DaveSeay Posted November 14, 2022 #1 Posted November 14, 2022 I served on the USS Putnam DD-757 for 5 years as the first ship of my 20 year naval career. The ship was a Sumner class WWII destroyer that went thru the FRAM II program in 1961 for modernization. The closest I can come to this ship, in any scale, is a Gearing class DD which was a 14' longer version of the Sumner class DD and was outfitted with several different feature as part of the FRAM I program. This will be a slow build so bear with me. The kit will require quite a few modifications to get the desired end result. I found a set of blue prints on line for the USS Allen M. Sumner DD-692 which was the first ship of that class. I digitally enlarged the prints to 1:196 scale. This first step was to shorten the hull to the desired length... and the reattached the 2 sections... THe main deck plan view was then glued to the hull form and sanding began (what a mess)... I've sprayed it black (or any dark color) so I can more easily see where I need to make corrections to the hull shaping... and thats where I am at this point. More to follow...slowly. Ian_Grant, GrandpaPhil, gak1965 and 8 others 11 Quote
GrandpaPhil Posted November 16, 2022 #2 Posted November 16, 2022 Very cool! Canute, DaveSeay and mtaylor 3 Quote Building: 1:200 Russian Battleship Oryol (Orel card kit) 1:64 HMS Revenge (Victory Models plans) 1:64 Cat Esther (17th Century Dutch Merchant Ships)
schooner Posted November 27, 2022 #3 Posted November 27, 2022 Bold start cutting the hull in half! I had a great time building that kit as the USS Basilone. Message me and I can offer you a book on the Sumner & Gearing classes that I no longer need - has some good photos for detailing. Canute and mtaylor 2 Quote Tim Current build: Continental Navy Frigate ALFRED (build log) Past builds: Steam Tug SEGUIN (build log in the kits 1850-1900 section) Liberty Ship SS Stephen Hopkins (Gallery & Build Log) USS Basilone (DD-824) (Gallery & Build Log) USS Olympia (Gallery) USS Kirk (FF-1087) (Gallery & Build Log)
DaveSeay Posted December 12, 2022 Author #4 Posted December 12, 2022 (edited) OK. Back Again! I said this was going to be slow and I wasn't kidding. Between waiting for parts from BlueJacket, the holidays, visitors and the cold weather (my workshop is in a detached garage that gets cold) its been hard to find time to work on this. That said, I'be made enough progress to post my latest results. The 01 level is still not attached because I have some detail painting I need to do on it first. Next will be the bridge and superstructure underneath it. I also need to determine if the somar dome was a type of rubber and therefore black. Anyone know for sure? Edited December 12, 2022 by DaveSeay mikegr, Prowler901, Canute and 7 others 10 Quote
DaveSeay Posted January 8, 2023 Author #5 Posted January 8, 2023 Next step. Foward superstructure in place but I have some gaps to fill. The DASH hanger 7 ECM platform is just getting started. Its a bear working in that cold garage! yvesvidal, hof00, Prowler901 and 4 others 7 Quote
DaveSeay Posted January 15, 2023 Author #6 Posted January 15, 2023 I really should have provided some info on this latest stage of completion so here it is... Since this was a Gearing kit, there are numerous mods that I needed to do and will need to do going forward. So far, the changes are these... 1. (Previously mentioned) The hull had to be shortened 14 scale feet (which also removes the ASROC launcher and associated equipment.) 2. The Sumer had 3 - 5"/38 twin gun mounts while the Gearing only had 2 with the torpedo tubes located in the area of where mount 52 is on the Sumner. The deck in that area has been reduced and the torpedo tubes will be amidships. 3. The bridge is significantly different between the 2 classes and is what took most of the time for this latest stage. 4. The Dash hanger is also different with Gearing having the door and control station on the Starboard side while the Sumner had them on the port. The hanger is not as wide on the Sumner, over hanging the port side main deck on the Gearing but not on the Sumner. Canute and mtaylor 2 Quote
DaveSeay Posted January 15, 2023 Author #7 Posted January 15, 2023 (edited) Got the helo hanger and ECM platform completed and installed. The gun mounts are just sitting loose for 'effect'. LOL! Edited January 15, 2023 by DaveSeay hof00, yvesvidal, mtaylor and 4 others 7 Quote
DaveSeay Posted February 5, 2023 Author #8 Posted February 5, 2023 Next steps done... weapon systems installed, unrep station built, anchor chains in place. Looking forward to it warming up so I can put more thant a few hours a week into this! Prowler901, ccoyle, yvesvidal and 1 other 4 Quote
