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PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 3:28 am 
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Vladi,

I don't know the dimensions of the Northampton class deck boards, but the Clevelands (CL) had 4" by 2" planks up to 18 feet long. They were cut to varying lengths, usually in 4 foot increments to match the frame spacing. The deck photos Guba posted are from the USS Little Rock CG-5 museum ship - it was a Cleveland class ship.

I think battleships had 6" wide deck planks.

Deck boards were beveled 3/16" by 1" deep on the top edges. When two boards were jammed together they had a 3/8" wide by 1" deep triangular gap between them. This was stuffed with oakum and a grout to make the seams water tight.

Margin boards were placed around the edges of the wooden deck. They were 9" by 2", with the deck boards nibbed (notched) in to a depth of 2" - half the width of the deck boards. However, the margin boards were never cut to less than 6" thick at the nibs. Actually, where margin boards fit against superstructure sides and other large flat surfaces the edge against the metal was 2 1/2" thick, with the board beveled to 2" thick where it joined the deck planks. This caused water to run away from the vertical metal sides. I doubt than anyone has ever tried to model this feature!

Where margin boards fit around curved features like vents and pipes they were sometimes carved to fit - but never less than 6" wide. Where there were gaps between the margin boards and vertical surfaces - especially around small radius features, the gaps were filled with a mixture of tar and cement that was harder than the grout between boards.

Phil

PS: The metal spheres on the binnacle were adjusted in/out to compensate for the ship's distortion of the Earth's magnetic field. This oriented the magnetic compass in the binnacle to correct magnetic bearings. The spheres were often called the "navigator's balls." By WWII in addition to the spheres most ships also had electrical coils on the binnacle around the compass. A current flowing through the coils generated a magnetic field that was adjusted to compensate for the ship's magnetic field.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 5:04 am 
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Hi guys, thanks for all the details, I am always keen to learn new things! Especially because I live far away from the sea and becoming onboard a real big ship (not even mentioning WW2 veterans) is always a big holiday for me.
:)

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 7:10 pm 
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maxim wrote:
That is very likely a pirate copy!


Verified to be PIRATED.

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:21 am 
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Teak decking from HOUSTON does still exist, but I'm not sure the width of planks can be deduced from these...I've seen one such piece of CA-30's deck that is approx. 4.5" wide.

HTH


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 12:04 pm 
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Thanks, guys. My decision is that I will live with what´s on the Corsair Armada Houston/Chicago kit. It´s quite decent and won´t be much visible with USN Deck Blue plus weathering anyway.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 8:19 pm 
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Here's a link to a bunch of photos of CHICAGO under construction and being launched, found by accident. She is listed under "CL-29" for a search. Good for lower hull references. The tif files are huge, but very detailed.
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/hi ... 29&start=0


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:31 am 
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Nice find! I hadn't thought to try the original hull number... great stuff.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 12:18 pm 
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Fully agree - I always tried just CA-29, too... Thanks!

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2019 8:48 pm 
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Captain Morgan wrote:
I have a Corsair Armada Northampton in my stash, but since I wanted to build all of the class I bought a CNDragon Northampton on ebay being a little scared of what it would be like. What I found is it is the Corsair Armada Northampton. I'm not sure if they bought the molds, but it has the copyright mark and CAP 1995 in the exact same spot as the Older Kit I have. The hulls are within a mm of length and are both molded very well. It has to be from original molds or it would not be as distinctly identical as these are.
I hope it's not pirated, but I found no way to contact Mike at CAP to find out.

Yes it was pirated. They just substituted other AA guns, but even copied the TMW brass. You can contact me on this site through a PM, or addressing a post to me.

I sold two NH in an order to a Chinese online store and so far Wasp and NH have appeared as pirated kits. If their kit is shorter than mine at all, it's evidence of a pirated kit because it's another generation of molds away from the original pattern, which I have not sold.


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2019 7:25 am 
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It’s pretty brazen of them to do this. I know how it feels as something I way making and selling on eBay was pirated and copied. They copied the basic construction and changed the look slightly but the dimensions were identical to my plans I had drawn.

Corsair Armada products are well made and I have almost one of each kit from Hoga to Wasp in size. I can tell much time and effort goes into each model kit.

