Dick J wrote:
SeanF wrote:
Right, though I do recall someone on this thread (a long while back) saying that Essex herself did have the track in-place, just never received the actual catapult. But in this case I'm thinking of Wasp or Hornet, which did have the functioning catapult.
I think you are recalling a post about the flightdeck cat. Essex commissioned without any cats, but did have the track in her flightdeck where, as Tracy said, they eventually installed an H-2. Lexington commission with only a flightdeck H-4 cat. CV's 10, 11, 12, 13, 17 & 18 commissioned with one H-4 on the flightdeck and one in the hangar. However, before she deployed, Franklin (CV-13) replaced her hangar cat with a second flightdeck unit. The rest of the class commissioned with two flightdeck cats and none in the hangar. Those later ships also had smaller openings inboard of their hangar level quad 40MM because the large port side catapult opening was no longer needed. The starboard opening remained because it had a crane for lifting aboard aircraft from piers and barges.
Ah, that's right. Checked it again - your post, Dick, on October 24, 2014: Flight deck catapult track without catapult at time of commissioning.
And a note about those port-side doors: I'm in the midst of a multi-ship 1:700 build, and it seems that only Trumpeter picked up on that distinction - they have a separate part for the different door configurations. Dragon has the large opening molded-in to all their hulls, and Hasegawa has the small doors molded-in.
But back to the question: For the ones that
did have the hangar catapult - has anyone seen plan-view drawings that can confirm alignment of the track and outriggers? (At the moment, I'm thinking that the Dragon kits might have the port-side outrigger too far aft. Easy fix, at least.)
- Sean F.