Postwar navy.

[Timmy C]

Based purely on the pictures at Navsource, you can see that even in her early years, her design was drastically different from that of other contemporary Gearings, especially in the weapons and superstructure.

Her appearance in 1966 was slightly more comparable to other Gearings of that era, but I think she's still quite different, though by no means am I familiar with the subject. You're just going to have to look at available kits and compare them to pictures of the Carpenter to see how much scratchbuilding you may need to do.

[Hippy Ed]

Thanks Timmy, I'm now looking at pics of the ships I asked about.
I already have the ARii 1/800 Forrestal & Ranger which I plan to backdate

[NukeMM]

ASFC,

I love your Gold Rover! What nationality is she? What type of ship? Class?

Its an excellent scratch build!

Nektarios,

As always, I'm impressed with your skill and patience with assembling so, many aircraft for your carriers.

[NukeMM]

How's this going to look?

I'm not quite done with the small boat rack, but I'm glad that I took these shots. I think the gap between the two boats is too, much and too, tall over all. I'm going to trim the supports for the top boat. The base and boats aren't glued to each other yet.

[Hippy Ed]

Hey Carl, I tend to agree wit ya on cuttin' down them supports some. Other han that, she looks great!

[Sauragnmon]

You know, in reviewing the pictures of your spectacular work, Carl, I was thinking - bridge top and aft structure 5" gun directors, the absolute forward/aft ones. With the new electronics and the gun mounts, they'll be extraneous, with a little resculpt of those positions, I'm thinking of putting the RAM launchers there - thoughts?

Speaking of your work - you're right, the boat carrier does look a little bit big in the jump between the two of them.

Not quite sure about other thoughts with Mightier Mo, I'm thinking of putting the AEGIS on the lower sections of the superstructure. Under the bridge on the slope, and on the expanded sides of the aft structure. I'm not sure how I'm going to do that part, I know I'm likely going to fill out the sides, but I don't want to toss all the detail out the window, so I'm thinking I might find a way to stretch the sides out to fit up flush with the deck. If it's anything like Trumpeter's standard, it shouldn't be too hard - If I recall, some of the construction involved side plates, or is that section a four-wall box? I'll know in a few days anyways though.

[NukeMM]

You know, in reviewing the pictures of your spectacular work, Carl, I was thinking - bridge top and aft structure 5" gun directors, the absolute forward/aft ones. With the new electronics and the gun mounts, they'll be extraneous, with a little resculpt of those positions, I'm thinking of putting the RAM launchers there - thoughts?

Speaking of your work - you're right, the boat carrier does look a little bit big in the jump between the two of them.

Not quite sure about other thoughts with Mightier Mo, I'm thinking of putting the AEGIS on the lower sections of the superstructure. Under the bridge on the slope, and on the expanded sides of the aft structure. I'm not sure how I'm going to do that part, I know I'm likely going to fill out the sides, but I don't want to toss all the detail out the window, so I'm thinking I might find a way to stretch the sides out to fit up flush with the deck. If it's anything like Trumpeter's standard, it shouldn't be too hard - If I recall, some of the construction involved side plates, or is that section a four-wall box? I'll know in a few days anyways though.

I think you're talking about the port and starboard gun directors by the forward stack, right? If so, I'd say that would be an excellent spot for RAMs or eve Nuklas launchers like the new DDGs. I'm planning on scratch building some Nuklas (is that the right term?) launchers for my USS Sampson DDG-102. The Sampson has the Nuklas launchers next to the chaff launchers, so this deck on an Iowa would be logical to put the RAMs.

Either I'm reading your mind or you...mine. I had a thought about your possibly making a large flush-to-the-hull superstructure section. Maybe even stepping it down from fore to aft starting at where the aft stack would have gone. The step down levels could support various weapon or countermeasure or radar equipment, and house a helo / VTOL jet hangar. This new superstructure might even allow for the AEGIS arrays.

Had you ever thought about an all steel deck and getting rid of the wood?