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Junior Nuke Officer (me) : “Captain, don’t we really want to be like Monty Python and ‘Not be seen’?”
CO “You seem to be missing the big picture”
“Oh”


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 11:43 am 
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Thank you for the kind words, Captain. I hope you had fun with the kits. I like to see them being built, instead of gathering dust. Many are still in production, so replacement parts are available.


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 6:43 pm 
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For those of you that keep track of the PV Petel postings on Facebook they just recently posted photos they took from the wreck of the Northampton (as noted on the General Forum page). To go along with their posting they shared an album of 107 photos from anther Facebook page, World War II Radio, taken on board the Northampton sometime in the first half or so of 1942, no exact date given. The series of photos is from Life Magazine and are very much like the ones posted that were on the Portland in late 1941 or very early 1942. I have never seen these.

The photos show Northampton after the forward funnel extension was removed, 20 mm guns on the stern and foremast platform added, and what I think is one of the two 20 mm guns on the 03 level of the forward superstructure in place. However, the two Mk 19 gun directors do not have fire control radar in the photos. The most interesting photo of the group to me is one taken from the bow looking back at the bridge superstructure. This photo will cause model builders wishing to build Northampton during 1942 to rethink what was thought to be know about the forward superstructure based on the limited number of photos of the ship.

This is my first time trying to post photos so I hope they come through.

https://imgur.com/a/UJKsk7B

List of photos: 1. Bridge from bow area, 2. Bridge looking forward from forward funnel, 3. 03 bridge wing from above. The officer with his hands behind his back is walking forward on the bridge wing., 4. Back of bridge viewed from hanger., 5. Aft end of 03 bridge wing., 6. foremast platform looking forward., 7 comparison view of bridge 1930s.

It appears from this photo that the 02 level bridge wings have ben cut off flush with the 03 level above to better clear the 1.1" gun position on the 01 level below. It also appears that the wind baffle splinter shield on the wing of the 03 level has been removed to the outside edge and a smooth, higher splinter shield added. One of the photos shows this position on the 03 level from just above with a 20 mm on a raised platform behind the splinter shield. Also note the tubs on the 04 level on either side of the base of the MK 19 director (could these be for the 1.1" AA directors?) and the heavy metal strips coming down the face of the bridge from underneath the director support. A couple of photos taken from the well deck looking forward along the edge of the 02 and 03 levels seem to show straight unbroken lines with no tubs extending outboard and splinter shields on the outside back edge of the 03 level above the flag containers on the 02 level.

More photos are of the inside of the platform above the bridge on the foremast. These photos show the 20 mm guns (2) that were there. These photos and the one of the full bridge from forward also show that the extension out from the front of this platform was not the full depth of the platform. The photo of the bridge shows this clearly and one of the photos from the inside shows the step up from the platform floor. A range finder set in the position.

If any of you are able to look at the photos I would welcome your thoughts on what they show. Something new always seems to pop up when you think we know all we are going to know about a ship.


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 9:05 pm 
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Frank,

Beat me to it, just got all these downloaded and archived. I agree with your findings, I think those tubs flanking the Mk19 were meant for directors. In the photo of her taking the Hornet under tow, you can see something in the tub that is not a 20mm. I find the raised 20mm's on the bridge wings interesting and wonder if the Chicago had the same fit with slightly different bulwark. There were at least 2 pictures in the series that were clearly taken on a transport ship, as there would have been no way for broken down army bombers to be transported on Northampton. You also need to be careful as several are reverse negatives. This is most notable in the Well Deck where a Vertical Ladder and Ladder keep swapping sides of the Hangar face. It is of note as well that Northampton and possibly others had different arrangements as the is a clear image of Chester in this time frame and location that her ladder arrangement was different. All and all, an amazing treasure trove of a very under documented ship.

