USS Andrew Jackson SSBN-619
by Ken Hart

1/200 USS Andrew Jackson SSBN-619 (Renwall)

A neat little project corrected from an early 1970s Renwal kit. It was one of those "interior" model kits with a hinged hull that could open to reveal the inside. The flip-down half of the hull on some of these old Renwal kits were made of clear plastic. This one was Renwal kit no. 654, USS Andrew Jackson SSBN-619 in 1/200 scale. It was about two feet long.

As with Aurora, Revell, and Monogram kits, this submarine model had its share of inaccuracies, especially since the emphasis on the kit was its interior, which, itself, was quite inaccurate, of course. I left this old kit sitting in its box for years, and finally took a look at it when projects had slowed to a simmer. I remember it needed a real lot of hull contour correction forward, near the sail.

I used plenty of putty to resculpt the deck casing-to-hull contours, but I did so just a little at a time, with long periods while it just sat in its box again. Did all the scribing and parts corrections over time, but not very enthusiastically. Until I saw that it was turning out to be a pretty decent model of an SSBN.

Without hull number decals, this model could be any of nine Lafayette class boomers, but I call it Andrew Jackson because of its Renwal origin.

1. Corrected rendition from an early 1970s Renwal kit no.654 USS Andrew Jackson SSBN-619 in 1/200 scale.
2. Toned down and non-descript, this model represents any operational boomer, adorned only with draft mark numbers amidship and aft.
3. A view of the forward deck shows the model was modified to represent an active service boomer circa 1980s, featuring an AN/WLR9 detection dome.
4. Stern details show the upgrade of towed sonar array feed tube, an enlarged upper rudder, a 7-blade J-series screw, and strips of sacrificial zinc blocks between the control surfaces - the proximity of dissimilar metals and the wear of saltwater reek havoc on hinged shafts, so the zincs act like a penny glued the top of a car battery to attract any accumulation of corrosion to itself instead of around the anode and diode.
5. A view of the aft deck over the missile hatch superstructure shows the wavy path of the crew traffic saftey rail.
6. A bow oblique view of the SSBN's sparse lines.
7. Without the attention of white hull number decals, and with no masts raised, a nuke's hull is a sleek, slick, serious vessel.

© ModelWarships.com