Calling all Essex-class (Cold War configuration) fans

[Doc]

Mark,

Here are two shots from Oriskany's cruise books. The one from the 1974 cruise I'm not sure what quarter of the ship it is. The second shot is from the 1972 cruise book but I can't make out if there is a gun at the forward port position...only the aft port gun is obvious.
Doc

[Dick J]

The firing gun is most likely the one on the starboard bow. (Based on the relative location of the MK-56 director and the apparent waves in the background.)

[Tracy White]

The one from the 1974 cruise I'm not sure what quarter of the ship it is.

My guess is starboard due to the director.

[gtb -red]

Doc comes thru again!

[Doc]

I thought I'd post a close up from the '72 image so the aft gun can be seen better...and include another shot from the final cruise Oriskany made in 1976.

Doc

[Hippy Ed]

Doc comes thru again!

Aye laddy

[Mark McKinnis]

Thanks Doc!

So we have a starboard forward, the aft port, and is the third pic the port forward?

Thanks again,

MM

[Doc]

I would say the third pic is of the forward, port side. This leads me to believe a single 5" must have been in place at each quarter 'til the ship was decommissioned.

[Mark McKinnis]

That was what I was thinking as well.

Thanks again,

MM

[Hill]

Hello, i am building modernized USS Hancock.
Does anybody know, what is the structure on the hull near island? It looks like a small elevator. I need to know, when it has been instaled.

[domi13]

Hello everybody,

Hello, i am building modernized USS Hancock.
Does anybody know, what is the structure on the hull near island? It looks like a small elevator. I need to know, when it has been instaled.

The same structure appears on the Oriskany and on the Bonhomme Richard, around 1970.

This does not answer your question, but may add some clues for somebody?

domi13

[Hill]

Hello everybody,

Hello, i am building modernized USS Hancock.
Does anybody know, what is the structure on the hull near island? It looks like a small elevator. I need to know, when it has been instaled.

The same structure appears on the Oriskany and on the Bonhomme Richard, around 1970.

This does not answer your question, but may add some clues for somebody?

domi13

Thanks for information. I found some photos of ships with this elevator, but, they are all dated to 1970-1975. Iam building USS Hancock, and I want to date her to 64-65. I need to know, in what year this elevator was build (because I like it).

[domi13]

Hello Hill,

Thanks for information. I found some photos of ships with this elevator, but, they are all dated to 1970-1975. Iam building USS Hancock, and I want to date her to 64-65. I need to know, in what year this elevator was build (because I like it).

You are correct, it is indeed an elevator.
It seems to link hangar deck to flight deck but maybe it can make an intermediate stop.
Maybe it was used during UNREP?

I have seen no photo of the 64-65 period showing the elevator on any of the 3 carriers I mentioned.

Cheers,

domi13

[Hill]

I think I found it.

There is not this elevat on the photos before 1968.


http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/19.htm
http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/024345.jpg - shipyard between April and July 1968.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/021910.jpg - Hanna's fourth WestPac/Vietnam Cruise, July 18, 1968�March 3, 1969 - elevator is visible.

[stvbom]

Hey guys I have a question for anyone who might know. I want to build an Essex class carrier out of the box in 1/350 scale, I'm assuming it wouldn't matter which ship since they would all be the same BUT my question is does any one know of where I could find any material on converting the Essex from her WWII configuration to the SCB-125 configuration? If any one can help I would be extremely grateful!!

[Tracy White]

There's no out-of-the box 1/350th SCB-125. Probably your closest bet is to use the Iron Shipwright conversion set about 2/3s of the way down this page (set 4-201a).

[domi13]

Hello all of you,

What about the use of the side elevator Hill discovered?
Has anybody an idea of why it has been added on at least 3 Essexes and for what purpose?

Cheers,

domi13

[USS Hancock CVA-19]

All the talk about the Starboard elevator on the Hancock. I believe it is not an elevator at all since it does not extend to the Hanger deck. The other side of that bulkhead was blank and just aft of the area in question there was a movie projection booth with a hatch to the outside as can be seen in the photo. I believe it is late 60's or early 70's when Air conditioning was added and may be just sheet metal ducting for that purpose. An elevator would have to reach the Hanger deck to do any good. The Hancock had the three standard elevators and a small bomb elevator inboard and near the front of the Island structure, it was big enough for a rack of sidewinders but not much more.
The area in question was not there when I got out in October 1962.
A good base for a Essex class carrier is Revels USS Lexington in a 1:540 scale ( out of production but can still be had fairly reasonable) it is about 21 inches long but has the Hurricane bow and angle deck, the fantail gun tubs need to be removed for post 58 version and some small mods on the island.
dpflynn@sbcglobal.net
Dennis Flynn USS Hancock CVA-19 1958 through 1962

