Bought the Dragon 1/350 Ticonderoga (CG-47), and am looking at converting it to USS Gettysburg (CG-64). Comparing photographs, the conversion looks fairly straight forward. Two masts are included in the kit, one for CG-47 and one for CG-49. The CG-49 looks the same as the Gettysburg. Are there any other major external differences I’m missing?
The kit markings are for CG-47 through -51. Gold Medal Models has a decal sheet (350-1D) with basic markings for all, but no name stencils. Anyone know a fix for this?
From previous posts I’ve read, are the following correct?
FS 36440 (MM Flat Gull Gray) for the upper hull and vertical structures.
FS 36118 (MM Gunship Gray) for the decks.
Floquil F110601 (Zinc Chromate Primer) for the lower hull.
The Ticonderoga was equipped with a twin missile launcher fore & aft. These were replaced by banks of VLS cells fore & aft in the later variants, including the Gettysburg. Don’t know for sure if the Tico kit comes with the VLS cells - but it is a must have for the conversion.
CRUDIV & CRURON sheilds are included in the ISW Decal sheet
Miscellaneous lines & markings are available on another ISW decal sheet
Names can be done with a bit of creative Xerography - by running a piece of decal film taped to a sheet of paper through a Xerox machine.
The spec for modern Haze Gray is 26270 - MM Neutral Gray is 36270. Gunship is good for the decks. I use Engine Gray for fresh flight deck non-skid.
If your Zinc Chromate is the red-version (don’t have a conversion handy) that will do nicely. My favorite is American Tradition’s Red Primer from Lowes
Not that it helps now, but you probably wold have been better of buying the dragon 1/350 version of the Bunker Hill. It’s hull number is CG-52 and is equipped with the VLS launchers for the swap to the Gettysburg it would be basically decals.
After reading this posting, I came across an Italeri USS Gettysburg 1/350 kit in a shop. Is this kit so far off the mark that one would convert a Ticonderoga kit to get a Gettysburg? Just asking.
The problem is the twin missile launchers fore and aft. The Ticonderoga,and the other first 5 ships of the class had MK26 twin launchers in these positions
The early ships in the class are being retired early due to maintenance issues with the MK26 and commonality with other VLS platforms (i.e. the Burkes).
To convert a Ticonderoga kit to a model of Gettysburg will require that a suitable donor for the VLS cells be obtained (i.e. a later flight Ticonderoga). You can finesse the mast & antennas.
The better solution to make a later flight Ticonderoga-class is to start with one which has the VLS cells to start. An example would be the USS Mobile Bay
I also ran across the Gettysburg kit and picked it up. It’s bag with the sprues in it has a sticker saying “manufactured in China by Dragon models, imported by Italeri.”
I too have the Italeri (Dragon) kit that I bought on Ebay. It appears to be “dead-on” as far as I can tell, including the VLS launch systems. I know this because my Son is assigned to the "USS Gettysburg and is on deployment as we speak. I saw it when he left and I’ll be there when he returns! Awesome Naval power! Accompanying the “Big E” at this time. Sorry to get carried away, but I’m real proud! The Italeri versionn is great! 737man.
