Overview - Some differences between Dragon Models and Trumpeter:
Dragon Models is one of the pre-iminent manufacturers of 1/350 scale model warships, particularly from my perspective, modern warships. They are in a stiff competition with Trumpter Models. This kit, Dragon Model's Kit number 1028, is of the USS Preble, a Flight IIA Arleigh Burke class AEGIS destroyer. I built the USS Lassen, DDG-82, by Trumnpeter (Kit #4526), also a Arleigh Burke IIA AEGIS destroyer, and I am adding them both to my US Navy Carrier Strike Group centered on the USS Enterprise, CVN-65, specifically for the purpose of comparing the two.

Generally, Trumpeter models are more expensive (averaging $20 or more for the suggested retail price for the same model), than Dragon. This is because generally Trumpeter models have many more parts and a lot more individual detail, while Dragon molds a lot of good detail into the ships themselves, rather than producing individual parts. In addition, usually some major detail options such as a waterline option, or open and detailed internal hangar bays are options you get with a Trumpeter model and not with a Dragon Model. That is the case (in both instances) with this model by Dragon, the USS Preble, when compared to the USS Lassen by Trumpeter. I will point out more on the specific differences as I go along with the build.

Introduction - Arleigh Burke Destroyers:
The Flight IIA Arleigh Burke class AEGIS destoryers have developed into the main stay of the United States Navy surface combatant fleet. The Burke destroyers have been built thus far in three batches. The initial batch starting with DDG-51, the USS Arleigh Burke commissioned in 1991, through DDG-71, the USS Ross, commissioned in 1997, which had 90 VLS cells and no helicopter hangar. The Flight II batch started with DDG-72, the USS Mahan commissioned in 1998, through DDG-78, the USS Porter commissioned in 1999 which had slight improivements and modifications over the initial batch, but were essentially the same in overall function. Then the Flight IIA batch, of which the USS Preble is a part, starting with DDG-79, the USS Oscar Austin, commissioned in 2000, and proceeding through DDG-112, the USS Michael Murphy commissioned in 2012, which were major changes, adding a full two helicopter hangar, increasing the number of available VLS cells, and removing some of the other weapons systems (like the eight deck mounted cannister launched Harpoon missiles). Four or five more Flight IIA vessels will be built over ther next 3-4 years.

To date, 62 Arleigh Burke AEGIS destroyers have been built, 33 of them Flight IIA vessels. Ultimately Flight IIA will end with a total of 37 or 38 vessels. Originally the Michale Murphey, DDG-112 was planned to be the last Arleigh Burke destroyer and she was commissioned into service in October of 2012. But with the new DDG-1000 Zumwalt class destroyers now being limited to a total build of three vessels, and with the cancellation of the CGX program that was to replace the Ticonderoga Class AEGIS crusiers, the US Navy is now planning a Flight III batch of Arleigh Burke class destroyers (an example of what that DDG may look like can be seen HERE) that will fill the gap between current technology (including some of the new technology included on the Zumwalts) and a future CG or DDG combatant to be designed in the mid to late 2020s. Right now, construction on Flight III ships is meant to start in 2016 and will produce anywhere from 12 to 30 vessels. To get the US Navy to the Flight III build, the 4 or 5 more Flight IIA vessels are being built.

The Arleigh Burke class destroyers carry the much vaunted and respected AEGIS intergrated combat systemn which can control all weapons on the destroyer, and is Cooperative Engagement (CE) capable and able to control the combat systems of other ships and aircraft, which would be slaved into the AEGIS system of the controlling ship for those platforms that have the CE capabbility.