[NukeMM]

Depends on if the Sprotson was a Four-Gun at the time - you can get the twin 3" open tops in the set for the USS Belleau Wood by DML, potentially in other sets in other places - then you just mount those in place of the Bofors Quads, make a few other alterations, and shabang, there ya go.

Carl, the turrets arrived this morning - yay me! Those JAG turrets are bloody freakin amazing for detail too, and the guns just look impressive. Very nice putty work and such. I have RAM launchers coming with the Mighty Mo from Freetime, which will have some of them mounted in place for this construction project. Since the launchers are all above-deck mounting, I was considering the turret tops, like the old Bofors positions, allowing forward coverage with good angle of fire.

Simon,

Well, that was faster than last time, wasn't it? The post office made me fill out a US Customs form, this time. Maybe that's what made it go faster. I hope you'll be able to incorporate the turrets into you Mightier Mo.

BTW........RE: Sprotson...................JAG has some nice white metal twin 3" open mounts. They come with the Forrest Sherman. Maybe they'll sell you a few, separately.

[Sauragnmon]

I don't know, Carl, it did seem a little faster, as if it certainly seemed that things were streamlined, but I'm not complaining. All out record is two days for a shipment.

As to the RAM Launcher positions, I wasn't thinking either side of the forward stack, I was thinking the director mounts that sit right over the bridge, the absolute most forward position, and the one aft of the 16" director tower. I was thinking with the aft one of building up the deck to the level of the blast deflectors and putting one there, and putting the other one over the bridge in forward.

As to the aft superstructure, your stepped design is a thought, but I wasn't thinking of such a potentially large construction. I was thinking more of just filling out the block house, the whole superstructure, to the point that it was flush with the top deck, the launcher deck, but I didn't want to lose the doors and such, so I was thinking of stretching out the walls to sit flush with the deck and then puttying up the gaps.

Full metal deck, that is a notable thought, and worthy of entertaining, I could just fill the gaps of the wood deck and flatten it all out into a full steel deck, giving it an additional image of the deck level.

I might, I repeat, Might, consider doing a second ship with such similar operations - I have the Aegis mountings, I should have a pair of additional RAM launchers, all I'd need is the guns and VLS mountings, and then it's all gravy. I'd consider doing this one as the flight-capable no-aft-turret concept they had for the Black Dragon. I'd go a little further with the concept and take advantage of a beautiful profile one of the boys on the What-If Modelers board I'm a member on, of a US Marine Corps Mi-24 modified to use American gear and 20mm gun in the chin turret. It was an interesting concept, and I'd love to have its colours in use, and where better?

[NukeMM]

I don't know, Carl, it did seem a little faster, as if it certainly seemed that things were streamlined, but I'm not complaining. All out record is two days for a shipment.

As to the RAM Launcher positions, I wasn't thinking either side of the forward stack, I was thinking the director mounts that sit right over the bridge, the absolute most forward position, and the one aft of the 16" director tower. I was thinking with the aft one of building up the deck to the level of the blast deflectors and putting one there, and putting the other one over the bridge in forward.

As to the aft superstructure, your stepped design is a thought, but I wasn't thinking of such a potentially large construction. I was thinking more of just filling out the block house, the whole superstructure, to the point that it was flush with the top deck, the launcher deck, but I didn't want to lose the doors and such, so I was thinking of stretching out the walls to sit flush with the deck and then puttying up the gaps.

Full metal deck, that is a notable thought, and worthy of entertaining, I could just fill the gaps of the wood deck and flatten it all out into a full steel deck, giving it an additional image of the deck level.

I might, I repeat, Might, consider doing a second ship with such similar operations - I have the Aegis mountings, I should have a pair of additional RAM launchers, all I'd need is the guns and VLS mountings, and then it's all gravy. I'd consider doing this one as the flight-capable no-aft-turret concept they had for the Black Dragon. I'd go a little further with the concept and take advantage of a beautiful profile one of the boys on the What-If Modelers board I'm a member on, of a US Marine Corps Mi-24 modified to use American gear and 20mm gun in the chin turret. It was an interesting concept, and I'd love to have its colours in use, and where better?

