The Ship Model Forum

I was just perusing the Mogami thread.....you're running out of stuff to bring, Martin!

Terrific work, Steve! She looks great!

Bob

Martin, Desron48 and Bob, thanks so much!

Forward elevator well bulkheads

Wartime photographs of the forward elevator well on any of the Essex class ships are rare indeed, especially those showing the forward bulkhead. Although wartime photos of this area of USS Yorktown continue to be elusive, Tracy White was kind enough to send wartime photos of this area on USS Intrepid CV-11 and USS Lexington CV-16. The details visible of this area as shown in the wartime photos of the two ships, including details of the forward bulkhead, are identical. Therefore, I replicated these details on USS Yorktown consistent with the photos of her two sisters.

Unlike the white hangar deck interior bulkheads, the black and white wartime photographs show that the forward elevator well bulkheads were painted a very, very dark color, possibly Navy Blue 5-N. After discussing the most likely color for these bulkheads with Tracy, I will be painting the bulkheads shown here Navy Blue 5N.

Additionally, each ship had the warning "BEWARE OF PROPELLERS" conspicuously painted on the forward bulkhead, although done somewhat differently for each ship. Intrepid's warning appears to be 36" tall white letters (with the word "OF" in smaller 18" letters) painted in all caps across nearly the entire width of the bulkhead. Lexington's warning appears much smaller, painted in two rows of about 12" letterings in all caps, possibly in red, on a white rectangular background, located on the left (port) side of the vertical elevator track. Like her sisters, Yorktown probably had a warning painted here too. If so, it was probably similar or identical to the warning on the funnel uptake trunk as seen in the film "The Fighting Lady": red letters on a white rectangular background.

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-Steve L.

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now if i had half the nerve to do the essex class in 1/48th......

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Hi Steve A magnificent piece of work . I look forward to seeing the air group added and I like your detailing around the elevator shaft.
Dave Wooley

Just keeps getting better

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I'll build anything that has big guns, flat decks & clean lines. I'll also have some CA's, CB's & CL's thanks.

Desron48, Dave and JPH, thanks so much.



I have started working on the air group in preparation for closing up the hangar. I'm using PE details from WEM. Since this model represents Yorktown in April 1945, I'll be modeling Air Group 9. Yorktown carried five different groups at various times during World War II.

Here's a summary of those groups:

Air Group 5 (CVG-5) served aboard USS Yorktown CV-10 from 1943 through early 1944. Air Group 5, consisted of 36 F6F-3 Hellcats, 36 SBD-5 Dauntlesses and 18 TBF Avengers; from February, 1944, four F6F-3N radar-equipped night fighters from night fighting squadron VFN-76 were also aboard (John Sheridan). The F6F-3N employed an improved radar, the AN/APS-6, field-installed in a bulbous pod on the starboard wing (Robert Jeska). On CV-10, the aircraft were initially painted non-specular blue-grey over light-grey, then three-tone blue/white.

During July-August 1943 the national insignia "Star and Bars" carried a red surround.

The red surrounds had been ordered repainted blue by the time of the Marcus Islands Raid on 31 August, 1943 but it is possible some aircraft still retained the red surround during the raid since photographs of Lexington's air group show red surrounds well after August, 1943. Air Group 5's Commander's Hellcat had blue surrounds during the Marcus raid (see photo below).

For purists, note that TBF (Grumman-built) Avengers had bronze green pilot's cockpits with the rest of the cockpit as interior green. TBM (General Motors-built Avenger) cockpits were painted differently than TBF (Grumman-built) cockpits.


