Welcome to my build of the USS Forrest Sherman which will be done as the Nathan James, the fictional DDG 151 from the TV show The Last Ship, series 3 of which starts tonight on Sky 1.

Trumpeter kit and a lot of parts compared to the Fletcher in the same scale. Includes PE rails too....

The superstructure has some very complex shapes but fit is excellent and the pictures below reflect just 2 evenings at the bench. Haven't decide to go full hull or waterline version but am toying with the idea of doing it in a water base. I must be mad 😊









Will leave one hanger open the other closed as it was converted to the research lab

How will you imitate the Nathan James' crest painted on the superstructure?

That's one bit I haven't fugured out yet 😄

There are a lot of complex shapes in the superstructure but the fit if parts is excellent. Very few gaps requiring filling.



So I decided to attach the main superstructure parts before painting in order to get a good solid bond and as there is some cleanup/filling needed at the joins in the sides.




And these little chaps arrived yesterday. Beautifully cast but so tiny they are going to be fun 😃





Plus these sets originally ordered to complete my USS Independence LCS which I will get around to one day. It's only been sitting in the shelf for 3 years

Decided to put one of the VM SH60s together. The kit does come with two of the Trumpeter clear plastic helicopters but I'd borrowed them for another project. Some very small parts including torpedo and MAD(Magnetic Anomaly Detector). 4 PE parts for the main rotor but the smallest bit was for the winch above the side door. But with all that and my poor eyesight it still went together very well. A bit too much glue in places but that was my fault.

Just noticed the Forrest Sherman has no rear CIWS platform. No front one either. But Nathan James has the rear CIWS so I'm going to have to scratch build the platform. The guns at least are in the kit. There are also different side panels for the rear smoke stack superstructure so they will give me the correct sides at least.

I have the following reference book:



But as I'm building a fictional ship, where two real ships were used for the filming, the main reference is the show itself. And the Nathan James has the rear CWIS and the flat stack tops.

Quite pleased with how my scratch built platform came out:



And also started painting the decks



And that's it for evening 6! Unbelievable progress for me. But it will slow down once I get on to all the detail bits

Hi Sean,

somehow I missed your build here so far...but now I'm in and watching!

Very nice work and progress so far! And nice aftermarket, I really like the look of the SH 60! -and looking forward to see the SLQ and the 25mm go on!

Cheers,
Jan

A friend in IPMS Ireland has printed them as decals for me 😀

This was fun. The down-side on airbrushing I guess

Where is the crest located on the ship - either side of the forward funnel? I'm sort (on and off, between too many other models) of building one of my own. Probably wouldn't have bought a modern ship model, but was inspired by the TV show. Any chance of scoring a couple of decals from you?

Very nice Sean! Love the aftermarket goodies!! A good masking is always worth the effort! Looking forward to seeing the grey going down!

No problem Biggles. Just PM me an address. I won't actually have them until the next club meeting in 3 weeks but will send some on then. And yes, they go both sides of the front smoke stack if used. I also have a nameplate one the correct size for the back of the kit supplied plate. Saves shaving off the raised lettering on the front of it.

Thanks Todd. Going to use Mr Hobby Grey. So far only brush painted the mast

Thanks a lot, Sean.

I probably should have started with the red bottom, then grey and then the boot line but too late now. Took a top down approach.





I really do like that Mr Hobby paint for spraying. It was so easy!

First coat of the Hull Red by Vallejo. Went down nicely. However it would appear I got a bit carried away with the airbrush so some over-spray to be cleaned up.

So the bulk painting job is done. Only my 2nd build with the airbrush and the first involving multiple colours and lots of masking. Some flaws to be cleaned up but not too bad I think. Vallejo US Grey for the decks and Mr Hobby Grey for the vertical surfaces. Also Vallejo for the hull red and boot line and their Light Grey on the VLSs.
Will tutu up the mistakes with hairy stick and then start adding all the little detail bits.

Just to show I haven't completely gone to sleep on the job. A Nuln Oil wash in the vents came out nicely

Started the decaling. For the danger circle I decided to do it in two halves rather than a single continuous decal


I'll let that dry before adding the rest

Cut the helipad decal into bits too for ease of fitting. Joined up nicely


The Nathan James badge came out nicely. I may have used too big a version, but it looks good


Up close not as neat but that's from my cutting around the edges rather than anything.


Tomorrow night I'll do the hull numbers

Hi Sean,

very nice progress and fine work!

Your Nathan James is really taking shape!

Cheers,
Jan

Lots of really tiny parts to be cleaned and painted before fitting.....slowly making my way through them but bench time has been lacking lately. Will get some photos up in the next few days

Biggles2, check your inbox please.

Looking good Sean! Decals look like they seated well! Really coming together! Keep it going!

Plenty of Micro Set & Sol

Hi Sean. Really looking good. One problem though, the decal on the side shouldn't have the ships name, it should be their DESRON (Destroyer Squadron) on there.

Jesse

Thanks for that Jesse. So does the ships crest go anywhere on it?

Still working on the tiny bits. Bad eyesight, thick fingers and not the steadiest hands don't help.

First the CIWS. On the left the kit supplied weapons system and the one from Veteran Models on the right


And the 25mm chain guns left to right Trumpeter, Orange Hobby and Veteran Models


The Veteran one only comes with two guns and one barrel has been taken by the dreaded Carpet Monster. The Orange has 4 in the set but best of all the PE barrel is already embedded in the resin gun body. Really outstanding! Both Veteran & Orange come with PE stands around the weapon station