The Ship Model Forum

Note - the second pic would be Long Beach at the end of her refit to remove SPS-32/33 and install SPS-48/49 at PSNS. This would have been the early '80s.

The PHM is nearby because it was built by Boeing, 'local' to PSNS.

Wish I could have gone aboard one more time, find my old rack. Probably no access to OUTBOARD anymore...

Hey does any one know if CGN9 is still at PSNS?? I came across a post on the web which indicates she may have been moved to a new location for scrapping around 13 July??

Bruce

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building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

She lies at PSNS (now part of "Naval Base Kitsap").

Her scrapping has to be done there due to her propulsion. She will be broken apart, and whoever won the bids for her scrap will be taking large 'chunks' away via barge for further breakdown.

Anyone know if there is a conversion kit in the making to update Dragons 1/700 LongBeach to her final refit?

I saw JAG made a Virginia class update and it made me want to find an update for CGN9.

If not, I at least am thinking of her in 1980 when the Talos was deleted and Harpoons were installed in its place
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1109/04010945.jpg

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So many models... So little time...

I found this pic of CGN-9 under construction recently......seemed oddly appropriate since they are about to finish scrapping her.

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building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

I too served aboard Long Beach, in 1966-1968. Worked on the ScanFar radars. They were way ahead of their time and were designated with an 'XN' after their radar numbers to indicated experimental. Had over 10,000 vacuum tubes and each cabinet had it's own refrigerated cooling coils to keep the heat down. The tracking system (SPS33) was incredible when it worked but too much down time. The final radar transmitter tube weighed about 150 lbs and had a block and tackle to install it in its insulating oil 'bathtub'. The air search system (SPS32) was much more reliable and (simpler antenna beam steering) and performed very well during Viet Nam operations.
All in all they were a platform that evolved into Aegis.
I believe Long beach was the last USN ship with a wooden quarter deck.
I just completed (99%) a 1/96 scale Long Beach as she was when I was aboard. Used a Scale Shipyard hull and scratched the superstructure, masts, etc. Four radars rotate, missile launcher track missile radars, signal lamps send a morse code message. Can see photos on Warship Models Underway website...events... Pearl Harbor run.
Starting work in USS Enterprise with beehive. Will do the Bainbridge if I live long enough. I'll have my own E=mc2 fleet.
Chuck

I found this pic the other day! I think it is from CGN9's refit in the 80's at PSNS. plus some others..

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building:
1/72 RC USS LONG BEACH CGN9
1/72 RC USS CALIFORNIA CGN36
1/72 RC USS SAIPAN LHA2
1/72 RC USS JOHN PAUL JONES DDG53
1/72 RC USS SHARK SSN591
1/72 RC USS SEAWOLF SSN21
1/72 RC USS ALBANY CG10

On the Dragon 1/700 Long Beach Are the missiles correct for the launchers? I thought the Talos missiles were supposed to be much larger than Terriers, And the Talos missiles don't look like what are in the photos

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So many models... So little time...

Okay I think my problem is the Terrier missiles in the kit are the extended range version and my question now is where the extended range missiles used in 1961?

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So many models... So little time...

You are right. Talos was a huge missile, far greater in diameter than Terrier, but it was only about 20% longer (Terrier 27 feet, Talos 32 feet). The Talos missiles on the 1:700 model are pretty skinney, and the nose is entirely wrong (it was an air breathing ramjet with the air intake in the nose). The arms of the launcher are also shaped incorrectly. They look like they should be on the Terrier launchers.

The Terriers on the model look like the RIM-2C tail control beam rider that was introduced in 1958. All subsequent versions, and even the follow-on Standard missile, look pretty much the same as the RIM-2C. Only the recent Standard III extreme long range anti ballistic missile versions look different, and most of the difference is in the two stage boosters.

Phil

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A collision at sea will ruin your entire day. Aristotle

Two more questions for right now on the kit. In between the Terrier missile launchers is a brace or frame, the kit numbers are G8 and G9 . What is the purpose of this part?

Forward of the rear superstructure on the kit, the version where the 5 inch guns are used there's a part , number F-1, it looks like some kind of crane maybe I don't know what is the purpose of that what is that part?

http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/sh ... eview.html

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So many models... So little time...

All 3 of those parts are reload cranes for their respective missiles.

Didn't Dragon address the Talos' in the CG-11 class kits?