Attachment:
16195942_1866059326973388_2021783661112194552_n.jpg
16195942_1866059326973388_2021783661112194552_n.jpg [ 129.68 KiB | Viewed 1485 times ]


Compared to Chicago
Attachment:
File comment: Courtesy of Navsource per Tracy White
Chicago-resize.jpg
Chicago-resize.jpg [ 303.85 KiB | Viewed 1485 times ]


Attachment:
Well Deck Proper Orientation.jpg
Well Deck Proper Orientation.jpg [ 140.75 KiB | Viewed 1485 times ]

Proper Orientation confirmed by the markings on the Seagull

Compare ladder arrangement to the Chester's,
Attachment:
File comment: Courtesy of Navsource per Tracy White
Chester.jpg
Chester.jpg [ 71 KiB | Viewed 1485 times ]


And I think of amazing value is the images of the rarely seen Hangars themselves,
Attachment:
File comment: Actually the Starboard Hangar
16174520_1866052493640738_5051849522246386945_n.jpg
16174520_1866052493640738_5051849522246386945_n.jpg [ 130.5 KiB | Viewed 1485 times ]

Attachment:
16114888_1866052873640700_1952391882551271189_n.jpg
16114888_1866052873640700_1952391882551271189_n.jpg [ 142 KiB | Viewed 1485 times ]


Matt

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PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 10:36 pm 
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Thanks Matt for your comments and confirming what I think I am seeing. I did see the two photos from the transport mixed in. I also noticed the reverse negatives and the flip, flopping ladders. It is interesting that I was looking at the same Chester photos today on Navsource and noted the different ladder pattern between the two ships as you mention. Are the engine room venting grills and structure between the hangers also different between the two ships? All something new to consider if modeling the Northampton. I have seen and may have a copy of your photo of the Chicago. This was after her damage at Savo Island as she was returning to the US for repairs. It looks like the big 02 level bridge wings were clipped on her too. Something to consider if modeling Chicago during this time period along with the 20 mm in the 03 bridge wings.


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 10:54 pm 
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Yeah, wish I would have seen that pic earlier in my build of the Chicago but C'est la vie

Matt

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 12:13 am 
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Guys, I can help a little in dating the photos of USS NORTHAMPTON, at least those showing 20-mm guns onboard. USS NORTHAMPTON got her 20-mm guns installed at PHNY in March 1942. (Restricted Availability for installation of 1.1-in mounts and 20-mm guns was scheduled for 10-19 March 1942 at PHNY, but may have lasted longer.) So, those photos date after that.

The attached images show the installation of the 20-mm guns as of 19 March 1942 at PHNY. There isn't much to be seen of the rest of the ship, but there are a lot of details of the 20-mm installations themselves. The bulwarks have yet to be painted and several of the 20-mm guns are still painted in a lighter color as delivered. By the way, the "cone shaped" things with wires coming out the top, aren't part of the ship. They are lights used at night to work on the ships. :big_grin:

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 12:32 am 
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PS. Here is another overhead aerial image dated as being taken on 27 March 1942, that may be useful. It was taken at PHNY after her yard period among a series of PHNY survey photos showing Anti-Torpedo netting protections being used.

Image


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 4:28 am 
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Thanks, Frank, for posting the info about Northampton photos on FB and for the additional images, Rick. These are coming right in time for me as I am just finishing design of some PE parts for my Chicago build. I noticed the clipped bridge wings before but these photos are really great for additional details.

Would be great to see more of such lively "walk around live ship" photos! (actually there are tons of various excellent WW2 photos from Life magazine photographers at https://www.facebook.com/Radio.WW2/!)

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 10:07 am 
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Rick E Davis wrote:
Guys, I can help a little in dating the photos of USS NORTHAMPTON, at least those showing 20-mm guns onboard. USS NORTHAMPTON got her 20-mm guns installed at PHNY in March 1942. (Restricted Availability for installation of 1.1-in mounts and 20-mm guns was scheduled for 10-19 March 1942 at PHNY, but may have lasted longer.) So, those photos date after that.

Just noticed on photos from the WW2 Radio FB page Northampton´s that SOC-3s were just in the process of repainting red centres on a/c insignia. Perhaps there is a note on that in the ship´s log so the date might be established even more precisely. FWIW.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 12:56 pm 
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Thanks Rick for the additional Northampton photos. These are very helpful. They also confirm that the 03 level extended past the two angled foremast tripod legs and the splinter shield along the backside of this level. They also confirm the four 20 mm on the mainmast platform on either side of the MK19 director. I always thought it might be too crowded on that platform for four mounts and had not seen a clear photo with four. Also, you are welcome Vladi. This is such a great site to share information with great folks willing to help and share, as well as some great models. I know your builds of the Northampton and Chicago will turn out great.


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