Keith Bender
1/72 USCGC Dependable WMEC-626 (Scratchbuilt)
This model was built for a former crew member of Dependable who served aboard her in the early 70's. My client contact me through the coast guard museum in New London, CT near where I was living at the time. Anyway my client and I decided on 1/72 scale because of the size would fit perfect in a certain space he had.
This model had to be 100% scratchbuilt due to the fact there is no commercial fittings that I wanted to use with the exception of chain, thread and the flags. The hull is plank on bulkhead with 1/4" marine plywood and 1/16" balsa for planking. I fiberglassed the hull once all the wood work was complete.
These 210' class cutters were all overhauled in the 80's -90's. They were given a stack and the stern exhaust tubes were removed. The plans that were available were of the new configuration so the problem I had was finding plans of the as built version. Once I found some plans I began with the superstructure making it from solid bass wood.
The HH-52 is also completely scratchbuilt for there is no 1:72 kit of this that I know of or at least there wasn't in 1998. This was done with bass wood as well. The rotors are brass. I used Micro Scale coast guard C-130 decals which were a perfect fit. The spar color paint came directly from the cutter Eagle and this saved me time trying to figure out how to mix a batch which wasn't working very well. The guys on the Eagle were happy to hand over a jar of paint.
The props are my own machine work as is all the round fittings, search lights and 3"50 gun barrel. The two msb's are carved from bass wood. I made these just prior to learning resin casting so everything was hand made. If only I new casting then. All the cutters hull numbers and US CG is hand painted. The draft marks are dry transfers.The finished model is 34 7/8" long. In all this was a fun project to do and I couldn't have done half of it without the superb cooperation of the coast guard. These guys and gals really help out allot when they see your building one of their own.
