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USS Fletcher Class Destroyers
The 1/200 Trumpeter USS Fletcher can be painted in one of three paint schemes as she appears in the box, kit #03723.
Option 1: Overall 5-H Haze Gray with 20-B decks. Fletcher wore this scheme during her construction, workups and pre-commissioning trials. She did NOT see combat in this scheme. This scheme is indicated in the instructions. Note – the triangular-shaped platform on top of the bridge (part PE-A26) only appeared pre-commissioning. It was removed from the ship before she was turned over to the US Navy.
USS Fletcher in the final stages of her painting, 26 June, 1942. She would be commissioned and accepted just 4 days after these photos were taken.
Option 2: Measure 12 Revised. This scheme is indicated in the instructions. Fletcher painted into this scheme just days before her commissioning. Measure 12 Revised was applied at the captain’s discretion – as a result – every ship is unique. Although the original application was random, modelers should follow the design sheet to ensure that their camo pattern matches the original.
The hull of the ship uses two colors – 5-N Navy Blue and 5-O Ocean Gray, with 5-N being the darker color. On the superstructure, 5-O Ocean Gray and 5-H Haze Gray were used, with 5-O being the darker color. The decks and all horizontal surfaces, such as turret tops, tops of torpedo tubes, etc., are 20-B Deck Blue. The lower hull is Norfolk Red #65 with a #82 Dull Black boot strip separating the red from the camouflage on the hull.
Fletcher wore this scheme from her commissioning on June 30, 1942, until sometime around November 1942. It is not known for certain if she was wearing this scheme during her action at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal and Tassafaronga.
18 July 1942. Fletcher wears fresh Measure 12 Revised and note that the upper bridge platform has been removed.
Option 3 – Measure 21 – overall 5-N Navy Blue. Worn from November 42 onward, she retained this scheme AFTER her June 1943 overhaul, her physical appearance changed significantly and this kit does represent her after June of 1943. Ms21 consists of 5-N Navy Blue on ALL vertical surfaces, and 20-B Deck Blue on ALL horizontal surfaces. The lower hull color did not change.
USS Fletcher at Purvis Bay, Solomon Islands, March 1943. The Ms12R pattern can be seen bleeding through the hull paint at the bow, and the midship bulwarks, Carley floats and 20mm splinter shields are still showing 5-O Ocean Gray.
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