PLAN DDG-139 Ningbo in 1/350 Scale with Refit

PLAN Sovremenny Class Destroyer

This model is a 1/350 scale model depiction of the Chiense Navy (PLAN) Sovremenny class destroyer, the Type 956EM class they bopught from the Russians in the early 2000s. They bought two of those, and two of the earlier Sovremenny class, making four altogether.

These were a stop gap for the Chinese who at the time were building up their own capabilities to build such modern warships.

They went on to build their own new version of the ships, the Type 052B vessels, of which two were built.

Since that time, the Chinese have developed much more capable and modern warships of their own in the Type 052C, Type 052D (which those two are similar to the US Navy Burke class DDGs) and now the Type 055, a large crusier sized destroyer which is very capable and rivals the USS Ticonderoga class AEGIS cruisers.

Now the Chinese are refitting and modernizing their Sovreenny class ships. They are relatively young yet, and they have a lot of capability. BAsically the chinese are taking out the single arm missile launchers and replacing them with 32 VLS cells, 16 fore and 16 aft.

They also added eight VLS cells for surface to surface missiles, and replaced the eight Russian srface to surface missiles with eight more of their own...so 16 ASMs all together.

They also are replacing the Russian CIWS with teir own Type 1130 CIWS, which they use on many of their surface warships.

So, the refit Sovremenny vessels will be much more like Chinese ships to maintain, and will have a more rapid air defense launch capability and heavier anti-surface warfare fit.

The class displaces close to 9,000 tons.

Here are the specifications for the Ningbo witht the new refit:
class:

Displacement: 8,600 tons full load
Length: 156 m (511 ft 10 in)
Beam: 17.3 m (56 ft 9 in)
Draught: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
Propulsion: 2 shaft steam turbines, 4 boilers, 75,000 kW (100,000 hp), 2 fixed propellers, 2 turbo generators,and 2 diesel generators
Speed: 32.7 knots (60.6 km/h; 37.6 mph)
Range: 14,000 nmi (26,000 km; 16,000 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement: 350
Armament:
Guns and Missiles
16 × 4Chinese Anti-ship missiles
32 x Shtil SAM or Chinese SAM
2 × Type 1130 30mm CIWS
1 x 130mm dual gun
Anti-submarine:
4× (2×2) 533 mm Torpedo tubes
2× RBU-1000 300 mm anti-submarine rocket launcher
Aircraft carried: 1× Ka-27 or Chinese medium helicopter

The Trumpeter Kit 04542 What's in the Box

This Trumpeter kit, like most of its newer models is well detailed with very little flash.

Two piece hull so you can build full hull or waterline versions. I build the full hull. Includes complete photo etch metal parts for all railing and sensors.

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, you have to do your own thing.

I had additional VLS from earlier buids of Type 052D vessels and CIWS from other earlier Chinese builds that I am using. As you will see, I started out with MK-41 VLS and ROyal Navy SDIWS, but then found and added the proper Chinese VLS and CIWS in the completion pictures.

Here's how things looked out of the box:

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It will be a fun build.

The Build - I am including the entire build picturess from start to finish. You can see how the vessel went together from the initial hull, through to the photo etch railing. At the end, I replace the initial MK-41 VLS and CIWS with the proper Chinese ones.July 2, 2017

This build goes fairly straight forwardly and I am going to describe it that way. You just have to make sure you are careful.