Calling all USS Barnegat-class seaplane tender (AVP) fans

[NukeMM]

On my conversion of the Mackinac kit from ISW I have had to modify or scratch build the following listed items in order to more accurately portray the USS Duxbury Bay AVP-38 in her 1952-53 configuration:

Since the Duxbury Bay lost her 5� gun turret in 1952, I scraped off the round turret base that was molded into the deck on the forecastle as well as on the fantail. I did this on the forward O2 level, too, for the Duxbury Bay never had a 5� gun turret there, just a Quad 40mm.

Both Quad 40mm gun tubs were scratch built. Both gun tubs were rather unique on these ships. The forward gun tub having a raised �lip� on the front and the aft one being raised off of the main deck and having a hand rail around its rim.

The fire control shack (carved from balsa wood) and range finder above the pilot house were scratch built as was the fire control shack on the fantail. Commander Series Models, Inc. sent, to me, three Mk52 gun director radars that replaced the Mk51�s that came with the kit.

The companionway enclosures, or spray shields were scratch built. I used Evergreen channel styrene and 1/350 PE vertical ladders which I cut off every other rung and one side�s hand rail in order to emulate the supports underneath.

I extended the O4 deck a little aft along with the O3 level compartment.

I filled the gap that existed on the model between the after O2 level compartment and the compartment fore of the stack. I cut off the pre-existing signal flag bags and angled them to the proper position and using Yankee Modelworks white metal flag bags.

I scraped off some fire hoses, lockers, and gas cylinders that were on the front of the O1 level compartment and put some GMM watertight doors and proper lockers on in their place.

The model came with an O2 deck that extended too far aft of the crane, for my Duxbury Bay, with a Quad 40mm gun tub on it. I cut this gun tub off and shortened the aft O2 deck and constructed a small boat support structure aft of the crane. This is where the Dux carried the admiral's barge when he was aboard and traveling on her.

I added a platform to the front of the stack and mounted whip antennas atop of it. I had to modify the mast and added two yardarms to the crane mast. The SATCOM dome on the mast is a CIWS dome. The �Bedspring Radar� array is from L�Arsenal.

I added inclined ladders to the starboard side of the forward Quad 40mm and on the starboard O2 level. (There was not a corresponding ladder on the port side on the Dux, which I found to be rather odd.)

I trimmed down the sponsons on the upper twin 20mm guns and inserted single bar railings on them. I added the square support stanchons under the upper Twin 20mm gun sponsons.

The sponsons on the O3 level were too, big and too, far aft for the Duxbury Bay, so I had to cut them off and make new smaller ones from Evergreen tubing and positioned them correctly. It is in these sponsons that the saluting gun cannons were located and I used 1/700 single 3" guns for these. From a distance, they look pretty close to the real thing.

I drilled holes and inserted plastic rod to make all of the bits on the main deck. I left off the chocks. I found nothing suitable in 1/350 for this size of ship. Most were too, big.

I added the anchor brake hand wheels on the forecastle. I even put some hand wheels on the crane pulleys to make them more realistic looking.

Some of the after market pieces that I used were the radar (L�Arsenal), the floater net baskets (L'Arsenal), the life rafts (L'Arsenal), the whale boat (L'Arsenal), the 40mm and 20mm guns (L'Arsenal and Tom's Modelworks). The Mk52 gun directors were specially molded for me by ISW. The railings are from ISW and GMM.

The admiral's barge came from an old broken DRAGON Ticonderoga CG kit and the captain's gig is from an old broken REVELL USS Pine Island seaplane tender model. I drilled out and carved open the rear seating area and the coxswain�s cockpit in the bow on the admiral�s barge. I painted it to replicate the barge that my father had taken pictures of.

I made my own decals for the stern ship's name and the "Dux-Bay" decals on the small boats.

I made and rigged small boat handling booms, port and starboard, and added an aviation fuel supply pipe to the aft starboard hull.

I added torpedo handling booms and a scratch built winch forward of the pilot house. The torpedo loading hatch in the deck behind the forward Quad 40mm was already molded into the deck.

For the rigging lines, I used two-pound test monofilament fishing line for the mainstays and backstays; and invisible thread for the halyards.

[NukeMM]

U.S. Navy Seaplane Tender Small
(AVP)

The first ship of this class of small seaplane tenders was the USS Barnegat AVP-10 which was commissioned in July of 1941. In general, the ships of this class were named after small bodies of water like inlets, bays, and harbors such as Cook Inlet, Biscayne Bay, and Bering Strait. There were thirty-five ships of this class built.

The Barnegat class seaplane tenders were 311� 8� long, 41� 1� at the beam, had a draft of 13� 6�, and displaced 2,750 tons when fully loaded. Their top speed was rated at 18.6 knots and their crew compliment was 215 officers and crew.

