by Dirk Mennigke
1/350 USS Kidd DD-661 (Tamiya)
Fletcher destroyers always fascinate me. Having built DD 445 USS Fletcher – you find her in the gallery section – I wanted to do a square-bridge version.
At the Dortmund modelling fair I bought Toms conversion kit, including a square bridge, several 40 mm Oerlikon gun tubes and 3" gun mounts and barrels for post war versions.
Much to my delight the flag bags are included and I don’t need to scratch build them.
I used Floating Drydock warships data 1 USS Kidd for camouflage and painting reference. On the “Pacific Pirate’s” homepage I found many pictures that show where and how the weapons are installed.
In 1944, Kidd was painted with a camouflage design called Measure 31/10d. All vertical surfaces have to be painted in light gray (5L) and black (BK); the decks in ocean gray (5O) as well as deck blue (20B). I used WEM colour coats.
It was a little tricky to airbrush the pattern. A lot of templates had to be cut from masking tape. But you can avoid some masking by assembling some components like bridge, hull, middle section or deckhouses first, paint them and later on screw them to the deck. Just place a 1.2 mm screw under gun turrets, deckhouses and fire-control-directors and secure it with a nut. In my opinion it is paramount to use GMMs fotoetch fret if you want to build a realistic looking Fletcher.
I can’t wait to see the new Trumpy Sullivans (is it war destroyer or just about a Post war ship?!!!!). However, I think it will be much easier and less expensive to build a square bridge Fletcher in the future.