CVG-5 were veterans of Coral Sea and Midway and originally served aboard the first carrier named USS Yorktown (CV-5) until her sinking at Midway. Much of the air group footage appearing in the film "The Fighting Lady" is of Air Group Five. In one scene, CDR Charlie Crommelin, the Air Group Commander, is shown being assisted from his Hellcat after being seriously wounded by a flak burst to the face breaking his wrist, severing a finger, peppering his body with shrapnel and nearly blinding him (Reynolds, pp. 65-66). Recovered from his wounds and while commanding another air group, CDR Crommelin was killed in a mid-air collision over Okinawa while flying photo recon mission on March 28, 1945 (Reynolds, pg. 266). The famous "Fighting Lady" footage of a landing Hellcat crashing into one of Yorktown's 5-inch twin mounts then breaking up into four large pieces is of a Fighting Five F6F-3 flown by Ensign Bob Black. ENS Black's hydraulics had been shot away by flak and he had no ability to lower his flaps but was told to crash aboard anyway. The crash took place on March 30, 1944 after a raid on Palau. ENS Black walked away from the wreck with nothing more than a slight laceration on his forehead (Reynolds, pg. 117). VT-5 torpedoed and sank the destroyer IJN Wakatake during the Palau raid (Reynolds, pg. 116). CVG-5 was relieved by Air Group 1 (CVG-1) on 14 May 1944 while the ship was at Pearl Harbor. Air Group 5 returned home. On the way to Pearl Harbor to swap air groups, Yorktown stopped at Majuro on May 4th where the SBDs (all except four) were flown ashore and taken over by the Marines (Reynolds, pg. 134).

Air Group 1 (CVG-1), was aboard from mid-May, 1944 until Yorktown's August-October 1944 refit at Bremerton, Washington (Reynolds, pp. 137-185). CVG-1 came aboard Yorktown at Pearl Harbor with new aircraft: 36 SB2C-4 Helldivers, 18 TBM Avengers and either 36 F6F-3 Hellcats (Reynolds, pg. 138) or 42 F6F-3 Hellcats (John Sheridan). Five F6F-3N radar-equipped night fighters from VFN-77 were also aboard (John Sheridan). Although Air Group 1 was equipped with SB2C-4 Helldivers, four SBD-5s remained aboard (John Sheridan). All aircraft were painted three-tone blue/white with a small white diagonal stripe on fin and on fuselage side just forward of the national insignia. Each aircraft was identified with a numeral also in white painted on the fuselage forward of the national insignia and on the tail (see photos below). Photos of different VF-1 Hellcats show the letter "K" in white on the rudder (Reynolds, pg. 154; also see photo below).

TBM (General Motors-built) Avengers had interior green cockpits throughout, not bronze green like TBFs did.

The year before reporting to Yorktown, CVG-1's squadrons had been split up; their assignment to Yorktown was a sort of happy reunion for the group. CVG-1, led by CDR Jim Peters, was known as a "crack outfit" on Yorktown. VF-1 "High-Hatters" was led by LCDR Bernard Strean. VB-1 was led by LCDR Joseph Runyon. VT-1 was led by the Coral Sea- and Midway-experienced LCDR Walt Henry, remembered as a kindly man who had already been awarded two Navy Crosses before coming aboard Yorktown (Reynolds, pg. 138). On Yorktown, CVG-1 supported the invasions of the three principal islands of the Marianas: Saipan, Tinian and Guam (Reynolds, pg. 137). Conducting strikes on Guam, Iwo Jima, Chichi Jima and An Jima, CVG-1 participated in what has become known as The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot of June 19, 1944 damaging the carrier IJN Zuikaku.



Air Group 3 (CVG-3) was aboard USS Yorktown CV-10 from October 1944-March 1945 (Reynolds, pp. 187-242). Air Group 3 was composed of fifty-four F6F-5 and -5P Hellcats (no night fighters), twenty-four SB2C-4 Helldivers, and just eighteen TBM Avengers (John Sheridan; Reynolds, pg. 189). All Helldivers and Avengers were painted three-tone blue/white with a small white diagonal stripe on fin and on fuselage side just forward of the national insignia. Propeller spinners were willow green (a medium green similar to, if not actually, zinc chromate green). Each aircraft was identified with a numeral also in white painted on the fuselage forward of the national insignia and on the tail. TBM (General Motors-built) Avengers had interior green cockpits throughout, not bronze green like TBFs did.

