1/200 Fletcher Test Shot 2

[@shadowfaxx5]

Wow!! Great Scale for Destroyers!

[@markturner9272]

I can't wait for it to come out. It is a the perfect ship for us non ship building guys.

[@Niko2100-r2z]

The flagstaff on the aft 40mm gun tub should go on the back of the aft smoke stack for the battle flag. There should be a small light staff on the stern between the smoke generators. You have mistakenly put the night following light between the #4 and #5 guns, it should be on the back of the aft stack as well. There should be a break in the railing at the k-guns. Reference my Taffy 3 drawings at Fine Art America or in the book, The Defenders of Taffy 3. I put my $99.99 pre-order at Squadron. Waiting.

[@dannyherron8652]

I have the 1/144. I like it but would totally love this. HOWEVER would absolutely love and buy one in an instant in 1/96 scale!!!!!!

[@TheMidwestModelShop]

😆😆😆

[@johndillon8051]

I'll definitely be getting one of these. It would be great if Trumpeter included in the decal sheets additional hull numbers to allow greater flexibility to model different Fletchers.

[@yay795]

Execelent Video and great model. Can't wait until this comes out. Thank you!

[@toboldlygosmodelworks1973]

Wow, the Fletcher looks cool.

[@dannyherron8652]

PLEASE get ready with all of the 3d resin parts that you think would actually enhance...why you ask?? Because I will be ordering from you once I get the kit. No better than the "man" who knows ships, builds ships, and can actually really with total knowledge recommend what would be needed to build a great "museum" level kit. Thanks Ben, in advance! your "Tour Buddy" from 2024 Nats...

[@uncommon_niagara1581]

The placement of the superstructure parts both above the sprue and distant from each other suggests a very complicated mold with retractable sections for every side of the part. The one spue with three parts on it could have ten seperate moving sections.

[@tomdunbar1614]

Great easy to understand !!!

[@andreaselesky9970]

Great review and build, especially guessing and using references for part locations and assembly. I am definitely getting a set of these kits.

[@jimkhata6847]

I recently picked up the ILK Curtis Wilbur in 200th which as far as I know ILK is Trumpeter. Funny thing is the deck and hull have the identical fit issue at the bow as the Fletchers, it fits perfect except a small gap on the port side.The molding of the other parts looks pretty much the same in both kits with lots of beautiful detail molding. Can't wait for this kit to be released.

[@Jman8888]

Ben this was a nice surprise to wake up to! I wonder why the USS Johnston doesn’t get its own model? It’s pretty famous fletcher class destroyer and no model company’s have an option for her. I just hope I can get her hull numbers in 1/200 scale now lol

[@henryschmitt7577]

Exactly, the fighting est destroy in WW2 with one of the hard as nails CO!

[@garrburton3375]

For a ‘Test Shot’ it looks excellent with clearly some great advancements in the moulding process…. Very impressive and one I would definitely look to acquire. Great review….. Happy Thanksgiving’s to you, your family and all across the pond from the U.K. Best Regards Gary

[@AlbertD711]

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Ben. The Fletchers have always been my favorite modern ship. I agree that the details look fantastic. I will definitely be getting at least one of these.

[@DASCDUDE]

Looks like a great size kit as a project.

[@grahambaxter4112]

Hi Ben, the USS Fletcher looks great as a ‘naked’ build (no paint) 👍

[@paulsmodels]

Overall a nice looking kit. The deck coming up short is pretty odd. Maybe in the final product they will take care of that? I'd like to see Tamiya make this same scale kit. I know it would be more expensive but a better quality kit.

[@raystarr4388]

Hey, Ben, Amazing build with no instructions. Definitely will be a great kit. Have a great and Happy Thanksgiving with your family. Will shoot you an email after the holidays about Radars for my builds.

[@TomReese-h8m]

Looking forward to building this!

[@CAPNMAC82]

Hull is missing the sonar dome as well as the bilge keels (which are pretty prominent (and needful) on Fletchers. That bow railing will be jumped on in the aftermarket to provide the netting on the lower two lines. I am so chuffed that Stevens includes the Kingfisher, as I was anticipating the effort wanted to get the cat and aircraft.

[@TheMidwestModelShop]

Yeah I wasn’t sure if all Fletchers had the sonar dome or not, but that’s not too hard to create as an add on. The keels are probably best made from Styrene T-Stock. Unless Trumpeter includes them with the final version.

[@keithralston1133]

Nice preview. Hope you and your family have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

[@timothykronser1341]

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well!

[@markkrumrey6238]

Great review. Looking forward to this one.

[@michaelkneringer3194]

Looks good. Wished for something like this for about eight years. Actually hoped for a larger scale though.

[@dannyherron8652]

@@michaelkneringer3194 how about a 1/96?

[@stevenpiper970]

This is very nice, well done! I’m looking for a ship that doesn’t blow chunks oob, this looks like it!

