January 16, 2003A Special thanks to the crew of the USS VANCE,and the web site at USS VANCE.com for their contributions in the building of this model.Their help in providing photos,time,and sea stories were invaluable in the completion of this model,due to the lack of detailed plans commercially available.
Steve Buchanan
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Fire in the hole!!!
As some of you know I have a boat shed for my models in the back yard. This morning I was hurrying to reassemble my LSMR (landing ship/rocket) after rewiring it and adding some new sound effects. In the process, I forgot the reason I had added so many safety interlock switches to the rocket launchers, also I had changed some of the switches on the transmitter and hadn't marked them yet! Needless to say, about 7:02 this am, I hit the wrong switch and launched 8 rockets simultaniously inside the 10x14 shed within a foot of my face. I saw the ignition of the first rocket as it came shooting out and SCREAMING past my nose as I headed down for the deck and assumed the fetal position trying to protect my jewels and wondering what flammable materials I had left lying around that might "cook off" in the meantime, and could I reach the fire extinguisher if needed! The good thing was that the switch was in the momentary position and only fired the last 2 launchers on the boat (4 each) and not all and not all ten launchers (40 total). I lay on the floor as the rockets fired overhead and could hear them bouncing around until they exploded. When the noise stopped, I looked thru the fog of smoke and stench of fireworks contained inside a small space and decided all was clear. I opened the shed door as a wall of smoke trailed out after me. My wife was sitting on our porch having her cup of wake-up coffee. "New sound effects" she asked? "I'm very impressed" she said before I could tell her what a bonehead stunt I had just pulled! "Not exactly", I answered as a cloud of smoke swirled around me in the doorway of the bunker (Buck's Bunker as it has been dubbed).
All safe here and model and skipper unharmed, BK sends
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 17:06:31 EST
Subject: USS Vance model
To: webmaster@ussvance.com
Hi, I live in south florida and this weekend my wife and I attended the South Florida Fair. One of the buildings I like to enter is all models, aircraft, boats etc. When I entered the first thing I saw was a ship model with 387 on it. I said to my wife that looks like the Vance. She went around to the port side and said it was. There was a plank identifying it. I knew there was a model being made but I didn't expect it to be shown in the south Fl. fair.
The model was very close to the way I remebered it. It was a very nice suprise. Bob Messler (RD3)
From: Bkstr4x4@aol.com
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 23:09:37 EST
Subject: Re: USS Vance model, She sails again...
To: jbetters@attbi.com
Thank you for forwarding that to me Joe, that was the best thing I could have heard from anyone! I went today to run the boat but the Xmiter battery was down. There was a first place trophy next to the ship. My wife didn't doubt it for a minute, but when there are no other ships, you compete against all the other types of models in a sort of "Best of Show" type, anyway I got real lucky! Will pick up the ship on Mon and send photos next week, I guess we can add another "Ribbon" to her record. Bksends
Date: Wednesday, January 29, 2003
Submitted by: Steve Buchanan
Email address: Bkstr4x4@aol.com
Served From: 1/2/1968-6/17/71
Co.B 68th Sig.Btn.Munich Germany USS Vance model takes first place in Palm Beach County Fair.
What started out as a search for a bigger toy platform to launch rockets from, became an obsessive search for detail once the USS Vance web site was found. Being a neophite web surfer I didn't have any idea how much information you could get from the internet.
I wanted to build small combantants from the Vietnam Era. After reading "Small Ships,Big War" I wanted to build a DE, After research at the local library I found what I needed, the DER, the best of both worlds for me. With a large hull (for me, I didn't have to sleep in her!) and having served in Vietnam, the DER was the prefect step up from the PG 88 and an LSMR that I had built. It was the computer that became my downfall. I found the USS Vance website, Joe Betters, and George Blust and rest of the remaining pirates lurking there.
LT Black, thanks, Brian Spooner and Harry Wadley, thanks. The interest all the Vance crew took in getting this model right is in the trophy and the words of a fellow shipmate who has seen it.!
I can remember Harry telling me how the smoke should look, (Light haze!) and the request for the "E" in red (after all they earned it!) Thanks to all of you for helping me with the model. It's a little thing the fair, I could care less except I get to show off my stuff, I might get competive when I'm against static models that don't move. YOUR SHIP CAN WHIP THE ASS OF ANY MODEL I HAVE EVER SEEN, INCLUDING MY OWN, AND IT'S THE FASTEST I HAVE EVER BUILT!
I have never seen a destroyer boiling water over the transom and on a plane at the bow! (I gotta lay off that throttle).