The initial purpose of these small ships was to provide supplies, fuel, armaments, maintenance, lodging and meals to seaplane squadron aircraft and their crews in forward, and sometimes remote, operating areas. The shallow draft of these ships allowed them to service the aircraft in sheltered waters such as small inlets, harbors, atolls, and even rivers.

The ships of this class were variously armed, from ship to ship and from era to era, with two 5�/38 enclosed gun turrets on the bow and one 5�/38 open mounted gun on the fantail; one Quad 40mm gun mount aft and at times with one replacing the second 5�/38 gun turret, two Twin 40mm gun mounts amidships, and four to six Twin 20mm gun mounts, and at times with single 20mm gun mounts and/or .50 caliber machine guns.

Although not very fast ships, the Navy and Coast Guard favored them for their shallow drafts and seaworthiness and versatility. Some AVPs were modified as PT-Boat Tenders (AGP), Oceanographic Research Ships (AGOR), Oceanographic Survey Ships (AGS), one was modified to train seaplane pilots, Amphibious Forces Command Ships (AGC), and Command Flagships (AGF). Many were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard and served as WAVPs and high endurance cutters (WHEC).

Many ships of this class were sold to, and served in, foreign navies after being decommissioned and stricken from the US Navy�s list. Some foreign service included Italian, Greek, South Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Philippine navies. The USS Barnegat, herself, was purchased by a Greek cruise line company and was modified and served as a small cruise ship re-named the MV Kentavros.

My father served on the USS Duxbury Bay AVP-38 in 1952 and 1953. He was an Interior Communications Electrician and serviced the ships communication systems, navigation systems and various instrumentation. Dad reported aboard the Duxbury Bay while she was in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, Virginia in the summer of 1952. It was at this time that the Duxbury Bay�s only 5� gun turret was removed, air conditioning equipment was installed, and she received her first coat of white paint in preparation to serve as flagship for the Commander Middle East Forces, a two-star admiral who�s headquarters was at Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf. My father�s cruise started in October 1952 from Norfolk Naval Base and he returned from the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Persian Gulf in April 1953.

The Duxbury Bay shared this flagship duty with her sister ships, USS Greenwich Bay AVP-41 and USS Valcour AVP-55, until her decommissioning in 1966. The three ships were fondly referred to as �The Little White Fleet� by their crews.

Obviously, it is the USS Duxbury Bay that I have chosen to depict using the 1/350 USS Mackinac AVP-13 resin model kit from Commander Series Models, Inc.�s Iron Shipwright Signature Series.

I am so, very grateful to Commander Series Models, Inc. for creating a model kit of this obscure and little known class of little ships. Their resin model is a very nice one and is a terrific base from which to create any of the USN, USCG, and foreign navy variants.

I envision a future project of building the Duxbury Bay in her final 1966 configuration as well as models of the USS Greenwich Bay and USS Valcour. I�d love to see all three of them on one display base. I�d also like to build one as the USS Mackinac just as Commander Series Models, Inc. intended the kit to be.

[bwross11]

I know that this is a real long shot question, but I'm going to ask anyway. Does anyone out there have any information on the induction/discharge port arrangement on the lower hull of a USN Barnegat AVP? I'm scratchbuilding one and would like to add this detail.

TIA,
Bruce

[NukeMM]

Bruce,

I am excited to hear that you are building an AVP! What scale? Are you scratchvbuilding the whole thing? What plans are you going by? Maybe we can swap and share plans if they are different.

I have dreams of building a 1/96 one someday with the LoyalHannahdockyard.com hull of the Casco Class WHEC.

Are you talking about seawater suction and discharge hull valves or "scoops" for the engines, refrigeration, and other cooling water systems?

I have plans for W382 / AVP-34 and a one page plan of the Barnegat but none indicate these below-the-waterline fixtures. I wouldn't think that they'd be induction "scoops" but they may be. I would think that they might be just round openings in the hull where the isolation valves are located inboard. I may be wrong about this, but I was a Machinist's Mate on submarines and we didn't have "scoops" like surface ships do.

I may be able to post the question to some USS Duxbury Bay AVP-38 veterans and see what they might know about the propulsion and cooling water systems.

I'd love to see your AVP build photos if you have any. Are you making the Barnegat, herself, or sister ship.

[NukeMM]

Bruce,
I have posted your quesiton to the Duxbury Bay shipmates that frequent the Dux web site at MyFamily.com. I hope somebody knows, replies, and that they have pictures or plans.

The MyFamily.com page is a separate and members only site. I can have the webmaster invite you to it for your research. He has been posting several cruise books in the photo gallery there.

[bwross11]

Hi Carl,

Thought that I'd post some pictures of my project for the board's view pleasure. Still in the early building stage and as you know still looking for some detail information. Hopefully I'll be able to start adding the final details to the hull fairly soon.