[@stephenseligman8484]

looking at the booklet of plans there should be bilge keels if not molded they coukd be added with strip styrene

[@edrasa9003]

I want one!!!! Perfect with the Missouri

[@dannyherron8652]

"Impressive...most impressive!"

[@uncommon_niagara1581]

It would be interesting to see what the curators of any of the Fletcher class museum ships think of this model, and whether they would have any insight on the era depicted. Ryan from the New Jersey was just at the Kidd talking about their configuration, and Shane from the Sullivans has been doing an archeological series on the visible scars of changes to the Sullivans over her career

[@Niko2100-r2z]

I was a volunteer for 5 years on USS Kidd. I published the book, "The Defenders of Taffy 3." The very detailed profiles I created of Johnston, Hoel and Heermann are now available to print out large size are on Fine Art America. My opinion, after studying photographs, official blue prints, available online and the 2000 blue prints on board Kidd and going through every compartment on the ship (and cleaning the bathrooms a lot) is... looks good. For most people the stock build should be enough. It will be for me.

[@robertevans8126]

Shared ... thanks for part 2 :)

[@darrenwilks8359]

Will there be the netting behind the deck railings?

[@ronengel5736]

I've been working on a 1/350 Gearing that my Dad was on. Been a modeler a long time. the 1/350 you better be a watch maker. The PE detail sets are difficult, poor instructions, am sure you will find plenty to print add ons to this kit, as you should, oh hell yeah you are a typical modeler, no box ,no box art, no instructions, but I built it anyway, lmfao............I'm watching and waiting

[@Uhlan_]

Oh Boy, another early Fletcher. Anyone ever gonna do the later up-armed Fletchers, or just repeat what Revell did?

[@TheMidwestModelShop]

Did you watch the video?

[@jeffreycohn6407]

What’s the typical lag time between the release of the kit and the release of a pontos or other 3rd party detail up set?

[@HarleyMeiroff]

Well done review. While the detail looks outstanding, the 20mm Orlikons and the 40mm Bofors don't appear to be up to the level as the rest of the model. Thanks for the info.

[@jimcombs6760]

My great uncle was on the USS Dehaven during WWII. Do you have an idea which of these kits would get me closest to that ship (before it was sunk)?

[@EdG-f9p]

@@jimcombs6760 your choice for a DeHaven (469) would be the round bridge bog-standard Fletcher

[@9999plato]

I wish they made an FFG7 in 1/200 scale. Anything smaller is a waste of time or me. It would look stupid on my fireplace mantle. I just want a good representation of the ship I served on.

[@geralddecelles77]

Great video! Just a question, if you were looking to build the USS Johnston, would you use the Fletcher as the base or one of the others? And, Happy Thanksgiving.

[@johndillon8051]

No, use the Sullivans. Johnston was a square bridge Fletcher.

[@johndillon8051]

And another thing. The Johnston is very close to the "early" Sullivan. Nearly all the Fletchers were up gunned with additional anti-aircraft guns in 1945, which occurred with the Sullivan, but obviously not with the Johnston. We don't know which (or both) options Trumpeter will offer. I intend to model the Johnston as well (who wouldn't after reading, "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors"). Lots of good references out there depending on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go. 😊

[@geralddecelles77]

@@johndillon8051 Thanks, that is some good information and I will look to pick up that book. It is a tremendous story of courage and definitely the one that I want to build. I recommend kzbin.info/aero/PLErys4h2oiuyYpeR4s_iE2e_fSV4KszII&feature=shared If you have not seen it already.

[@EdG-f9p]

@@johndillon8051. The Sullivans appears to be the late kamikaze fit with 14 40mm gun tubes (3 twins and 4 quads). As lost the Johnson was a 10 tube version (5 twins). I believe that someone may be interested in releasing a modified mid-ship deckhouse with different gun tub layout

[@johndillon8051]

I hope you're right about the aftermarket making the 10 tub version. I think that the Trumpeter 1/350 Sullivan allows either to be built. ​@@EdG-f9p

[@chtholly9894]

Not to be too picky but the 5inch turrets are too square, the front is abit more angled back and rear has more curve into it and if u look at the actual mounts their slightly skinnier and the roof is angled a few inches higher, it’s almost flat on the model, it’s missing its manual gunner sight positions on top as well as the blast shields

[@EdG-f9p]

There should be two different ‘flavors’ of 5-inch funhouses. The first and fifth are strengthened from the super firing gun above.

[@johnfox990]

Yes mounts 51 and 55 are double-knuckle and the others single-knuckle. The double -knuckle mounts are reinforced for the superfiring mounts 52 and 54.

[@dushanepowell4290]

How long is this model?

[@TheMidwestModelShop]

I can’t remember exactly. About 22” or so. It’s in the first video for sure.

[@theswordguy5269]

That hull plating is ridiculously bad. I hope they fix it.

[@TheMidwestModelShop]

Realistically, at this point it’s not going to happen, unfortunately. But it wouldn’t take too much effort to sand it down.

[@normcamou]

Not as detailed as Revell 1/144. Trumpeter hull incorrect.