DaveSeay Posted March 17, 2023 Author #9 Posted March 17, 2023 The latest changes... ECM Antennas (quite different than the Gearing class.) Motor Whale Boat and davits. Deck edge chocks and bits. Angled ladders Anchors Main deck to 01 level supports. Flight deck markings. With the weather starting to wam up, I'm hopping my progress will increase. while there is still a lot of detail needed, the 4 major projects I have left area the handrails, the main mast, the VDS (which I will have to scratch build) and the flight deck safety nets. The last one has me stumped at the moment. The sections of safety nets that came with the Gearing kit are insufficient for the Sumner so I'm not sure how to proceed. I have not been able to find a photo etch set that has something I can use. Feel free to leave a suggestion. Thanks, Dave Canute, LEGION 12, Prowler901 and 3 others 5 1 Quote
gak1965 Posted March 17, 2023 #10 Posted March 17, 2023 BlueJacket makes photoetch safety nets for the USS Arleigh Burke, which I think is the same scale. I thought that @MrBlueJacket mentioned elsewhere that it is possible to get parts that are in their kits (but not something that they routinely sell separately) by calling their office. You might check this. Canute and mtaylor 2 Quote Current Builds: Bluejacket USS Kearsarge, RRS Discovery 1:72 scratch Completed Builds: Model Shipways 1:96 Flying Fish | Model Shipways 1:64 US Brig Niagara | Model Shipways 1:64 Pride of Baltimore II (modified) | Midwest Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack | Heller 1:150 Passat | Revell 1:96 USS Constitution
MrBlueJacket Posted March 17, 2023 #11 Posted March 17, 2023 1 hour ago, gak1965 said: BlueJacket makes photoetch safety nets for the USS Arleigh Burke, which I think is the same scale. I thought that @MrBlueJacket mentioned elsewhere that it is possible to get parts that are in their kits (but not something that they routinely sell separately) by calling their office. You might check this. You are correct. We sell parts all t he time. Nic mtdoramike, Canute and mtaylor 3 Quote
alross2 Posted March 17, 2023 #12 Posted March 17, 2023 There are no floater net baskets in the DDG51 kit. BJ sells a 1/192 scale Navy Brass fret that has them, along with lots of other useful items like WT doors, radar screens, ladders, railings, etc. mtdoramike, Canute and mtaylor 3 Quote
alross2 Posted March 19, 2023 #13 Posted March 19, 2023 (edited) For comparison of the types (SUMNER/GEARING), this is GEARING (DD710) as a FRAM 1. While outwardly similar, you can see the differences in the superstructure, electronics, and armament. Edited March 19, 2023 by alross2 mtaylor and Canute 2 Quote
DaveSeay Posted April 7, 2023 Author #14 Posted April 7, 2023 Very nice on your 710! Making progress on my 757, slowly. Weather is getting better so it easier to work in the garage! Finished the main mast and gun director. Helo deck nets next. Still have a lot of things to do. mtaylor, Canute and LEGION 12 3 Quote
ddp Posted April 7, 2023 #15 Posted April 7, 2023 Dave, don't know if you know about this site about your ship. http://www.mustangone.com/putnam/ is this the set of plans you are using? DD-692 USS Allen M. Sumner Booklet of General Plans 1968 what are you using to get the sonar dimensions from? Rick310, mtaylor and Canute 3 Quote
DaveSeay Posted May 22, 2023 Author #16 Posted May 22, 2023 The Mustangone.com is my personal website and i set up the Putnam pages. I used the shipyard plans for the 692 for a lot of this build. The sonar dome is included in the kit. Canute and mtaylor 2 Quote
DaveSeay Posted May 22, 2023 Author #17 Posted May 22, 2023 Here's the latest progress. All the handrails for the 01 level an above are done and I got a good start on scratch buiilding the VDS. mtaylor, ccoyle, gak1965 and 2 others 5 Quote
DaveSeay Posted July 11, 2023 Author #18 Posted July 11, 2023 All done! 8 months! Phew! This was the most first 1:196 wood kit and was the most PE I've dealt with. Just to remind everyone... this is a model of a Sumner Class DD FRAM II on which I spent the first 5-1/2 year of my naval career. Ryland Craze, Force9, mtaylor and 5 others 5 3 Quote
ccoyle Posted July 11, 2023 #19 Posted July 11, 2023 Nice work! Congratulations! Canute and mtaylor 2 Quote Chris Coyle Greer, South Carolina When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk. - Tuco Current builds: Brigantine Phoenix, DS Børøysund
MrBlueJacket Posted July 13, 2023 #20 Posted July 13, 2023 Very nice, Dave. Your customer file now shows 10% discount on the next kit you buy from us. Nic mtaylor and Canute 2 Quote
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