The vessel (October 31, 2014)

This model is a 1/350 scale model depiction of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 051C, Luzhou Class destroyer, Pennant number 115, Shenyang.

The Type 051C, also known as the Luzhou class, is an air-defence missile destroyer built by Dalian Shipyard for the Chinese Navy (Peoples Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN). It is a class of two vessels that were built while the PLAN was also building the Type 052C destroyers. The Type 052C had new gas turbine engines installed and these two vessels, with a very similar role, were built with indegenous steam turbine engines. Most analysts believe that this was done as a fall back in case the new gas turbine engines were not successful.

The gas turbine engines of the Type 052C were successful and the PLAN went on to build six of the destroyers, and now six more of its follow-on, the Type 052D. This class, the Type 051C, was ended with two vessels.

Nevertheless, the Type 051C destroyers are impressive., modern designs.

The Shenyang, DDG-115, was the first in class and was launched in December 2004. Sea trials began in early 2006 and the ship was commissioned in October 2006. The second vessel, Shijiazhuang, DDG-116, was launched in July 2005 and commissioned in January 2007.

These vessels were designed primarily for area air defence for a naval task force against air attack, but they also have very respectable anti-surface and anti-submarine capabilities. The vessels were based on the same hull design as the Type 051B, Luhai class, which was introduced in the late 1990s.

The TYpe 051C have a displacement of 7,100 tons and they have a helicopter flight deck on the stern but no hanger.

The most noticeable feature of the Type 051C is its Russian-built Rif-M air defence missile system. Each missile complex consists of six revolver-oriented vertical launch cells, each housing eight ready-to-launch missiles. Two revolver VLS are installed on the bow aft of the main gun, and four more are installed on the aft deckhouse forward of the helicopter flight deck. This mnakes for a total of 48 long range anti-air missiles.

Specifications:

Displacement: 7,100 tons
Length: 508.5 feet
Beam: 55.8 feet
Draught: 19.7 feet
Propulsion: 2 indigenous steam turbines
Speed: 30 knots
Armament:
48 x S-300FM (SA-N-20) surface-to-air VLS missiles
- 8 x YJ-83 (C-803) anti-ship missiles
- 1 x 100 mm dual purpose gun
- 2 x Type 730 30 mm Gatling CIWS
- 2 x 3 324mm torpedo launchers
- 2 x 15 Type 946 decoy launchers
- 2 x 18 Type 726-4 decoy launchers
Aircraft carried:
- 1 x Kamov Ka-27 Helix ASW Helicopter (No hanger)

The Kit: What's in the Box (October 31, 2014)

The Trumpeter Kit #04529, depicts the Chinese NAvy (PLAN) Type 051C Luzhou Class guided missile destroyer, Shenyang, DDG-115. Trumpeter models always makes a good kit in 1/350 scale. They are also a company (being based in China) that provides the modern Naval vessels for the PRC rather quickly to the market. They make the only injectd plastic model of the Luzhao class LPD in 1/350 scale I am aware of.

The kit comes in a large box with nine frets/sprues of grey molded parts, and one fret of photo etch parts. The photo etch contains parts for the helo deck saety net and sensors, but not for all of the railing on the ship. I will have to use other after market sets of 1/350 scale railing for that. Trumpeter's models include a lot of detail, and their parts are modled well with little or no flash of left overs from the injection molding process. This kiyt is no different. lots and lots of detailed parts for the missiles systems, the CIWS, the sensors, davits, surface missile launchers, etc., etc.

The model has a decent decal sheet,it has the pennant number (though it is the PLAN's old style, black, block lettering. The new style is very similar to US Navy numbers and I will find some of those style from old decal sheets to put on this ship), various markings and the landing deck. There are not a lot of markings on this ship.

The paint scheme, as usual, is excellent from Trumpeter. Full color varous views of the vessel with all of the paints called out for different brands of paint.

Finally, the instructions are well done as is always the case for Trumpeter. Intuitive, yet deailed graphical represrntations of putting the model together...and done in detail.

I willplace a ASW helo on the aft deck. I believe I have a Ka-27 helo left over from another model which I will show there.

Here's how veryhting looked out of the box:

THis is going to be a fun build.

The hull comes in one piece, but you have to add the stabilizors, the forward sonar dome, and the rudders and prop supports. I decided to do all of this upfront, and then paint the lower hull in the Hull Red I use for PLAN vessels which is Model MAster acrylic Hull Red.

Here's how that looked going together and getting painted.

Next session I will get the main weather decks painted (in Testor's Flat Grar), and the vertical surfaces painted in Model MAster's Light Gray. I will then add the main deck and the main deck houses to the ship.

I began this session by attaching the painted main deck to the hull. I then built the intial deck houses and attached them to the main deck.

Then, there were numerous other deck houses, the funnels for the engines, the bridge, the main gun, the two 30mm CIWS, torpedo launchers, chaff and decoy launchers, and the masts for the ship. I built all of these and then attached them to the vessel. Lots of details modeled into the various bulkheads and exterior walls of the ship makes things look really nice...but there are also quite a few individual details which we will get to presently.

I then began adding all of those details. One of which was some of the photo etch parts I chose to use for the main mast. But there were also many other detailed plastic parts provided by trumpeter to add to the masts, the bridge, funnels, and to the decks...sensors, antennae, various equipment, tie downs, etc. that really add a lot of realism to the vessel. This is pretty standard faire from Trumpeter with its newer 1/350 scale models.

