Old Skywaves Fletcher re-dressed

[air5]

An old Skywaves Fletcher class destroyer kit,converted into a Catapult carrier destroyer, USS Halford DD480. One of three out of ten ordered that was complete, before reconverted back into 5 gun Fletchers’. I have added a 20mm gun position in front of the bridge, drilled out the bridge port holes and, two 20mm gun positions in place of the 40mm gun tubs on the forward 2^nd level. The after 20mm position was relocated using brass sheet. Also new gun pit for the twin 40mm mount and director was added to the stern. Small items were also added like the practice 5in gun loader, a power winch, port side aft of the boat davit. From my USS San Francisco I took one of the catapults and added to the aft deck house behind the aft smoke stack. A crane was also made up on the port side near the aft stack also. Tom’s Modelworks Destroyer detail set, Deck hatch set and, various spares were used to detail the 5in gun director, radars, antennas and railing. Also used were Tom’s Railing net set for the forward deck rails. The paints are MM 36044 (lightened) for the vertical surfaces and Humbrol 104, for Deck Blue. The Kingfisher is from Trumpeter (any one need one or two I have a few extras) painted Tamiya Med Blue and Lt Grey. Decals for the ships numbers and the stars and bar, are from Midlands. I have yet to find a decal small enough for the jack staff on the aft stack

Thanks for looking

[Rob 1]

Good work, looks impressive. I read about these (or this) aircraft equipped Fletcher, great idea and makes them look impressively and comprehensively fitted out, but shame they didn't work out too well.

Edited March 14, 2014 by Rob 1