The Ship Model Forum

by **StevenVD** » Fri Apr 25, 2025 11:20 am

San Diego Bay, with USS Wright (AV-1) and USS Langley (CV-1) moored pierside at NAS North Island in the background, circa 1931-32.
Photo by Teddy Krueger, USS Holland.

https://www.navsource.org/archives/02/020132.jpg

After returning to the West Coast, Wright subsequently made a winter training cruise to the Caribbean between 2 February and 26 March 1937 and then, after her return to San Diego, departed the United States West Coast on 18 April 1937 in company with the aircraft carrier USS Langley for fleet problems that stretched to the Hawaiian Islands.

That was on Wikipedia. But you'd have to update Langley to seaplane tender for that second meeting.

by **The Other Craig** » Sun Apr 06, 2025 1:07 pm

Hello all- I've just read David Winkler's excellent book on USS LANGLEY.
I have 1:700 kits of both LANGLEY & USS WRIGHT. According to Winkler's book, they were both in for service in 1930.... Visions of a possible diorama featuring these vessels entered my head. Are there photos depicting this, does anyone know ? I'd like to do this, however, if they weren't docked end to end or outboard one other ? It probably isn't going to work, for my purposes.
Do such photos exist ? Any info or leads here are truly helpful & appreciated !! I also emailed the naval museum in Norfolk & am awaiting a reply, hopefully.....
Thanks !!

by **G-Opt** » Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:49 am

Another late image of the Covered Wagon at Darwin...her camo scheme was based on funnel smoke and coffee grounds IIRC.

by **MartinJQuinn** » Thu Jun 02, 2022 5:41 pm

A page back, I posted a photo from the book "Every Day a Nightmare", which shows Langley in Australia, just before her fateful voyage.

viewtopic.php?f=46&t=154730&start=20#p935630

Looks like something is going on there - maybe a rushed and/or poorly applied coat of Cavite Blue?

by **3D-WILD** » Thu Jun 02, 2022 2:05 pm

whaynes wrote:Anyone have an idea what the camouflage measure Langley was in at time of sinking? Thanks.
Walt Haynes

From this photo when she was scuttled by torpedoes, apparently there was no camouflage.

by **whaynes** » Wed May 25, 2022 1:18 pm

Anyone have a good idea what camoflage scheme USS Langley, AV-3 was in at the time of her sinking? Doesn't look dark enough to be Measure 1.......

by **Greg lester** » Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:54 am

https://modelshipworld.com/topic/29389- ... /#comments

I�m in the process of building a Langley, what type of wood did they use on the deck?

by **Greg lester** » Thu Jul 22, 2021 5:43 pm

That�s what I thought, like her younger siblings did

by **MartinJQuinn** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 7:02 pm

Greg lester wrote:Studying the images I see there are pipes running along both sides of the hull, I take it they are fuel lines?

Guessing they are aviation fuel lines

by **Greg lester** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 2:28 am

Studying the images I see there are pipes running along both sides of the hull, I take it they are fuel lines?

by **Greg lester** » Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:55 am

MartinJQuinn wrote:
Greg lester wrote:Unfortunately the image does not show
You have to be logged in to see it. Not sure if you are posting as a guest.

Those cranes don't look like they'd handle the larger seaplanes being hoisted by the dockside crane.

Yea I was logged in. Just was and is not visible on phone but is on desktop thanks

by **G-Opt** » Mon Jul 05, 2021 10:51 am

Here's a poor quality Xerox copy of pics showing the retrieval of an SOC from LANGLEY, etc. I am skeptical these electric cranes could have lifted a PBY, too, but really have no info on that pro or con.
Photos of AV-3 at Sitka and French Frigate Shoals never show her lifting PBYs.
Years ago I knew & communicated often with an old LANGLEY survivor who could have easily answered such questions...

by **MartinJQuinn** » Mon Jul 05, 2021 8:28 am

Greg lester wrote:Unfortunately the image does not show

You have to be logged in to see it. Not sure if you are posting as a guest.

Those cranes don't look like they'd handle the larger seaplanes being hoisted by the dockside crane.

by **Greg lester** » Sun Jul 04, 2021 10:36 pm

Unfortunately the image does not show

by **Charybdis** » Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:41 pm

An example of one of Langley's two cranes in action:

by **Greg lester** » Thu Jul 01, 2021 4:56 pm

Dammit that makes so much sense and I completely missed it, thanks.

by **G-Opt** » Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:17 am

LANGLEY definitely could & did bring aboard the single engine floatplanes of the Utility Squadron by her own cranes. I believe I once posted photos of that here (which I still have), but in any case, they were lifted onto the hangar-deck, then placed on the elevator and brought up on the flight deck.

I think they placed the planes at an angle on the elevator...then folded the wings later once up on the flight deck when they were in their cradles.

HTH

by **MartinJQuinn** » Wed Jun 30, 2021 5:45 pm

Two photos of Langley as AV-3, from NARA II, courtesy of Roger Torgeson:

: Aircraft are from Patrol Squadrons VP-1 & VP-18

by **MartinJQuinn** » Wed Jun 30, 2021 5:39 pm

Greg lester wrote:Thankyou. Any idea how the seaplanes got up on deck? From a wharf? I can�t imagine them using the ships own cranes.

Hoisted up from pier side, I would imagine.

EDIT: another photo from Roger Torgeson, showing they WERE lifted onboard by crane.

by **Greg lester** » Wed Jun 30, 2021 5:16 pm

Thankyou. Any idea how the seaplanes got up on deck? From a wharf? I can�t imagine them using the ships own cranes.

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CV-1 & AV-3 at Norfolk 1930 ?

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