Tragedy Aboard the USS Independence LCS-2
There were no tragedies reported aboard the USS Independence LCS-2. The ship was decommissioned on July 29, 2021, after 11 years of service in the Navy. It was the lead ship of the Independence-class of littoral combat ships and had a trimaran design that allowed it to operate at high speeds and in shallow waters. The ship was used as a testbed for mission package development but was deemed too expensive to upgrade for the new era of great power competition. The crew of the ship was recognized for their service and contribution to the LCS program at a pier-side ceremony in San Diego.
In my last post I did not give enough pictures on building the hangar bay. It was an exercise in art.
Hangar bay done and on to painting the beasty.
Tragedy on a Model Scale
Although no tragedies suffered on the actual ship, one was suffered on a small scale. After putting everything together, the hangar bay, the lights, the photo etch, I then started to paint. At first, the paint was fine with a little bit of roughness to it. Then I sanded that down and proceeded to paint a second time. It became a massive failure!
I was so close in destroying this ship! What’s more was while I was sanding it for the second time, a life preserver and small part of the bow came off. But, instead of doing a hail-Mary with the ship, I commenced in a deep cleaning of my airbrush. Lo, and behold, I pulled out a chunk of dried paint from the nozzle! Could this have been the problem? I will also have to check pressure and paint-to-thinner ratio. I ordered a regulator since my compressor didn’t come with one. Neither did I have a problem without one until now.
All the more reason to keep your gear clean.
This, too, I shall overcome, since I am the “Master Model Kit Builder.” Again, all in my head. I didn’t win any title. That’s how I get my motivation to be the “Master Model Kit Builder,” whoever he may be.
So, after the damage, I repainted the surface, then lightly sanded it with a cotton cloth, an old t-shirt. After which, I turned it over to work on the keel. The color scheme for the keel is different from that of traditional keels we normally see on U.S. naval warships. It’s black! With no waterline. Was the red keel abandoned?
Red Keel on the USS Independence LCS-2
The US Navy did not abandon the red keel on the USS Independence (LCS-2), but rather painted it black as part of a camouflage scheme. According to a report by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, the red keel was originally intended to reduce the ship’s infrared signature and make it less visible to heat-seeking missiles. However, the report also found that the red keel made the ship more conspicuous in the visible spectrum, especially against a dark background. Therefore, the Navy decided to paint the keel black to match the rest of the hull and reduce the ship’s contrast with the surrounding water. The report also suggested that the black keel could have some benefits in reducing the ship’s radar cross-section and acoustic signature, as well as improving its resistance to marine growth.
The report concluded that the black keel was a more effective camouflage option for the USS Independence and recommended that it be applied to all future Independence-class ships. That is why this ship and all in her class have a black keel.
Stay with me for next installment of more tragedies and triumphs!
Continued…Part 3
Feature Model Kit of the Week
Tamiya 1/350 US Navy Destroyer USS Fletcher DD-445 at ModelCars.com.
This is an injection-plastic ship model kit.
First new-tooling 1/350 ship kit in ages. Typical Tamiya quality. Add this one to your collection. And don’t forget to get 10% off using code MC10POFF.
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