Arleigh Burke class DDG

Modeling Subjects Ships
1

My stepson just got assigned to DDG-84 (Buckley) as part of his JAG training. I am looking to build a model of this ship, but know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about floaty things (i build armour). Which kit is the closest to it, and where can I find more info on this ship (other than it’s web site)

Thanks in advance

2

Well, for pictures start with Navsource and the US Navy website.

http://www.navsource.org/
http://www.navy.mil/

So far as kits go I know Panda has issued two different versions of DDG-51in 1/350 but I don’t have any experience with their kits. Maybe someone else can help you along those lines.

3

Dragon makes at least one Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in 1/700 scale - probably more. You’ll want to look up some info about the specific ship. As I understand it several variants of the class, known as “Flight 1,” “Flight 2,” etc., have been built. I haven’t really kept up with the story, but I believe some have helicopter hangars and others don’t.

A good (if rather expensive) guide to the basics of such stuff is The Naval Institute Guide To the Ships and Aircraft Of the U.S. Fleet, by Norman Polmar, published by the Naval Institute Press. A new edition of it comes out every two or three years, so the latest one is reasonably up to date. It contains class lists, specifications, brief histories - and a fair number of good photos.

4

Thanks for the info guys…I do know that it has 2 helos on board, but I’ll have to ask if it’s a flight 1 or 2.

5

There’s a soft cover book out by Motor Books Int. “Modern U.S. Navy Destroyers” by S.F. Tomajczyk. Chapter 3 covers the Arleigh Burkes. There are some good overall color shots of several of them. In 1/700 Pit Road has released several of them. M-14, the kit of the USS Wilbur,DDG-54, has the names up through the Porter DDG-78 on the decal sheet. Hopefully later releases will include the newer ones. Best of luck to your stepson, fair winds and following seas. Jake…

6

If you want to build a close replica, consider Panda’s Winston Churchill I think it is DDG80 or 81. Its a Flight IIA destroyer which is what the Bulkley is. The kit is good, but you may want to add PE to it to make it look even better. The panda Winston Churchill a 350 scale ship. Take a look at Megahobby.com I think they have it for about $23.00.

7

Here’s another to consider, the USS Roosevelt from Dragon DDG-80. It’s a Flight llA destroyer in 700 scale.

8

I think the Dragon kits are reissues of the Pit Road/Skywave ones. I haven’t done a side-by-side comparison, but I have the impression that the parts in the 1/700 kits from those two companies are identical. The Dragon versions usually seem to be cheaper - and, if I remember correctly, Dragon sometimes adds pieces for the underwater hulls.

I’ve got the Dragon 1/700 U.S.S. Cole, though I haven’t built it yet. Looks to me like a beautiful kit.

9

A footnote to the earlier post about Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the US Fleet, the latest edition is being published by USNI in December. Members get a hefty discount on thier purchases.

10

Once again, thanks for all the input. It seems I now have my work cut out for me.

One question though…when weathering a ship…where does the mud and grass go?[:)]

11

Well welcome to the Light. We ship builders even welcome you mud and earth Armor types. Dragon/Panda have released several different several different versions in 1/350 scale of the ship in question.

Come on over to www.modelwarships.com we have everything you need including a couple of kit buildup reviews of the ship in question so you will know just what the heck you are getting yourself into.

Ric

12

USS Buckley (DDG-84) is best represented in 1/700 by the Dragon kit for the Roosevelt. IIRC The Phalanx guns are installed on this vessel. 2 25mm Bushmaster guns are installed and you’ll have to get them after market.[?]

13

Thanks for the info guys…it gives me a lot more to work with that I had before. I asked about the bushmasters and he didn’t know about them, but he did get to fire the CIWS among other things (apparently they had to shoot off ALL their ammo before returning to port for some kind of refit). they also had a new version of the seahawk undergoing trials while they were underway doing asw stuff.

14

According to Northrop Grumman’s website, “DDG 84 is Ingalls’ third Flight IIA Aegis destroyer. The highlight of this major upgrade program is the addition of two helicopter hangars that will each accommodate an SH-60B undersea warfare helicopter.”

So it is a Flight IIA destroyer.

The Buckley’s web page indicates the following weapons systems:

“· One MK 45 MOD 1 5”/62 caliber Gun Mount
· Two MK 41 Vertical Launching Systems
· Two MK 15 Block 1B Close-in-Weapons Systems (Phalanx Mounts)
· Two MK 32 MOD 14 Triple Torpedo Tubes (MK 50/46 Torpedoes) "

No mention of the bushmaster - maybe it will show up in this refit?

Here is some great info on the ship:

http://www.ss.northropgrumman.com/pressrelease/news/00_06_18.cfm

Bob

15

The 2 Bushmasters as well as 4 .50 cal M2 machine guns can be fitted and stowed depending on the mission. References to these guns can be found at http://www.NavWeaps.com http://www.globalsecurity.org

The Mk45 mod4 127mm/62 gun is different from the Mk45 mod2 127mm/54 in flight 1 and 2. The second number after the bore is the length of the barrel as a ratio of the bore. The Mk45 mod4 barrel length is 127mm x 62 = 7874mm or 7.874meters or 25.8 feet as opposed to the mod2 at 127mm x 54 = 6.858 meters or 22.5 feet.

16

just found this topic and would like to confirm the existence of bushmasters on the DDG’s. i happened to walk down the pier from my ship and was walking past one of them while they were off-loading it from the ship.

MM3 (SW/AW) Robert Beard, USN

17

The mud and grass go in the drydock.

18

Bushmasters

I have this from several sources that the Bushmaster guns are moved from ship to ship as they deploy.

ie: When a ship returns from the Gulf the Bushmasters are disembarked and transfered to another ship that is preparing to deploy to the Gulf.

From the USN’s web site Fact File:

19

Here is a link to info about the class.
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/ddg-51.htm
And a link to the absalute best kit. Very expencive though.
http://tridenthobbies.com/store/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=NM&Product_Code=YKM35056&Category_Code=YKM

20

Aloha, my buddy from work was stationed on the DDG-7 henry wilson. does anyone make a model of this or at least one in the same class that would not be too hard to modify?