The vessels use powerful Phased Array Radars (PARs) to find and indetify targets, vertical launch cells (90 on the Flight I and II ships and 96 on the Flight IIA ships), to fire anti-air, anti-submarine, and-ballistic missile, anti-surface, and anti-shipping guided missiles against those targets. They also carry a 5" (127mm) main gun, two 2omm Phalanx CIWS, two Mk-38 25mm cannons, two three torpedo tube luanchers, two SH-60 helicopters, and a large variety of strong electronic counter measure capabilities and chaff and decoy launchgers. The Arleigh Burke Flight IIA guided missile destroyers are recognized as the most powerful large group of mulit-mission destroyers on earth and are a vital part of the US NAvy's overall mission to ensure the safety of, and the freedom of sea transit throughout the world.

Introduction - The USS Preble, DDG-88:
The Preble itself was laid down on June 22, 2000, launched on June 1, 2001, and commissioned into the US Navy on November 9, 2002. She is a part of the US Navy's 3rd Fleet (the Pacific Fleet), and is based in San Diego. She has served in both Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, the war in Afganistan, serving as aan escort for US aircraft Carriers Strike Groups (CSG) and Amphibuious Ready Groups (ARG) participating in those combat situations. She has also served in numerous operations and training exercises each year, and on individual missions and exercises.

The Preble is powered by four General Electric Gas Turbine Engines which provide a combined 100,000 horsepower (75 MW) and power the ship through the water at over 30 knots. She is over 500 feet long, 66 feet wide and displaces well over 9,000 tons. She has a crew of 33 Officers, 38 Chief Petty officers, and 210 enlisted sailors.

Her armament consists of a 32 cell MK-41 VLS System forward and a 64 cell Mk-41 VLS system aft. As stated, these 96 vertical launch cells can launch standard anti-air missiles, standard anti-balistic missile missiles, Tomahawk land attack missiles, Tomahaw anti-shipping missiles, and ASROC anti-submarine rocket launched torpedoes. They can also fire Evolved Sea Sparrow anti-air missiles which can be quad packed in individual cells. The vessle is also armed with a 5" (127mm) 64 caliber main, dual-purpose (DP) gun, two 20mm Phalanx Close in Weapon Systems (CIWS), two Mk-38 25mm cannons, and two, three tube torpedo launchers for Mk-54 anti-submarine torpedoes. She also has a full hangar and large helo pad aft for two SH-60 heclipoters which can conduct a variety of missions from anti-submarine warfare, to anti-surface warfare, to Search and Rescue (SAR), to recon and replenshiment.

What's in the Box:
This Dragon Model's kit comes in a beautifully illustrated box, that is well built and very protective. It also has numerous pictures around the box that depict the various features of the model, including the fact that the model comes with two Photo Etch sheets and a very complete set of decals. Inside, the hull comes in a single piece. It is a very well molded and detailed pieces with a few exceptions.

1st, there is a slight seam line down the middle of the hull on the bottom. It can be sanded or filed away (and on the sonar dome at the forward part of the vessel you will want to do this). The rest is in a place where you may rarely notice it, but it is there.

3rd is that in the model of the main hull, amidships, the hull itself is not stiff enough to avoid the upper portions of the hull wanting to warp inward and make the fit of the mid-ships main deck difficult. I address this in the build-up by adding my own "struts" to maintain the proper distance. It could also be addressed by having an extremly good clamping or mating system to hold the deck down into this section, forcing it apart to the right distance while it dries...but it is also something to be aware of. In addition, the mid-ships main deck assembly is slightly too long when the forward main deck, and the aft hangar is properly placed on the model. More on this in the build-up.

Anyhow, outside of that, as I say, the hull does have some really nice surface detail along both sides, including the bilge keels. There is no option for a waterline model here unless you painstakingly cut the bottom off the vessel and sratch build a base plate to fit to it.

There are five plastic sprues that come with this model, and two Photo Etch sheets. The various sprues contain all the parts you will need for the model, but they also contain a number of parts you will not use which Dragon (and other model makers including Trupmeter) place in the model as a cost savings measure so they do not have to package different versions of the model (Flight I and II vessels versus the Flight IIA version) with completely different bills of materials and molds. They just make a single mold to cover both and pump them out and include them in all models.