A view from the Starboard bow showing the hull strakes applied and the superstructure being roughed out.


A plan view showing the basic deck layout. Compared to a Fletcher on the same scale. Scratchbuilt Kingfisher sitting on the fantail that will eventually be a permanent fixture. Notice the open cargo hatch on the 01 level just forward of the bridge superstructure; that actually goes down to the 3rd deck in what would have been the CPO Mess area.

Good modeling to all,
Bruce

[NukeMM]

Wonderful, Bruce! Thanks for posting these photos!

The cargo hatch, I'm told, was for torpedo loading and unloading for those planes that carried them. The booms located above the hatch were called the "torpedo loading booms".

I wonder what they used it for after some ships had no need for torpedos.

Double check plans and photos of the specific AVP that you're building. The Cook Inlet, right? Some didn't have the ladder on the O3 level down to the O2 level on the port side. The Duxbury Bay didn't. I thought that this was odd a asymetrical. I found out, just in time.

Did you change your mind about building the Absecon? She was the only one that I know of that could bring the float planes aboard. The "seaplanes" would definately have been too, big, I'd think.

[NukeMM]

Bruce,
I see from NavSource.org that the Cook Inlet had a ladder on the port side in her USCG configuration, but can't tell from the earlier WWII USN photos. I think I see an incline ladder on her port side.

Here is a port side shot of the Duxbury Bay in the 1960's taken by a Dux veteran. It was taken on the port O3 level looking aft and outboard where another AVP is parked next to her. Either the Valcour or the Greenwich Bay, I say.



There is no ladder going down. It is a nice shot of the flag bag and you can just see the end of the barrel of the saluting gun. Also notice how the 20mm gun sponson bulkheads have been removed and replaced with hand railing.

[bwross11]

Hi Carl,

I noted the 03 ladder item and managed to find an immediate post-WWII close up of the Cook Inlet superstructure that shows a port side ladder.

For right now I've decided not to pursue the Abescon; while doing research I realized that she only paint scheme she ever wore was Ms 21 and I've got enough blue ships in my fleet. So the Cook Inlet wil be shown in the spring of 1944 when she wore a Ms 33-1F measure.

Nice detail pict of the Dux; more of those will be of great help later in the build.

Till later, good modeling

Bruce

[bwross11]

Greetings all,
It has been a while since I posted an update on my USS Cook Inlet; unfortunately life keeps wanting my attention. I have completed the attaching the hull plating and will be mounting the screw shafts and bracing in the next week.


Since the last posting the mast has been raised, the 40mm bandstands amidships has been roughed out and I have started on the details, the bridge windbreak has been started as well as the deck supports for the 03 deck wings, and the stack has been roughed out. I have started the cap for the stack but it wasn't ready for this picture.

Good modeling all,

Bruce

[NukeMM]

Thanks for posting the update photo, Bruce!

Seeing the superstructure pieces come together invokes an odd emotion in me. I can't quite explain it.

I love these little ships! And your model!

[NukeMM]

Bruce,

Nice job on the O3 sponson support framing. That was a difficult task on my 1/350 conversion and I started it over twice.

When I do another one, I'm just going to cut the existing sponsons off and scratch build that area, port and stbd.

[bwross11]

Greetings all,

I've been so busy with general life lately that I haven't had a lot of time for work on the model; but the other night I decided I needed to do something so I thought I'd share with all of you. My great advancement.....the hood over the bridge portholes!



One of the advantages of working with CAD everyday is that I was able to model and develop the flat pattern in my lunch break at work. Simply taped the pattern over a sheet of .010" thk plastic and cut. Then it was fitted, trimmed, and glued; final step was to add some supports up underneath to support the hood and to stiffen it so it won't be quite so fragile.

Anyway, until next time; good modeling all,
Bruce

[Jimmy Conway]

bwross:
this photo is very important because it eases the vision of this part of the ship.
Thanks for sharing!
Jimmy

[bwross11]

Greetings all,

Well its been awhile and now that I've finished summer vacation it is time to update on the USS Cook Inlet project.



You might notice that I have added the bilge keels and started adding some of the bracing around the superstructure windbreaks. Additionally, I have started modeling the crane that sits aft on the 01 level. I am now adding overboard discharge ports on the hull as witnessed by all the spots you probably can see! I've also started modeling a master of the anchor hawser port after which I'll be making a mold of to supply myself and a friend who is working on a model of USS Coos Bay.



At the other end, I have finished modeling up the major components of the propulsion; the screws themselves are purchased from Bluejacket, everything else is scratch. I will also be going back and adding eyebolts in various places around the hull above and below the waterline.

Of late I have been giving serious consideration of attempting some sort of weathering on the model; still not sure but it's something I'm mentally playing with.

Well till later, good modeling all,

Bruce

[jepot2]

OMG! A thread for the Barnegat!

