#063 PLAN Type 051C

Building the PLAN Type 051C destroyer DDG 115 沈阳 (Shenyang) with a little LED illumination.

Notes

DDG 115 沈阳 (Shenyang) is the first ship of the Type 051C destroyer class of the PLAN.

Commissioned on November 28, 2006, DDG 115 is still in service with home port of 青岛 (Qingdao).

Some stats:

• Builder: Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC), Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
• Displacement: 6600 tons (standard) / 7300 tons (full load)
• Length: 155 meters (508 feet 6 inches)
• Beam: 17.2 meters (56 ft)
• Draft: 6 meters (19 ft 8 in)
• Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h)
• Range: 6500 NMI (12000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
• Complement: 280
• Propulsion:
  • 2 x steam turbines (94000 hp, total)
  • 4 boilers
  • 2 shafts / 2 propellers
• Armament:
  • Vertical Launching System (VLS)
  • 6 VLS-canisters x 8 missiles = 48
  • S-300FM (SA-N-20) surface-to-air missiles (SAM)
  • 1 x H/PJ-87 100mm naval gun
  • 2x4 YJ-83 (C-803) anti-ship missiles (SSM)
  • 2 x Type 730 H/PJ-12 close-in weapon system (CIWS)
  • 2x3 324mm torpedo tubes for Yu-7 torpedoes
  • 2 x Type 946 decoy launchers (15 cells)
  • 2 x Type 726 decoy launchers (18 cells)
• flight deck for 1 helicopter - no hangar
• systems:
  • Fregat MAE-5 (NATO = Top Plate) 3D air search phased array radar
  • Type 364 (SR-64 Seagull-C) air and surface search radar
  • Type 362 (MR-36) air and surface search radar
  • Mineral-ME (NATO = Band Stand) over-the-horizon targeting radar
  • 30N6 Tombstone 3D phased-array target tracking radar
  • 2 x Type 347G I-band fire-control radar (CIWS)
  • SJD-9 active/passive bow sonar

The Kit

I have the PLAN Type 051C Trumpeter 04529 1:350 kit. It contains decals to build both DDG-115 and DGD-116, the two ships of the class.

This is the first 1:350 ship kit I’ve built. I’m finding it a bit too large to be as satisfying as the 1:700 ships I’ve built, mainly because they are a large canvas that demands detail - detail that is not in the it or even with basic photoetch enhancements.

I compensated somewhat by adding greeblies, railings and rigging.

Paint Scheme

Electronics

I installed a series of red LEDs (0604 SMD) powered by a CR2032 coin cell:

• 2 in the bridge, diffused with some translucent model clay
• 5 along the exposed corridors

Build Log

I carved out the bridge windows and fitted some tinted windows (IC component bags)

This is not a drill! Bridge is lit with a soft glow of red LEDs diffused with translucent model clay

Basic assembly complete

I realise now that the decals are not accurate to the actual white-on-black currently sported by DDG-115.

Greeblies and aerials copied from some reference photos… at 1:350, the ship really demands more detail than is provided by the kit and standard photoetch.

It could still do with a bit more detailing, and I’ve been thinking about placing it in a seascape, but that’s all for now!

tbh, I think this one convinced me that 1:350 not really my scale - too much blank canvas and standard level of detail even with PE is far from convincing, so quite a big job to fill the gap. I can see myself returning to this build to add detail and weathering over the next year or more! But in the meantime I think I’ll be retreating back to 1:700..

Credits and References

• this project on scalemates
• PLA Navy Type 051C DDG-115 Shenyang 04529 - trumpeter-china
• Navy Destroyer DDG 115 Shenyang. PLAN Type 051C Trumpeter No. 04529 1:350 - scalemates
• Handrails & Ladders for model ship Trumpeter No. 06636 1:350 - scalemates
• Type 051C destroyer - wikipedia
• DDG 115 沈阳 / Shenyang - wikipedia