Dragon 1045 1/350 USS Frank Knox DD-742 Gearing Class Destroyer

This is a plastic model kit, which comes unassembled and unpainted. So glue, model paints and other basic modelling tools are additionally required.

Features:
- Newly tooled true-to-scale ultra-thin propellers
- Newly tooled radar mounted on twin 40mm Mk4 guns
- Newly designed quintuple torpedo launcher can be assembled in separate parts
- Whalers w/photo-etched parts newly designed
- 5 realistic 1/350 scale figures
- Waterline or full-hull version can be assembled
- Selected parts available in either plastic or photo-etched version
- One-piece slide-molded upper hull w/undercut details
- Deck has realistic camber
- Rudder is movable
- Bilge keels w/removable sonar dome on lower hull made with slide-mold technology
- Fine photo-etched propeller guards
- Extra-thin shield walls on superstructure reproduced for accurate 1/350 scale appearance
- 3-directional slide-molded twin 5-inch gun turret
- Every detail present, right down to access ladders and rivet heads
- Realistically detailed slide-molded gun barrels w/hollow muzzles
- Shield wall on superstructure and bonus captain's chain both w/full detail
- Depth charges molded w/extra-fine detail
- Front and rear funnels w/DBM antennas
- Funnels provided w/option of molded-on ladders or add-on photo-etched ladders
- Platforms on funnels finely modeled by photo-etched parts
- Extra-fine detailed superstructure
- Passageway for crew access realistically presented w/interior detail
- Authentic radar tower reproduced
- Mk37 gun director w/highly detailed Mk12 radar antenna assembly
- Photo-etched parts finely reproduced for radar and antenna
- Doors available in either plastic or photo-etched metal
- Side doors can be assembled open/closed
- Extremely fine parts like davits for whalers
- Twin 40mm Mk4 guns reproduced w/delicate detail
- Finely detailed quadruple 40mm Mk4 mount
- Twin 20mm guns tinely reproduced w/photo-etched shields
- Finely represented Mk51 gun director
- 5-inch practice loading machine has great detail
- 12-inch and 36-inch searchlights provided
- Movable mount for 36-inch searchlight w/clear part included
- Oval- and square-shaped rafts look authentic
- Bridge supports portrayed w/photo-etched parts

Dragon has launched a fantastic, new large-scale ship down the slipway! The new kit is an accurate 1/350 scale rendition of USS Frank Knox (DD-742), a Gearing-class destroyer. This US Navy (USN) ship entered service in December 1944 during the closing months of WWII. At the start of her combat career, she was a picket destroyer during the invasion of Okinawa, plus the naval vessel was also present in Tokyo Bay at the formal surrender of Japan. With a standard displacement of 2,425 tons and a 119m length, the destroyer was armed with six 5-inch guns in three twin turrets. She was later to see service in both the Korean War and Vietnam War, so she was a regular in the Western Pacific. Eventually USS Frank Knox was retired in 1971 and sold to the Greek Navy.

This Smart Kit builds on the sophistication of Dragon's earlier release of a Gearing-class destroyer. However, it also includes a number of brand new parts specifically required by USS Frank Knox, a ship that took its name from a Secretary of the Navy. The antiaircraft guns that feature quadruple 40mm barrels, for instance, have new radar mounts. The torpedo launcher with its five tubes on the aft superstructure is also new. The same applies to the rudder. As usual, the ship is offered with both a full hull and a waterline hull to give modelers the choice as to how best display the impressive ship. To give a sense of scale, the model also includes a selection of five miniature figures. This American destroyer had a distinguished career, and this plastic kit is equally distinguished!