by Jeff Spring
1/125 USS Kidd DD-661 (Lindberg)
My highly modified Lindberg Blue Devil kit, converted to the USS Kidd in its 1945 form. The 1/1 Kidd is a war memorial in Baton Rouge and open for tours (even slept on in one night with the Boy Scouts). Aficionados will note many inaccuracies. This has been a learn-as-you-go project and if I had to redo it I would correct some things. The extra "mast" is my Dean's Marine antenna. I have deepened the stern, following Jeff Herne's article, converted it to single rudder, removed the after funnel platform and forward torpedo tubes, replacing them with the deckhouse that supports the fire control directors, moved the quad 40 platforms, new spray shields, new radar supports, etc, etc. The quad 40's are HR Products, nice but heavy, and the beast is (a) heavy and (b) rolls a lot so I settled for modifying the Lindberg twin 40's and 20's to save weight. The running lights and searchlights work, power and light switches are hidden under the fire control deckhouse. I currently have a pair of RE-280's geared 4:1 with the Lindberg gearbox, an EA Electronics speed control and have 5 regular D cells, aka ballast. The ship floats a little deep, near the top of the waterline boot, but moves fairly quickly. Figures are Preiser TT scale (1/120) figures, modified, but they seem a little large. Next time I would probably use N gauge (1/160). The Kidd really did fly the Jolly Roger from the day she was launched (see http://www.usskidd.com/), and I followed my own pictures and those on the web as best I could starting with the Lindberg Kit. Thanks ot Jeff Herne, Steve Brejniak, Pat Matthews (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lindyfletcher/) and my brother Chris for inspiration and encouragement.
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