Ahoy Shipmates!!!

Join me for an in-box review of Dragon’s new USS Laffey DD-459 in 1/350 scale.


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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Thanks for the review, it's the first for a Dragon model I saw, they seem to be building really nice kits. This one for sure is nice. About time to get back into building.

The Japanese BB on the cover is the Kirishima, not the Hiei. Hiei had a completely different bridge structure.

Thank you for noting that about the BB. I would not have known that. Guess the cover painter did not know that either.

Either way I can only imagine some of the words thrown around the bridge when that BB came out of the darkness.

I picked up this kit for about 1/2 price at an auction a while back. It really is an impressive looking kit, in the box. I can't wait to actually be able to build her. Your line, "so many kits, so little time," is right on.




Jay, you may be right but I'm not sure. Hiei and Kirishima certainly have different bridge structures, and my only reference showing line drawings, Breyer's Battleships and Battle cruisers 1905-1970, only shows Kirishima in 1937 and Hiei in 1940, but the drawing of Hiei matches perfectly the painting on the box.

While the "bar room brawl" that was First Battle of Guadalcanal certainly was confused most accounts have Laffey going up against Hiei.

Kirishima had a pagoda style bridge with partially open platforms around the original tripod mast. The Hiei had an almost fully closed bridge tower. You can see tripod elements and open platforms on the bridge in the picture. There are also a lot of smaller items and hints that make the ship the Kirishima (which was also present in the action anyway, though Hiei did the damage to Laffey).

I agree that it certainly did not make a difference to Laffey's crew.

Interesting subject and good review.
BZ Jim!

Cheers,
Rui

Great review, I already got that one in my stash so I bookmarked your review.
Want to echo what I wrote in another one of your reviews; thanks for specifying exactly what PE is included with the kit

I loved your "lows"
"Lows: Too many kits, not enough time."

my sentiment exactly!

If I could sell off my extra armor kits my stash would be much more managable.

You actually have trouble selling off armor? Or is it you have trouble bringing yourself to part with them?

Both.