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USS Pegasus PHM-1. 1:200


Shar2

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USS Pegasus PHM-1

HobbyBoss 1:200

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The Pegasus-class hydrofoils were a series of fast attack patrol boats employed by the U.S. Navy. They were in service from 1977 through 1993. These hydrofoils carried the designation "PHM" for "Patrol, Hydrofoil, Missile." The Pegasus class vessels were originally intended for NATO operations in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Subsequently, participation by other NATO navies, including Germany and Italy, ceased and the U.S. Navy proceeded to procure six PHMs, which were highly successful in conducting coastal operations, such as anti-drug patrols and coastal patrol, in the Caribbean basin. The boats were armed with up to eight harpoon missiles, and an Oto Melara 76mm gun

 

Whilst all the class were very similar, the Pegasus was actually built several years before the rest had was completed with a different fire control system, along with several other minor differences. All six vessels were constructed by Boeing, in Seattle at the Renton plant and were stationed at NAS Key West. The ships were retired because they were not judged cost effective for their mission in a Navy with primarily offensive missions rather than coastal patrol. USS Aries PHM-5 Hydrofoil Memorial, Inc. obtained Aries for rehabilitation as a memorial located on the Grand River in Brunswick, Missouri. All other PHMs in the class have been scrapped, except for Gemini, which was converted into a yacht and later scrapped.

 

The Model

Another kit that wasn’t expected, and certainly not in 1:200 scale. Having built the White Ensign Models 1:350 kit I had a feeling that this wasn’t going to be a large model, even in this scale, and I was right, with the overall length of just over 203mm and a width of just over 71mm. The dramatic boxart shows the boat at sea firing off a Harpoon missile. Inside there are six sprues, a single piece hull, single piece deck and two separate superstructure parts in grey styrene a sheet of etched brass and a small decal sheet.

 

Despite its size, the mouldings are all really well produced. There is no sign of flash or other imperfections, although there are quite a few moulding pips, particularly on the small parts.  As such, some care will need to be taken when parting from the runners and parts. Many of the structural parts for the Harpoon launchers and radar dome support are made entirely of PE, so you will need to be conversant with working with this medium and have a folding tool to hand.

Construction begins with the assembly of the front foil, with the upright being glued to the foil itself. The assembly is then slipped into the slot in the bow, a shaft is then slid through the hull in the upright section and locked in place in the trunnions moulded within the hull. The single piece deck is then glued into place.  Rear foils are made up from a single piece foil, and two, two piece uprights.  The assembly is then clicked into place to the rear of the hull and you have the option of having them in the lowered or raised position by fitting the extended or retracted actuators. The bow foil doors are then glued into place with the foil either retracted or lowered. The two rudders are then attached, along with the two, two piece water jets.

 

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The bridge is then glued to the front of the superstructure, and is fitted with a set of seven wiper motors as well as PE wipers for each of the bridge screens.  The superstructure is then fitted with PE intake screens, handrails, along with plastic parts such as life rings, life belts, bullhorn, and several other items that I cannot identify. On the top deck of the superstructure there are several stowage boxes, electrical boxes, and ventilators attached.  There is also a liferaft, bridge access door and on the rear bulkhead a vertical ladder, access door and exhaust tube.  Back to the top deck, five mushroom vents, a short whip aerial, another bullhorn, more storage boxes and two four piece, six barrelled decoy launchers are glued into their respective positions.

 

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The superstructure assembly is the glued to the main deck, and the eleven piece mainmast is assembled and glued into position.  The four piece radar dome is attached to a three legged PE support structure, which will need some careful bending, before also being glued into position on the superstructure, along with a tall whip aerial, inclined ladder and klaxon. The foredeck is then fitted out with hatches, jackstaff, bitts, cleats, anchor and storage boxes.  The turret mounting the 76mm gun is made up from six parts before being attached to the foredeck mounting plate.  Two, three piece cable reels are then assembled and glued into position just in front of the bridge, one per side of the deck. The quarterdeck is similarly fitted out, with bitts, cleats, hatches, a cable reel, mushroom vents and ensign staff.

 

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The two PE Harpoon launcher frames are folded to shape and glued into position. The modeller has the choice of fitting any number of launch tubes to the frames, from one to four.  On the port side of the quarterdeck there is a nine piece unit, which looks like a smoke generator of some sort.  The last part fitted to the quarterdeck is the three piece funnel. Adding the PE ships railings all around the main deck and upper deck completes the build.

 

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Decals

The small decal sheet provides the ships number for the bow, national markings for the aircraft and a pair of Jacks and Ensigns, in two different styles, and several small markings for the deck. They are well printed, in register and look to have pretty good opacity.

 

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Conclusion

It’s great to this kit being released, as it’s quite a fun thing to have in the collection. Ok, it was one of those cul-de-sac designs, and not as important as some recent releases, but it is still interesting, nonetheless. It would have been nice to have alternative parts and decals for the rest of the class, but I guess we can’t have everything. From what I’ve been able to check in the relevant books the kits does appear to be pretty accurate too.

 

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Review sample courtesy of
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