Calling all USS North Carolina BB-55 & USS Washington BB-56 fans

[Kazec]

Hello, I would like to enquire what are the things hanging at the aft superstructure of USS Washington as circled in the following photos?

[Guest]

Well, they look like stowed derrick booms or posts but a clearer photograph would help resolve the matter.

[Peter O]

I'm looking at Black Cat's resin 20mm single Oerlikons as a replacement for Trumpeter's parts. There are several different variants: Mk.4, Mk.4 with Mk.14 gunsight, Mk.4 with cartridge collecting bag; the same 3 choices for Mk.10; and 3 different shield styles. Which one(s) would be appropriate for the NC in it's late 1944 configuration?

And while I'm at it, the same question for Black Cat's various quad 40mm Bofors guns.

https://blackcatmodels.eu/en/95-weapons

I know that there are more detailed aftermarket guns, but I'm leaning towards one-piece 3D printed guns because of the quantity involved -- 48 Oerlikons and 15 quad Bofors. I'm not normally a ship modeler, so building 63 tiny multi-piece resin and PE gun sets just wouldn't happen. I need to strike a balance between quality and effort involved.

Thanks!

Peter

[Steve]

Suggest you purchase one of each type you intend to outfit her with. Experience has been that some kits may have under sized tubs and/or shielding for 20's and 40's which cramp the mounts especially the 20mm side by side line ups. Height is included in this as well as diameter and length.

[MartinJQuinn]

Well, they look like stowed derrick booms or posts but a clearer photograph would help resolve the matter.

Refueling hoses?

[Fliger747]

I'd agree with Martin, probably fueling hoses.

[Guba]

top picture bottom object appears to be tapered at the right end so not fuel hose but maybe part of boat boom?

I think they are boat booms. They taper...

[BB62vet]

Re. the photos posted by Kazec of the port after superstructure:

I've found two fairly decent photos of this area of WASHINGTON that show what is stowed on that particular bulkhead - this was late war, 1945 when these photos were taken (Puget Sound) and here is a blow up of the best of those two photos:

The item in question is one of the ship's accommodation ladders, broken down in the stowed position. The upper platform is on the left side, flat on the bulkhead along with the ladder risers which have been also flattened. The items laying against the ladder could possibly be a canvas bag containing the two handrails and stanchions as these would be removed and disassembled for stowage.

Consulting photos of NORTH CAROLINA in the same area, show a different configuration for her - no stowed ladder - only two large life rafts stowed against the bulkhead. NORTH CAROLINA's bulkhead also shows a different configuration of external HVAC vents and duct that are not present on WASHINGTON (she only has two surface vents on that particular bulkhead).

Keep in mind (once again) that no two ships of a class are alike - there are always differences.

Hope this helps,

[taskforce48]

I believe Hank is correct on the Port Side, it's an accommodation latter probably started being stored there in late 1942/43. Starboard appears to me as refueling hoses.

Washington in 1941

Early 42 Starboard appears to be refueling hoses

Later in 1942 they still appear to be refueling hoses. My shot of the Port side is fuzzy as well, but I believe we see the ladder stored there at this time

From the same series of images Hank posted in 1945 post refit shakedown

From the same series of images Hank posted in 1945 post refit shakedown

HTH

Matt

[Fliger747]

One might note that UNREP photos show that the fueling is conducted in this aft area. It appeared that the oilers hoses were used for these operations, the Battleship's hoses would be used when she refueled escorts etc.

Too bad we don't have access to the original photos of the era, which were often very detailed, especially the yard photos taken with 4x5 press type cameras.

Cheers: Tom

[BSteinIPMS]

I've read all 25 pages of this topic and hope I haven't skipped over the answers to these questions. If so, please bear with me.

I have about 30 books on the North Carolina and have hit a roadblock on camouflage. Ron Smith has done an exemplary job as a researcher and I have his article that appeared in the Nautical Research Journal, but some books give one explanation, others give something different.

I'm looking for information on certain aspects of the ship's paint after her September 1944 refit at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Measure 32/18D.

Questions:
1. Do the 16" main gun barrels on turrets #1 & #2 have a counter-shaded paint scheme? Or are they Ocean Gray 5-O top and bottom?

2. Some books (Steve Wiper, Randy Shoker, David Doyle) say turret #3 was Ocean Gray 5-O on top, not Weather Deck Blue 20B like the forward turrets. Photos seem to indicate the turret roof was Light Gray 5-L, along with the gun barrels. One color photo appears to show the aft turret top as Ocean Gray 5-O, with the stacks of life rafts, gun director tub, and 40mm gun tub painted Light Gray 5-L. Any opinions out there?

3. Last, the second edition of Kagero's book on the NC purports to show her in Measure 32/18D, and shows the aft turret roof as Ocean Gray 5-O, with the life raft stacks and both gun tubs as Light Gray 5-L. The gun barrels are also depicted as 5-L. Any opinions as to the accuracy of this publication?

Cheers!
--Bob Steinbrunn
IPMS/USA 3345
NRG 3569

[BB62vet]

Bob,

This reply may seem either totally ridiculous or quite apropos -

Why not get in touch with the USS NORTH CAROLINA Battleship Museum staff in Wilmington, NC and see what they have in the way of camo info?? I mean, the ship is there, it's camouflaged (although that isn't working as it's visible plain & simple ), so it would seem to me that those folks SHOULD have the proper information re. her paint scheme in 1944 at PSNSYD. I haven't been on the ship in quite a few years, but I understand they do have one of the better documentation libraries on board of all the museum ships.

Hope this helps (and doesn't appear to be a total knee jerk response )

Hank

[MartinJQuinn]

2. Some books (Steve Wiper, Randy Shoker, David Doyle) say turret #3 was Ocean Gray 5-O on top, not Weather Deck Blue 20B like the forward turrets. Photos seem to indicate the turret roof was Light Gray 5-L, along with the gun barrels. One color photo appears to show the aft turret top as Ocean Gray 5-O, with the stacks of life rafts, gun director tub, and 40mm gun tub painted Light Gray 5-L. Any opinions out there?

FWIW, I went with 5L on the roof of #3 turret. I used Wiper's book, Shoker's book and Doyle's book (the latter had the most accurate depiction of the pattern, IMO), but I mostly used archival photos from NARA II to get the pattern to where I thought it should be. In my opinion, the pattern changed slightly after she left Puget Sound, which photos seem to confirm.

I don't remember specifically about the gun barrels. I counter-shaded them on my build, but I could have missed that they weren't, while focusing on other parts of the pattern.

[Guest]

Hi, I probably missed it but does anyone do a 350 Washington conversion, mainly the anchor wash area?
Thanks, just looking to do as built, no camo.

[Kraken Hobbies]

Hi, I probably missed it but does anyone do a 350 Washington conversion, mainly the anchor wash area?
Thanks, just looking to do as built, no camo.

Hi,
Kraken Hobbies produces parts to convert the Trumpeter North Carolina into the Washington. The "Washboard" is not listed on the site yet but is a completed design, just drop us an email if interested.

Matt

[richard le blanc]

Does anyone know the protrusions on North Carolina Hull are
near the rear armor belt Trumpeter has them on side oh hull ?

[propmeup1]

EDG exhaust deflectors.

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

You mean these I suppose? Thanks Propmeup1!
But what exactly is an EDG???

[NavyShooter]

EDG - Emergency Diesel Generator?

[Maarten Sch�nfeld]

EDG - Emergency Diesel Generator?

thanks!