I'm looking for good 688/688i in 1/350

Modeling Subjects Ships
1

I was trying to determine who makes a good contemporary SSN 688 or 688i in 1/350. Are there any aftermarket detail sets for these boats? The USN has changed the hull paint scheme and I want to do one in the new configuration. I could only find one online and it was an older version. Thanks in advance.

2

OK, I guess there aren’t any good models of these boats in !/350. How about in any other scales??

3

Ralph Radcliff makes some accurized 688 boats in 1/700 scale. They are resin and cover all the flights. Contact Ralph via the SubCommittee (google them for an address).

4

Subfixer,

Go to www.modelwarships.com and go to the submarine gallery. Do a search for 688 and you’ll see a bunch of 1/350 scale subs. I believe the bulk of them are made by Dragon. I’m not sure if any are out of print.

Good luck on your search,

5

I would like to extend to you guys, my sincerest thanks. But, from the descriptions and photos of the only one I could find in 1/350 (resin), I see a lot of scratch building and detail work to turn out anything near authentic. I can’t believe that the workhorse of the US Navy’s sub fleet is ignored in this way by the model manufacturing companies. It’s pitiful.

6

Yankee Modelworks makes some resin kits:

http://spruebrothers.zoovy.com/product/YMK35020
http://spruebrothers.zoovy.com/product/YMK35015

and Dragon/DML makes several versions in plastic:

http://spruebrothers.zoovy.com/product/DML1005

Peter

7

subfixer-

does it have to be a 1/350? David Merriman has a 1/192 scale 688 in resin that’s accurate. If you want to make it an improved, you would have to scribe the VLS doors in…

-Sam

8

No, it doesn’t really have to be 1/350. I would like to keep it in that scale in order to have a constant size comparison to most of my other ship models. What I really care about is accuracy in the details, which in this case, takes priority. Thank you for your recommendation, I’ll check it out.

9

Looking for the address for Ralph Radcliff. These are examples of his work, built by Tom Dougherty

10

Subfixer,

I finally took a few minutes and found some of the 688s on Modelwarships.com. Here are a few links:

1/350 USS Los Angeles SSN-688 (DML) – this looks like a 688i-class to me, but I don’t know the subs as well as I’d like.

1/350 USS Los Angeles (Blue Water Navy) – this looks pretty darned good to me.

1/250 USS Dallas SSN-700 (CN Models) – not the scale you’re looking for, but it looks like a neat kit. I’ve thought about building a remote control sub.

SSN-700 USS Dallas – I’m pretty sure this is the 1/350 Shanghai/Dragon kit.

USS Columbus, SSN 762 1/350 kit from Shanghai Dragon

1/350 USS Cincinnati SSN-693 (DML) – I think DML is the same company as Dragon

There are more pictured at that site. I did a search for “SSN” instead of “688” and found a whole bunch of built kits. It seems that the DML/Shanghai Dragon kits are the most common. The Blue Water Navy kit looks pretty nice too.

I understand that you really are a sub fixer, and that you really do know a heck of a lot about the subject, so I’m not sure if these kits would meet your requirements in terms of accuracy. Maybe, though, you’ll be able to modify one to make it better.

Regards, and let us know what you decide.

11

Wow! There seems to be a little artistic license going on in some of these. The resin Blue Water Navy is pretty good but the Dragons seem to be a little bit more on the money. I wouldn’t class any of them as “fine scale” as the builders in this forum would consider the standard. I am in no way a rivet counter but I do know what is close to being correct and what is fantasy. Firstly, the Los Angeles herself has no missile tubes and definitetly no bow planes. I don’t kow where the gray topsides, trim and sonar domes come from. The Cincinnatti, for instance, had no vertical stabilizers on the stern planes. Where are the aft counter measure pods on the Columbus? This boat is the most advanced of the bunch but it is hard to tell it. Oh well, I have to admit it is kind of hard to do research on this subject due to the nature of the craft being dealt with. Just one thing… Keep the hull numbers off the sub! This is rarely seen except during the commissioning ceremonies. And none of these boats carry the rescue markings on their escape hatches any longer.

12

Hey Subfixer, I’ve got a quick question on the hull colors of 688s. Is the lower hull always painted red? I thought I read at some point that the Los Angeles class subs were often painted black all over.

I also wonder if there’s any way to model the accoustic tiles that are shown in this walk-around at the Steel Navy site:

http://www.steelnavy.com/KeyWest.htm

Regards,

13

If resin is your thing (it’s mine) The YMW ( were Blue water Navy kits) kits of the 688s are very good. (I think they do kits for 3 flights now) The Dragon kits are workable especially for flt ll boats. I agree with you Subfixer I am clueless as to where some modelers get the Greys from???Having been on the boats and working 17 years at EB I have only seen one boat with a grey paint job…and that was a temporary application for a spec op cruise the 601 was on back in early 70s. I’m sure this idea comes from photos with poor color resolution where the worn black finish appears to be grey!. And for stabilizers on the stern planes!! I am not aware of any 688s ever having them. The Ohios do but if any 688 had them I am not aware of that fact. I can ask a fellow clubmember at the USSVI who was the COB on the Dallas he may know. As for the deck rescue markings they usually only stay on until sea trials are completed… On all 3 active boats I rode the only hull markings we carried were draft marks fwd, aft, and on the rudder.

The 688s never were my fancy, ugly boats with a weird up bubble rake while running on the surface… I am a Permit/Seawolf/Guppy fan…

14
15

Ahoy Subfixer,

Does the Shanghai Dragon 1:350 USS Hampton interest you?

Contact me if your interested.

Cheers,

Joe

16

I don’t know if I’ve seen this one, will you please send me a link?

17

Ahoy Subfixer,

The kit is a DML/Dragon USS Hampton in 1:350 scale kit no: 1010

It is a LosAngeles class sub re-issued with its original and the additional corrected parts

to build an improved 688i class sub with the VLS(Vertical Launch System).

I will try to link a review or a photo.

See USS Columbus in Lufbery’s post

Cheers,

Joe

18

Subfixer, you are asking the question I had ask a while ago, and you explained it better. I am in the same situation. I have a copy of 1/192 688 from D+M models. I wrote him for better diagrams to aid in building a vls version like the one done in fine scale modeler in jan 2001.

I am also not a rivit guy, but just want to the doors to be in right location and the right size.

can you help

please contact at bruce.wheeler1@us.army.mil

respectfully

armyrn

19

Subfixer-

did the D&E Miniatures 1/192 not do it for you?

just curious…
Sam

20

sam

I wrote d&e miniatures for a copy of the instruction that was used in the article. That was over two months ago. I purchased my 688 from a lawyer who was clearing out a collection, it was one of the first versions of the kit. No diagram, just assembly instructions. If you can help, please let me know at bruce.wheeler1@us.army.mil or if any one else could help please also contact me. As stated I not a rivot guy, just want it to look right, if not how big should they be in 1/192

thanks

armyrn