In this case, one of the problems is that the main mast does not include some of the minor differences that are present on the Flight IIA version of the model. These are relatively minor and can be fixed by removing what is necessary and adding the details, but it is something to be aware of. Also, the kit does not include the 25mm Mk-38 guns that have been added to all Arleigh Burke Flight IIA vessels after the USS Cole attack in Yemen. I purchased 25mm Mk-38 guns in 1/350 scale from White Ensign Models, and if you want to have them on the vessel, you will have to do something similar. More on this issue in the build. Finally, there are a couple of areas where the instructions do not call out the location of some of the parts at all, for example with the torpedo tubes, which it shows being assembled in a sub-assembly bullet, but then does not show where they should be placed. Or in the case on the top part of the hangar, towards the aft end of the hangar, there are several pieces that make up equipment that goes there (a shield, a small deck house, and aexhaust funnle, that are included with the boat, but never shown where they should go. In the absence of any knwledge of the vessels, my guess is that most model makers hust leave these out entirely. These parts are correctly called out, and have more details with the included replenishment parts, on the Trumpeter Flight IIA Models. Now, having said all of that, finally, here are the initial parts out of the box.

The decals include names for ten different Flight IIA vessels. I intend to go ahead an build the Preble, DDG-88. They are also fairly complete with various markings for various awards for the vessel, and all of the warning markings and the forward replensihment spot...but sadly, there are no major makings (ouside of the hash markinhgs) for the helo landing deck. I expect Dragon intends you to pain those markings on in Flat White, and there are raised edges/lines for this. I intend to utilize after-market decals to do so, and decal set to ensure that they fold down around the raised surfaces properly. The decals that are there (and there are quite a few of them) are rather tightly packed on the sheet so you will have to be carful cutting them out when that time comes.

In addition, the instructions are fairly intuitive...and in a couple of cases they have to be because, a sstated, they leave out a couple of parts that are included and shown in some pictures, but never shown how they are to be put on. The paint scheme is not the glossy, color print you have come to expect from Trumpeter or Bronco or Gallery, but it is a decent paint scheme and gets the job done very adequately.

I paint my main hulls in the following sequence. First I will normally paint the lower section in its hull red (in this case my US vessel mixture of 2/3rd flat red (Testors) and 1/3 Flat Brown (also Testors). I mask it off and paint it, and then paint all of the other parts requiring this color...cutting them away and filing or smoothing the detach point from the sprues in all but one attachment so I can paint them while on the sprues and not have to do too much touch up later. If I can, I make sure the one attachment is in an area that gets glued to the model if I can, and then there is no touch up. Then it is the double mask on US vessels for the black waterline marker, and then painting other parts (like the stacks) in the flat black (Model Master). Finally I paint the top portion of the hull (in this case Model master's Nuetral Gray), and the other vertical surfaces on the deck houses, the guns, the mast, and other sections which are painted the same color as the hull. In this case I sprayed the Neutral Gray on the upper hull and it came out very nicely.

I then went ahead and painted the main decks, using my Model Master's Flight Deck Stain, which I use standardly for my US Navy vessel weather decks. All of this came out very well:

Then it was time to build all of the main deck houses. Dragon does this quite differently from Trumpeter. With Trumpeter you usually have a fairly good build-up for each deck house, building all four walls and the top surface/deck. You then add all sorts of additional detail parts to what is already there...some of them very fine and intricate. With Dragon most of the deck houses come completely molded with a good portion of the detail molded in, and you add some side panels that have the doors, and other details like vents modeled into them. In several cases I found that though the fit was fairly good, it still required clamping to ensure there were no seams.

So I built the main forward deck house which included the bridge, the Phased Array Radars (PARs), the area on top of that main deck house above the bridge where the main mast will ultimately fit, and the first smoke stack. The forward panel of this deck house will be attached when the deck and deck houses are mated to the hull. Then it was time for the mid-ship's main deck house which included the second smoke stack and the decks for the aft missile directors and CIWS. Finally, the aft deck house which included the hangar and the aft 64 cell VLS:

Be aware, that hnagar area is not dimensionally correct. On this vessel, the hangar should extend another approximately .7" to the back (aft) shortening the landing deck by a corresponding amount.

