by Bob Nandell
1/700 The Little Guys: USS Koelsch DE-1047, USS Bronstein DE-1047, USS Cromwell DE-1014 (Scratchbuild)
Each batch of post WWII US Destroyer Escorts seemed to grow a bit more in tonnage, weaponry, and capabilities. Using balsa plugs and sheet plastic for hulls, notecard paper, typing paper, and broomstick bristle for details, some Pit-Road parts out of the parts box, and a number of photographs, I built three destroyer escorts.
Starting with the diminuative 1,314 ton Dealey class destroyer escort 1014 Cromwell, commissioned in 1953, the 1,797 ton DE 1037 Bronstein commissioned in 1963, and the 2,620 ton Garcia class DE 1047 Koelsch commissioned in 1967. All of them spent some of their Cold War lives hunting Soviet submarines or escorting replenishment and amphibious force ships.