I read at the start of the thread a seemingly lack of interest in this type of a ship- well i have been looking for data and inputs of the Barnegat class myself for a long time- one of my dream projects is a Philippine Navy ship of the Barnegat class, specifically PF 7 RPS Andres Bonifacio. This ship along with other Barnegat class ships were transferred from the SVN Navy back in 1975.

My problems is this - Intend to make it in 1/700 scale so a major kitbash is in the offing. Considering the hull size, a DE kit would be closest but the shape of the hull is grossly different along with the superstructure, hence all pics of the ship i can lay my hands on, specially a model of it is of immense help. though right now i am a bit buzy at work but this is one holy grail project for me.

To Nuke MM - thanks for starting this thread; if i do get to start the project at my end ill definitely post my progress here..remeber its 1/700 scale... the progress i have had so far is finding a kit to kitbash ( and to my consternation the Tamiya Fletcher kit came to mind for the bridge was kinda similar but then again, the hull issue....)...

thanks a lot!

[NukeMM]

Welcome to the Barnegat Thread, Jepot2!!

Which AVP did the Andres Bonifacio start off as?

1/700............Wow! Good luck! Sincerely.

I'm lost as to which hull to start off with in 1/700 in order to bash out an AVP with.

I wish there was an AVP in 1/700, myself.

If you ever get over the 1/700 fetish, the Commander Series / Iron Shipwrights' Barnegat/Mackinac kit is a great resin model to use for the conversion to any of the AVP variants. I'd like to make at least four more of them.

I will always be very grateful to Ted and Jon at ISW for even thinking about making an AVP model. I really got lucky when searching for a model of the ship that my father served on.

If I was a desperate man, I'd probably try carving a hull out of balsa or something soft and then try molding it in resin.

As you can see from this thread, Bruce Ross and Roland Mehann are scratchbuilding 1/144 scale AVPs.

[jepot]

Welcome to the Barnegat Thread, Jepot2!!

Which AVP did the Andres Bonifacio start off as?

1/700............Wow! Good luck! Sincerely.

I'm lost as to which hull to start off with in 1/700 in order to bash out an AVP with.

I wish there was an AVP in 1/700, myself.

If you ever get over the 1/700 fetish, the Commander Series / Iron Shipwrights' Barnegat/Mackinac kit is a great resin model to use for the conversion to any of the AVP variants. I'd like to make at least four more of them.

I will always be very grateful to Ted and Jon at ISW for even thinking about making an AVP model. I really got lucky when searching for a model of the ship that my father served on.

If I was a desperate man, I'd probably try carving a hull out of balsa or something soft and then try molding it in resin.

As you can see from this thread, Bruce Ross and Roland Mehann are scratchbuilding 1/144 scale AVPs.

Thanks for the welcome!

Yes, AVP 24 USS Chincoteague became the RPS Andres Bonifacio ( PF 7) which became the nominal flagship of the Philippine Navy sometime in the 80s i think; other AVPs in the PN service were AVP 34 USS Bering Strait that became RPS Diego Silang (PF 9), AVP 35 USS Castle Rock that became RPS Dagohoy and AVP 56 USS Wachapreague that became RPS Gregorio del Pilar ( PF .

Yes its is a big dilemna as to where to start in 700 scale; but in my quest to build all ships of the PN, well, i gotta start somewhere...and all help i can get to get things started, short of giving me the time, is highly appreciated!

thanks!

[bwross11]

Welcome Jepot,

Saw your posting and was thinking of the challenge of reproducing one of these ships in 1/700. I think that a Bulkley class DE hull is going to be your best chance. There is a 5ft. difference between the classes in length and overall lenght (5ft = .087"). You could glue some .040" strips to the sides and blend in the extra width. I think your biggest challange is going to be the stern; they are entirely different. If you look on Navsource for pictures of the AVPs you'll note that the sterns are more squared off than the DEs. There are probably several ways to handle this depending on how much pain you want to endure and how accurate. The other difference to note is that the AVPs did not have a sharp deck edge similar to the DEs; instead about 8ft from the bow a round over starts that carries to within about 20ft of the stern. This is easily modeled by just sanding the round on the edge.

Anyway, good luck; look forward to see your project and progress.

best,

Bruce

[NukeMM]

You all have got me side-tracked now!

With Jepot's suggestion of a 1/700 Barnegat and Bruce's suggestion of a Buckley class DE hull, I just might look into bashing my own.

Jepot, are you thinking full hull or waterline model of the Andres Bonifacio?

A waterline model would be easier, to me. A Buckley hull's steeper bow angle could be shaved down and the stern could be rounded off.

Skywave makes (made) a 1/700 waterline Buckley kit.

There is a review of the kit at http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/sh ... 1-700.html

Hmmmm!