1/32 Scale - 40mm Twin Bofors Mount

[oneslim]

Hey everybody,

I'm building a 1/32 SRS PROTYPING 40mm Twin Bofors Mount as a restart to my modeling. Hope to scratch a gun tub from CVL 26 USS Monterey. I've met a vet who served as a gunners mate on the starboard stern most mount for all of WWII ( I don't know the number ).

This first shot is of the main parts. The base and carriage were cast as one, so I chucked it in the lathe and cut them apart. Then added new top plate, along with a center tube so the mount will train.

The second and third shots show the parts test fit with a little white glue.

Bob W

[taskforce48]

Looking good so far! I had never heard of this kit until now, makes me really want to get back to scratchbuilding my 1/35 version.

Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

Matt

[oneslim]

Small update,

Well I've been drilling holes and cleaning up the castings. The work on the holes is hard to see. Put together most of the sub-assemblies.

The first shot shows the front firing gear cover, it was cast as a rectangle. Photos show that it was angled. I made a fixture and put it in the mill to take off the angle.

The second shot is the elevation gear, motor and gear case.

Third is a shot of the carriage with the cooling lines added. You can just make out the cooling drain tee that was made.

Fourth is the carriage bottom with the cooling lines and pumps.


Bob W

[oneslim]

Update,

Been working on details and ammo.

The first shot shows the barrel recoil springs and a barrel that I wound up with. Just couldn't get the springs to look right with scraping and sanding. So I cut the cast springs off in the lathe and made new from brass wire. Also, added some LionRoar 1/35 antiskid plate to the decking.


The second shot shows 72 rounds of 40mm ammo. They came from: http://www.orangehobby.com/logs/75369334.html They are real gems.


The third shot is the clips, there are six parts to each one.


The last shot is of the finished ammo and clips.


Bob W

[oneslim]

Some progress,

Working on the Trainer's side, motor, gear boxs, and the cables. The cables are from 'Detail Master', they make braided hose line for the car crowd, it's 0.020 fine SS.


Bob W

[JWintjes]

Very interesting build!

Jorit

[oneslim]

Thanks for the intrest Jorit.

Almost done with the pointers (elevation) side.

[oneslim]

Update,

The barrels and breech block have been added. This shows the recoil springs and the sight guards. The photo etch sight guards where replaced with scratch ones because they were flat.

[carr]

I'm late picking up on this build but WOW! Very impressive detail work.

What Mark/Mod and or year does this represent? I'm not at all an expert on Bofors but I'm curious about the front pyramidal cover. None of my wartime shots show this feature. Could it be a late war or, perhaps, post-war modification?

Can't wait to see more of this. Thanks for sharing.

[oneslim]

Thanks carr,

I'm not sure when or what mark, I think early 42 or 43. Here's a shot from Rick E Davis that shows the aft mount on DD449 Nicholas. I have seen a photo of CVL-26 Monterey with a mounts much the same. It must be in one of the books I have, can't find it now.

[carr]

I guess I just haven't come across that style before although I certainly haven't made a study of Bofors mounts. Here's the style I've typically seen with the exposed equipment in front. Note what appears to be one of the rear cartridge chutes lying beside the mount to the left.



Regardless, the execution on this build is just fantastic. Keep going and show us more!!

Regards,
Bob

[oneslim]

Bob,

Here is another.



I found the photo I was looking for. It's in 'The Adventures of M. James', Sub-titled, 'A Sailors Diary Aboard the USS Monterey, CVL-26 World War II'. The shot is on Page 122 with a hand writen caption in the sky portion of the photo, "Montery only Ship NOT TO FIRE A SALUTE TO TRUMAN. (Crew Denied Presidential Medal). Took place during the October Navy Review post war. I can't scan it because it's a 2005 copyright.

[carr]

I've done some more digging through photos and I believe that the front cover was probably a late war modification. Most of the uncovered style photos seem to be from earlier in the war based on various clues (helmet and clothing style of the crew, the particular ship, B&W nature of photo, dates on the photos when available, etc.). I've also looked at the quad 40s (essentially two twins) and, now that I know what to look for, they show the same mix of covered and uncovered and the same apparent early/late war split.

Are you planning on doing a series of 1/32 weapons or is this a singular project?

Looking forward to seeing more of this!!

[oneslim]

Bob,

This will be a singular project.

A little background. My Dad served on Monterey in 50 and 51, he was a photographers mate. I have about 100 photos from that era, prints and negs. Last year I was at the Millville, NJ airshow and met a vet who was a gunners mate from the # 9 mount (aft most, starboard ). He volunteers in thier small army airfield museum. I would like to recreate that mount for his glass case. What I really need is a photo of that mount, bulkhead, and the catwalk. Here is the only photo I have from Dad's collection.

[carr]

You've probably seen these but, just in case, here's some views taken from navsource.com

From dead astern.


Overhead starboard aftmost.

[oneslim]

Hey Bob,

Yes, I've grabbed all the photos from navsource and enlarged them. The one below shows some what of the detail i'm after. Note the ammo racks and what looks like a fold down platform for the gun captain. No room on a twin for him like on a quad. From the large square openning to the left I think the large box on the outside of the tub is for spent brass. Ladder rungs up to the flightdeck and drains.

Bob W

[Rick E Davis]

Part of the difference you are seeing in the twin 40-mm mounts are the drives used. The initial drives were not reliable and were replaced.

Oneslim,

Why don't you PM Tracy White, he has a lot of photos of the CVL 22 class ships.

Did your Dad take photos of any other ships than MONTEREY during his service? I'm always looking for views of destroyers in the 1950s.

Rick

[oneslim]

Hi Rick,

Yes, Tracy and I have been in PM contact.

The only photos of DD's are of DD-821 that I had posted to navsource.

Do You know if the fire control cover is early or late war?

Bob W

[Rick E Davis]

That is OK ... I find private collections of photos taken by or kept by crew members can be real gems.

Sorry, I'm confused?

Do you mean the front cover to the twin 40-mm mount? If you are referring to the Fire Control director or antenna that is another thing.

[oneslim]

Rick,

The front cover.

Bob W