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Showing results for tags 'Daniel Webster'.
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This is the new Mikro-Mir kit of the USS Lafayette class FBM sub that I have converted to the one-off USS Daniel Webster SSBN-626. Daniel Webster had the normally sail-mounted dive planes moved to a 'mini-sail' on the upper bow to try to solve some porpoising problems. The system worked, but reduced top speed, so, during a later re-fit they were removed and restored to the sail position. The conversion simply involved making a new mini-sail from plastic card and mounting it, with the kit dive planes, onto the bow.... The new configuration completely alters the look of the boat..... ......and resulted in her being nicknamed ''Old Funny Fins'..... Close up of the home-made 'mini-sail'....... The decals for Daniel Webster are included in the Mikro-Mir kit of the USS Lafayette - so I suspect that they will be releasing a kit of this boat eventually, but I couldn't wait. In fact, the Lafayette kit includes a great set of decals with pennant numbers and markings for all the FBM's in both the Lafayette and later James Maddison classes - as well as for early and late colour schemes. I have another Lafayette kit to make as a 'normal' boat..... Ken PS - Some photos of the kit and construction here
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Whilst waiting for the Milliput on my X.1 conversion to set, I thought I would start the recent 1/350 scale release from Mikro-Mir, the US Navy missile boat, USS Lafayette SSBN 616..... This is a simple build - the hull is in horizontally split halves with a separate missile compartment, a 5-part sail, and diving planes...... The propeller is etched brass and decals are included for 4 different boats in different and well-researched colour schemes - John Adams, Lafayette, Von Stueben and Stonewall Jackson - the latter 2 of the identical James Madison class. With no locating pins, the hull joint is a little weak - so I added strips of plastic card .......... before glueing, filling and sanding the joint to eliminate the seam line. Once I was happy with the hull joint, the separate missile compartment was added.... The sail has an opening - with a bridge deck provided - so this was cemented in place before the two halves were cemented together and the top attached. The deck needed a bit of sanding to get it to fit.... The clear windows were added and masked. It was at this point, having done some internet research, I discovered the oddball of the class - USS Daniel Webster. This boat was fitted with the forward dive planes moved from the normal position on the sail to a mounting on the upper bow - and as I am a sucker for the unusual, I decided to make this boat. The front-mounted mini-sail was carved from laminations of plastic card..... ... and attached to the bows..... The kit supplied dive planes will be attached, once the model is painted.... Thats progress so far - it just needs painting now. I suspect that Mikro-Mir will release this as a kit at sometime in the future (the clue is in the fact that you have to drill holes in the sail for the 'conventional' versions) - but I thought I'd have a go myself. I have another kit to make the USS Lafayette later... Ken