The Ship Model Forum

Gentlemen,

I'm very impressed with the waterline models posted here (and elsewhere); the craftsmanship and creativity is remarkable. However, sometimes minor errors that are easily overlooked by the less nautical of us stand out and beg solution. A couple of errors I've seen are ships displayed underway but with the ensign displayed at the fantail (vice at the masthead). Also, for small ships with flight decks, the helo(s) staged on deck facing aft. Which brings me to my subject...crew positions on ships under different conditions. From memory here are a few scenarios:

Peacetime cruising:

Maybe an officer or two and a couple of whitehats on the bridgewing and at the flag bags (usually looking outboard).
Forward lookout on bridge roof (eg. 0-4 level).
Aft lookout at fantail or maybe in an aft gun tub.
Maybe small groups of sailors working at specific tasks (eg. maintenance on a gun, chipping paint, etc) or grouped at the rail or sitting around shooting the bull (leaning, sitting, even laying down). Rarely, rarely in ranks while underway (morning muster, extra duty muster).

Sea and anchor detail:

Extra khakis and whitehats around the bridge.
Lookouts as above.
Groups of line handlers (8 - 20 guys) on the focsle, amidships, and fantail with a khaki or two supervising each group. Guys can be manning the rail or milling about waiting. Maybe a couple of gunners mates with rifles for putting shotlines over? Mooring lines can be faked out on deck. Snipes hanging around blinking at the sunlight? Quarterdeck watchstanders coming or going.

Unrep

Similar to sea and anchor, but line handlers at specific unrep station(s) with kapoks. Maybe working parties handling ammo or stores. Usually lots of sightseers topside...small groups leaning on rails watching the show.

General quarters

Everybody in helmets and life jackets (kapoks or inflatable, depending on period).
Maybe extra lookouts on bridgewings.
All guns and directors manned...maybe extra ammo handlers around.
Depth charge rails and launchers manned.

Obviously many other scenarios possible. I just wanted to give some snapshots of where sailors should be in common situations.

Cheers,

Keith

WHAT??? I don,t know any machinery loving snipe that would be caught dead on deck if he or she could help it.Nowadays they have AIR CONDITIONING !!! in engineering. what is the world coming to??? All kidding aside the above scenario is correct.Now , if you are doing an unrep dio, try to do one of one of the older type of cans taking fuel off a carrier! There would be about seven to ten snipes on deck helping out as deck hands don,t touch our gear. On the FRAM cans the after fueling station was retracted into the helo deck and snipes and deckhands worked to rig out this station as it took more than the usual amount of hands.You would connect ALL the lines to a location on the carrier,s side sponsons. Which ones I forgot. That was a lot of years ago!! commodore4

I think it would look cool for someone to do a diorama of a ship during a "Shellback" ceremony! Lots of hijinks and shennanegans taking place for the modeler to go crazy with!

_________________
Enlisted men are stupid, but very cunning and deceitful and bear considerable watching." - Marine Corps Officers Manual, 1894

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Excellent points, Keith

Excellent points; I second that statement. For modeler like me without any RL marine experience that info is essential. I wonder how many "blunders" I have made placing crew mwmbers on my ships!!!!!
It would be nice to have a modeler to translate Keith words into a diorama or a knowledgeable mate to post some illustrating pictures here Happy modeling,

Jorge

Just to gum up the works, during WWII, many white hats in the forward areas actually wore blue dixie cups. Chiefs were known to wear dungarees with khaki cover on the flat cap.