IMAI 1/350 USCG Eagle

The color of the USCG stripe is actually a red, but it does have a little orange mixed in. Testor's line of Marine acrylics has a "USCG red" which is this color. It is not the same red-orange color as found on modern helicopters. The red is used on the cutters and boas, and on the fixed wing aircraft. The red-orange used on the HH-65 helicopter is a little bit redder than "international Orange". Testor's also has USCG red-orange in their Marine acrylics line-- it is a little bit redder than Internation Orange.

FYI, the Imai kit of the Eagle isn't bad- but the Minicraft version is better. All th eImai kits I've seen were waterline models, and used ot sell for close to $20 retail. When Minicraft released the kit, they added a lower hull, so you could build the model waterline or full hull. Also, the Minicraft version was about half the retail price.

The Eagle kit is a better representation of the ship as she appears now than the old Revell kit, which has the ship as she appeared int he late 1950s. One of tthe shortcomings of these kits, though, is that they have "Aztek stairs" for the stairways on the weather decks.

I wish someone would make a generic set of PE details for these nice little 1/350 scale tall ships. I'm thinking a set with ratlines, railigns, stairs, and other bits would be nice...

Rcboater - I second the request for a photo-etched set of sailing ship details. Here's another idea: photo-etched shroud-and-ratline assemblies. A designer who knows what he's doing should be able to make some nice ones.

I like those 1/350 kits. Just remember that the hull of the Eagle kit actually has the proportions of the Gorch Fock I, and is therefore a little short for the Eagle. On 1/350 that difference doesn't amount to much, though.

thats a very nice lookin' build.

Nice looking model!
I was lucky enough to visit the Eagle when she visited Philadelphia several years ago.
The U.S. Coast Guard began to apply the stripe to its' ships and aircraft in 1967. I believe that was also the year the service was moved from the Deparment of the Treasury to the Department of Transportation.
(The USCG is now part of the Department of Homeland Security.)

The Canadians paint all their boats red.
We had to "escourt" the Martha L. Black back from the Bering sea when she dropped a screw. The John A. Mc Donald was with us too, great fun and they had the beer!!

Don

Here is what I found out a few years ago from the CG historian's office.

The stripe was originally recommended by the design firm of Raymond Loewy/William Snaith, Inc. in 1964 and was adopted service-wide on 6 Apr. '67

The colors are as follows; (from CG paint manual dated 1983)
Blue - FS15182, Red - FS 12199, White - FS17875.
Ice-breakers painted red (FS 11105 ) had a white, blue, white stripe using the above numbers for white and blue. The big white ones hull were painted 17875.
Boot top for ice breakers and the big white ones were black (17038).
Black vessels used red boot top (11105).
The stripes are canted at 64 degrees just in case your wondering.
The painting of the smaller boats changes somewhat from this.

Andy, former CG aviator (enlisted), but I still like the boats!

PS International Orange is listed as FS12197.

What did you fly in Andy?
My resume:
DM HU16E
LM/DM HC131A
FM HH52A
FM HH65A
RS HH65A
(BTW, We always used Testors International Orange for touch ups on the HH65A in ALPAT)

Don

Don,
I got my wings in the HU 16, and also flew on C-131, (Miami) and C-130 (E-City)
The first time I ever made a landing in the HU 16 the seatbelt came off in my hands as I was snugging it down. I was a little bit nervous. I flew as avionicsman (radio-nav, and radio on C-130). By mutual agreement, I departed the CG in '80.

In '88 I had forgotten why I had terminated my enlistment the first time, so I joined the reserve. I was part of the aviation guys in E-City then transferred to Ft Macon a short time later. I still remember the stares I received the first day I reported wearing my aviationed badged uniform complete with A/C wings to a small boat station. I think they are still laughing. It didn't take long for me to remember why I had gotten out in the first place so after 3 years I quit again. I am 3rd gen coastie and still have a love/hate of the CG.

Andy

Before I go and anger some. . .
I was also on the USCGC Evergreen WAGO 295 Oceanographic Ice Breaking Bouy Tender on International Ice Patrol. . . but I got smart and went aviation, where after I got helo qualed I went back to the boats.
Much better to be part of the helo crew though.
I retired after 20, got too old to keep up with the 19-20 year olds that uurah'd the Rescue Swimmer part and hated the actual rate.

Don

Kids, what you gonna do!

Retire.


Don