Preview: Takom's First ship launches with the 350th scale Type 124 Sachsen class Frigate
Sachsen Class (F124) Frigate
From Takom
1/350th scale
Kit No #6001
Plastic and photo-etched kit.
Available in September
The Subject: The Lun-class Ekranoplan.
The Sachsen Class (F124) is Germany’s air defence frigate built by ARGE F124, a consortium consisting of Blohm + Voss as the leading yard, Howaldtwerke-Deutsche Werft and Thyssen Nordseewerke. In January 2005, the three companies became part of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.
The three ships in this class - the FGS Sachsen (F 219), FGS Hamburg (F 220) & FGS Hessen (F 221)
The three frigates were built under the trilateral frigate agreement, signed by the Netherlands, Germany and Spain, which provides cooperation in national construction of the frigates in each country. In the Netherlands Royal Schelde build the De Zeven Provincien (LCF) Class frigates and in Spain Navantia (formerly Bazan then Izar) build the Alvaro de Bazan (F100) Class.
The first of class, FGS Sachsen (F219), built at the Blohm and Voss shipyard in Hamburg, was commissioned in November 2004. The second, FGS Hamburg (F220) built by HDW, was commissioned in December 2004. The third, FGS Hessen (F221) built by TNSW, was launched in July 2003 and was commissioned in April 2006.
Frigate Hamburg of German Navy
Propulsion & performance
The F124 is equipped with a combined diesel and gas propulsion system, CODAG. The two operating shafts work independently. The diesel engines are installed in a non-walkable sound-proof capsule. The shafts drive two five-bladed controllable pitch propellers. In diesel mode, one of the diesel engines (type MTU 20V 1163 TB93) is operated via two main gearboxes and one cross-connection gearbox. The peak performance of the diesel provides 7,400kW at 1,350rpm.
The ship has an operating range of 4,000nm at a cruising speed of 18kt in diesel mode. In gas turbine mode, the gas turbine (model GE 7 LM2500 PF/MLG) provides 23,500kW and 3,600rpm, operating two main gearboxes and the cross-connection gearbox. In combined diesel and gas propulsion mode (CODAG-mode), both diesel engines and the gas turbine engine are operated. The maximum speed of the ship is 29kt.
Missiles
The ship’s medium and long-range anti-air missiles are the Raytheon evolved Sea Sparrow missile (ESSM) and the Standard missile SM2111-A, which are fired from a VLS mk41 32-cell launcher. SGS Sachsen successfully completed firing trials with ESSM and SM-2 in July / August 2004.
The F124 has two rolling airframe missile (RAM), mk31 launchers and two four-cell Harpoon missile launchers. Boeing Harpoon is an autonomous all-weather anti-ship missile with range in excess of 65 nautical miles. The RAM missile from Raytheon and RAM Systems GmbH, is a fire-and-forget missile which provides short-range defence against incoming anti-ship missiles including sea-skimming missiles.
F 221 FGS Hessen
Guns
The F124 is equipped with an Oto Melara 76mm gun, and two Rheinmetall 20mm guns.
A KMW PzH 2000 howitzer turret with a 155mm gun has been mounted on the deck of FGS Hamburg (F220) as a demonstration of the feasibility of the system for naval applications. The concept is called MONARC and requires a flexible elastic mounting. MONARC has a range of 22nm. Live fire trials were conducted in September 2003.
Torpedoes
The ship is fitted with two triple mk32 torpedo launchers for EurotorpMU90 lightweight torpedoes and also has helicopter-borne long-range lightweight torpedoes.
Helicopters
The flight deck and hangar accommodate two Westland Sea Lynx Mk.88A or NH90 naval helicopters. The flight deck is rated to accommodate a 15t class helicopter such as the Merlin, for fuelling and torpedo loading. The helicopter handling system from MBB-Forder und Hebesysteme uses laser guided and computer controlled manipulator arms to secure the helicopter after landing.
The new kit from Takom: The 350th scale Type 124 Sachsen class Frigate
This is the first ship from Takom, and it comes in 350th scale that will make it both popular and easy enough to accomodate in size, but still plenty long enough at 408mm long. The kit is being designed with the help of "Snowman Model" studios. Both a waterline and full hulled version of the kit is presented, with two little plinths to be placed under the hull. There are some very small parts in this kit, but it looks like the photo-etch is being kept to a minimum. The two Lynx helicopters for the rear deck of the ship have either extended or folded main rotors. The kit is scheduled for a September release...
That is all we know about this release for now. You can see more about Takom's kits on their website or on their Facebook page