Now it was time to begin fitting the main deck and the main deck houses to the hull. The forward deck and the aft, landing deck were a snap. Fit was perfect, and I also added the forward and mid-ship's deck houses to their portion of the main deck in preparation for attaching it.

Then I ran into some problems.

As it turn out, the midships deck, with its deck houses attached, was about 1/16" too long to fit between my forward deck and my after deck house with the helo hangar. I had to either take that 1/16" off from the forward portion or the aft. Since the forward portion would be covered by the forward panel of the Bridge deck house, I chose to do it there. I simply measured it and then used my dremel tool with a tubular grinder to remoove the excess. Good to go right?

Well, no, not exactly.

It was then I found that the hull sides were warping inward in the middle and making the fit for the mid-ship's deck and deck house difficult. So, it was time to scratch build some beams to hold them the proper distance apart. I carefully measured the width of the mid-ships deck, and then cut some sprue to fit and added some other smaller cuts of sprue as supports and then glued the whole thing together as shown. It worked nicely:

This allowed me to proceed and begin doing more detail work. I added my after market Mk-38 25mm cannons (from White Ensign Models). They are not included in the model but are on the main deck just aft of the main deck house that includes the bridge, the PARs and the forward funnel. Also added the triple tube torpedo launchers. Beware, in the instructions it shows you putting these together...but the bullet does not tell you where to place them...at all. The proper location for them is on either side of the main deck aft of the location of the 25mm Mk-38 weapons and just inside the railing along either side.

From there I added more detail to the decks and the deck houses. I got the missile directors aft, the VLS tubes on the aft portion of the vessel just forward of the hangar, and some of the sensors and devices on top of the bridge. Also added the smoke stacks. She's taking on a good look now:

This is all now getting the model into a look that I am really liking...looking more and more like the Arleigh Burke Flight IIA destroyer she is. Next session, in 2-3 days, we should see a lot of progress with the details, and hopefully the entire characteristic, raked main mast will be complete and attached.

One of the most distinctive features about the Arleigh Burke AEGIS destroyers is their raked main mast, which sits atop the bridge, with supports extending back to the aft end of the main deck house. With the Dragon Model's Flight IIA vessels, this is an assembly made up of about 25 different parts, including four Phot Etch parts whoich show the detail of the access fr getting out on the main mast arms and servicing the various sensors there. Building thiswwas fairly straight forward, but required attention to detail to ensure that the mast arms were properly positioned so that the two large support struts wuld fit properly when the mast was attached. In the Drgon version, these struts are significantly thicker and stouter than how they are represented in the Trumppeter model, and the joining of the strusts, the main masts, and the mast arm supports are a little different. Speaking of the mast arm supports, again, as is normal with Dragon, these were molded onto the Mast arms, while in the Trumpeter kit they were seperate parts.

Once the mast was together and drying, I painted and put together smallassemblies for other details for the main deck, including the life rafts, the launches and their crane, some more of the domes and the antennae that surround the stacks.

Then it was a matter of attaching all of these parts and assemblies to the model in their proper position and orientation.

Once that was completed, I added the shafts and their supports, and the rudders which I had painted some time ago. Again, with the Trumpter model, the shafts and their supports are all seperate pieces, whereas with the Dragon Model they were molded into single parts. There was some warpage on the end of the shafts near the aft support that had to be straightened out. it was enough that simply gluing them in place and then bending the part into its position and holding it was not enough...I had to straighten it somewhat beforehand so that the tendancy to pull away from the bottom of the huill was not too great and might later cause seperation. But by carefully bending them a little at a time and at deifferent places to avoid breakage, it was accomplished ithout any trouble.

Once that was done, with a little touch up, the vessel really is beginning to look sharp.

