Why Nicholas? Because a combination of resources was available: engineering drawings from Bath Iron Works and more than 700 photos, plus input from shipmates, which make it possible to differentiate colors, specific fittings and equipment present in August–September 1945, the period represented by the model. Nicholas’s career also spanned the history of the 2,100-ton Fletcher-class destroyers in the US Navy and thus well represents the class.
Concurrent with early steps in constructing these 1:48 models, Fine Art Models also prepared a 1:96 (4' 11" LOA) model and shipped it to Portland, Maine, where shipmates enjoyed it during their 2002 reunion in early June. They also took time to examine it in detail, and pointed out many corrections for communication back to the modelmakers for incorporation in a limited edition of these models.
In November 2004, a second round of 1:96 models was prepared. Shipmates again reviewed these models in detail and proposed more than 100 corrections.