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Drawing Board:
1/700 Whiff USS Leyte and escorts 1984
1/700 Whiff USN Modernized CAs 1984
1/700 Whiff ASW Showdown - FFs vs SSGN 1984

Slipway:
1/700 Whiff USN ASW Hunter Killer Group Dio 1984

I am so impressed with this kit that I'm going to build it from the hull up painting & piecing it together level by level. My usual method has always been to build the complete kit minus the fragile parts, then tape & paint, then finish the masts etc.etc.

So I want this one to look exceptional, I am stuck at deciding whether to do the 1961 or 1967 version. I like the clean look of the '61 but prefer having the AN/SPS33. The only problem I have is the radar panels aren't clear how they get attached if I choose the 1967 version. Do theSPS33 radar arrays stand off from the structure or are they flat against the bridge just as the SPS32 (horizontally arranged) panels?

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So many models... So little time...

Looks like the 32 and 33 were different thicknesses.
UNREP with AFS-3 off Vietnam in 1969
Entering Mare Island March 1970

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Drawing Board:
1/700 Whiff USS Leyte and escorts 1984
1/700 Whiff USN Modernized CAs 1984
1/700 Whiff ASW Showdown - FFs vs SSGN 1984

Slipway:
1/700 Whiff USN ASW Hunter Killer Group Dio 1984

The F1 part just forward of the aft superstructure is a FAST (Fleet Automated Shuttle Transfer) crane for transferring Talos missiles. Fast it wasn't!

http://www.okieboat.com/CAD%20miscellaneous.html
http://www.okieboat.com/Talos%20miscellaneous.html

Phil

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A collision at sea will ruin your entire day. Aristotle

I tried to fix the launch rails but messed them up. Made a pair from scratch, messed them up too. Raided my spare parts box and pirated a couple sections out of a 1/72 Tomcat kit and shaped them to this...

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So many models... So little time...

My attempt at making the Talos Missile look a little more accurate. I used bare metal aluminum. That was my 3rd try also, It's hard for me to get the foil the right size and get it to roll just straight & wrinkle free..





Edited: Crap! They are still too short. Not sure whether to add material to them or just create new missiles from scratch

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So many models... So little time...

I apologize if this is the wrong place for continuing to post my pictures but in the interest of building this boat....

I found a solution for the Talos Missiles on the Dragon 1/700 Longbeach. I have pulled out of my spares box 1/350 scale Tomahawk missles which are longer and fatter and have roughly the same fin shape that I can splice enough of them together and produce 2 better looking Talos missiles than what came in the kit.

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So many models... So little time...

Jeff,

Your launcher arms look better than the kit versions. Here are some pictures of the launcher:

http://www.okieboat.com/CAD%20weapons.html

The Mk 7 launcher was the same on all Talos ships. It had the distinctive "bullet nose" front end as opposed to the boxy launcher for Terrier.

Your Talos missiles look pretty good - except for the wrinkles. I'll bet you could make pretty good missile out of sprue if you can find some the right diameter. The missiles were 28" diameter and the boosters were 30" diameter. At 1:700 that comes out to 0.040" for the missiles and 0.043" for the boosters. Actually, no one will complain if your missiles and boosters are the same diameter. The paint will be several thousandths thick.

If you want to get real picky, try to get the nose cone inside the cowl opening. And if you want to get really obsessive about it, put in the double cone.

One other thing - the live missiles were painted white, and the trainers were blue. We ran out the trainers when in liberty ports and that is what most people saw.

Phil

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A collision at sea will ruin your entire day. Aristotle

The picture above of the Long Beach with 2 Frigates outboard was taken at HMAS Naval Base Sterling near Fremantle West Australia. I reported aboard Long Beach at that port. She was my first boat. Her next stop was Hobart Tasmania where I met my First Wife. An eventful tour. The Derwent and Swan threw us a party at the beach in the back ground. As I recall, myself and a friend road the beer boat, which was shuttling coldies from the ships to the beach, back to the LB along with the chaplain. There was no ladder so we climbed the propeller guard on the Derwent. The Chaplain was a hefty guy and the Coxswain let the boat drift away from the propeller guard hoping to see an officer swim. I told the "Bloke" to knock it off earning eternal thanks from the Chaplain and I hope some brownie points from the guy upstairs.

You got me to reminiscing, sorry.