That is nice.

In the next seesion I will add the decals, finish the final deck details, and add the photo etched railing, hopefully, again, in the next two to three days.

Last night I had some time so I spent it, and this morning, putting on the decals. The kit has a good set of decals, but one of the things that was missing was the complete helo landing deck markings. It includes the cross deck "hash mark" lines, but that is all (theTrumpeter kit uincludes this detal/decal). You can buy a good set of standard US Navy Destroyer and Frigate markings in the after-market, but I had some left over decals from one of my LCS builds which contains all of the necessay components for a standard US NAvy helo landing deck in single decal pieces (ie. the circle, all of the outside borders, the center line and the angles line) ...which I actually like better because you have left decal film coverage.

Anyhow, the warning stripes near the main gun and Phalanx CIWS, the forward replenishment markings, the campaign markings and efficiency awards, the vessels crest, the pennant numbers, shps name, etc. were all aded and, as normal, they make a significant difference in the realistic appearance of the ship:

Very fine looking vessel. Next will be all the PE railing, then some final details and touch up paint and she will be done, which I hope to achieve before the end of the weekend, by Sunday, March 31st.

The railing went on well, but understand that the PE railing for the forward part of the vessel in particular is very fine and very easy to bend out of shape. As always it is also a time consuming project and luckily I had most of Saturday and a good part of Sunday to apply to it. You will see all of that in the completed pictures.

Then, all that was left to do was to build the helicopter for the helo landing deck, and to prepare for and then place the rigging, and finally to do the touch up painting.

The helo went well, joing the halves, and then the painting and then, once it dried, putting it together and adding the decals. The rigging is always somewhat time consuming and delicate.

With this model, there was not the amount of detail on the after side of the main deck house where I could tie down the rigging coming off of the main cross arm. So, I created some "detail," consisting of a small set of landing lights, stiffened up with some sprue, and then tieing off the four lines on each side to those "lights," and gluing that little assembly in place on the aft side of the main deck house and then running each of the four lines on each side up to the PE porrtion of the main cross arm. Once it was tied off and trimmed, it looked pretty god.

Then, after some touch up apinting, and the good coats of clear dull coat finish (I actually attached the rigging lines after srpaying this on..the model was complete and ready for display:

And some close ups for good measure:

And so that completes my USS Preble in 1/350 scale using the kit by Dragon Models.

Summary of Difference in the Dragon and Trumpeter Builds of the Flight IIA Arleigh Burke Kits:
In summary, as is normally the case, the detail provided in the Dragon model was less intricate than the detail provided in the Trumpeter model, although some very good detail was included in the molding of the various panels for the sides of the vessel and the various deck houses and hangar doors. Still, the individual parts provided by Trumpeter produce a better, more authentic and realistic look in these areas. The instruction set in this model had some fairly glaring errors where some things were either left out, or when put in, never referenced where the assembled part actually went on the model. This was only a few places, and overall, outside of that, the instructions were fairly intuitive and straight forward. Finally, as stated and explained in the build, there is a large error in the dimensional aspects of the model in the hangar bay and helo landing deck area. The overall length of the model is fine and accurate, however the hangar deck needs to strecth another 7/10ths of an inch aft, shortening the landing deck by that same amount. In 1/350 scale this represetns 20.4 feet and is a pretty glaring error. All of these issues combine to make the Trumpeter model, even with the highewr price tag, the model of choice in building Arleigh Burke destroyers in 1/350 scale, particularly the Flight IIA vessels.

Still, all in all, the Dragon model builds up into a fine looking model, that gives a very good representation of the Arleigh Burk destroyers and one that is, as has been stated, considerably less expensive. Many shops have these model on sale for another 10-12 dollars off because of the hangar/flight deck issue, so you can pick one up at a very reasonable price. My Preble model was $28 dollars, when it is normally selling closer to $45. The Trumpeter models are selling in many places for high-fifties to mid-sixties, and even more in some shops and on some online outlets.

