Calling all Atlanta-class & Oakland-class (CL-51) fans

[Dick J]

Is there any difference between Dragon's Atlanta and Oakland models?

Yes. The Oakland kit has the different bridge applicable to that sub-group. Also, 40MM tubs replace both the waist 5" guns and the boats amidships. But on the flip side, it has all the issues with the hull (armor belt wrong shape and grossly over the proper thickness), stacks, and other details that are found on the original Atlanta kits.

[MartinJQuinn]

Admiralty posted here in MWS and on SN that the Atlanta hull will be produced. Very good news.

Any news on when this might be released?

[Michael Potter]

Is there any difference between Dragon's Atlanta and Oakland models?

Yes, for the differences between Skywave kits for USS Atlanta and Oakland, visit page 5 of this thread. Warning: Neither kit is adequate by itself to build a reasonably accurate model of the actual ship!

I combined these ingredients to model USS Flint of the Oakland group:

• . My own designs and creations in PE, based on blueprints and photographs
  . Styrene kit for USS Oakland by Dragon/DML/Skywave
  . Resin kit for USS Spokane by Admiralty Model Works
  . Metal parts from Paper Lab
  . PE from Gold Medal Models

My USS Flint won first place among ship models and best of show among all models (about 20) at the IPMS San Diego quarterly contest last week!

[cbnsfan]

Good day folks,

I'm building the Yankee Modelworks 1/350 USS Atlanta and I have a question about the layout of the superstructure. At the main deck level, between the forward and center sections of the superstructure (directly aft of the fwd funnel), there appears to be an open breezeway accross the ship from port to starboard. Was this so? And was there a deck or covering over it, or was it open? The pictures I have are too grainy to tell for sure.

Thanks!
Steve V
Winnipeg MB

[keithhufnagel]

Yes. Atlanta and her earlier sisters (CL-51, 52,53, 54) had a crane and 'boat farm' at this location. They soon proved to be fire hazards and were later removed. Unfortunately Atlanta and Juneau died with theirs. AA mounts soon filled this area on later sisters. Hope this helps!

[Michael Potter]

I believe that Steve V mentions the transverse opening on the main deck of the Atlanta class first eight units. Based on the plans from Floating Drydock, yes, it existed, and contained the winch for the ship's boats davits.

Catwalks between the boat deck and B gun deck spanned the opening (i.e., catwalks were at the 01 level). If not for the winch, one could call the opening a passageway. These catwalks are visible in the Warship Perspectives book on this class.

Among the errors in the Skywave 1/700 kit is that it omits the transverse opening.

The last three units had a different type of davit that presumably used electric motors to hoist boats, and also apparently had no opening on the main deck level. The forward superstructure upper levels and the forward funnel were relatively further aft, to allow for the forward quad-40mm mount.

I correspond with a weapons officer from USS Flint who can answer questions about this basic design. I also can reach a sailor from the same ship although his memories seem not altogether reliable. Ask!

[keithhufnagel]

Hello "Atlanta" class guys. Question: What was Atlanta's (at the time of her loss) paint configuration? I always thought according to the references I have that she (and Juneau) was in MS-12 (mod) dapple using 5-S, 5-O, on the hull with 5-O, 5-H, on the superstructure. I have been told that she carried 5-N (apparently exclusive)on the hull and 5-O, 5-H on the superstructure. Can anyone show or tell me how to verify these quandries? Thank you.

[keithhufnagel]

Hello again I reviewed back several pages and got my answer although I'm still not convinced. Thanks anyway!

[Dick J]

Hello "Atlanta" class guys. Question: What was Atlanta's (at the time of her loss) paint configuration? I always thought according to the references I have that she (and Juneau) was in MS-12 (mod) dapple using 5-S, 5-O, on the hull with 5-O, 5-H, on the superstructure. I have been told that she carried 5-N (apparently exclusive)on the hull and 5-O, 5-H on the superstructure. Can anyone show or tell me how to verify these quandries? Thank you.

