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PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:51 pm 
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Alright ladies and gents, here's my latest and greatest whiff project that I've been working on. The USS Leyte (CVHA-32)

Initial design sketch.
Image

Final Island design drawing with complete electronics suite.
Image

Back story:
She's the centerpiece in the stories I'm writing for my alternate history. In my world the Leyte doesn't get commissioned until about 1947-48 and is laid up following the conclusion of WWII in 1953. There she stays until the late 1970's, kept in good shape and ready to go if need be. Due to construction problems of the Tarawa'sand war losses of the Iwo Jima class LPHs the amphib fleet is in dire need of some new big decks and in a hurry. China's saber rattling is becoming all the more real each day especially after Eastern Russia adds their support. All sorts of plans are drawn up but nothing can be done quickly enough. The Navy is a bind until the final sale orders of 4 old Essex class CVs graces the desk of a quick thinking member of BuShips. The orders are quickly rescinded and conversion plans are drawn up. Overnight the 4 old carriers are towed into yards to begin reactivation and conversion to amphibs. Leyte, along with Phil Sea, Lake Champlain, and Valley Forge emerge from the yards within 6-8 months ready for war. They don't have to wait long, within a year all 4 make combat deployments to the Western Pacific. After several minor skirmishes, China and E. Russia finally invade Taiwan and an full scale war breaks out. After a colossal sea battle a combined US, Aussie, and Japanese invasion force hits the beaches. Three long months later its over. The old Essexes proved their worth ten fold. So much so that even after Leyte eats a couple of SS-N-2s the Navy rebuilds her to a more advanced design then the original conversion with her 3 sisters following suite. Leyte emerges from the yards in early 1982-83 and following her shakedown cruise she deploys to the Caribbean for training exercises with her ARG and fire support group. The exercises are to be cut short however as the group suddenly gets emergency deployment orders to South America!

Design:
Think Essex class commando carrier. I always liked the UK commando conversions of Albion and Bulwark and decided to design a USN version. The drawings depict Leyte in the mid 1980s or so fresh from the yard after her rebuild. I borrowed heavily from the post-SLEP Forrestals for the island design and other features. She's carrying 4 LCM-6s with provisions for an additional 4 stowed in the hangar deck if need be. Air wing is a mix of CH-46s, SH-3s, UH-1Ns, AH-1s, and AV-8Bs. CH-53Es can be carried but are too tall for the hangar deck (a whole 1 foot 1 inch too tall!). Yes, those are Mk-71 8"/55 Autos mounted on the flight deck! Those are just entering the fleet and Leyte is the test ship before more Amphibs are modified to carry them. She has a full complement of 4 Mk-29 Sea Sparrow launchers and 4 Mk-15 Phalanx mounts for point defense. The flight deck has been re-arranged with the forward elevator being removed and a portion of the forward hangar deck being filled in for Marine berthing and equipment stowage. The after center line elevator has been moved back and to the deck edge. Both deck edge elevators have been enlarged and strengthened to take modern aircraft.

With the help on NavyDave we have begun construction of a 1/700 model of Leyte from a DML Antietam kit. So far Dave has finished construction of the new flight deck and is almost done with the paint. After I get the deck, I'll start surgery on the hull and go from there. Thanks to WEM I have an air wing all ready to go, just need to decide on camo schemes. Other than that a LOT of scratch building lays ahead.

WIP shot of the new flight deck compared to a WWII era Essex deck. Will add some more photos after paint.
Image

Hope you like it! Any thoughts, suggestions, comments, etc... are always appreciated.

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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


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:57 am 
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The concept is very interesting. I d like to hear more of this alternative history scenario. The conversion seems pretty interesting. hope to see more in progress pics. :wave_1:

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On the workbench:

Various 1/700 aircraft.
Juan Carlos I LHD 1/700.
HMAS Canbera LHD 1/700.
FGS Type 122 class FFG 1/700.
LSD-41 class LPD 1/700.


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:52 pm 
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Wow, this sounds pretty sweet. I bet that navydave guy has his work cut out for him. It sounds like an awesome project! I wish I were part of it.

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:21 pm 
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If you read my thread on either Carrier History or the Essex/Nimitz Switcharoo, I had this idea of an Essex or Midway class carrier as a sort of WWII Amphibious carrier. Now I just realized that even back then they had landing craft coming off the sides of the APAs,etc. :doh_1: Now that I think about it, the Essex could have been a test bed for this. Originally my plan was to get a huge catapault on the deck of the ship, to launch c-47s. Oh well, now I have another idea. Thanks Cliffy!!!

Actually, now I can do something with my scrapped Hornet...or Pittsburgh, or San Diego, or Pennsylvania.........I'd go on, but I forgot all of the names. :big_grin:

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Hobby Boss 1/700 Type VIIC U-Boat for my AH

Planned builds:
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:49 am 
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Cliffy,

Has anything come of this project? I would like to see if you have any ideas with the deck we worked on. :big_grin:

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:40 pm 
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Yes there has. Check your PMs dude.

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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


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 5:29 pm 
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Cliff

been gone a while sent you a PM along with david... Wow love your idea.... but here is some information that might help with your build.