Thanks again to all my adopted shipmates, and those of you who I haven't mentioned please don't take offence, I have crashed this computer twice since I started this project, and have lost many names and adresses. Thanks to George and Joe, I have reloaded photo's twice. photos soon, BK sends
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From: Bkstr4x4@aol.com
Date: 30 Dec 2002
The bright lights seen streaking thru the sky Saturday evening from the Port St. Lucie Marine Testing Facility, prove that America's latest tool in the ongoing "War against Terror"is active. The USS Vance (DER 387)sucessfully fired all 8 forward and 8 aft rockets against targets real and imagined, causing more than one observer to spill drinks and head for cover! Insiders at the after dinner soirée commented that the "Sandie's" didn't stand a chance against the Vance if they were trapped in a 5' deep 12x20 above ground pool with her.
Live from PSL,
This is Steve Buchanan reporting.
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From: Bkstr4x4@aol.com
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2002 08:50:03 EDT
Subject: Re: Navy page
To: jbetters@ussvance.com
OK, and no luck yet, I found a bosun's mate who says he can do the whistles for leaving port and the line shifting commands for the tape player, and that some ships had canvas covers on the flag bag, that will keep me from going crazy.
I finished the welding bottles and lashed them in several places aboard ship, and I finally made the 36" ventilators that were on either side of the after deck house. I also made the ammo hoists that are at the stern of the upper deck at the rear near the MK 51 range finder tub, lashed the REP UNDER WAY tripods on the bridge roof on either side of the forward MK 51 rangefinder.
And that is it for now! BK sends
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Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 08:35:43 EDT
From: Bkstr4x4@aol.com
To: jbetters@ussvance.com
Subject: Flags
Ask around the signal room and see if anyone knows which signal flags I would need to fly on the VANCE to signal the following,"Enemy in sight, am engaging" or does it need to be spelled out, and which halyard should they be flown from (port or starboard)?
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Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 12:06:17 EST
Subject: Re: USS Vance
From: Bkstr4x4@aol.com
To: Jim.Riggen@labarge.com
CC: jbetters@ussvance.com, Gblust@msn.com
Well, I was not in the navy and am not bound by tradition, but since I build in 1/48 scale, an airbrush just wont cover as fast as I'd like, I use spray cans. Since I've been building a while I like Krylon #1605 Stone Gray Gloss. If you keep the can well back on the last covering application it will flatten out to a satin that I am very happy with. It was originally sold in a satin finish when I built the Dumas "PG88 Gunboat",a turbine powered Vietnam era gunboat. I did not know at that time that I was going nuts and did not know that I was headed down this destructive path. The Krylon paint is very flexible and applies to almost any surface. It is as close to "Haze Gray" as I can find (I think) I buy a case at a time (6 cans) and just hose away. If you buy your hull or small parts from Scale Shipyard, be prepared for a long wait although the results are good!
I have been building the USS VANCE since
Jan 2000, And If I hadn't tangled with those "sea going son's o' bitches" I
could have been done by now.
#1 She was a real ship,
#2 there was a web site,
#3 there were pictures,
#4 there were real people that I grew fond of,
#5 there was one picture takin son of a b--ch named George Blust Who provided so many shots of the VANCE that I got all tied up on detail.
"HONORARY WATERTENDER my ass,I got more time on the VANCE than on my w....
I was a simple guy building rocket firing ships (see Special Interests - Hobby Shop) and just wanted a larger hull. I happened to read "Small Ships, Big War" about DE's and wondered if any had survived to served in Vietnam. My research said yes but not in the original configuration, I went with this and got a hull from Scale Shipyard and a simple set of plans.While surfing the Internet I ran afoul of the nefarious RM3 Joseph Betters who's web site has completely caught me in it's web, DER 387 USS VANCE HOME PAGE. Now since I have a Vietnam era PG88, a LSMR the USS VANCE, I'm gonna have to build a "SWIFT BOAT !!) Man I love this stuff! If you have any questions about your running gear let me know,(motors or props,etc) I'll be glad to help. I use a 4ch Futaba FM radio with a JEM12 ch expander (takes one ch, and gives you 12 on /off functions that allows you to have one ch for throttle, one for rudder, one to raise the launchers, and the 4th gives 12 on/off switches to launch missiles or sound GQ,or collision alarm, turn on lights,ect,it's great, any Q's write back, sorry I'm so long winded but IM the only large molder here and I love to share! BK sendsBack to the main model page
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Fri, 14 Dec 2001 11:13:19 EST
I took the plans up to the Navy Recruiter today looking for a Chief, or boson's mate to get details of the ground tackle, pad eyes, swivels, etc., ( I don't know any of that stuff!) after all, I'm only an adopted water tender!, and a groundpounder to boot!
I'm trying to get a sense of the twin anchors, wether both were on the chain (each appears to have it's own), or was one catted off, and one was set up on the capstan. Most of today's sailors only have one anchor at the bow and they are scratching their heads! I'm gonna need an old salt for this one so pass the word, any drawings they can make I need to get a mental picture of a chain stopper and a padeye.
thanks BK sends
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Wed, 12 Dec 2001 22:23:23 EST
Gateway crashed on me last month, can you send any pic's of the motor whale boat again? I lost everything and don't have a CD burner, so I couldn't save anything.