Good question! The photos about 11 or 12 posts up on this thread show Atlanta with a solid-color hull and dapple superstructure. The ships in the South Pacific were gradually repainting into MS-21. The process was "catch-as-catch-can", meaning that part would be painted during one stopover and part at the next (and the next, etc.). The above photo has a claimed date of Oct 16, 1942, less than a month before her loss. It is the last "confirmed" scheme. It is possible that the repainting had been completed prior to her loss, the superstructure being easier to paint than the hull, but confirming that would have to come from anecdotal sources rather than photographic ones (unless something new is discovered). The last clear photo of Juneau (Rod Dickson's monograph, p37, dated to Sep '42) shows a uniformly colored superstructure and matching transom, but with a badly faded wave pattern on the port side of the hull. Rod claims that photos taken during Santa Cruz show that MS-21 was complete, but no such photos were included. (Distant, indistinct shots, yes, blow-ups of Juneau to confirm, no.)

[taskforce48]

Good day folks,

I'm building the Yankee Modelworks 1/350 USS Atlanta and I have a question about the layout of the superstructure. At the main deck level, between the forward and center sections of the superstructure (directly aft of the fwd funnel), there appears to be an open breezeway accross the ship from port to starboard. Was this so? And was there a deck or covering over it, or was it open? The pictures I have are too grainy to tell for sure.

Thanks!
Steve V
Winnipeg MB

Steve,

It was indeed there, this photo of the Juneau from March of 1942 shows it.

And then in the same series we see the Atlanta in the backround and you can see it there as well.

From the photos available, it would seem that Atlanta still had her 40' boat aboard on the Starboard side while in the combat zone. The photo Russ posted shows this, I just wish I could see the Port side.

HTH

Matt

[Bilge Rat]

Yes,I am an Atlanta fan. You can follow my blog in "r/c and scratch build" forum. I am building the San Diego, but a little bigger scale than yours. I like the way your paint job turned out.

[Michael Potter]

About the breezeway: the athwartship passage on the main deck of the and Oakland groups:
The photos in the Sept 25 posting here do not show the area of the ship where this passage existed. The passage was well below the lowest of edge of the photos. From the viewpoint, the camera would need instead to point straight down to photograph it. The boat deck on the early Atlantas was above the main deck, not on it.

[taskforce48]

About the breezeway: the athwartship passage on the main deck of the and Oakland groups:
The photos in the Sept 25 posting here do not show the area of the ship where this passage existed. The passage was well below the lowest of edge of the photos. From the viewpoint, the camera would need instead to point straight down to photograph it. The boat deck on the early Atlantas was above the main deck, not on it.

For the second photo you are right, I posted that because you see the Atlanta in the background and you can see the area where this passage was. The 1st photo posted was taken from near the Starboard 1.1 gun and you can see the top of the passage way right below the stored refueling hoses underneath the 40 foot boat. The bow of the boat rests on/just above the 01 deck on the forward superstructure and bridges the opening before the 01 deck of the center/aft superstructure. The 26 foot whaleboat stored there blocks most of the view but you can still clearly see and open passage between the 2 structures.


Matt

[admiralbb62]

Here is my CAD model of Atlanta in original configuration



Charles Huet

[Michael Potter]

Re: CAD model of Atlanta in original configuration

Good work. One suggestion: The inset inboard of the wing turrets was the height of one deck level only, not the height of tun gun turret. Its apparent function was to let sailors on the main deck to get around the turret.

[admiralbb62]

Thanks Michael. I was wondering about that because it didn't look right. It makes sense.

[Fritz]

Hi Guys

Quick question for those who happen to have plans for the Atlanta on hand:

Do any of you know the actual extent of the armor belt with respect to frame numbers ? I.E. Which frame to which frame? I can make guesstimates based on photos, but I was hoping I might find something more exact.

Thanks in advance

[Steve]

Based on USS Oakland plans from FDryDk (1/8" scale) the belt starts at Frame 40 1/2 and ends at Fr 90. Frame spacing on plans is 4'0". FYI the last Frame number on the plan is 132. The AP is 2' aft of this frame. The length between PPs is given as 530' which checks with this data. I have not cross checked these figures with any other source.

[SeanF]

Here is my CAD model of Atlanta in original configuration
Charles Huet

For original configuration, there should not be any AA gun tubs flanking the second funnel. See:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/051/0405104.jpg

- Sean F.

[Fritz]

Thanks Steve!

That's exactly what I needed to know.