by Ken Hart
1/192 USS Los Angeles SSN-688 (D&E Miniatures)
This is D&E Miniatures kit no. DE002, USS Los Angeles SSN-688 in 1/192 scale cast resin, with cast white metal masts and propeller. It came with a dry-tranfer decal sheet, a detailed full-size plan and profile drawing, and an information sheet. Dave Merriman's work is second to none in accuracy, detailing, and authenticity. Not only is he a professional model maker, but he was a submarine sailor as well, so his models are right on the money.
While the poor quality of these jpeg-formatted computer pictures do the model no justice, I assure you, this Los Angeles kit is completely and accurately detailed, right down to the main ballast tank flood ports and the main and auxiliary seawater intake and discharge ports along the keel. All of the fore and aft deck details were scribed, showing line lockers, stowage panels, main ballast tank vents, capstans, cleats and hatches. The same with the sail, scribed with all access panels, diesel vents, the BQS-15 mine and obstacle avoidance sonar panel (and the three projector strips below it) on the leading edge, and all mast openings on the top of the sail.
Both D&E Miniatures 1:192 scale cast resin models (DE002 Los Angeles and DE003 Sturgeon) were nice, hefty models, completely accurate and fully detailed, and simply a joy to build and to have. Dave was preparing to release another in the series, a SKIPJACK in 1:192 scale, and I think he was also planning to release a NAUTILUS SSN-571 as well, but that was just when the R/C explosion was happening. As much as he enjoys giving us static guys what we want, Dave makes models to put bread on his table and pay the bills, and operational R/C modeling was where the money was heading, so the D&E 1:192 scale cast resin static kits had to be shelved. Who knows - maybe one day static modeling will pick up again, and Dave'll revive his kits...