Oh, a year's worth of photos, ouch! waiting on hull numbers, got Engineering "E" figured out, mast and running lights work, cabin lights work, spotlights work, after 3 "50 works but needs an amplifier as the speaker is buried amidships and can hardly be heard.
Asroc or whatever fore and aft elevate (in the rear, replaces the depth charges in a tasteful box launcher) waiting to be wired in to the radio gear. I mounted a triple box launcher amidships (gotta have more firepower!), now working on the forward 3 "50 which has to be angled, and is a pain to wire so as to train and elevate and fire. Photos will follow soon,
BK sends
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Monday, October 1, 2001, 11:27 PM
As an honorary "Water Tender", ie: adopted snipe, all snipe info is excepted. Got the ventilators figured out, but made all the damn life jacket lockers too big, back to the drawing board, also I found I put the brace on the main mast on the wrong side and the ventilator and diesel stacks by the booby hatch (man! that cracks me up!) would not fit. Lucky for me I had my trusty exacto saw!! (I was at work at the airport and carry all this crap with me), I cut off the soldered brass cross brace and had the correct size wooden dowl, that I sealed and painted and glued it where it belonged, now everything fits.
Also for you purists. I couldn't bring myself to violate the 10' radius needed for the compass and after steering location (even though It was ideal for a rocket launcher!!!). I know you must have an alternate steering in case of battle damage to the bridge, but I WANTED THAT SPACE! unfortunately on a DE, THERE IS NO WASTED SPACE! I'll cob something together either were the Hedgehog goes, or along the sides where the Torps go. Speaking of Torps, what were the Mark 32's I only know of the later Mark 48,s I think are or were used on our subs. These Torps look much smaller then the W.W.II torps, they look short and stubby in the photos, any clues?
Hull is now painted, flag bag coming along, starting on small details now,
BK sends
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Sunday, September 23, 2001, 10:23 PM
I am building a Vietnam era DER, the USS VANCE. My question is a signalman's one. I am confused about the flag bag area, and the plans are side and top view only so I have no depth of field or angled shots. The questions are 1please explain the flag bag,did it have a drain if oppen or was it lidded? Did the halyards come down at an angle from outboard to inboard as they decended?
CLICK THE PHOTO FOR A FULL VIEW
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Wednesday, September 5, 2001, 05:21 PM
That's a nice looking *Economy Haze* coming from the stack!
You know, of course, that the Light Gray Smoke was the Normal Economy Haze; the White Smoke was caused by Cold Engines; The Thick Black Smoke was caused by too much fuel (or not enough air); the Brown Smoke was caused by Overloaded Engines.(All of the above relates to Diesel Drive Ships).
I learned all of this from Cheech & Chong........
(Two Famous Enginemen)
Are you going to paint the undersides of the superstructure overhangs white to resemble white caps when viewed from a distance when the ship rolls?
Duane
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Wednesday, September 5, 2001, 05:21 PM
Check this out, two steam photos on upper section. I hid the smoke fluid tank
(airplane type) in the stack housing and let gravity feed the smoke generator.
Sorry,no at sea photos yet but one or two of the tank test.
BK sends
(still looking rough but coming along nicely I think)
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Wednesday, September 5, 2001, 05:21 PM
Yes, George Blust's photos show the engineering E on the stack, and is
certainly going to be added as we progress. The Co..that I get my hull
numbers from has a set of labels including "high Voltage" and "no Steps" etc.
including the big E. I am checking to see if they have it in my scale,
otherwise I'll fab it myself but it will be there!
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Wednesday, August 29, 2001, 11:01 AM
Thanks, George
Nice photos, I tank-tested today in my pal's jacuzi,worked
great, will finish off pic's this week and have them on line to you by first
of next week. The deck is still a little barren but will eventually be filled
with lockers and such. Ordering the hull number set this weekend and more
haze gray (I've already used 6 cans!) damm thing is a paint sponge!
BK sends
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Monday, August 27, 2001, 10:33 AM
Joe, Gentlemen of the USS VANCE,
In answer to your questions, I have a video camera and will send a tape after I get the initial battery/ballast question answered. I have a long way to go, and some of the finer details have been deleted for ease of construction There are so many antennas on the fore, and main masts that I am going for a simple silhouette look,(once again the standoff scale!) I have also added an ASROC launcher aft of the stack like the "FRAM" DD's of the late 60's instead of the Hedgehog so that I can launch rockets. I hope the "Vance 'crew will understand and consider the modification a dry-dock mod and bear with me.At any rate, we have steam and will press on.