I also built and added the chaff launchers and anti-surface missile launchers. There were lots of parts involved with this. Each quad cannister anti-surface missile launcher (and there are two of them for a total of eight SSM missiles), is a small model itself made up of 14 parts each.

At this point the vessel is nearing structural completeion, so I decided to add the decals and the props.

The decas for the flight deck are fine, and look really good. The pennant number decals are, however, older style PLAN markings where they use solid black numbers. About 3-4 years ago the Chinese began changing their pennant numbers to numbers very much like the US Navy Stylized, shadowed, white numerals. I have a set of 1/350 scale modern US Navy numbering decals and I used these to add the two "115" decals accordingly. And that's about it for decals.

I then painted the props in Model Master Brass and added them.

The vessel is looking very good. Despite not having the newer APAR radar system, and lacking any short or medium range anti-air missile, this is nonetheless a very capable area air defense destroyer with mulit role capabilities too.

I should complete the model in my next session. The model does have the Photo etch safety railing for the flight deck, but that is about it. It also contains numerous flat, photo etch figures for personnel, but quite honestly, they are not too well done, and I prefer the newer three dimesnional figures you can now find should I want to add personnel...which on this ship I am not.

I may look to see what 1/350 scale railing I can find...but I may also finish this vessel as is, out of the box, accept for those decals I added.

I have two new Type 056 Chinese Corvettes coming in this week which I want to add to the PLAN ARG, so I will probably just move on and build both of those vessels at once.

Tally-ho!

Well, I painted and applied the landing deck safety railings/net. then added the anchores and did some needed touch up around the anti-surface mssile launchers.

Then it was a matter of doing some other minor touch up and adding the two coats of dull coat for the desired finish. Dull coat is clar butas its name implies) gives a flat, lusterless finish. And two coats also provides some protection to decals and other markings.

And that completed the Chinese Navy Shenyang, DDG-115, Type 51C guided missile destroyer in 1/350 scale!

Here's how she looks:

And here are some close ups.

Now, to move on. I will quickly complete a 1/350 scale Yaun class SSK for my PLAN ARG, and then should receive my two Type 056 Corvettes which I will also use in the ARG. These are sort of the Chinese answer to the US NAvy Littoral Combat Ship. Not as big, not as fast, and not as strong electronics..but very manueverable just the same and more heavily armed. In the littorals, they will be very adequate in the ASuW and ASW roles...and could propbably be outfitted for ther MMC role too.

1. By Dec 01, 2014, Complete the PLAN Amphibious Ready Group centered on the Trumpeter Type 071 LPD-998, with two Type 056 Corvettes, and a Yuan Class SSK.
2. By Mar 15, 2015, Complete the US Navy Amphibious Ready Group centered on the Gallery USS Iwo Jime, a 2nd LPD, USS Somerset, LPD-25, a CG, a DDG, and another LCS.
3. By Mar 16, 2015 Go back and start finishing the rest of the DDG and FFG escorts for each CSG and ARG group.

The completion of the PLAN Carrier group was centered on the already completed Trumpeter's 1/350 scale PLA Navy's Aircraft Carrier CV-16, Liaoning, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) included Mini Hobby's's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168. I recently pre-ordered a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, announced by Trumpeter and due out in October, 2013. I will end up adding two of those, propbably LPD-998 Yuzhao and LPD-999, Jinggangshan, add the PLAN- DDG-139, Ningbo, and the PLAN DDG-115, Shenyang, along with the PLAN Weifang, FFG-550 and thus build a PLAN ARG.

The completion of the US Carrier Strike group was centered on the completed Tamyia's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65, (in addition ot the other escorts already completed) included Trumpeter's, USS Freedom, LCS-1, Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. 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. Whichever Ford Class coms out in 1/350 scale, I will build it as the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.

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, Bronco Models 1/350 Scale USS New York, LPD-21, Cyber Hobby's USS Independence, LCS-2, Acadamy's 1/350 scale USS Rueben James, FFG-57, and another 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.

The completion of the UK Group featured the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious, R06 as its centerp[iece until a 1/350 scale Queen Elizabeth carrier is released. When that happens, I will add that carrier to the group as its centerpiece. The Royal Navy CSG will also include two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs (one of which is already completed), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates (one of which is already completed), and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN (which is also already completed) and Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Tragalgar SSN. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Ocean LPD come out, I will use tt to start building a Royal Navy ARG.

The French CSG is centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gualle, R91. 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 D612 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 two for when a Mistral Class LPD is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale so I can create a French ARG with those vessels.

The completion of the Japanese JMSDF group was centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181. It will be escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG and the JMSDF, DDG-174, Kongo class (which I own), Trumpeters's 1/350 scale DDG-114 Susunami and DDG-111 (both of which are Takinami Class DDGs 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 soon as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale is released, I will add it to this group. Should a 1/350 scale Osumi Class LPD be relased, I will buy two of those vessels and create a JMSDF ARG.

Then, finally it will be a complete Russian CSG (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov which I own) the Russian Kirov Class nuclear battle cruiser (CGN), the Peter the Great, by Trumpeter (which I own), 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 new Yasen class Russian SSN (which I own), all in 1/350 scale. Some time in the more distant future when a 1/350 scale Russian version of the French Mistral class comes out (which is building in real life right now), I will add two of those and build a Russian ARG.

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 Carrier Strike Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Carrier Strike Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, and ultimatly an Australian Strike Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs. If they ever build the models, an Indian Carrier Strike 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 more 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