While aboard USS Yorktown CV-10, Air Group 3 retained Air Group 1's Helldivers and Avengers but received new F6F-5 and F6F-5P photo recon Hellcats probably painted overall glossy sea blue (Reynolds, pg. 189). F6F-5P variants substituted a 20mm cannon with 200 rounds for the innermost machine gun in each wing (pilotfriend.com). CVG-3 aircraft carried the white diagonal stripe through the January 12, 1945 strikes on Saigon (Reynolds, photo on pg. 214). CVG-3 transitioned to Yorktown's new aircraft identification markings by February 1st: a diagonal white field on the tail, white triangle on the wings and willow green propeller spinners (Reynolds, pg. 226). VB-3 Helldivers wore a diving black panther insignia.




Short wartime history of CVG-3: originally assigned to USS Saratoga CV-3, and by December 7th, 1941 was composed of:

Bombing Squadron Three (VB-3) with 21 Douglas SBD-2/3 Dauntless
Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3) with 7 Grumman F4F-3 and 2 F4F-3A Wildcats
Scouting Squadron Three (VS-3) with 22 Douglas SBD-2/3 Dauntless
Torpedo Squadron Three (VT-3) with 12 Douglas TBD-1 Devastators

Air Group Three's combat experience began early in 1942. CVG-3 was detached from Saratoga while Saratoga was being refit and altered following a Japanese submarine torpedo attack that damaged the ship in January 1942. Air Group 3 (CVG-3) was then transferred from Saratoga to reinforce CVG-5 aboard USS Yorktown CV-5 after Coral Sea and fought at Midway. Air Group 3 was home aboard Saratoga from at least May-August, 1943 (USN accident reports). Loss reports for August 1944 indicate that VF-3 and VT-3 were aboard USS Ranger CV-4 that month off Hawaii, probably participating in night carrier training. It is not clear if VB-3 was with them but it is likely. Air Group 3 came aboard Yorktown CV-10 in October 1944. Two months later, CVG-3 endured the costly hurricanes off the Philippines in December 1944 and flew missions in support of the invasion of Iwo Jima and strikes on Saigon, Formosa, Hong Kong, and Tokyo sinking 44 enemy ships, 15 of which were combatants.

Air Group 3's squadrons early in the war:
VB-3 was aboard USS Enterprise CV-6 for the Doolittle Raid under the command of LCDR Max Leslie (cv6.org). By Midway, Max Leslie had been promoted to command the air group and the group was back aboard USS Yorktown CV-5. Bombing 3, under the command of LT Dave Shumway, is credited with destroying IJN Soryu on the morning of June 4th( cv6.org). Yorktown CV-5 was under attack upon their return so some ditched due to low fuel (including air group commander Max Leslie - rescued by the cruiser USS Astoria) while others landed on, then flew from, USS Enterprise CV-6 for attacks on IJN Hiryu (cv6.org). VB-3 contributed 15 of the 25 dive bombers that destroyed IJN Hiryu on the afternoon of June 4th (cv6.org).

VF-3, the "Felix the Cat" squadron for a time, was transferred to USS Yorktown CV-5 whose own fighter squadron (VF-42) had been decimated at Coral Sea. Commanded by Lieutenant Commander John S. Thach, (famous for the "Thach Weave") and had received new F4F-4 aircraft just before departing Peal Harbor for Midway (VF-3 pilot Judson Brodie). During the afternoon of June 4th, VF-3 provided the combat air patrol defending USS Yorktown CV-5. During the patrol, Thach probably shot down Lieutenant Joichi Tomonaga, leader of the attacking Japanese torpedo planes (NARA). VF-3 was aboard USS Enterprise CV-6 during the the Battles of Wake Island, Marcus Island, Guadalcanal, and the Eastern Solomons. After being decorated by the President, promoted two grades to Lt. Cmdr., and taking a short tour to sell war bonds, Butch O’Hare returned to Hawaii just 10 days after the Battle of Midway. He was given command of his old squadron, VF-3, while John Thach was reassigned to training of new combat pilots in the US. O’Hare began assembling a hand-picked team of pilots and enlisted men to join him in this new squadron in Maui. Later, when the new squadron was redesignated VF-6, he also managed to take the Felix the Cat symbol from VF-3 to the new squadron (US Navy) which led to arguments between VF-6 and a newly formed VF-3 later that year. The Navy restored the insignia to VF-3 which later became VF-31.


