After the gratifying experience of fixing up the Hawk LST, last weekend I turned to consideration of their "Coast Guard Cutter" (left):


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________________________FULL RES__This time a true Hawk boxing - though probably a later one, as the artwork depicts (somewhat ambiguously) a 5" twin turret - no (longer a) match with the contents, seen in the instructions (center) which also clearly identify USCG Bibb WPG (Patrol Gunboat) 31 - who only ever carried single-5" guns, as seen in pics (right) found at the US Coast Guard website. One of the legendary 327-foot Treasury class (or "Secretary" class, I am forever confusing the two), comprising among the best ships ever produced by the US (some achieving 50-years in service), Bibb, like most if not all her sisters, received (at least) the forward enclosed single-5" late in- or immediately post-WWII, as seen (right, bottom-right) in an undated but obviously later, color pic.

Prior to that, she carried semi-shielded, prewar-type (surface engagement only) 5-inchers forward, on both main deck and 01-level (right, at left), plus a third, unshielded in a fantail tub (right, top-right) - as seen on Bibb 11/27/41 and circa-1943, respectively. Along with single, open-mount (DP - surface/AA) 3-inchers on the forward 02-level and aft in elevated tubs, port and starboard, this was remarkably heavy main armament: more than a Rudderow- plus Edsall-class DEs, combined (though of course with fewer smaller AAs). But never twin-5" turrets: these were only ever carried - again, during WWII - by the (only 255-foot) Owasco class - the kit box, in both artwork and text asserting: "One of the great fighting boats (sic) of World War II..." on its side-panel (not shown), is consistent with this class.

Of such disagreements between box art and contents are repop generic names like "Coast Guard Cutter" born - though I don't think this indicates mistaken art, but likely changes to the mold itself:


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____FULL RES_____FULL RES_____Hawk's opaque-black plastic mold (left) includes a remarkably plausible-looking hull - just gorgeous - however quickly degrades with superstructure pieces which, when dry-fitted (middle and bottom) do not quite match either the Treasury or Owasco class - presenting a far-too-lengthy 02-level, and undersized pilothouse, compared to these pics (especially at right), where the 02-level 3-incher sits right up practically against the bridge face - the latter flush with a blocky, monolithic superstructure. In fact, the mold's pilothouse depicts only the inner conning station within the (early-fit) bridge - yet, molded into the 02 deck is also a lip on which to locate the bridge face! This clearly suggests an earlier version of (or at least a plan for) the mold to contain the complete bridge. But none of these pics show the 02 level deck ever extending so far forward: it appears Hawk misinterpreted some (wartime-fit) plans: misreading the forward end for what was in fact the blast deflector, extending out over the 01-level gun crew (see below).

Regarding the bridge face, admittedly during WWII Bibb and most if not all her sisters did have it cut back substantially (see below) - but not all of it: above and below the viewports, prominent shielding remained, as a wind-deflector and open bridge wings, respectively. In fact, the appearance generally mimicked that of contemporary US cruisers - following much the same wartime evolution - with the Treasuries particularly resembling "mini-cruisers" just prior to- and early in WWII (right), as did WPG-32 Campbell (top-left) in May, 1940, WPG-34 Alexander Hamilton (top-right and right) on 12/27/41 and WPG-36 Spencer (bottom-left) in June, '42.

This earlier, full-bridge "mini-cruiser" look is already my favorite - as is their typical early- to mid-war fit, aft:


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FULL RESAs seen above, the kit fantail is molded with underscale (and crude) depth-charge tracks - plus 6 more (at least 2x) overscale "depth charges" along the deck edge - the Real Thing was, in most cases far more interesting. On Campbell (top-left) circa '42 and WPG-37 Tanney (top-right) on 5/20/42, the depth charge tracks were prominent - of course, piercing the aft rail - as did likewise a stack of 3 rafts, right aft. Along with Alexander Hamilton (bottom-left) on 12/27/41, these ships all had the huge, early-style 5-inch (maybe even 6-inch?) open-mount gun, in a wide, low tub - just aft of which, Hamilton (only) also sports a "Y"-gun, and rack(s) of depth-charges for it. Alexander Hamilton became, on 1/29/42 (bottom-right), the first American warship lost after Pearl Harbor (to a U-boat torpedo). These pics also confirm the elevated 3"-gun tubs aft, as well as 20mm tubs abaft the stack: on Hamilton apparently a small one to port and starboard each - augmented on Campbell (top-left) and Tanney (top-right) to "wraparound" tubs with gun-pairs in line-abreast: facing aft and likewise on each side, for 6 total. All this top-weight must have finally taxed the renowned "sea-keeping" abilities of the Treasuries, as the subsequent trend through postwar, was to delete and/or replace various of the above weapons with something(s) lighter.

Still, for a while during early-to mid-WWII these ships were just crammed with "pointy bits" - far more striking than the mold's late/post-war depiction - and likewise for (at least) a few wartime paint schemes, already found:


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___FULL RES__________FULL RES____Apparently the earlier(est) camo patterns were wavy-type disruptive (left), similar to a modified MS-12 - with notable exception, seen on the starboard side of WPG-36 Spencer (left, top- and bottom) on 6/1/42, clearly including (at least) 3-tones painted down to the waterline. Somewhat later, circa 1943, a more conventional MS-12mod appears on the portside of Duane WPG-33 (left, at right-top and -bottom).

A light, low-contrast splinter-type pattern (right) - clearly evoking, if not duplicating exactly, an RN Western Approaches type of camouflage - is first seen on Spencer (top-right) in November, 1942 and the identical portside pattern on WPG-35 Ingham (bottom-right), in an undated wartime pic. And Duane, on 3/21/42 (right, at left-top and -bottom) exhibits what is undoubtedly the corresponding starboard-side pattern - or if not, then certainly "close enough", in pattern, tones and visual effect.

Only one example of later-war camouflage (so far) was found:


Click for FULL RESCirca 1944, Campbell has now been repainted in regulation MS-22 - producing an interesting effect against the double, fore- and aft sheer, of the Treasury-class hull.

Note she still carries open-mount 5-inchers - though it was in 1944 that the Treasuries began to lose these, in favor of the single-5" gunhouse(s) - and twin-40mms in lieu of the single-3-inchers - as depicted in the Hawk kit. And note it is only by now (and possibly in one or two examples above) that the bridge been cut back to (nearly) the boxy conn depicted in the Hawk kit - though the O2-level remains very short, and superstructure still massive, ahead of the pilothouse. And there is still a prominent wind-deflector strip along the "wing", as well as splinter shield, and deflector, atop the pilothouse. This fit - minus all the guns, in favor of the kit's (decent) 5-inch turret and (offensively lousy) twin-40mms - would be the easiest to build: essentially you would just have to chop off the extra 02-superstructure length.

However, in any case the kit will hardly look more than toylike without significant, additional detailing - in which case you might as well add back all the open-mount guns, and even slap a more cruiser-like bridge face back on there, while you're at it. Again, that would be my preference, at this point.

Either way, you can see how this little kit cold easily be upgraded - just like the Hawk LST - into something far more impressive than first meets the eye!

Cheers,

-Matty