So I received an email from AutoWorld the other day, and in the email there was a link to the Lindberg 1/125 USS Hazard mine sweeper. Does anyone know anything about this kit? Is it any good?

Thanks,
Jim

Hi Jim,
I picked an earlier release of this kit a few months back for a good price. It is still in shrink wrap. The kit depicts USS Sentry (AM-299), an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Ocean and was awarded six battle stars, a Navy Unit Commendation, and a Presidential Unit Citation. She was decommissioned and placed in reserve in 1946. In August 1962, the former Sentry was transferred to South Vietnam as RVNS Ky Hoa (HQ-09) in the Republic of Vietnam Navy.

The box art shows a port quarter view of a completed model. There are no handrails, the walls of the gun tubs look a little thick, the detail is poor on the twin 40mms and I do not see ammo lockers for any of the guns on deck. There appears to be good detail in the ship's boat and on the doors. I do not see davits for the boat. No ladders are visible in the photo, which is especially worrisome for accessing the search light platform on the mast. Cable storage for the paravanes is not visible. Detail on the depth charge racks looks good. The carly float has a solid bottom. No anchor chain is visible on the bow. 4 crew figures are visible in the photo.

I have not compared the kit photo with actual ships yet to see if other detail is correct/missing.

HTH
John

Thanks for the reply, John. Sounds like there's going to be a lot of scratch building & repairing to make this kit decent. I think it's out of my league.

Thanks again,
Jim