
What is the quality of the Heller kit? I have never built a kit by them before.
I see squadron has a Zerstorer Z31 (1942). Baltic version for $9. and a Torpedoboat T23-1943 (is this a british boat?) for the same price. The Marceau also looks buildable. But $9 seems a little cheap for a good quality kit.
It really doesn't need to have operated in the Atlantic but I don't want a IJN kit.
Thanks,
chrisj

I think that you will find that the 1:350 scale Tam Fletcher is the only WWII era, non-Japanese, destroyer available in styrene. There are modern destroyers (Spruances, Burkes, and soon to be a Kidd) and Aegis cruisers available in 1:350 scale styrene.

So, how large do you want to go?

Mirage is supposed to be coming out with some 1:400 scale styrene US 4-pipe destroyers. Look for them around the end off the year. As to whether there will be PE which is available from Mirage or another aftermarket supplier is an unknown. These kits will make up to be about 8 inches long.

Bluejacket Ship Crafters make an excellent destroyer escort John Roberts in 1:192 scale. It is wood with white metal details. It makes into an excellent kit. Thet also do a Fletcher. Fletchers served in both the Atlantic & Pacific, but were designed for the Pacific - where they saw most of their action.

Both Classic Warships and Iron Shipwright make some 1:192 scale destroyers. The Classic is a Sims class and the ISW kit is a Fletcher. Both are resin & brass.

Lindberg makes something which purports to be a Fletcher in their Blue Devil destroyer. Before you get a burr up your butt to do that one be sure to read Jeff Herne's article on SteelNavy titled 'Trial by Ordeal'.

http://www.steelnavy.com/BDFletcher.htm

It documents Jeff's efforts to correct some of the many flaws in the kit.

While a resin kit may look to be a large initial outlay of cash, you need to consider the total package price of what you get int he kit versus what you need to buy aftermarket. Prices become comparable.

By the time you buy the 30 dollar Fletcher, add another 30 dollars for PE, and another 30 dollars to replace the guns with ones with detail which approximate that which comes with many resin kits you are in the ballpark price for a Yankee Modelworks, Iron Shipwright, or White Ensign Models destroyer.

Sorry Chris, there't not much out there in 1/350th scale. Some of the Fletchers did their work-ups in the Atlantic, so you could do one of those, but there's not much out there.

Heller does a series of 1/400 ships, a German Z-34 class destroyer and a series of French destroyers.

Frog did some Royal Navy destroyer kits in 1/500, HMS Daring and Ashanti, Torquay and Undine. There's also an HMS Cadiz and Trafalgar in 1/325, but I haven't seen these, and of course, these are all collector-market kits, no longer in production.

Jeff

The Tamiya U.S.S. Fletcher is an excellent kit. Most of that class served in the Pacific, but a few operated in the Atlantic.

Beyond that, there are lots of options in the world of resin kits. For a good look at what's available in that form, take a look at the Steel Navy website ( www.steelnavy.com ). Resin 1/350 destroyers aren't cheap by any means, but they're far less expensive than battleships or carriers. A destroyer kit would be a good way to break into resin kits.