I don't know about weapons above the bridge and possible other vital ship operations departments located there. I wouldn't think that naval engineers would do that, but I'm no expert. I can't think of any other ships that had weapons in a similar location, can you? That area always seems to be an area of observation of ship's operations for crewmembers, etc.

But, its your BOAT, Skipper!

[NukeMM]

Well, I think that I've pulled it off.

The small boat rack isn't exactly like the real one, but not everyone is going to be able to compare it with the photos. I was lucky to have similar PE and plastic pieces, on hand, to make a believable replica.





Here's the bow birdcage antenna thingy........



All that's left, I think, is a dull clear coat, attach the mast and rig it, various whip antennas, flag and jack staffs (I'll portray her as if in port) and the main deck railings.

[Timmy C]

You've really succeeded at making her look like a 1/350 model, Carl!

The only thing I would recommend at this point is drilling open the chocks.

[Nektarios]

I've been meaning ta ask y'all a question....
USS Ranger CVA-61 1965/66 went to 'Nam. Left Pearl Harbor on 27 DEC 1965. So far I have found out that the following ships were with her...
USS England DLG-22
USS Carpenter DD-825
USS Sproston DD-577 (Fletcher class??)
What class were these & are there kits in 1/700??

Also, what other ships would have been with them on station 16 JAN 1966 at Pt. DIxie in the So. China Sea?

Thanks,
Eddie

DLG-22 will be released by Jag. There is also a kit from Pitroad but i would suggest you wait for the Jag one.
USS Carpenter DD-825 ---->Jag
USS Sproston DD-577 is a Fletcher class but i can t say which kit is the better one for a 1966 configuration.

[NukeMM]

You've really succeeded at making her look like a 1/350 model, Carl!

The only thing I would recommend at this point is drilling open the chocks.

Thanks Timmy C!

You know, Timmy? That actually crossed my mind a few times. I'm afraid of screwing them up. My biggest fear would be to get them all done successfully and then mess up the very last one. And now, I've got the helo nets on and covering up access to the aft chocks.

[Nektarios]

Hey Carl, I tend to agree wit ya on cuttin' down them supports some. Other han that, she looks great!

Carl i totally agree with Hippy Ed.

[Nektarios]

Carl, you are not a modeller you are a true artist.

[Timmy C]

Thanks Timmy C!

You know, Timmy? That actually crossed my mind a few times. I'm afraid of screwing them up. My biggest fear would be to get them all done successfully and then mess up the very last one. And now, I've got the helo nets on and covering up access to the aft chocks.

I opened them up on my Trumpy Missouri - I admit, I did mess a few of them up when I tried to make the hole too big, but I was doing it with my #11 blade. The result would probably be better if I had a small drill bit.

[ASFC]

ASFC,

I love your Gold Rover! What nationality is she? What type of ship? Class?

She is British, Royal Fleet Auxiliary (MOD Civilian), Rover Class Small Fleet Tanker. When I get a chance I will put some PE on that Helo deck as Nektarios suggested.

Carl, there is not enough words in the English Language to describe what you have done!

[Hippy Ed]

I've been meaning ta ask y'all a question....
USS Ranger CVA-61 1965/66 went to 'Nam. Left Pearl Harbor on 27 DEC 1965. So far I have found out that the following ships were with her...
USS England DLG-22
USS Carpenter DD-825
USS Sproston DD-577 (Fletcher class??)
What class were these & are there kits in 1/700??

Also, what other ships would have been with them on station 16 JAN 1966 at Pt. DIxie in the So. China Sea?

Thanks,
Eddie

DLG-22 will be released by Jag. There is also a kit from Pitroad but i would suggest you wait for the Jag one.
USS Carpenter DD-825 ---->Jag
USS Sproston DD-577 is a Fletcher class but i can t say which kit is the better one for a 1966 configuration.

Thanks Nektarios, I'll check into them.

[Nektarios]

Thanks Nektarios, I'll check into them.

Hippy Ed i ve sent you what you asked for.