I need any PICS you guys have of sandbagged 50 cal sites, as I plan to put them on the boat where the hedgehog was, and anywhere else they were mounted for interdiction. I took the ship into work over the weekend but did not get much done, however all the Navy guys loved it! You will be getting PICS of the ship underweigh but I have not finished the upper paint or have the # applied yet as they have not yet arrived. I am still waiting for the motor whaleboat kit from "ScaleShipyard" and I need your help in figuring out how those davits worked. I am a groundpounder so, if you want to sketch out a rough drawing scan it and send it to me it would be really apreciated.!
George Blust's photos have once again saved the day as I couldn't make the large deflection radar on the after deckhouse. I could have never built this ship as accurately as I have without all of your help. I could pass off anything at a small county fair, but the modeler in me (and being a vet) I couldn't without an amount of research which has opened a larger door, and many more friends,Yours, under the Flag,
Steve Buchanan
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Due to the gunfire support role provided by the USS VANCE, she has won the coveted title as Queen of the Bkstr fleet and shall be numbered 387 when she is finished and presented to the public in Jan at the model contest at the Palm Beach County Fair.
She shows a fair amount of speed but has new motors being installed as we speak, still waiting on the motor whale boat kit from Scale Shipyard and trying to get the odds and ends painted.
What is the giant round thing on the portside, next to the stack?
(where the, or next to where the torps were hung?)
Thanks to George Blust for giving me a lesson on the VANCE's history, the only info I had on DER's was from photos that I ordered from the Naval Institute that time I was only building a model and wanted photos. I went with the first ship that I found that had seen action in Vietnam. The response from all of you and especially Joe Betters and George Blust (gosh, I hope I have that right) have made me decide to make the VANCE instead.
Remember, if lockers, or boxes or whatever aren't in the correct location (oh hell he's just a groundpounder cut him some slack!) anyway photos follow
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Guys, the attached sheet is the only reason I'm building the Haverfield, gunfire support. I never met anyone from the navy who served on a combat ship except for carrier guys where I work. You guys have been so supportive with photos and info from all divisons, that, show me one round fired at the enemy and the project will become the USS Vance (with a certain amount of builder's discretion as she will be firing rockets!) if you can live with that, as no one seems to have built a USS Haverfield site, what the heck, I know you were is the area which was more than I was.
BK sends
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Any Photos showing the fantail and 3" mount? I would like a better view. The George Blust photos were exceptional, There are some photos of the after deckhouse without large radars, are these George's photos? things are continuing well, tropical storm Berry went thru here today, (I slept thru it but my wife said it was rough.)
BK sends
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Joe, where did the picture come from that is on the site right now!,That shows no rear radar and could save me some work. The ship hit the water, minus the superstructure to check for ballast, and I went ahead and ran it no leaks and she showed a good turn of her heels (not what I wanted, but the other motors are on the way). There is a low pressure in the area and it is raining to beat the band so I'll get pic's as soon as I can.
BK sends
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Ask if any gunners mates know if there was a bell or siren which went off when the 3 "50 started to train,also not too clear on the forepeak, concering the windlass and controller (I know it's a bitch to ask 'cause lots of stuff is taken for granted when it's not in your own division) ask around, maybe there are some pic's of the forepeak that are better than the one's I have from the Naval Meuseum also,if any one wants me to, I will send them the underway photos I have from the naval institute of the Haverfield.
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Joe, although everyone has been a world of help, I could never have gotten as far as I have without your help! I needn't tell you how much worse off I am now than when I started, because then I didn't have a computer and I just wanted to build a simple standoff scale ship (LOL).Then I found your darn site and you helped with the photos and now the detail work is driving me nuts!!! I am so happy with the responses that you guys have been helping me with.
Please send out a word of thanks to all the DER sailors who have helped out with PIC's and answered questions.
I am unhappy with the new motors, they don't seem to be able to get a big bow wave up and I haven't even added the superstructure yet! OK, more changes to come, we'll hit the water tomorrow still under construction but will send photos reguardless.BK
PS ask your engineer buds how much speed the old girl had in her near the end, If pressed, could she still get a bone in her teeth? (White water under her forefoot, not DOWN HER THROAT!) LOL sorry, postal humor.
BK
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Received smoke generator and have smoke coming out of stack now, was going to tank test for ballasting this weekend but burned up starboard motor redlining it in the garage instead. Have two new motors on the way from Tower Hobbies, should be here by weekend then will tank test and photograph. will send pic's to USS Vance site as soon as they are developed. Installing cabin lamps also this week, finished booby hatch (didn't know there really was one!) and unrep kingposts on after deckhouse. Stack and muffler housings are as finished as I can make them so that's done.
later, BK
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If there are any Signalmen aboard, I need info on the flag bag and signalman's log table (to the rear of the ship's bell) on the signal deck aft the pilothouse. In the photo it is the added area in white plastic. Thanks
Steve
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