With all of that said, now it will be on to the United Kingdom CSG centered for right now on the HMS Illustrious (but only unitl a 1/350 scale HMS Queen Elizabeth or Prince of Wales comes out in the future).

1. By Jun 15, 2013: Start the UK Carrier Group Centered on Airfix's HMS Illustrious.
2. By Aug 15, 2013: Start the JMSDF Carrier Group Centered on Fujimi's JMSDF Hyuga.
3. By Oct 15, 2013: Start the French Carrier group centered on Heller's Charles de Gaulle.
4. By Dec 15, 2013, Start the US ARG centered on the USS Iwo Jima and USS Sommerset.

The completion of the US Carrier Strike group, centered on the completed Tamyia's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65, (in addition ot the other escorts already completed) will include Trumpeter's, USS Freedom, LCS-1, Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. (All of which I already own). When a 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-80 (or any Gerald R. Ford Class) is released from Trumpeter, Tamiya, Dragon, or whomever else, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser. Whatever Ford Class coms out, I will build her as the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.

The UK Group will indlude the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious (which I already own), two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs (which I also already have), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates (which I already own), and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN and Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Tragalgar SSN (both of which which I already own). One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier and a 1/350 HMS Ocean LPD come out, I will add both.

The French CSG will be centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gualle (which I already own). I have purchased the 1/400 scale Heller French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, the French Duquesne, D603 DDG which is an anti-air multi-purpose DDG, and the French Aconit F713 FFG and Gueprattet F714 FFGs, both of which are Lafayette class frigates. These five vessels will round out my French CSG. As soon as a French Robin class nuclear sub, like the French Perale S606 SSN is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will add that to the group. Also as soon as the Forbin D620, Horizon class anti-air DDG is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will purchase two of them and replace the De Grrasse and Duquesne with them, and then save those tow for when a Misteral Class LPD is released so I can create a French ARG with those vessels.

The Japanese JMSDF group will be centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181, which I own. It will be escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG and the JMSDF, DDG-178, Ahigara (which I have purchased), Trumpeters's 1/350 scale DDG-114 Susunami (A Tachanami Class DDG which I own), and by the 1/350 scale SS-503 Hakuryu (which I own), one of Japans new, very modern and capable AIP Diesel Electric submarines. As soo as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale is released, I will add it to this group.

The completion of the US ARG will include Tamiya's 1/350 scale, USS Iowa, BB-62 (which I have already completed), Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Gallery's 1/350 scale USS Sommerset, LPD-25, Bronoc Models 1/350 Scale USS New York, LPD-21, Cyber Hobbies USS Independence, LCS-2, Acadamy's 1/350 scale USS Rueben James, FFG-57, and andother Flight IIA US AEGIS class detroyer based on Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Lassen, DDG-82...all of these models which I already own.

Then, finally it will be a complete Russian CSG (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov which is available but I have not purchased yet) the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumperter (which I own), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Udaloy DDGs (which I own), Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN (which I own), and the Russian Alfa Class SSN, which I have already completed.

Recently I purchased Heller's 1/400 scale Foch, the Clemceau Class carrier that was sold to the Brazilians in 2000 and in 2002 was refitted and became the Brazilian CV, Sao Paulo, using steam catapaults. I will build the model as the Sao Paulo and thus start a Brazilian group, though the Type 22 DDGs and the FFGs the Brazilians use are not available at present. I have however purchased a set of 1/400 scale A-4 Skyhawks and S-3 Trackers to build a suitable airwing for the Sao Paulo.

Then, again, once the models are available, I'd like to build an Italian Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, and ultimatly an Australian Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs. If they ever build the models, an Indian group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier the Vikrant and their Kolkata class DDGs and Shivlak class FFGs would also be nice.

Years worth of work!

You can see all of these actual carriers, read their histories and specifictions at my site:

WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

...and most of their surface escorts at:

AEGIS AND AEGIS-LIKE VESSELS OF THE WORLD