I was thinking of making a diorama of the USS Johnston of Taffy 3 during LCdr Evans’ heroic mad rush at the Japanese Center Force, during the Battle off Samar off Leyte Gulf, 23 Oct 44.
Doe’s anybody know how the Tamiya 1/350 Fletcher Class kit fairs? Or do you have another suggestion?
Steve
Steve,
USS Johnston was a square-bridge Fletcher whereas the Tamiya kit is of an early round-bridge Fletcher. It would ordinarily be better to start with the Trumpeter 1/350 USS The Sullivans, but there are detail problems with that kit. I know that Yankee Model Works used to make a Johnston in resin that was quite good. That would be the best route to go if you can find one.
That said, I recommend starting with the Trumpeter kit, improving upon it using the L’Arsenal detail set for this kit, and making the corrections necessary not covered by the detail set. This is the approach I am taking for my conversion to the USS Morrison (DD-560).
Bill Morrison
Thanks Bill!
I knew I could get some expert advice, rather than just blundering in and building any ole Fletcher.
I’ll look for the Trumpeter and L’Arsenal set. Hopefully I’ll get some cash for Father’s day to get the stuff I need for the project.
[H]
Bill,
I found your old May 2009 post on the web.
USS The Sullivans by Trumpeter . . . The Ultimate Building Guide
There’s a lot of great advice there! Go for it! And, Good luck!
Bill
Since you’re going back to the 2009 thread, heed my notes re: what is wrong with the The Sullivans kit.
The YankeeModelworks Fletcher kit is no longer available. If you intend to do a proper rebuilt message me offline. I may have some better replacement stacks I can send you.
Wow! That would be fantastic Ed thanks, I’ll IM you. I looked for the YankeeModelWorks kit and like you said, it’s nowhere to be seen.
Steve
I have seen it occasionally on eBay.
Bill
GMorrison,
I thought you would appreciate that! We Morrison’s are all alike! ; )
Bill
Well, I have Trumpeters’ “The Sullivans”, ordered the PE set and with a very heartfelt THANK YOU to EdGrune for the replacement stacks I will be starting the USS Johnston fairly soon. My thought is to display her at flank speed, turning to port for torpedo action starboard, aiming at the cruiser Kumano, which had its bow blown off because of it.
My only issue is where do I get some extra hull numbers? The Sullivans kit has the hull numbers 537, Johnston is 557. Does anybody know where I can get some 5’s to replace the 3’s? My other option is to paint them, but I stink at small work like that.
Steve
The latest issue of one of the WWII history mags has a story on the battle off Samar. Going to pick one up tonight.
Talk about going into a gunfight armed with a penknife with a 1/4 inch blade…their sacrifies in the whole group kept the transports from getting totally creamed.
Yeah, apparently she was hit a few times from the Yamato and still got back into the fight.
Here is a very detailed you tube video.
Steve,
Try here for hull numbers. Hope this helps
With that thin skin, not enough to trigger the AP shells coming in, just nice big 18 inch holes.
It was probably the only thing the Yamato hit during the entire war. It stopped them momentarily until they got one boiler back on line and manual steerage.
Thanks Bruce. I didn’t see any hull numbers, but it gave me an idea. I could try to make my own.
How about these
Ya know, I jumped right over those when I saw RN, it didn’t occur to me that the British use the same numbers as we do [proplr].
Long day.
The font used by the British Commonwealth during WWII is different from that used by the USN.
Try these from Iron Shipwright
http://ironshipwrights.com/ironship.html
Go down to the accessory sets link
