USS Spruance - Best (only ?) kit in 1/700 scale ?

[Tiger331]

Hello again everyone,

My newly 'commissioned' project to produce a USS Arleigh Burke class destroyer (USS Momsen) has now expanded to encompass my work colleague's first (USS Spruance) and last (USS Momsen) ships. I've now decided (since I'm going to complete two ships) to do them in 1/700 scale with the Hobby Boss of USS Momsen favored….problem with the USS Spruance is that I have found at least four 'manufacturers' of a 1/700 scale kit of this ship although I suspect at least two (if not more) are actually the same mould. From what little search I've done so far, I see that Skywave, Revell, Minicraft and Dragon have all done this ship in 1/700…..problem is, I cannot find out if the mould is the same…..I'm a little wary because the price differential is quite marked although I appreciate that at least one of the kits contains P/E which would ramp up the price for that particular kit anyway.

So, can anyone shed any light on these USS Spruance kits and provide me with guidance on which one to opt for ?. I will most probably mount the two ships on a scenic base so full versus waterline hull could be a deciding factor.

Thanks

Mark

[Guest]

Hi Me again,I would go with Dragon mainly because you get the bottom of the hull to make full hull and The P.E. and the decals with be the latest type,I have built this ship USS Hewitt( I wonder why! )hope I have been a help.The kit I would go for

http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery/dd/dd-966/700-ch/ch-index.html

My USS Hewitt,this was my third ship into 1/700,the sea needs tidying up.

[Tiger331]

Chewitt

NICE model !……I only hope I can do half as good a job as you have done and I will be v. happy. Have you added anything (other than the communications aerials and 'rigging', I assume) to the Dragon kit or is that pretty much out of the box ?. Having done some further research this PM, I had pretty much settled on the Dragon 'Premium' kit anyway and your model above has done a great job in 'selling' this decision to me !.

Thanks again for your timely help.

Mark

[Guest]

Yes was out was out of the box , apart from crew,oh watch the masts they are very fragile.

[Tiger331]

Yes was out was out of the box , apart from crew,oh watch the masts they are very fragile.

The CREW ……Sorry, only just noticed them on the flight deck……where did you get those, if I may ask…..White Ensign Models ?

Thanks for the tip off about the masts.

[Guest]

I would have said yes once, but the best are Eduard 1/700 figures on the market and best thing about them,they are painted,but don,t tell anyone

http://www.eduard.com/store/Eduard/Naval-Figures-1-700.html?cur=1&listtype=search&searchparam=1%2F700%20figures

[Tiger331]

Thanks for the tip…….Yes….I certainly agree with the pre-painted option…..It is going to a challenging enough project (in terms of time) without worrying too much about painting 1/700 scale figures….

Thanks again for all your help……just managed to find the Dragon Premium kit of the Spruance at a bargain price on t'internet so I'm on starters orders..

[Bonhoff]

See you've gone down Dragon route but my advice to anyone considering Minicraft (Based on experience of their Ticonderoga) is no....