The Ship Model Forum

Thanks, G-Opt (and also to Mike C whom I am in touch with via email)! It is now clear that we are seing two different variants - the "old", foldable to the side, as above and the "new" one, roller-type, as seen e.g. on this USS Northampton photo.

Interestingly enough, the photos of bomb-damaged USS Chester (like this one) seem to show that she still had the old version (no roll-up seen, inner part of door folded).

Unfortunately for me, none of the 1941-42 photos of USS Chicago I´ve collected clearly show which version she had. The best of them is 19-N-39212 which seems to suggest she had the roll-up version at that time (modifications similar to Nothampton´s to the vent and structure between hangar doors can be barely seen while none of the vertical bracing seems to be there), but this is already after her major (and final) refit, so it does not say much about how she appeared in August 1942.

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My Gallery | At works: 1/700 USS Chicago 8/1942 | 1/700 Kinugasa 8/1942 | Previously completed: 1/700 Yunagi 8/1942

I think I was wrong earlier. Most Northampton's had the accordion style doors the whole time (at least until loss) Chester appears to have had her hanger doors changed during the war to a swinging type door from the accordion style.
Portland had a roll up type door to start and it was changed to accordion style during her damage repair after 11-13-42. Indy got the same door change in May 1943.
San Francisco also went from roll up to accordion style doors after 11-13-42 repairs.

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Our CO prior to flying to the boomer: “Our goals on this patrol is to shoot missiles and torpedoes.”
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”

Does this shot of Chester Sept. '43 help?

Thanks, Jeff! So correction to my previous conclusion - apparently Chester was an example of yet another variant... doors folded to the side without the heavy bracing.

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My Gallery | At works: 1/700 USS Chicago 8/1942 | 1/700 Kinugasa 8/1942 | Previously completed: 1/700 Yunagi 8/1942

I guess I wasn't clear in my reply to your message. The roller doors were replaced with folding doors during wartime refits. Less maintenance and less vulnerable to damage.

The Northampton photo in the link was taken in 1942 in a series for LIFE magazine. Other photos showed the red dots being painted over with white on the SOCs.

So three variants like this (pre-war to late)?

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My Gallery | At works: 1/700 USS Chicago 8/1942 | 1/700 Kinugasa 8/1942 | Previously completed: 1/700 Yunagi 8/1942

Vladi,
This film from April 1, 1941 has camera crews on two ships. One is USS Arizona and the other is USS Louisville. There are a couple of scenes showing Louisville hanger doors.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMlSGtAFi-E&t=373s

Here is a still from the film.

Thanks, Jeff, that is an excellent find. So Louisville had hangar door variant "B" at that time and she still had it on 11 November 1942 as seen at NH 94429.

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My Gallery | At works: 1/700 USS Chicago 8/1942 | 1/700 Kinugasa 8/1942 | Previously completed: 1/700 Yunagi 8/1942

Hi folks, anybody has an idea how the non-skid stripes shown below looked like? I presume these were smaller rectangular sheets (rubber?) attached (glued?) side by side to the deck with their longer side perpendicular to the lenght of the ship. Is that right?

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My Gallery | At works: 1/700 USS Chicago 8/1942 | 1/700 Kinugasa 8/1942 | Previously completed: 1/700 Yunagi 8/1942

Vladi,

These were a thin piece that was applied to the deck that had a rough texture, similar to items sold here in the US for boating and RV’s for the same purpose. The Northampton shows these off well.






Hope this helps,

Matt

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In the yards right now:
1/350 USS Portland CA-33 1942
1/350 Trumpeter Texas with a twist

Hi Matt, thanks for pointing me to the Northampton photos! I don´t know why I keep forgetting to check the Life series...

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My Gallery | At works: 1/700 USS Chicago 8/1942 | 1/700 Kinugasa 8/1942 | Previously completed: 1/700 Yunagi 8/1942

Life series? Is there a link? What resource am I overlooking? I see pics posted every once in a while with Life credits, what do I need to search for?

Vladi,

When I was in the Navy (early 1970s) the non-skid strips were about 18" long (45.7 cm) by 6" wide 15.2 cm), with rounded corners, and adhesive backed - that is just an approximate size. They were flexible and had a sand coated surface. I think they came in rolls, attached to waxed paper strips to make it easy to get them off the paper. I don't know if they were produced this way during WWII, but they appear to have been the same size. Once something gets a Federal Stock Number (FSN) it never really disappears from the supply system.

We stuck them anywhere we needed good traction on decks, inclined ladder steps and wherever there was wear on the paint. For example, they might be placed on bulkheads where ladder rungs were positioned so the toes of our shoes wouldn't scuff the paint. That way we didn't have to repaint as often.

I don't know if there was any "correct" way to orient them. Most likely it was at the whim of the Division Chief Petty Officer. I have seen them arranged in concentric circles around 20mm and 40 mm gun mounts.

Another way to get a non-slip surface was to coat the deck with a mixture of sand and paint. The adhesive patches were simpler and faster with no clean up afterward.

Phil

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A collision at sea will ruin your entire day. Aristotle

Here is a link to all the pics.
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/06 ... 6323a.html

Cruiser Essay source:life

One word of caution on the Life photos. Many of them are backwards, like the third photo above (with the cap on the fore funnel visible).

Yes, it´s quite common in these photos. Good that we know where the 5in fuse-setters should be Also aircraft markings are helpful on some of the other photos.

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My Gallery | At works: 1/700 USS Chicago 8/1942 | 1/700 Kinugasa 8/1942 | Previously completed: 1/700 Yunagi 8/1942

Hello guys,

two questions for you:

• What kind of equipment was located on this platform under the midships director on USS Chicago (red arrow on photo below)?
• Were accommodation ladders stowed on deck of USN cruisers when underway (as seen frequently on RN or IJN ships)? If so, where would they be?

Thanks!

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My Gallery | At works: 1/700 USS Chicago 8/1942 | 1/700 Kinugasa 8/1942 | Previously completed: 1/700 Yunagi 8/1942

Hello,

That is the spotting glass (telescope) for Secondary Conn & Aft Spotting Station, below the Sky Aft position. It was badly sited and not v. useful, and did not require much personnel to man.

A LT(jg) or ENS might have command of that position.

HTH

Thanks for your reply! Would you please point me out to a photo or a schematic showing how it looked like? Any specific type for reference?

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My Gallery | At works: 1/700 USS Chicago 8/1942 | 1/700 Kinugasa 8/1942 | Previously completed: 1/700 Yunagi 8/1942

Friedman's "Naval Firepower" describes the main battery directors for the NORTHAMPTON class in some detail. Mark 24 Mod.0 was the shielded director atop the foremast ("incorporating a Mk VII spotting glass"). The Mark 24 Mod.1 director was the unshielded director located in the protected position aft of the funnel. Later on the aft director was relocated to the mainmast (below the Director Mount Mark 1 - the enclosed Mark 19 director system for 5" guns).

Here is a picture of the director from the same book (interestingly, the caption notes "Mk 24 Mod 3", so good chance this is a later model/wartime version)...