Calling all USN, RN Escort Carriers (CVE) fans

[Jose Chaica]

While looking for evidences of the existence of some kind of anti-skid protection aboard any of the Casablanca class carriers, and particularly the 5�gun tub, I came across a picture that shows precisely the opposite. It was not aboard a Casablanca, because it was a picture of a 40mm gun tub, but it clearly shows that, in this example, such anti-skid protection had not (yet?) been implemented. The photo I�m referring to is in the book "Carrier War", by Lt. Oliver Jensen, and its printed on page 20 (it�s a full page photo). The caption reads as being taken aboard Yorktown.

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[Jimmy Conway]

Is there in the web any report and descriptions about the antenna of radars used on USS Bogue?
Some lack of infos in Navsource, and in the period 1939-1945, was there any changes for main radar used?
I think that SKI was installed.

[HMS Zulu]

Just ordered my Tamiya 1/700 USS Bogue, soon to be an 'Attacker' class. Haven't decided on which particular ship yet, but HMS Striker sounds like a good name

[HMS Zulu]

I've now got Bogue, and planning to build it as an RN carrier. The main difference from photographs seem to be armament and the radar - does anyone know if the RN carriers ever had the same armament as Bogue (28 Oerlikons, 8 140mm twin guns and 2 5 inch guns) or similar? Also, what radar do I need and where can I get it from? I'd like to make HMS Battler ideally.

Cheers, Rob

[Blue Devil]

I have the excellent Yankee Modelworks 1/350 Gambier Bay (finally!) and am planning to do the Guadalcanal (CVE 60) from it. From the somewhat scanty info I can find, it doesn't look too difficult except for the HF/DF antenna. It looks like it's mounted on a pole mast at the aft end of the second 40mm tub from the bow on the starbord side. Anyone have any good close-ups or drawings of what that mount looked like? I don't think it'll be too hard to scratch build, but I'd like to have some more info on how it looked.

Thanks!!

Michael

[HMS Zulu]

Does anyone know what colour the interior of the hangar of a Bogue class would be painted, in either USN or RN service?

[Tracy White]

USN Service would have the deck in #20 Deck gray and the bulkheads and overheads in white. Research suggests that the bulkheads around the elevators were painted a dark blue color from the deck up to about 6-8' below the flight deck, with a dull flat black from that point to the flight deck. Not sure if the Royal Navy repainted anything, but I would imagine they would have larger concerns....

[HMS Zulu]

Thanks Tracy, that would be my guess too.

[John Hunter]

I have just found out my father (87 and still in good health) served on the Empire McCabe, for 2 years 43 to 45 so found this site on google.. Can he help with background etc.

John

[Tracy White]

I'm not familiar with that ship.. it's not on the list of CVEs below. Are you sure about the name?
http://www.navsource.org/archives/03idx.htm

[Timmy C]

"Empire" ships sound like a CAM vessel, rather than a full carrier.

[Tim Stoneman]

Empire MacCabe (note spelling - the missing "a" may have prevented you from finding her in searches) was a British Merchant Aircraft Carrier or MAC ship. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_aircraft_carrier is a good starting point for research (bearing in mind that Wikipedia is by no means authoritative). To be pedantic, MAC ships were not CVEs (that is a USN designation which was adopted to some extent by the RN, but the MAC ships were not RN manned or owned (although the aircraft and squadron personnel were Fleet Air Arm).

CAM ships were a different concept - a catapult and expendable fighter fitted on a standard merchant ship.

See also http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Ships ... cCabe.html

[doog_k]

As has been noted the MACs weren't CVEs, they were a stopgap to get primarily anti-submarine air-cover above the Atlantic Convoys. There were basically two types- Tankers and Grain carriers- they still carried cargo as well as Swordfish (and sometimes Martlets). There are photos of a couple MAC Swordfish with "Merchant Navy" painted on them!

[Guest]

The Empire Macabe was a BP Tanker conversion run by the British Tanker Company, this was one of many ships my father as an officer served on through the war on the North Atlantic Convoys. It had 4 Swordfish planes on board.

[Solomo]

Would someone happen to know what the stem protrusion is above the waterline on CVE-55 class ships? A chafing plate for streaming the paravane? I have the AOTS Gambier Bay, but it's not id'd.
Just got the Bluejacket Gambier Bay (may do it as St. Lo, Tulagi or Guadalcanal), and wondering how to do this thingie.
Thanks in advance,
Cheers,
Paul H.

[Tracy White]

Picture you posted is of the bow; are you talking bow or stern?

[Solomo]

The stem is at the bow of ships - as in the picture.

[JimRussell]

Would someone happen to know what the stem protrusion is above the waterline on CVE-55 class ships?

I always thought it was a floating object collision reinforcement, but then I was puzzled as to why did no other of "merchant hulls" have it.
I do not think it had anything to do with the paravanes. When streamed they were attached to the ship at the small eye at the very bottom of the stem, as your picture shows.

Jim

[Tracy White]

stem

My bad; I first read the "m" as "rn" and thought you meant stern... hence my confusion.
I haven't seen anything about that in the textual records, here's the best "close up" I have.

[Solomo]

Hehe Tracy, after I thought about it I figured it had to be something like that... Plus, when I looked at the post again, it did kinda look like stern!
That's an awesome head on shot. Yeah, I can't figure it out - unless it's for icebreaking!
Thanks,
P.
P.S.
Another couple shots - clearly the casting is attached to the outside of the hull plating.