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USS Duluth - A Cleveland Classic

Duluth was a late " square bridged" Cleveland class cruiser. The Duluth was laid down at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. November 9, 1942.After her commissioning, September 18, 1944 she served as a training ship until March 2, 1945. Sent to the Pacific theatre she joined 5th Fleet in May but before any action her bow was damaged by a Typhoon. Following repairs Duluth assisted in screening US carriers in the final strikes against the Japanese mainland. Placed out of commission in July 1949 Duluth was sold for scrap November 14, 1960.

Pit Road's kit (W23) comes molded in light gray styrene. All moldings are clean with no flash. Loren Perry's Gold Medal Models photo etch set for US cruisers DD's and DE's will be used to detail the ship.

The first thing I like to do with waterline kits is trace the outline if the hull onto masking tape applied to the base. After I cut out the ship the base is begun by painting the water, waves and wakes. (photo 1) I begin the ship by assembling the major sub assemblies, not gluing the deck levels together until after painting the complex camouflage pattern. The hull is painted the base color-light gray, then the pattern is lightly drawn on with a pencil, the light gray areas are covered with masking tape and the Ocean Gray areas sprayed. Finally the Ocean Gray is masked and the dull black is sprayed on. Deck blue was then brush painted on all decks and the Ocean gray camouflage pattern was painted on after that had dried. A barrier of Future floor wax was then sprayed over the entire hull and superstructure parts to act as a barrier between the acrylic deck paint and the enamel I would use on the bulkheads. At this time the hull was attached to a piece of cardboard so I wouldn't have to handle it while working. All gun barbettes and deck fittings were then painted Light Gray. The bulkheads were then painted with Floquil's light Gray enamel.