1/700 USS Kinkaid DD-965 (Revell/ Fujimi kitbash)

This is another member of my planned diorama around the USS Nimitz carrier strike group 1997/98, the USS Kinkaid DD-965, a Spruance class destroyer. While searching the source material I noticed that the Kinkaid at the end of the 90s appeared with some conversions, mainly at the quarterdeck and the hangar (which became much wider) and at the foredeck. Here the Mk41 VLS was installed.

So I thought first I had to do a little scratch building when I saw the FUJIMI kit which represents the USS Kinkaid right in the stadium I needed her! After ordering the FUJIMI kit I felt a little bit disappointed, because (in my opinion) the FUJIMI kit was too crude in some details. In my eyes the REVELL (ex SKYWAVE/PITROAD) kit is the better one!

So I did a little kit bashing by using the wider hangar section and some other structure details of the FUJIMI kit, but the main parts I used came from the REVELL kit.

I added some PE parts from EDUARD, such as the Helo nets, the ladders, the guardrails and the rotors for the SH-60. Some little sailors were added too. The painting was done by using REVELL colours (sm374 and sm378), the lateral sections were partly a little bit darkened, so the appearance is not too monotonous. A little bit washing and some rust spots were done, some highlights with VALEJO paint.

I used the decals from a JAG sheet, the ones of the FUJIMI kit were impossible to use, they were much too thick! And of course the JAG decals are better that the REVELL ones!

The finish was done with mat varnish from REVELL.

Gallery updated 2012

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