DDG-167 Shenzhen, Type 051B in 1/350 Scale (With Refit)

Luhai Class Destroyer

This model is a 1/350 scale model depiction of the Chiense Navy (PLAN) Luhai class destroyer, ot Type 051B class. There was only one in class, the DDG-167 Shen ZHen. At the time of its launch and cmmissioning in 1989, it was thr largest and most modern Chinese destroyer to date...even though at the time most of ts armament and sensors were well over 15 years behind the west.

Just the same, at the time, the vessel rpresented a significant increase for the PLAN, coming right on the heels of the two Type 052 class destroyers, DDG-112 nd DDG=-113, which themselves were significant improvements over Chinese vessels to that date.

I built this detroyer particularly because the Chinese just finished a significant mid-life refit to the vessel. This refit has made the vessel much more relevant, even by today's standards in tat they have added completely new main weapons systems with a 32 cell VLS (before she only had an 8-cell French Crtale type launcher, and added two new 11 barrell Type 1130 30mm CIWS to replace the older, much less accurate and less modern 40mm cannons.

The Shen Zhen refit is now complete and althjough this model did not come with the refit, I added and scratch built pats to depict accordingly. As you can see above in the defferences between the first picture, and the following three pictures. The first is how the vessel was riginally out ftted, the following three is how she looks now.

This vessel has seen a lot of sea duty, shwoing off the Chinese newest vessel at firt, and then making many good will vsisits.

Now she is much more relevant in terms of exercises and potetnial combat with her new sensors and weapons.

Here are her current specifications:

Here are the specifications for the Shen Zhen class:

Displacement: 6100 tonnes standard
6800 tonnes full load
Length: 153 m
Beam: 16.5 m
Draft: 6 m
Propulsion: Two steam turbines, two shafts, 94,000 shp
Speed: 31 kn
Complement: 180br>
Sensors and processing systems:
Data link: HN-900
Communication: SNTI-240 SATCOM
Rice Shield 3-D air search radar
Type 360S air/surface search radar
Type 344 fire-control radar
OPS-20C surface search radar
Armament: Guns
1 × Dual 100mm DPgun
Missiles
16 × 16 C-803/YJ-83 SSM
32 × HG-16 SAM VLS (32cells)
VL-ASROC
2 x Typw 1130 CIWS
2 x 3 324 mm (12.8 in) torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried: 2 × Z-9C helicopter
48 x S-300FM (SA-N-20) surface-to-air VLS missiles
- 16 x YJ-83 (C-803) anti-ship missiles
- 1 x 100 mm dual purpose gun
- 2 x Type 730 30 mm Gatling CIWS
- 2 x 3 324mm YU-7 torpedo launchers
- 2 x 6 tube Type 87 ASW Rocket launchers
- 2 x 24 tube Type 726-4 decoy launchers
Aircraft carried:
- Landing pad and Dual hanger for 2 x Z-9 ASW helicopters

This Trumpeter is an early Trumpeter kit (actually a second or third derivative of the earliest model). it is well detailed with very little flash.

One piece hu, so no waterline option. Also, no metal parts for sensors or hand rails. I had numerous left over parts fr the metal and did outfit the vessel with handrails. I also had spare parts from other kits for the VLS and the CIWS.

There are close to 200 total parts, and using care, the model goes together very well.

The instructions are well done and easy to follow...though to get the upgrade/refit, yu have to do your own thing.

My VLS is on a deck that is too high because the hull of the ship came that way and I did not want to risk that type of a cut out. So, the VLS in front of the main bridge should actually be on the main deck level instead of where the Crotale missile unit was.

Here's the pictures of the model out of the kit:

Here's how things looked out of the box:

It was a fun build.


This build goes fairly stright forwardly and I am going to describe it that way. You juts have to make sure you are careful with the resin parts, particularly in removing the small pieces from the sprues.

I then added the weaponry (Main Gun, VLS, the 16 ANti-surface missiles, CIWS, and the torpedoe and anti-torpedoe rocets, and details for the ship.

She's looking very good at this point.

So, I added the railing from the various pieces I had left over from other builds, then added the finish coats and the stand.

Here's how she looks:

She turned out very well for what I had to work with (the kit is almost ten years old) and the refit was just completed in the last 3-4 weeks over in China.

But this vessel represents what the Chinese are doing in terms of continuing the unprecedented build up of their navy.

Not only are the build in large numbers the brand new Type 054A/B FFGs, the Type 056 FFGs, and the very modern Type 052D DDGs and Type 055 DDGs, they are going back to these other classes and completely refitting them at their mid-life cycle have the same modern weaonry and sensors as their newest vessels.

The did this to the Type 052 vessels, now this Type 051B ship, and they are in the process of doing so to the Russian Sovremenny DDGs they bought...taking out the single arm missile launchers and adding VLS of the same type as this vessel and basically what all of their Type 054A/B ships have, and th sensors as well. Those refts right there are adding another 7 or 8 modern destroyers to their fleet at a very cost effective manner.

So there you have it, the Shenzhen DDG refit completed.