Post War Fletchers

OOP and we'll see. 

The funnel sections and the bridges are somewhat separate parameters. Funnel shape- correct me if I'm wrong- vary by era and builder. Bridge design is more time linear.

Bill

I'm curious to know the ship. If you feel comfortable listing it, I'll research the history.

Bill

Thanks everyone, I have checked out model monkey and picked up a lot from them. The only thing that I was not able to pick up was the square bridged funnels,not sure if they are different or not. My biggest thing, other than buying another model, is figuring out the deck layout where the Hedgehog launchers would be at. I just might buy the sullivans and go that route not too sure yet, still need to check out the other leads that you so have me.  Again thanks for the help so far I know I'll be needing more before I'm done.

Thanks for your patronage, MarvinK9!  And thanks for the recommendations, Steve, Bill, et al!

Post-war Fletchers can be particularly tricky to research.  Their configuration and thererfore appearance changed frequently.  No two ships were identical and variations increased as the ships aged.

The Fletcher subject matter expert you want to talk to is Rick E. Davis.  He frequents the forums on ModelWarships.com.  He has detailed references for most ships of the class.  Just let him know which ship you're interested in and a timeframe.  He enjoys helping modelers.

Thanks again!

As an aside, although all of my products were once offered via Shapeways in white acrylic, most are now 3D printed in-house at the Model Monkey workshop in gray resin.  Those models that can be printed in gray resin in-house have been removed from Shapeways.  Those models are available only through the Model Monkey catalog. 

Nameplates in paintable plastic and real metals, models with a geometry not suitable for gray resin printing, and very large models are still offered through Shapeways.

Cheers!

GMorrison

I have the Trumpeter kit packed in salt for a build as USS Samuel B. Morrison DD560.

That's good "bones" to start from.  Late-pattern square bridge oval funnel Fletcher really defines the Trumpy kit.

L'Arsenal has--slightly--better turrets, and incredibly better 40mm, and Morrison needs a pile of 40s.  Deciding which Mk 51 director for the 40s will be a matter of taste.  There are some issues with Trumpy's 5" gun director, are they worth spending AM dollars upon?  Maybe, up to the person doing the work.  Now, who has the best PE for the radar is yet another debate.

Now, DD-560 could also be built up from the RoG 1/144 Z-21, whic his a late-war, square bridge, oval funnel Fletcher.  It would need some Shapeways items, and some harder-to-source PE.  In case you wanted a kit that builds to a bit more than 31" long.

Now, the hardest thing to cope with is that none of the kits have the very visible sonar dome, and at around 6' x 6' x 3' wide ought to be visible on any full-hulll Fletcher.

I have the Trumpeter kit packed in salt for a build as USS Samuel B. Morrison DD560. A Seattle/ Tacoma built ship launched in 19423, sunk May 4th, 1945. Sounds like blending a Tam one would be the way to go.

Bill

GMorrison

The name of the ship would be very helpful to us detail freaks.

Yeah, they only built 175, with (IIRC) only 19 losses, so "we" have a ton of detail infor based on name/hull number.

There are four surviving, I've been to Kidd and Young, Sullivans I might do someday (and far simpler than VELOS, nee Charrette, which is in Greece).

Built by only ten yards, too, which helps sort out details (round/square; East/West/Gulf coast; Bethlehem/"Navy pattern").

The name of the ship would be very helpful to us detail freaks.

Cassin Young also survives stateside.

Black Cat Models may have something for you. I think they are mainly WW2 but worth a look see.

https://blackcatmodels.eu/en/

Shapeways will be your easy answer if you already have the Tamiya Fletcher.

You will need to determine whihc square bridge you need to model.

And if you need to change the after deckhouse.

Shapeways is your best source for the 3"50 Mk 22 which replaced 40mm post war.  You will need Mk 52 directors, which are also available from SHapeways.

The SPS-10 radar is on a number of generic PE sets, but the SPS-66 may take looking for.

Reference photos ought to teel you if you need FG 26' whaleboats or not.  Some of the later post war Fletchers were fitted with a pair of Mk 32 triple torpedo tube launchers (12.75" for MK 44, 46, 50 torpedoes).  Shapeways has those as well.

Tanker-Builder

Hi!

    You could try the U.S.S.Kidd Muesum Site too. She's a Square bridge Fletcher!

Hi!

    You could try the U.S.S.Kidd Muesum Site too. She's a Square bridge Fletcher! P.S. I think ( Don't qoute me) that the Kidd also had the late  war Anti Kamikaze fit!

You could try Model Monkey. He offers two types of Fletcher square bridge coversions as well as the lower bridge deck. I have ordered from him several times and have been very satisfied.

https://www.model-monkey.com/destroyers-350

There used to be a conversion from Toms Modelworks.  White metal & soft detail resin.   Now OOP and not really missed.  

Your conversion path will likely be the Trumpeter The Sullivan's, a square bridge kit.  You will want to kit-mingle the two together.   Getting to a post-war square bridge Fletcher is more than just grafting a square deckhouse to the Tamiya kit. Other changes: houses, armament, sensors are needed.  

The Trumpeter "The Sullivans" is a square bridge Fletcher.

Theres quite a bit of discussion on these forums. Use your browser to look them up including the terms "Fletcher" and "Finescale".

What ship? Navsource is always a good place to start.

Check Shapeways for the bridge conversion. Nothing from Model Monkey?

I'd be interested in any history you have from your dad. 

Bill