by Paul Helfrich
1/970 USS Bainbridge DLGN-25 (Unknown)
The USS Bainbridge, in service from 1963 to 1996, was the smallest nuclear powered surface combatant commissioned by any navy. She gained fame as part of "Task Force 1," the all-nuclear powered trio (with the carrier Enterprise and the cruiser Long Beach) that performed Operation Sea Orbit, an unrefueled cruise around the world in 1964.
She was originally designated a DLGN or guided missile destroyer leader. She was redesignated as a guided missile cruiser or CGN in 1975. As built she carried twin 3" mounts at her waist (the same mount carried as secondary armament by the Forrest Sherman class destroyers, I believe) but these were replaced by Harpoon launchers later in her career.
Now, to the kit: this is the same one that was the topic of the recent forum discussion about the "Odd Kit I Got." Gary got the odd kit from e-bay, and then I got it from him. It's of Italian manufacturer and bagged, but otherwise unidentified.
It's 7" long - the Bainbridge was 565 feet, about the same length as a Spruance or Ticonderoga, so the kit works out to 1/970 scale, of all things.
The kit was complete except for one of the Terrier missile launchers. I made a reasonable facsimile for the stern launcher from spare parts. Except for that and the stretched sprue antennas, it's "OOB" or "out of the bag," in this case. The kit was full hull, but with no rudders, shafts, or props. Rather than try to scratch those parts in such a small scale, I decided just to waterline it.
It looked a little lonely by itself, so I give it an escort with a 1/700 scale P-3 Orion from my junk box. Consider it a very quick and dirty forced-perspective diorama.
It's always fun to discover those "odd kits!"
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