USS Sims-class Midships Deckhouse in 1/350th scale

A midships deckhouse used to help convert the 1.350th scale prewar Dragon USS Benson destroyer model into a Sims-class destroyer. This deckhouse is based upon December, 1941, and early 1942, photos of USS Hughes and USS Sims. Both ships were built in the same yard side by side, and appeared very similar at that point in time. However, all ships even within the same class exhibited differences, especially as they came in for refits and upgrades, so check your references for the ship you are panning to model to be sure this deckhouse fits your needs. The holes for the quad torpedo tube mounts (available in the prewar Benson kit) are the same diameter as the torpedo tube mount bases as measured using digital calipers, however they tend to print a little bit on the snug side. Don't attempt to force the mounts into the deckhouse holes! Frosted detail parts can be brittle and you don't want to risk cracking or shattering the deckhouse. Instead, lightly sand the kit torpedo tube mount bases until they fit and install easily and safely. The same goes for the torpedo loading crane hole (the crane is also sourced from the Benson kit), the little hold to the side in the middle of the part. If you must attempt to modify the deckhouse, PLEASE go slowly and remember, less is more. Finally, make sure that your donor kit has the quad torpedo mounts; most Benson kits come with extra parts, but check your donor kit to be sure. To install, putty in the recesses on the Benson kit where the kit's plastic deckhouses would go. Then, simply position the deckhouse and glue it down; superglue is best to mate the parts. Its recommended to use photos and plans to ensure proper placement. Then, use photoetch railings if you so choose, although there were few rails on this deckhouse to allow for the torpedo tube mounts to rotate. Those that were there were appear to have been of the collapsible variety. Again, check your references for the particular ship you are modeling. You also may wish to apply a VERY light coat of Mr. Surfacer or some other painting prep product to fill in an conceal the little scan lines that may be on the deckhouse. Hopefully, Shapways will allow designers to specify print orientation in the near future and thus reduce these little scan or print lines, but until then, these lines may be present depending upon how Shapeways chooses to orient the part for printing. For this reason, I recommend ordering the part in Frosted Extreme Detail. A note on accuracy... I did the best I could using official US Navy plans and photos. However, many of the smaller details had to be interpreted from these photos as they weren’t in the plans. For example, the deckhouse is accurate, or as accurate as I could get it, for Hughes and Sims circa December, 1941, but these ships changed all of the time. Check your references for small details to be sure that this funnel is right for you, and for the specific ship that you’re modeling. Finally, a few pictures show the funnel with the deckhouse. Just to be clear, this model is the deckhouse only. The funnel is available separately.