Dragon 1/350 USS Chicago SSN-721

[Stikpusher]

Well, after an extended period where she sat sidelined, for no real good reason at that, I have finally finished this one. This is the Orange box re-issue with the improved sail, stern, and screw (although the VLS arrangement is still inaccurate), that is double boxed with the Ohio Class Boomer USS Maryland. I started this for a "Red Storm Rising" Group Build and wanted to depict her as she would have looked during Clancy's fictional WWIII, Battle of the Atlantic during her launching of a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile attack on Backfire Bomber airfields near Murmansk in the late 1980s. As described in the novel she had been on patrol for quite some time when the war starts. Instead of the unweathered finish of my last few SSN builds, I decided to depict a well weathered look to reflect an extended war patrol and I used this photo of USS San Francisco for inspiration/reference of marine growth on the hull. I know that the hull markings, numbers, and name would not be worn in wartime, but I wanted something to say who she is...
























here is the USS San Francisco I used for my weathering reference




Thanks for looking, comments and critiques welcome

[scorpiomikey]

Nice. Not usually a fan of water vehicles, but this is cool. I love the weathering. Im assuming you did enough research to see the chicago bulls logo painted on the nose in drydock?

[Stikpusher]

Thank you Mikey. Yes, I know of the Bulls logo on her, and this kit had those decals, but 1) I screwed up their application and 2) that was a 1990s marking and would not be correct for the Red Storm Rising timeframe of 1987 or so.

[Stuart]

That’s really cool – I like sub models and that is a fine example – the weathering is great, it look well worn out.

(I like the idea of the build too – ‘Red Storm Rising’ is probably the only early Clancy book I haven’t read. I’ve not thought of doing a WWIII WHIFF before but actually that could lead to some interesting builds – Modern Tanks beaten up and weathered like old WWI stuff covered in stowage, highly weathered aircraft with some red star kill markings? - Interesting thoughts…)

Good stuff Stik.

[LyleW]

Good build, Stik. She is stunning.

[Stikpusher]

Thanks guys! Portman, Red Storm Rising is still one of my favorite Clancy novels, I highly recommend that you read it. At the time that I first read it, it was quite plausible and most frightening. The "what if" builds that could be inspired from it would be awesome. I still have a few on my mind from the book that I would like to build such as an Iceland based F-15.

Lyle, I'm glad that you like her.

[Stikpusher]

Will have to check that book out. Haven't read it, but great little sub here, Stik. Easy builds too...I need to try one someday

Now I want to watch HFRO.

Thank you Jim. The first time that I read Red Storm, I was a 22 year old Spec4 I started it on a flight back from leave. It's an 800+ page book and I could not put it down. I think that I read it in 3 or 4 days. It is still my favorite of all his books. And I have read just about all of his works that he wrote.

Hunt For Red October? I love that movie! That would be USS Dallas, SSN-700, a Flight I Los Angeles Class (no VLS in the bow for missiles-any Tomahawk or Harpoon missiles would have to be carried in place of torpedos and be fired thru those tubes on a Flight I).


If youre going to build Los Angeles Class sub in 1/350, I recommend the Hobby Boss kit, as you can make a Flight I, Flight II, or Flight III boat from that kit, and it is very affordably priced as well...

[Thomas_M]

Not only a very lovely build, but also an interesting read on all the information given. Cool!

[Stikpusher]

Thank you Thomas. I like late Cold War subs. I guess I got interested in them after reading several of Mr Clancy's works where subs played a prominent part.