USS Trippe DD403

**CMDRTED** · #1 12-12-2023, 01:06 PM

Greetings all, it has been awhile since I posted a thread or actually built anything for a long time. I've been forced into retirement by a large left sided stroke and have started the very long path of rehab. My new wife since May 20th and I moved to Lebanon Pa and we have unpacked our hobby stuffs.
The Trippe is a freebie group of ships designed by Clifton McCollough, reworked by Gerry1996 and are available on the ecard site.
Gerry added some details and enlarged the ships from 1/600 to 1/400. I also added a few more details.
Trippe was part of a group of prewar destroyers very similar to each other @ 1500 tons, 16 torpedo tubes,4- 5" guns and small depth charge capability.
Trippe spent her prewar time in the atlantic on neutrality patrols. When WW2 started she did escort duty in the atlantic then participated in the North African invasion. She shifted to the Italian campaigns and this model is her appearance during the Anzio landings. Her torpedo tubes were reduced to 8 she added 20mm guns and 2 twin 40 aa guns. She also had a substantial increase in depth charge and k gun throwers.

**Texman** · #2 12-12-2023, 01:22 PM

Looks pretty awesome Ted! Looks like health mending is going well!

**CMDRTED** · #3 12-12-2023, 01:23 PM

To continue, The kit is 2 pages of parts and 2 pages of instructions. The hull is basic egg crate design and goes together well. this kit has a small length discrepancy and the skeleton framework needs to be shortened. Unfortunately I built the model before the camera was unpacked and my wife pointed out i could've used my cell phone. Duh.
Anyways going along the walk around, the fore deck was built up with anchor gear, chains and anchor . going further aft the A and B turrets were built up and detailed, fire fighting gear was added. The Hatches were doubled up to provide a bit more detail the portholes were punched out . the 20 mm guns are my own design, The forward bridge had the squarish windows replaced by portholes and the forward gun director was tweaked and the mk 4 radar was added. I'm not too happy with the way the radar scoops turned out but there is only so much than can be done at this time. the forward little deck had a radio direction finder added

**CMDRTED** · #4 12-12-2023, 02:47 PM

Thanks Ray. It still has along way to go. my grip and fine motor in my left is about 65%. Building is a very slow affair. But, it is do-able!
Moving on, the stack was one of the hardest parts to build and match up stack and base. I suggest when building the base, it goes from rectangle at the bottom to oval where it meets up with the stack, fill in the bottom with a rectangular piece of card doubled, and place an oval former where the base meets the stack. this worked out after 2 tries of not using those internal formers. I added the flag boxes to the after bridge work and added small signal searchlites to one of the decks. The mast came later but as you can see I added ladders and a small crows nest and mid platform. The radar was tulle material glued to a couple 1/200 scale brass rail sections. The ships boat was built stock but a canvas cover was added from thin paper. The davits are stock also.

**Don Boose** · #5 12-12-2023, 05:59 PM

Ted - I'm glad to get this update on your health and on your move. Based on these close up images of the detail work, your fine motor skills are doing well.

I very much like the U.S. Navy pre- and early-war destroyers, and this is a fine example.

Good wishes for continued recovery and happiness in Lebanon.

Don

**CMDRTED** · #6 12-12-2023, 06:30 PM

Thank you Don. The build doesn't show the failed parts on the way to the final.
The move went well, we needed to get close to Leigh's job at Hershey/Penn State med, and we needed to downsize from 4000 Sq feet to 2200 Sq feet. Of course this doesn't cover the complete floor plan basement and full size walk in attic. A little wary about filling that space!
Anyways on with the walk around. The mid deck shows the large search light, redesigned and a couple 20 mm. the torpedo banks were tweaked with the training mechanisms added and a little added doodads to the tubes. The largest add on was the little deck house and the various vent trunking on the top. the little catwalks were also scratched. The little towers fwd of the twin 40mm are scratch built with directors added. The twin 40 mm were scratch built also.

**CMDRTED** · #7 12-13-2023, 02:56 PM

The last bits are the x y turrets and depth charge racks. i believe one of the after turrets may have been just a gun house covered walls with a canvas top, but some pics looked alot like a regular turret, so that's what was built. the last series of pics are a "fly over" from aft to bow.

**Siwi** · #8 12-14-2023, 09:16 AM

Had these in the 'stash' for a while but couldn't find a build thread. Your pictures will be invaluable when I turn to making one (there are four). All looking good. Might I ask what you used for the anchor chains?

**ReynoldsSlumber** · #9 12-14-2023, 10:24 AM

A fine-looking model—I especially like the anti-aircraft gun details and the dazzle-ish camo aesthetic. Sincere condolences on the health setback; very glad you've been able to find ways to keep modeling, and well!

**CMDRTED** · #10 12-14-2023, 01:43 PM

Thank you all, Siwi the chains are model rail road chains I purchased 30 years ago. You can find similar on amazon. The Trippe is one of 4 from the Benham bundle. I built the Gridley from the gridley bundle and am preparing to build the USS Blue from the Bagley bundle. All these kits are Reworks from Gerry and are available from the ecard site. Last I checked they were free. you have to add the little fiddley bits yourself, but the basic structures are fine.