The original VT-3 flew from USS Yorktown CV-5 and was destroyed at Midway on the morning of June 4th - only one pilot survived to return to the task force where he ditched; his gunner dying of wounds (cv6.org). Reformed, the new VT-3, under the command of LCDR C. M. Jett, flew new TBF-1 Avengers from USS Enterprise CV-6 during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons during the late summer of 1942 (cv6.org).

Air Group 9 (CVG-9)was aboard Yorktown from March-June, 1945 (Reynolds, pp. 223-306). On Yorktown, Air Group 9 retained CVG-3's aircraft: forty F6F-5 Hellcats including some F6F-5P photo recon variants and F6F-5N radar-equipped night fighters, fifteen SB2C-4 Helldivers and just seven TBM-3 Avengers (John Sheridan; Reynolds, pg. 243). TBM-3s had hard points for rockets (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TBF_Avenger). The F6F-5N employed an APS-6 radar installed in a bulbous pod on the starboard wing. Unlike the F6F-3N the -5N radar was factory installed (Dean R. DeWitt). All F6F-5N and F6F-5P variants substituted a 20mm cannon with 200 rounds for the innermost machine gun in each wing (pilotfriend.com). All CVG-9 aircraft on Yorktown continued to wear a diagonal white field on the tail, white triangle on the wings and willow green propeller spinners. The Hellcats were painted overall glossy sea blue while the Helldivers and Avengers were painted three-tone blue/white.

CVG-9 was already very combat-experienced when the group reported aboard Yorktown. CVG-9 originally formed on board USS Essex CV-9 then reformed under the command of Herbert Houck to fly briefly from USS Lexington CV-16 before coming aboard USS Yorktown (Reynolds, pg. 243). With other groups, CVG-9 sank the superbattleship IJN Yamato and alone sank the light cruiser IJN Yahagi off Okinawa. VB-9, led by LT Tony Schneider, struck the airfield at Oita, on Kyushu, the naval base at Kure, Honshu and two days of attacks on the home islands. From 23 March until 10 June, apart from a short break at Ulithi between 14 and 24 May, Air Group 9 was fully engaged in supporting the invasion of Okinawa. VBF-9, led by LCDR Frank Lawlor, and VB-9 participated in the sinking of Yamato on 7 April, and in attacks on other islands in the Nansei Shoto (uk.geocities.com/sb2c@btinternet.com/vb9). VT-9, led by LCDR Byron Cooke, dropped the torpedoes that sank Yamato. VF-9 "The Mowing Machine" was a highly effective fighter squadron while aboard Yorktown CV-10. Led by LT Frank Kitchen, VF-9 included celebrated ace LT Eugene A. Valencia (23 victories).

Flying from Yorktown, VF-9 destroyed 17 enemy aircraft over Okinawa in one day on April 17, 1945. Seventeen days later VF-9 destroyed 11 in one day and on May 11th VF-9 destroyed another 10 (acepilots.com/usn_valencia). With Okinawa secure, Yorktown arrived in Leyte Gulf on 13 June for a few weeks rest. A few days later Air Group 9 was relieved and her personnel transferred to USS Hornet for the trip home. The aircraft remained aboard Yorktown. Hornet arrived at Alameda on 8 July. The Air Group was decommissioned on 15 October (uk.geocities.com/sb2c@btinternet.com/vb9).
http://www.ussessexcv9.org/Bravepages/VF9.html
http://pacific.valka.cz/airunits/usn_vb.htm

