The Ship Model Forum

I've seen several images of potential conversions of ex military ships for rocket launching. One on Nav source of an essex class with half a flightdeck, One of an Enterprise class CVAN with launch vehicles at the bow and stern (The nuclear power is used to manufacture rocket fuel from sea water)

There is mention of using an Iowa class BB or a Currituck tender, indeed USS Norton Sound launched 3 low yield nuclear missiles to explode in the upper atmosphere which helped to descover the Van Allen belts

I was wondering if anyone else has any information, images or built projects on these themes

Some images to make the thread more interesting I intend to model both, especially since Dragon are to do the Enterprise.





I love the "Enterprise" class carrier, although you can only imagine the effect on full ahead of the Rocket hangers lol. I also like the XB-70 Valkyries in the backgrounds of the other pictures, Mmmm if only.

I'm also looking for a plan of an Atlas rocket to scale a scratchbuild at 1/700 scale. Although I have one from a rocket set somewhere, an AMT kit I think in 1/200 scale that I could work from

That is an actual concept picture of a Midway class carrier modified to launch the Atlas rocket. Solid rocket fuel for balistic missiles changed everything. The B-70 was a real monster. Supposedly it could launch itself into orbit if not careful. Also while it could go mach 3 at very high altitude and high altitude it was a slug below 20k feet.

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Well the XB-70 was designed to fullfill a specific function, fly high, fly fast and carry alot of bombs so I wouldn't expect it to function very well at low level, just like the Valiant got wing cracks, The B-52 adapted to low level because it was relatively slow. I thought the carrier was an Essex as all the information with it relates to that class and there were alot of surplus hulls. I can't imagine them contemplating converting one of the only three big strike carriers but if you have any info. I'm going to use a surplus Princeton kit I have I think and get a Dragon USS Enterprise for the Nuclear launch ship. I'm just trying to think of an easy start for the Pegasus and Atlas rockets. I wondered if anyone had any info on an Iowa conversion mentioned in a book I have.

Back to rocket launching ships from the B-70, the move from liquid to solid fuel radically changed the appearance of balistic missiles. The Long Beach and Albany classes were both intended to deploy with Polaris. Both classes had the installation canceled as Rickover's SSBN entered service and and changed the game radically. Long Beach was actually built with the necessary pads to keep the hot launched Polaris from burning a hole in the bottom of the ship as it launched. I've seen drawing of the Long Beach with Polaris and its disappointing. The midship deck aft of the bridge has warning circles and large hatches like a SSBN. that pop open or launch and vents that are blown open by the over pressure from the launch.

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Ah, I've never seen those pictures. The only reference I've seen for IBMS on a surface ship was the Italian cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi which had four hatches fitted but never carried the missiles. I've seen the American/Russian launch vessels. One looks like an oil rig and the command ship looks like a seaplane tender.

That is merely a sea-based commercial satellite launch service which may have gone bust a few years back(?)
SSBNs may have largely taken the role of military ICBM carriers, a surface ship could handle a larger launch vehicle and/or one not specialized for submarine carry. A squadron of Minutemen or Titans on a hull would be impressive in a whiffery scenario. Then, other ship-based space launchers would be handy for polar or equitorial launches when and where fixed bases were not available.
Finally, there was the Seadragon (and some NOVA variants) very heavy launch vehicle which was intended to be water launched simply because it was too big and noisy/dangerous for conventional pads. Seadragon was was to be launched from IN the sea.