Calling all USS Pennsylvania BB-38 fans

[ArizonaBB39]

Hank, thanks for commenting here. The drawings you made several years ago have been an excellent starting point. The post from Jeff on question is this one (hopefully I've linked it correctly): viewtopic.php?f=47&t=75739&start=300#p934932

You can see in the first picture of her November 1940 refit it looks like they've started adding the searchlight extensions onto the platform. In talking to Steve we came to a consensus that it is the most logical time to have done that as the searchlights were much bigger and heavier than the machine guns they replaced and there would have really been no room to efficiently use the searchlights without the extensions. The picture Jeff posted is the only one I've seen that shows the platform after (during) the 1940 refit and before the 1942 refit, so I may be totally off base in saying the extensions are there, but, in my opinion, they would have been there from November 1940 onwards.

[Jeff Sharp]

Hi Abram!
In the 1940 film "Meet the Fleet", she did not have the extensions yet.


However, in this August 11, 1941 pic from the book "The Way It Was Pearl Harbor The Original Photographs", you can see the extensions were definitely there. So, I would have to assume that they were most likely added during the Puget Sound refit at the end of 1940.


Jeff

[ArizonaBB39]

Jeff, thanks for your input! I keep forgetting I have that book! One of these days I should take an inventory of my books and make a spreadsheet I can reference.

I'll continue working on my platform with extensions as that photo is pretty definitive. Other interesting things of note I noticed right away in the photo: a kingfisher float stored on top of the turret by the catapult, a decent view of the projector booth at the back of the boat deck, and she still has the range clocks fitted. I'll need to thumb through my copy of the book again!

[ArizonaBB39]

I was able to get some more work done on designing the platforms. I know it's not 100% accurate (due to no drawings of the exact time period and my lack of skills in 3d designing), but they look pretty close. I'm not sure I'll try printing it as a solid piece in 1/200 scale, but it might work for my 1/700 build as a full piece. I need to see if the platforms will print individually before anything else, though.

[FFG-7]

if not mounting ladders on the sides of the mast legs then use plastic rods or metal tubes for the legs but if having ladders on the legs & not pe then 3d print them.

[BB62vet]

Abram,

Here's my 1/200 scale 3D version of the mast PRE-1942 based on my drawings that you mentioned and photos from the early 1940's (pre-war) as well as the drawings of BB-38 that I scanned at NARA (1935-yard drawings) -

I'm not sure that I'll actually build this kit (I've had it for sale with all the additional vendor parts) but did the mast design as something to do over the last week or so. I may try printing it as a complete assembly, but also created the individual platforms & legs as individual parts. It's as yet incomplete - I've got to do the fwd. leg ladders and they will be separate parts that would be added to the assembly after printing/painting. Perhaps at 1/96 scale, this might make an interesting display model, but with the rangefinder house, pole mast/yards/rigging, etc. As I mentioned earlier, I may end up having to design the searchlights and rangefinder, as well. The originals were all part of the mast assembly that was lost in our move. I haven't checked to see what I've got on hand, perhaps spares are in the big box...

This could be modified in your case by the addition of the searchlight extensions and various other modifications as needed. It is an interesting side-project as working with angled pieces always provides a problem with location & fit of adjacent pieces.

Hank