Air Group 88 (CVG-88) succeeded Air Group 9 on June 17, 1945 and stayed on Yorktown for the remainder of the war (Reynolds, pp. 306-334). Air Group 88 retained CVG-9's aircraft (Reynolds, pg. 304) giving up ten Hellcats for thirty-seven FG-1D Corsairs (Goodyear-built equivalent of the F4U-1D) of Fighter-Bomber Squadron 88 (VBF-88) and eight more TBM-3 Avengers (John Sheridan). VBF-88 Corsairs had hard points for rockets (Reynolds, photo pg. 330). The new Corsairs and Avengers were painted overall glossy sea-blue. At the time CVG-88 came aboard Yorktown the ships' aircraft identification markings were changed. The diagonal white field on the tail and white triangle on the wings were replaced with white letters "RR" on the tails and wings (George Thompson of VF-88, philipmetres.com/content/view/29; Reynolds, pg. 304, photo pg. 330).

CVG-88 took part in costly attacks on the Japanese home islands including the Tokyo area in the war's final days. CVG-88 heavily damaged the battleship IJN Haruna, the cruiser IJN Tone and sank the cruiser IJN Oyodo at Kure Naval Base just south of Hiroshima, Japan (Reynolds, pp. 309-314).

CVG-88's first combat experience as a group was over Tokyo ("History of United States Naval Operations in World War II" by Samuel Eliot Morison, pg 310-311). The Commanding Officer of Air Group 88 on Yorktown was CDR Seth "Pete" Searcy. The Leader of VF-88 "Gamecocks" was LCDR Dick Crommelin of South Carolina (KIA on 7/13/45) and then LCDR Malcom "Cris" Cagle. VBF-88 was led by LCDR Joe Hart and VT-88 was led by LCDR Cliff Huddleston (Reynolds, pg. 330). The last few weeks of WWII saw some tragic losses for the group. VBF-88 lost a pilot and FG-1D Corsair on August 9th over Honshu. The next day, August 10, 1945, VBF-88 lost three pilots and their FG-1D Corsairs while VF-88 lost one pilot and his F6F-5, all over Tokyo. VF-88 lost another pilot and F6F-5 over Tokyo three days later: LT Wilson L. Dozier flying BuNo. 79496. Air Group 88 fought the last dogfights of the war on August 15th in two separate actions. Just minutes after VF-88 acknowledged the end-of-hostilities cease-fire order received by radio, twenty Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate "Franks" engaged six VF-88 F6F-5 Hellcats over Tokurozama Airfield. Nine Japanese aircraft were claimed destroyed in that fight but four Hellcat pilots were lost: LT Howard Miller flying BuNo. 79592, ENS E.E. Mandeberg flying BuNo. 77458, LTJG J.G. Sahloff flying BuNo. 78065, and ENS W.C. Hobbs, Jr. flying BuNo. 78244. (aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/LLAug45).

One of the two VF-88 survivors of the last dogfight, Maury Proctor, eventually met one of his opponents. The other survivor, Leonard Komisarek (14 aerial victories), passed away in December, 2007.

The last dogfight of the war involved Yorktown's VBF-88 Corsair fighter-bombers engaging high-speed Nakajima C6N Saiun "Myrts" over Hokoda shortly after the VF-88 action described above on the last day of the war. The subsequent five splashes by Yorktown aircraft were all offshore (j-aircraft.com/faq/army_misc_pt2). Air Group 88 then participated in flying relief supply missions for prisoners of war held in Japan dropping supplies and messages. VF-88 pilot Leonard Komisarek (mentioned above) noted in his log for August 27: "Flew over all of Tokyo and all the outlying fields...Spotted a prisoner of war camp and I dropped two cartons of cigs and a couple letters. The prisoners were more than happy to see us and all but stood on their heads." (San Mateo County Times)
http://www.shadowcatchers.com/yorktown/vf88/Index.htm
http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Pacific/OOB_WWII_Carrier-Raids_Home-Islands.htm

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-Steve L.

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Very nice.

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Simple but effective.

Thank you, Admiral!

A bit more progress. Painting needs some touching up. It's about ready for PE and further detailing.

