350Lafa

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UUSS Simon Bolivar - Ben Franklin Class Submarines.
From this kit you can build all of the submarines of the Ben Franklin Class.
S125 resin kit $54.95

The USS Simon Bolivar was part of the Benjamin Franklin class of Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines built during the 1960s. During her 30 years of service, Simon Bolivar alternated with other SSBNs in keeping the fleet ballistic missile submarines on deterrent patrols, providing the United States with instant retaliatory capabilities in case of attack.

The Blue Water Navy kit of the USS Simon Bolivar measures 14.57 inches long and is a perfect first kit. The hull is a single casting with metal dive planes and comes complete with resin, white metal, and photo-etch parts. A great weekend project.

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"Basics of Ship Building" by Mike Ashey
The bible today for the Model Shipbuilder. This book will give step by
step pictures on building plastic kits, resin kits plus photoetching. This is
the best book for the beginner to experienced builder on the newer
special high price kits resin kits and customizing parts.
1. Building Plastic Kits 2. Building Resin Kits
3. Scratchbuilding & Detailing Superstructure Shapes
4. Working with Brass & Stainless Steel Photoetching
5. Painting, Masking, & Decal Application
There is also an 18-page section of color photographs
of finished models by Mike and others. Of the hundreds
of black and white how - to photos. I recognized very
few from his first book. Most highly recommended.
Published by Kalmbach. #BK02 19.95

The first Lafayette class boats were deployed in 1963. Essentially
a larger and improved version of the previous Ethan Allen class.
The James Madison class are identical except for being fitted with the
longer range Polaris A-3 ballistic missile when built. The Benjamin Franklin's
were James Madison's also until the early 1980's when it was decided to
upgrade these boats with a quieter propulsion system and longer range more
powerful Trident C-4 missiles.

Builders: Mare Island Naval Shipyard; General Dynamics Electric Boat Division
Power Plant: One nuclear reactor, one shaft
Length: 425 feet (129.5 meters)
Beam: 33 feet (10.1 meters)
Displacement: Approx. 8,250 tons (8,382.4 metric tons) submerged
Speed: 20+ knots (23+ miles per hour, 36.8 +kph)
Ships:
USS Kamehameha (SSN 642) (ex-SSBN 642), Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Crew: 13 Officers, 107 Enlisted
Armament: MK-48 torpedoes, four torpedo tubes
Date Deployed: Oct. 22, 1965 (USS Benjamin Franklin)

SSBN-640 Benjamin Franklin	SSBN-644 Lewis And Clark	SSBN-656 George Wash. Carver
SSBN-641 Simon Bolivar	SSBN/SSN-645 James K.Polk	SSBN-657 Francis Scott Key
SSBN/SSN-642 Kamehameha	SSBN-654 George C. Marshall	SSBN-658 Mariano G. Vallejo
SSBN-643 George Bancroft	SSBN-655 Henry L. Stimson	SSBN-659 Will Rogers