The Ship Model Forum

I have noticed a somewhat sparse offerings for the Early-war Auxiliaries, both of the USN, her allies, and those of the Axis.

This hopefully will begin to amass the information needed for either scratch-building these ships, or to promote the construction of a kit (resin or otherwise).

The Patoka-class included the following ships:

USS Patoka (AO-9)
USS Sapelo (AO-11)
USS Ramapo (AO-12)
USS Trinity (AO-13)
USS Rappidan (AO-18)
USS Salinas (AO-19)
USS Sepulga (AO-20)
USS Tippecanoe (AO-21)

The Alameda-class Oilers included the following ships:

USS Alameda (AO-10)
USS Laramie (AO-16)

The Kaweah-class included the following ships:

USS Kaweah (AO-15)
USS Mattole (AO-17)

I have seen some sources group the Alameda and Kaweah-classes into a single class.

I have tried to see if anyone makes any of these, but have yet find anything but a Loose Canon version of the USS Patoka in 1/700 (which I happen to like), BUT which is of the ship outfitted with the tower for mooring Blimps and Dirigibles.

I don't know how reliable it is, but the site Pacific War Online - Patoka-class Oilers says that they were not generally equipped for underway Replenishment, making them one of the few classes not so equipped (the same site says that the Kanawha-class, which is slightly older that the Patoka-class, did have UnRep capabilities, due to being 4 to 5 knots faster.

I would not even know where to begin to find blueprints for most. Floating Drydock has plans for the USS Rappidan (AO-18), for 1941, which would be a start for the other ships in the class (assuming sources could be found to differentiate them).

But.... I figured that if these ships are going to get any attention, they needed to be at least included in a CASF thread.

Never mind that the Cimarron-class doesn't seem to have a thread either.

MB

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1/700 (All Fall 1942):
HIJMS Nagara
HIJMS Aoba & Kinugasa
USS San Francisco
USS Helena
USS St. Louis
USS Laffey & Farenholt
HIJMS Sub-Chasers No. 4 - 7
HIJMS Sub-Chasers No. 13 - 16

Loose Canon makes a Patoka, but it's pre-war with the airship mast. During the war, though, the base of the mast was retained and a 20mm gun platform added on top, among other things. I assume you could use that kit with photos and/or plans to make the others in the class.

I don't know if any of the others have been done yet.

I pointed out the Patoka from Loose Cannon.

The Trick here is beginning to assemble some sources and references for the various ships.

MB

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Working on:


1/700 (All Fall 1942):
HIJMS Nagara
HIJMS Aoba & Kinugasa
USS San Francisco
USS Helena
USS St. Louis
USS Laffey & Farenholt
HIJMS Sub-Chasers No. 4 - 7
HIJMS Sub-Chasers No. 13 - 16

My mistake for skimming. Sorry.

As far as the others go, I might do more if I can get my Cuyama class ships finished.

USS TRINITY (AO-13) definitely conducted unreps during the Java Campaign with the old flushdeckers, but I do not know if she was designed for this, or if they had jury-rigged a system for it. But, she did do it--initially, I believe, with ALDEN on Jan. 19, 1942, at a speed of 10kts.

I know it has been three years since the last post. The USS Ramapo (AO-12) is on my to-build list, which I'm planning to build with the Loose Cannon Patoka once international shipping starts up again.

These ships did have two single kingposts with booms, so perhaps Trinity rigged a hose or hoses for refueling underway. Given the rather dire circumstances of that incident, happening while the ships were traveling from Manila to Australia under pursuit, there may not be any photos.

JoePo