I was stationed aboard the IWO JIMA LPH-2 from 1983 to 1987.
While we never had the AV-8B embarked during our deployments in 1983 or 1985; we did do flight deck qualifications and/or had them for exercises...
Our normal embarked flight wing was broken down as follows:
CH-53E 4-5 the Max being 6
CH-46 12-16
Cobras 2-4 (with 1 being hotdecked (sitting on the decked with a fuel line attached) with blades turning for rapid deployment)
UH-1N 2 ( 1 for ship search and rescue bird/ship company and the other being the marines brigade commanders)
When we had the the above A/C (aircraft) and it was time to add a harrier something had to be removed. the flight deck/ship had weight issues with deployment of the AV-8B this was a problem for the LPH and why the LHA and the developement of LHD came about. The LPH could not support the AV-8B, because the AV-8B required additional space both on the deck and below in the hangar deck( for all the additional equipment that required to maintain these Aircraft). The general practice that occured on an LPH was a transfer of A/C to either the LSD or LPD that was in the battle group. Both of these platforms had enough deck space to park a CH-53E and/or several CH-46, and allow flight ops to continue. Most often the CH-53 was the bird that left, and it was a one for one move....
Cliff that was real world and does not apply to What-if's... just wanted you have some real world practices handy so you can factor in weight when you park your birds on the deck.
Also why are you going with SH-3 Seaking instead of the SH-60, which where in the fleet during your time frame unless they where not purchased by the navy in your timeline?

One last thought/thoughts: I know your drawing has MK-29 Launchers I think four was listed.. back in the MID 80's Proceedings published an article don't recall by whom or when.. which suggested that Amph platforms needed better anit-air defense and suggested installing RAMS in-leau of the BPMDS on the LPH and NATO SEA SPARROW on LHA.. additionally it also recommended installing additional CIWS.. Regardless CLiff excellent idea,, keep up the great work... My projects are stuck on drawing board for a few more months..


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 10:01 pm 
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The 8 inch guns would use valueable space in the hanger. The ship would have to come uncomfortably close to the shore line to attack targets. In the Vietnam war the North Vietnamese coastal artillary hit several USN ships with 155mm and 175mm guns that weren't anti-ship mounted. If this ship encounters coastal artillary with naval guns of 155mm or 175mm doing counter battery firing, your running the risk of HC shells hitting the ship during flight operations.

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:22 pm 
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Good day,
Now we have the 1/350 Gallery Intrepid coming out soon.. I know the both the Hancock and Ticonderoga can be made from this kit with minimum changes has anyone give thought about using this kit for this project?
Cliffy-B :thumbs_up_1:
You are man ahead of your time...


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 1:50 pm 
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I Know a lot of subjects have been stalled, but Cliffy-B. I have always loved this concept. So I found a photo of essex class korean war pre-angle deck.
So I thought that would be a starting point. A ship that had or had not recieved the Island update without the angle deck. Ie the Princeton, Phillippine Sea's and Leyte. I would use the New Island and round off the bow. As far as electronics and weapons updates I would look at the Midway or Coral Sea. Adding a SPS-35 or SPS 48 to a tower and attached it to the island would be a budget saver and give an major update in electronics. As far as weapon systems. Again look at the LPH, and Midway. CIWS a must, NSSM replace the FC radars for the 3/50 with bug eyes. As far as an airwing. focus on what mission you are doing? Strike Ops (Harriers, Cobras's), Mine warefare and/or Special ops support (CH-53, UH-1D, MH-53's) Also keep a SH-60 and UH-1 for Ships SAR and support missions. Finally I would remove the 8" guns, this platform will not be support NGFS. Instead I would build a front porch like the LHD have add some updated domes for Comms, and another NSSM and a RAM.
Major-B :thumbs_up_1:


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 8:12 pm 
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I would love to see this project continued!

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 3:01 pm 
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I'm making my own 1/350 version of cvha 32 leyte, cvha-19 Hancock, and I'm trying to determine would implementing a small vehicle bay like on HMS Ocean, be economically effective?


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 6:03 pm 
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Not Sure something like that would work. On the real ships they would store the boats on dollies and roll them to an elevator depending on which side of the ship had less waves. Then would hook the boat up to the ships crane and lower this would be repeated times the number of boats they would put in the water. If you look at the drawing he has several small transports already in the design. You might have to build a platform like they do with weapons upgrade. Have another crane and position the platform next to one of sections that have a large opening. Also remember the Hancock got the conversion to angle deck CV in your time line she was mothballed and updated. Just a few thoughts. When I was on a LPH in the 80's that is how we used lower the Captains
GIG and other boats. Most of time they would contract with a larger ferry boat to run to the landing dock to enjoy some time off. :thumbs_up_1:


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:31 pm 
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Thanks for the tips, I just wish their was someway to fit a garage onto the ship that could hold like 20-40 of the marines light ground equipment like Humvee's lav's and m939 trucks, I looked up schematics and under the rear hangar towards the stern is storage and berthing, so IDK , also your right about the problem using Hancock which went through SCB-125 , I could use Valley forge as she was unmodified with an angled deck.....your thoughts? :scratch: :scratch:


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 8:43 am 
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So this might help. On LPH we carried 2000 troops and some ground gear. Most of ground gear (what ever trucks, tanks, Humvees..etc) would be carried on another platform. But here is how we did it. they would park the Humvee, on an elevator and raise it to the flight deck. Then it would have sling attached to CH-53E which would pick it up and drop it off on the beach. We did not do this often because we would put the troops on the ground via either CH-46 or CH-53E. But you could do a diorama with the ship at anchor conducting Air Ops with Helicopters an off-loading ground gear to both aircraft and surface craft. Just a suggestion.


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