My Review and Build of Bronco's 1/350 scale Kit #NB5028,
USS Ft. Worth, LCS-3, Littoral Combat Ship
Introduction and What's in the Box - December 13, 2014
About the ship:
This model is a 1/350 scale model depiction of the US Navy's USS Ft. worth, LCS-3, Littoral Combat Ship.
In the mid 2000s, the United States Navy identified a need for a completely new class of combat vessel, specifically designed to fight in serveral ways in the littoral waters, with a shallow draft, very fast sprint dspeeds, and the ability to conduct anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, mine counter measures, and landing and supporting special forces in the shallow, near to the coast, littoral waters.
These vessels would have to be stealthy, network centric, and capable of also performing escort duites, particularly in the anti-submarine role for other task forces if called upon. As such, they were to be called Littoral OCmbat Ships (LCS) and would end up replaceing the older Perry Class Frigates, Avenger Class counter-mine vessels, and other vessels associated with the missions this ship was meant to conduct.
The vessels would be either large corvette or light frigates in displacement, around 3,000-3,500 tons. They would have to consist of a basic armament suite, but would also allow for significant space internal to the vessel to accomodate one or two "mission packs," that would customize them to the specific mission they were meant to perform on that specific mission. Furthermore, these "mission packs," would have to be able to be changed out within a 24 hour period at forward operating bases so the vessels could change their mission as required.
Initially several companies submitted bids, but this was relatively quickly narrowed down to two manufacturers. One headed by Lockheed Martin building n advanced mono-plane hull design, and the second headed by Grumman with a new, trimaren hull design. Both had pros and cons for their specific designs, and both were meeting the requirements. In the final run-off the companies each built one vessel, and then were authorized to build another one. When the Navy tested both designs it found both adequate and then went ahead and signed contracts for each company to build another ten of each vessel.
The total requirement was for 55 vessels. Current contracts will produce 24 vessels, 12 of each variant. At that time, the US Navy has decided to begin building an upgraded and uparmed variant of each vessel that will be called the Small Surface Combatant. These new ships will diplace a little more than the current LCS and will have less modularity and more standard weapons systems to allow them to fullfill a multi-role mission without the need for swapping out moidules. These new SSC vessels will also be built to the higher combat II standard that is common for vessels like frigtates and destroyers.
As these upgraded sensors and armaments are built into the new vessels, it is expected that the existing LCS vessels will receive similar sensor and armament fits..
The Lockheed LCS design is the USS Freedom class of Littoral Combat Ships. These vessels will have odd pennant numbers, beginning with LCS-1 for the USS Freedom. So far four have been launched (USS Freedom, LCS-1, USS Fort Worth, LCS-3 (for which this model is depcited), USS Milwaukee, LCS-5, and USS Detriot, LCS-7.The USS Freedom is beginning its second deployment as this build is occurring, being deployed to the western Pacific and the South China Sea. The USS Ft. Worth is deploying to the Western Pacific in January 2015..
The second LCS class is the Trimaren design by Grumman. it is called the Independence Class of Littoral Combat Ships and they will be numbered with even numbered pennants, starting with LCS-2, the USS Independence. Four of those vessels have also been launched. The USS Independence, LCS-2, the USS Coronado, LCS-4, the USS Jackson, LCS-6, and the USS Montgomery, LCS-8.
The Kit:
The Bronco model kit is realtively new and is a typical, very well done kit. Lots of detail, photo etched parts, and numerous options. In comparing the trupmeter kit for the USS Fredom, and the Bronco kit for the USS Ft. Worth, both seem very good with extensive details for the sensors, hangars, well deck areas, hull cut-outs for launches, etc.
But there are some differences. For example this Bronco model has an option for a waterline hull version, and it includes the lengthened flight deck of the USS Ft. Worth that covers the entire aft well deck opening (a small well deck that both vessels have for launching and recovering unmanned water vehicles and special forces. In addition, the Ft. Worth has clear plastic for the aft, helo flight deck observation windows as well, which are lacking in the Trumpeter model (you have to paint them in). Having said that, a lot of the detail that Trumpeter includes as small pieces, and which when correctly done can provide a more detailed and realistic look, are modled into the Bronco model. For example, the stack outlets which are seprate pieces on the Trumpeter model, are molded into the stack area of the Bronco model. I am sure both will look great when complete.
Despite not being quite as detailed in terms of oindividual part, the Bronco model still has a wealth of detail in its plastic molded parts, includoing a decent fret of Photo Etch parts for railing, sensors, gratings, etc.
The plastic parts are on ten sprues, with two separate parts for the hull, the above waterline portion and the below the waterline portions which fit nicely together. I intedne to build the vessel in a full hull configuration.
The main deck is comprised of three pieces. The landing deck, the helicopter hanger floor, and the forward deck. The deck house comes in one large piece though you do have to add the main mast and a section on top of the hanger separately.
There are four sprues for the various helicopters, both FireScout UVAVs and Seahawk helciopters. There is one clear sprue that contains the windows for the bridge and the helicopter deck observation house. There are five sprues for parts for the vessel.
The instructions are very well done with 11 pages of very detailed and yet intuitive explanations. There is are two full color color scheme that depict the colors and the locations for the decals, and calls out the specific colors and their numbers for several different paint suppliers. One of these pages if dedicated to the helicopters and the other to the ship itself.
All in all a very good looking, out of the box kit that looks fun to build, with a lot of detail, but straight forward enough for the relative novice who has the right tools and the patience.
Here's how she looks out of the box:
And here are several pictues of the instructions and the paint schemes:
The Build - Main and lower hull, and the main deck</font - December 13, 2014
I started building the vessel by adding the rear doors to the lauinch deck and the door to the dise launch. I determined to show this vessel all buttoned up excpet for the helicopter hanger which I will show open.
I then painted the upper and lower hulls, and then painted the three secions fot he deck...the landing pad, the hanger deck, and the foreard gun deck.
That was all the time I had for this session. In the next session I will add the water jets to the lower hull. Paint the waterline mark on the lower hull and add it to the main hull. Add the main deck house to the upper hull and then build and add the weapons systems.
