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Revell Platinum 1/144 USS Fletcher


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Hi everyone, I've decided to document the build of a very exciting Christmas gift, Revell's Platinum USS Fletcher.

wSBSPnp.jpg

As you can see from the handy coke can, the box was absolutely massive.

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And the hull was no different (please ignore the messy work station)

This image shows what separates it from a regular Revell kit:

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I'm really excited for this kit because it will allow me to stretch my photoetch skills without having to murder my wallet in aftermarket etch.

 

I've done research on the Fletcher, and will be making it as it was in 1942, with a camouflage system called 'Measure 12 Modified' 

http://www.shipcamouflage.com/measure_12_modified.htm

 

Luckily this website lists the official names of the paint colours in this scheme, which the White Ensign Colourcoat paint line apparently recreate almost perfectly, so these have been ordered.

 

I will soon start work on this, but if you guys have any tips or anything you would like to pass on, it would be much appreciated!

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Watching with interest. There's a lot of metal work there! That's going to keep you busy for a while!
I've built a couple of the basic Fletcher class destroyers, about 7 years ago for a customer's model railway. Believe it or not, this is the first one......... used as the basis for a Liberty Ship!! Yes, really, there's a destroyer under all that! The other was built out of the box with some battle damage, for a dry dock scene.

ship106.jpg

 

ship108.jpg

 

launch7.jpg

 

quay198.jpg

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@Army_Air_Force Those pictures are going to be really helpful when it comes to weathering, thanks!

 

So far today I've managed to successfully join the hull halves together, so an excellent start I'd say

nnUJ0Kp.jpg

As for the photoetch, I've completed the first booklet which concerns the mast:

cAxSV1J.jpg

Decently happy with how this turned out, on to the next step

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Hi Scottbowsher!

Great start on the Fletcher, I wondered what was involved in the Platinum Edition,plenty of photoetch to play with there!

Just started My 'ood on this forum,so will be following Your build with interest!

 

Keep Sticking!   Cheers,  Pete

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Thank you guys for all your comments, they really mean a lot to me.

As for progress I have finished the two stacks, one of which features a searchlight platform made entirely out of photo-etch which was a massive improvement from the plastic part

iIggHrP.jpg

 

You can see the other stack in the background but it's currently being used to support the mast from falling down so I wasn't able to get a particularly clear picture. I cannot wait to finally be able to get some primer on these things and actually unify the pieces. 

 

Speaking of paints, I received a parcel today:

4NvsO00.jpg

I've had a peek at the anti-fouling red colour on the left and I have to say, they look like some of the best paints I've used in a while. There's no difference between the colour of the lid and the paint itself.

 

I've been having some problems with Imgur today, the site I use to upload the images, so this update has been slightly delayed. Since finishing the stacks I've started on the gun director, which has the wonderful feature of 18 two-part tiny hatches which can be folded together to allow for opening and closing. I'm not actually sure why I didn't just glue them shut and make life easier but I've managed to get all but one of them movable. 

 

Anyway, back to work I reckon.

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This looks to be a cracking build.  Super Nice progress so far with some really clan etch work going on there.  I love the intended camo scheme.

Looking forward to seeing you use the Colourcoat paints, I must try them.

Seeing this Platinum edition makes me wonder whether Revell will do the same for their Corvette - now that would be interesting!

Happy New Year and be sure to keep this coming

Rob

Edited by robgizlu
Seplling!!
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Happy New year everyone!

 

I hope you are all doing well and thank you all for the comments.

 

First off, here's the Gun Director, which suffered slightly when the radar on top decided to break apart in my hands and had to be salvaged as best as possible.

VxwpHms.jpg

One thing that really annoys me about superglue is how it whitens photoetch. At least the barrier-fence thing came out well.

 

Next up, something I've been working on over the last few days, which got so tedious I honestly considered leaving them for last, was all of the 5-inch guns as they all required the same etch on 5 panels making up the 5 guns. Also included is the twin Bofors which I worked on when I couldn't stand the main guns anymore. 

Qobs4rS.jpg

 

On the bright side, I only have three A3 sheets of etch instructions left before I can throw it all on to the main ship, which I haven't done anything to since gluing the hull halves together.

 

Thank you all for reading!

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I really enjoyed building this kit, and I get the impression you are too! My build used the Eduard PE but unfortunately Photob*cket means it's gone from the BM site. 

 

Great job so far, and I like the look of that dedicated PE set. I've got the Platinum New Jersey and it's also got some excellent PE. Wonder why Revell don't include it more often. 

 

Alan 

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Hey everyone, hope you are all doing well. 

Sorry for the lack of updates but I've been getting carried away in the amount I do between pictures.

Anyway here's the torpedo tubes, depth charges and holders, some reels, and the practice 5-inch gun loader. 

yqnO4If.jpg

I've done some other small things which didn't seem picture-worthy but honestly I'm so close to finishing this photo-etch I just want to keep going. I honestly don't know how you guys use Pontos kits and stuff because this is a pretty basic PE set and I can already feel myself going insane at the mere sight of twisted brass.

Anyway, hopefully I can move on to getting it all together and painting soon enough. 

 

Thanks for reading!

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Another picture for you all, of the ship with all the main bits and pieces attached:

w9aUHg9.jpg

Almost all the photo etch is completed, save for some ladders and such, and the only plastic I really have to worry about are the barriers, which I will rig with the included string when it's all painted. 

 

I want to keep some parts separate to make painting the floor and camouflage as easy as possible.

 

I'm at university for the next few days, then back home for a bit, so future updates might become weekends only until around April.

 

Thank you all for reading!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey guys!

 

This may be a surprise to some of you but I haven't actually abandoned the ship, I've just been incredibly busy. Also I may have been putting it off slightly.

 

Luckily all the building is done, and that means priming:

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ShpToya.jpg

 

Unfortunately I'm not sure if it's the new airbrush I got or some less than perfect paint but I can't seem to paint for more than a minute without the brush clogging up so I need to sort that out. 

 

Until then, just thought I'd let you know this still exists and hasn't been 'hit by many torpedoes'.

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@k5054nz I must imagine you're dealing with tiny pieces of PE compared to mine so I have much sympathy for you :lol:

 

Update time! 

 

I certainly have been busy. I think finishing the plastic and PE work means that I could finally do something different (mainly painting) and so I spent basically all day doing so.

 

Also, sorry about the picture quality, when it's all done I'll take pictures in natural light with a decent camera.

 

You may remember a while ago I showed off those Colourcoat paints and I finally got to use them today:

bjPkxWY.jpg

 

I would like to start off by saying I'm not sponsored (If that was possible) but these paints were absolutely wonderful to paint with. I've always been a little afraid of enamel paints but these were so smooth.

 

So smooth, in fact, that to avoid masking the Measure 12 Scheme I just decided to free-hand the airbrush which turned out pretty fancy:

CyvEpI7.jpg

 

Then it was just a matter of adding all the other parts:

0DWs5SL.jpg

And all of the painting was done!

 

Since these pictures I've started on the tedious task of rigging (made worse by the fact due to the scale, the barriers on the ship require actual string)

then just decals and weathering.

 

Since we are approaching the end of the build, I was curious as to what you guys think I should make next. As you may have noticed hidden in the pictures above, I have a Dragon Sherman with MiniArt Crew and ValueGear stowage, but I also have a Takom Chieftain Mk.10 With Voyager Basic PE and Peddinghaus figures.

 

Let me know what you guys think and as always thank you so much for reading!

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