Scale: 1/125
 
Recommended for the Lindberg 1/125 scale “Blue Devil Destroyer” USS Melvin DD-680, Fletcher class. This is a direct replacement for the Lindberg kit's inaccurately shaped and detailed bridge.
 
Sets of doors are available separately.
 
The 2,050-ton Fletcher class was one of the most successful wartime and post-war destroyer classes of the US Navy and arguably the most significant class in the Pacific war.  175 ships of the class were produced over a 32-month period during World War II.  They were produced in two groups:  58 were built with a high, "Round Bridge" and 117 (two-thirds of the class) were completed with a low, "Square Bridge" which afforded better visibility for anti-aircraft defense.  Several Fletchers served in foreign navies, the last, Mexico's Cuitláhuac, the former USS John Rodgers, retired in 2001.

This model kit is designed for Fletchers with the Bethlehem Steel-type square bridge having an "A/T" door on the port, aft bulkhead and no door to the captain's sea cabin aft on the starboard side.
 
Our references indicate that the following ships were built with a pilot house that had what we are calling the "Bethlehem Steel door configuration".  Check your own references to be sure this pilot house is correct for your model.
 
DD-532 Heerman
DD-535 Miller
DD-540 Twining
DD-558 Laws
DD-571 Claxton
DD-596 Shields (post war)
DD-630 Braine (post war)
DD-631 Erben
DD-642 Hale (WWII)
DD-644 Stembel (post Korean War)
DD-649 Albert W. Grant
DD-650 Caperton
DD-651 Cogswell
DD-652 Ingersoll
DD-653 Knapp
DD-654 Bearss
DD-655 John Hood
DD-656 Van Valkenburgh
DD-657 Charles J. Badger
DD-658 Colahan
DD-659 Dashiell
DD-661 Kidd
DD-674 Hunt
DD-675 Lewis Hancock
DD-676 Marshall
DD-677 McDermott
DD-680 Melvin
DD-681 Hopewell
DD-682 Porterfield
DD-686 Halsey Powell
DD-687 Uhlmann
DD-688 Remey
DD-689 Wadleigh
DD-792 Callaghan
DD-793 Cassin Young
DD-794 Irwin
DD-795 Preston
DD-796 Benham
DD-797 Cushing
DD-798 Monssen
DD-799 Jarvis
 
The Bath Ironworks-type Square Bridge is available separately.  Consult your resources to be sure which type you need.

Features:
overall dimensions accurately scaled from builder's plans
open, exterior 5'-6" "A/T" door locations per photos of actual Bethlehem Steel-built Fletchers 
open, interior "M/J" door frames 
interior bulkheads with accurately positioned structural framing for the pilot house forward, the starboard side light locker and the cabin's sea cabin
interior radio, compass and electrical component replicas positioned on bulkheads as found on the museum ship USS Kidd DD-661
scale, open, exterior 16" diameter airports (portholes) in proper locations
scale, open, interior 10" diameter airport (porthole) on bulkhead between the Pilot House and the Fire Control Station
integrated Mk.37 Director tower (Mk.37 available separately)
exterior airport (porthole) wiper motor locations per Bath Iron Works drawings
mast support frame
ship's bell suspended from mast frame
integrated loudspeaker (aka "reproducer")
standard antenna lead-in insulators in proper locations
 
This 3D-printed model is designed to match the overall dimensions of features of the real ship as recorded in official Navy blueprints.  It is not a copy of any injection molded plastic or resin kits' parts and therefore may be differently shaped and sized.  Some adjustment to your kit, or other aftermarket products such as photoetch, may be necessary for best fit.

© Model Monkey LLC.  This 3D-printed product may not be copied or recast.