I just got the Squadron catalog in the mail and I've been doing a little drooling. I wonder if anybody has built one of these kits by Mirage of American four piper destroyers, or knew anybody who built one, or seen one built, or knew anybody who had seen one built, etc. The scale is odd, but not so far off I couldn't live with it. I'm more interested in how well the kits goes together and look once they are built. For $18.88, plus shipping, they are pretty nicely priced.

Sigh, I guess nobody has seen one. Ok, I guess I'll have to pony up the money sight unseen. I'll let you guys know.

Rodge,
I saw an inbox review on a foreign sight last week (and I'm still trying to re-find it ....again ) on one of the first of the four releases. but as of today, I can't remember the site....still looking, though!
~Gunny

Rodger,

From what I've read they're a nice kit. I'm wanting to pick up one of the APD high speed transports.

I built several of their 400 scale Uboats. For the price (about $7 each) they were great little kits. Went together well and had pretty nice detailing for as small as they were. Directins ere adequate as well.

Hi Rodger

They are still hot out of the moulds, so I guess it should be difficult to see one of those built this soon!
My only experience with Mirage was the ORP Kaszub wz.25 and I have to say that it is an excellent ratio quality/price.
If these four stakers follow the quality of the previously released models I would say GO!
They should be releasing a dedicated PE Set too, so wait a little bit more and get the full set (cheaper on the S&H charges too)

Just my two (Euro) cents
Skipper

Good info guys, and thanks. Thanks for the heads up on the PE as well Skip. I'll watch for that.

Is that boat 1/400?

One of the possibilities with these kits is to build the USS Ward from Pearl and when it was sunk as a APD on Dec. 7, 1944.

Yes Rodger, it's 1/400 and a fun built too. Simple with good part detail, but also with a margin to enhance it even without mentioning the PE parts
And I have watched some photos of the built, of the model without the PE and it really looks naked
Skipper

Hi Rodger,

I feel a bit like a lurker answering a post that is nearly a year old, but having recently discovered the Mirage line of 1/400 ship kits after being exclusively into 1/700 for a few years, I would like to put in my two cents worth.

The USS Noa is the four stacker kit that I purchased from Squadron and it is quite the nice kit. In case you aren't familiar with the USS Noa, it was one of the US Navys' experiments in launching and recovering ship board aircraft from Destroyers in 1940, the original idea being that the new Fletcher Class ships would be so outfitted. They used an XSOC-1 as the test aircraft and stepped an aircraft handling crane in place of the after mast. The plane would be lowered to the water to take off and for recovery, no catapult. It was stowed just ahead of the after deck house to the port side. This kit includes the plane and its' crane and other handling gear.

The kit is a full hull type, for you waterline fans a bit of scribing from the inside will satisfy your requirements. The moldings are all quite clean and well done, I don't see any flash anywhere. The parts are very nicely done, the hull is designed as two halves with two deck sections and the raised deck section that had a pair of 4"/50 caliber guns mounted on either side just aft of the pilot house to complete it. Lots of goodies to fit it out with and a 6 page instruction manual in Polish and English to assist in assembly. It looks like it will come up with a very nice refitted Wickes Class flush deck destroyer when completed.

Squadron puts out a Flush Deck Destroyer In Action booklet for some references as well as the destroyer sites on the web to help out in fleshing out any other details you might like to have a look at. Gold Medal Models makes a couple of 1/400 PE sets that you could use to add some pizzazz to the ship in the way of hatch covers, doors and other fittings as well as rails. I wish that Mirage would set up a PE set like they do for their other 1/400 kits of the ORP series of ships they produce, these are quite complete and very excellent.

Mirage also puts this same kit out as the USS Ward and another as a lend lease RN ship, the name escapes me for the moment, but I have heard that they include a correct painting guide to help you out for that ship from a RN ship fan I know who has that kit. The decals that are in my kit look nice and thin and shouldn't be a problem. The USS Ward kit includes an IJN mini sub so you won't have to go looking if you want one, the hole in the conning tower is up to you and a pin vise.

I also have the 1/700 kit of the USS Ward that is put out by Midship Models in resin, injection plastic and PE. It is quite the excellent kit with all that you would need to make up a great kit in that scale if that is your wish. It too includes the IJN Minisub. For a multimedia kit this one is hard to beat with some beautiful molding and everything you would need in one box short of paint and glue.

Jay Massey
treadhead1952
Las Vegas, NV

Jay - The thread is old, but I thank you for giving it CPR and ressurecting it... I have not built any Mirage kits, but have two 1:400 destroyers in my stash (also bought from Squadron on sale), and I am VERY impressed with the quality (and price!). I hope to ger some 1:400 PE at some point and tackle them.. thanks for posting your thoughts!

Hi James,

I have three of the ORP Destroyers and the USS Noa so far as well as the V-106 and ORP Kazsub torpedo boats (actually they are both representing the same class of ships, one German WWI and one that was handed over to the Polish Navy at the end of hostilities for that war), I also scored two of the Mirage PE sets for the ORP class destroyers and they are excellent. After checking this thread out it motivated me to break out the ORP Wicher Wz.35 and its' related PE set to start as my next project. I shall be posting it a little later on.

From what I can see, while they aren't quite the shake the box and out pops a model, they are very complete and well engineered. Another nice touch is the Polish/English instruction layout. The directions on building the kit are pretty much limited to pictograph style with part numbers as well as painting and decal application call outs where required. The paint numbers shown are for the Humbrol line of paints as well as a brand called Molak and are also named. The Humbrol numbers are easily translatable to most favorite brands of Enamel or Acrylics through the use of various manufacturers' conversion charts. My favorites are Model Master Enamels and Acrylics as well as Tamiyas' so that is where I will be sourcing my supplies for the build. Stay tuned as they say.

Jay Massey
treadhead1952
Las Vegas, NV

I just ordered the Ward kit. Thank you for sharing Jay.

Gator

Jay, again, thanks for the info! Cheers