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Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
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You continue to amaze me with your ideas & models Steve!!

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Nichol Caballero
Civil Engineer and Ship Enthusiast

She's a beauty, Steve. Wish I was going to nats to see her in person!

Bob

Very nice, Steve!

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Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery

Nick, Bob and Martin, thank you so much!

All of the major structures of the hangar bay have been fabricated and installed as per AOTS or photos from Tracy White. The hangar deck is now ready for some final touch-up painting. A few more minor details and markings will be added then the flight deck will be fixed in place.

The kit parts of the starboard side of the hangar interior required major modification to make them appear more closely to AOTS drawings A6, A7, A8, A9 and E7.

The bomb elevators should be positioned consistent with the steel elevator hatches of the kit's flight deck parts. Trumpy beautifully represented the flight deck surface detail including the steel elevator hatches. Their locations are consistent with AOTS drawings. Simply dry fit the flight deck parts on the model and positioned the scratch-built elevators right under the hatches. Trumpy's flight deck parts (the best parts of the kit) also include the torpedo elevator hatch. However, it is not necessary to replicate the torpedo elevator on the hangar deck since the real torpedo elevator was hidden within crew berthing areas on the starboard side of the aft aircraft elevator (within kit part D17) and therefore not visible on the hangar deck.






Details yet to be installed include two fire curtains, four 5-inch ammunition hoists, a chalkboard, 2-bar railings on platforms, several miscellaneous lockers and another auxiliary generator. If anyone has photos of the aux generators, please send.

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Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
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Fantastic work

John

now that my computer is up and running again.I see that Mr.Larsen is still kick'n butt.

Impressive work. I wish my 1/400 and 1/350 ships looked so good on the inside. (or the outside for that matter)

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James W.

Dry docked:
1/72 HMCS Assiniboine DDE 234-1960
1/72 HMCS Ottawa DDE 229-1960
1/72 HMCS St. Catharines-River Class Frigate-1944
On the slipway:
1/72 HMCS Camrose-Flower Class Corvette-1943
1/72 HMCS Trillium-Flower Class Corvette-1942

Steve, the hangar looks fantastic!

I think these light labyrinths spare some inclined ladders for us.


You wrote:



I have the feeling that not only the aft part's shape is incorrect, but the whole shield looks other. I mean the radius of the splinter shield is smaller then as at the round one and the upper edge of the shield is not straight, as on the model but "wavy". At Trumpy the bottom of the shield is on a level with the main deck, but "it should drop more below the deck", as Capt652 wrote on the page 74 on the Essex forum. An other probleme is the shape of the sponson, the underside should be straight and not as steep as on the model part F4. I marked the mentioned things on the attached photo.

IMHO this version of splinter shield have the ships which originally mounted with one Bofors at the stern and later modified to this larger sponson with two Bofors mounts, i.e. see the photo 021229 at the NavSource's Hornet page, or the photo of Lexington from 1945 with the repaired flight deck. The Lexington's drawing in the Raven's book shows this splinter shields, too. The other ships has the round splinter shield (see Randolph's page, photo 021505 or the photo of Bennington on the page 42 in the Floating Drydock's Camouflage 2).

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Sorry for my poor English!

A bit more progress. The hangar deck is complete and the flight deck is now permanently fixed to the hull. Paint touch-up, PE and further exterior detailing is underway. Radars have been fit to the Mk-37 Directors.

Here is the official 1944 Measure 33 Design 10A specification. Post-refit photos of Yorktown during her shakedown in Puget Sound show that her late 1944-early 1945 appearance is very close to this pattern but there are several minor variations (Sumrall pp. 1, 29 & 49). The model is painted according to photos, not the specification.


Here are some overall views:

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-Steve L.

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Steve, She looks fantastic!

Bob W

Sweet! She looks terrific, Steve.



Bob

Steve,
That is one beautiful looking ship.

_________________
Gordon


"Then there was one patched-up carrier...."
Vice Admiral Thomas A. Kinkaid