Taffy 3 destroyers

For Johnston, Heerman and Hoel you're better off starting with the Yankee modelworks USS Johnston. By the time you add the cost of PE, correct resin turrets, square bridge conversion, extra 20's and 40" you might as well buy the resin kit. Best place to order from is www.tridenthobbies.com .

I'm not sure who make the correct DE class to model the Samuel B. Roberts.

Well, ol' Tom better get off his bollard and make some more! Dang it!

Hi Greg - I read the same book, and had the same idea.  I've always been interested in WWII destroyers, the "Greyhounds of the sea" as they were called.  I'm doing research to begin building the USS Johnston, DD-557 from the Tamiya kit.  You can check ship numbers on the Taffy 3 site someone else mentioned.  Here's a photo index site:

http://www.navsource.org/archives/05idx.htm

and a good reference site on the Fletcher class:

http://www.destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.html

You may find, as I did, that the boat you want to build is a later Fletcher version, with the "square" bridge as opposed to the early "round" bridge included in the Tamiya model.  I found a resin conversion kit at Tom's Modelworks (it's online) though I don't know if he has any more of those kits available - I think I got one of his last few.  Good luck.

The painting instructions in the Tam 1:350 scale Fletcher kit are for the USS Fletcher's as-commissioned/early-war Measure 12 Mod camouflage pattern.   

The painting instructions are printed full-size for 1:350 scale and can be used as masks for painting the distinctive splotch pattern camouflage (Navy Blue/Ocean Gray/Haze Gray) carried by the Fletcher.  Measure 12 Mod camo patterns were not a standard pattern - the patterns were applied at the discretion of the First Lieutenant and the Yard camouflage officer.

The decals included in the kit are hull numbers 445 (USS Fletcher), 446 (USS Radford), 447 (USS Jenkins), and 448 (USS LaVallette).

 

Hey Greg,

Here's a URL with alot of info on Taffy 3 and the Battle off Samar Straight. It's an amazing story of heroism and tragedy as many of the survivors of those tin cans were in the water for several days.

http://www.bosamar.com/usforces/tg7743.html

I'm building a the Fletcher myself but it's taking a back seat to a couple of other models.

Chris