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USS Cassin DD-372 - 1943

Background

The USS Cassin DD-372 was commissioned in 1936, but extensive alterations delayed her becoming operational until 1937. The destroyer served as a school ship for gunnery and torpedo schools in San Diego prior to World War Two and was sitting in dry dock for a much-needed overhaul when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

The attack left the Cassin damaged beyond repair, but key systems were salvaged from the wreckage as a 'replacement' hull was ordered. By February 1944, the newly rebuilt Cassin DD-372 was commissioned and featured a newer 'British' styled bridge.

Cassin entered the fight in time for the battle for Marines' island-hopping advance through the south Pacific. By the end of the war, Cassin was supporting the evacuation of prisoners in Japan before returning to Norfolk for decommissioning. As with many of the other members of the Mahan class, Cassin was scrapped in 1947.

The Kit

This release from Midship Models is another nice waterline kit. The kit is presented on three parts trees, two molded in light gray and containing the hull and superstructure parts while the second tree is molded in white and contains the guns, turrets and various fittings. The kit was designed to support releases of a variety of ships in this class at various times of their operational careers, so there will be parts not used in this project.

Let me first say that these instructions are nicely done and other manufacturers should follow their example! They are printed in color on high quality paper. The assembly diagrams are very clearly illustrated. The only challenge in this release is interpreting the colors in the painting instructions. The paint key is in color and provides equivalent paint numbers from the Testors Model Master and the White Ensign Models Colourcoats paint lines. Three of the four colors used in are dark colors - black, dark gray, and deck blue. As a result, these dark colors are hard to differentiate in the diagram.

The kit is designed as a waterline vessel. The kit comes with the enclosed (turret) 5 inch gun mounts, open 5 inch gun mounts, torpedo tubes, single 20mm gun moutns, dual 40mm gun mounts, and depth charge racks.

A nice sheet of decals is also provided with generic hull numbers, ID numbers, US flags (in-port as well as at sea), and an array of signal pendants.

Conclusion

This is an impressive kit and I can't wait to see what other destroyer classes are coming in this series!

Definitely recommended!

My sincere thanks to Midship Models for this review sample!

References

• Destroyers.org