[joedunlap]

For Mr. Hill and his Hancock build,
I just received this email from Dennis Flynn, who has posted on the Essex Class board regarding your question about the possible elevator. Seems he has found a definitive answer from a former XO. Below is the text of the letter:

From: dpflynn
To: JoeDunlap
Subject: Finaly an answer as to the markings on the flight deck.
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 18:53:29 -0500


Finally an answer as to the markings on the flight deck of the USS Hancock. I contacted a guy that was the XO on the USS Hancock back in the early 70's, he wasn't sure but he contacted a WO that was aboard her and that guy verified it was in fact an elevator for bringing bombs and rockets up to the flight deck. It was added around 1970 and the ramp coming around the starboard side of the Island was widened and extended slightly at the same time.

Hope that helps.

Dennis Flynn



I too, hope this helps with your build. Im sure he and the other former crewmembers would love to see your model when finished, as there are so few out there of the Hancock. I would think even work in progress photos would be appreciated. Good luck and Godspeed with the build. You can visit their website at http://www.usshancockassociation.org/

Joe Dunlap

[joedunlap]

I received another email from Jake of the Hancock website. More detailed info regard the elevator

From: Jake (admin@)
Sent: Tue 11/10/09 9:32 PM
To: Dennis Flynn ()
Cc: Joe Dunlap (J)

Dennis who sent you this message? He has a great memory of the ship. It would be nice if he was part of our information network on the ship. Ask him if he'd like to be considered an information specialist for the Hancock Memorial's Admin Dept? He's also invited to join our Muster. Ask him to go here:www.usshancockcv19.com/gateway/jupiter/guestbook/musterlist/addmuster.htm.(you need to also) The man's name is Joe Dunlap. Do you want me to forward the entire threaded emails? I can if you wish. Thanks for all you have done Dennis! Fair Winds,Jake
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dennis Flynn"
To: <admin@>
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 8:43 PM
Subject: Jake, I lost the other address on the weapons elevator history >

Message => Jake, I lost all our communications on the Hancock weapons elevator question but just received this from a former crew member. Could you> pass it on for me or send me the guys email. Thanks, Dennis

>> I saw Hannah for the first time in Jun. 1969. I was with VF 24 (AIR> WING 21). My tour as Hannah,s Air Gunner began in Aug 1969. The> Weapons Deck edge elevator was there before I came aboard and had been> there (I believe) at least one cruise prior to that. I say that> because the G Div crew that I inherited from Gunner Meeks was very> good at operating and maintaining it, and I do not think that would> have been true if it had just been installed after they returned from> WesPac in Jan. 1969. I believe that early 1968 is a pretty good> guesstimate for the installation of the Weapons Deck Edge elevator on> Hannah. A friend who was on the Bon Homme Richard said they got theirs> in 1969 . So I believe that the mid to late 60\'s was the time frame> that the shipyards were installing that particular Ship Alt. on the> 27Charlie Decks.> Now lets see if I can help you some with your scaling.> In the first picture looking down on the flight deck . The small white> rectangle just forward of the island and slightly inboard is the #1> Upper Stage Weapons Elevator. It was the smallest. Its car measured> about 2 1/2 ft wide by about 8ft in length. The larger white rectangle> a little farther aft and also a little farther inboard would be the #2> Upper Stage Weapons Elevator. Its car measured about 5 ft wide by 12> ft long. My guess as to why they appear to be white would be that the> AO\'s were doing some maintenance on elevator hatches that day and> they have been painted with some of that pale green primer that we> used to use to help the NonSkid stick better. If you get into that> much detail, you might mark each by a red & yellow barber poled> outline (a warning stripe) around the outside of the hatch. That> marking would have been around the Weapons Deck Edge also.> In the second picture, a view of Hannah\'s starboard side. There are> three crewmen standing on the Weapons Deck Edge (Flt deck level) above> and a few feet aft of the opening where the Quarterdeck (Hanger deck> level) is rigged when the ship is in port.. The large blank> rectangular area just below the elevator and crewmen is the outer> bulkhead of the elevator machinery room for the Weps deck edge. There> was a ladder for access to that machinery room right there on the> Quarterdeck. I believe that 1st division used to tie some of their> nice white canvas to it when they rigged the Quarterdeck in port.> There was more than one OD who got upset when a couple of AO\'s> carrying grease buckets, paint brushes etc showed up on the Qtr. Deck> wanting to climb up into that machinery room.> I hope I have been helpful, I knew this would take awhile . I type> very slowly and I just didn\'t feel up to it last evening. If there is> something else you think I could help with let me know.

Edited by Tracy: Removed e-mail addresses to prevent spam & made format a little easier to read.