Calling all USS Barnegat-class seaplane tender (AVP) fans

[NukeMM]

Nice shot of the floatplane retrieval, Paul! Thanks!

[NukeMM]

Well, now I should be about ready to make any of the different flights of Barnegat class AVPs that I have drawings for.

I've been busy modifying and making copies of the O1 Decks. Doing all of this work on these pieces now, along with the many other custom parts that I've made, will save me a whole lot of time and work, later, when building future AVP models. It could cut the build time from nine month to a year, down to one or two months. I'm about ready to buy a couple more ISW kits.

1. AVP 35-41; 53-55
2. AVP 24-26 (This one gets a larger Open Mount 5" Gun Tub on the aft end.)
3. 4. 5. AVP 33-34, 48-52

6. Quad 40mm tub
7. Twin 40mm tub master
8. Twin 40mm tub copies

At first, I had created an aft Quad 40mm gun tub to mount to the existing tub foundation on the orginal piece (#3). But, after looking at this method, I thought that it would work and look better if the tub was molded into the deck piece. Piece #4 is the master for pieces with the molded-in tub and #5 is the result of after making a mold for it.

Piece #5 still needs two 20mm gun tubs added to it, just forward of the Twin 40mm gun mounts. One set AVPs 33-34, 48-52 had 20mm gun tubs that were rounded on the outboard edge and others had a flat outboard edge. So, two more different deck pieces will be needed.

I created a new Twin 40mm gun tub (#7) and it was difficult to mold and cast in resin. It is hard to pull out of the mold. But, after waiting long enough for the resin part to cure, I was able to pull two parts (#8) out without ripping or distorting them and without any bubbles.

[Nektarios]

Very nice work Carl. Although i m not a fan of these ships i appreciate your dedication to build more units of this class. Keep up the good work.

[Russ2146]

Very nice job!!! Especially putting that bar on the bottom of #8 so that it is properly position when placed

[NukeMM]

Very nice work Carl. Although i m not a fan of these ships i appreciate your dedication to build more units of this class. Keep up the good work.

Thank you, so much, for your comments, Nektarios.

I have been away from my other interest; that being post WWII USN ships in 1/700. Rest assured that I haven't forgotten about them.

After my surgery, I had no ambition for any models; just sitting and resting and television. My mind was on the models but, no physical initiative to dig in. When I did dig into them it was the seaplane tenders and the custom parts for them.

I'd still like to join the Group Builds for the Destroyers (USS Norfolk DL-1) and for Cold War ships (USS Springfield). I won't start these until after the IPMS Nationals in August, though.

Thanks, again, for chiming in.

[NukeMM]

Very nice job!!! Especially putting that bar on the bottom of #8 so that it is properly position when placed

I'm glad that you like this tub, Russ.

I found the guide under the original ISW tub to be very, helpful in fitting those to my previous models so, I had to include it on my version of them.

[NukeMM]

[Cliffy B]

Add a little bit of grain and other sorts of scratches and the black and white photo would probably fool the folks at NARA!

Very impressive builds Nuke, can't wait to see the rest of the AVP fleet.

[Bigdaddy Mark]

Fantastic Job!!! Once again I have to take one of your ideas, i'm going to be making the USS Bataan, and I think I'm going to put her over a map like you did. It's very striking to say the least.

Thanks again.

[NukeMM]

Fantastic Job!!! Once again I have to take one of your ideas, i'm going to be making the USS Bataan, and I think I'm going to put her over a map like you did. It's very striking to say the least.

Thanks again.

Mark,

Be sure to share your model base with the map on it, with us, when its done. I'll be anxious to see it.

[Sharon Doty]

While in a holding period on my USCG 311' Cutter, I'm continuing with the modifications to another ISW USS Mackinac AVP-13 kit and converting it to a Motor Torpedo Boat Tender (AGP).

The long openings in the decks, port and stbd, are for torpedo handling. Some torpedos were stowed and maintained underneath and behind the splinter shield.

This is the stern of the USS Oyster Bay AGP-6

Hi! I'm doing research on the USS Oyster Bay and found this in a search for information and Photos.. My father in law, David Milo Doty Sea 1/C was on this ship. I am in the process of typing out the diary he kept from Nov. 16, 1943 to Nov. 15, 1944... I find these photos very interesting and enjoyed looking at the models you are making... Thank you!

[NukeMM]

I'm still at it!

I've been making more custom parts for my Barnegat class AVP models, including an enhanced / modified hull section.

I sanded off all of the doors, filled the portholes, and removed all of the deck features. I relocated the doors and portholes and added new deck details; chocks, bitts, capstans, deck hatches.

I added strakes to the hull using alternating layers of Mr. Surfacer 500 primer and I re-sculpted the stern. And then, I cast the whole new hull in resin. I'd like to add riveted butt straps to the hull and re-cast it. Now, when I buy an ISW kit, I don't have to do all of this, every time. (A few of the bitts want to break off when pulling the hull from the mold. I can replace these, easily.)

[NukeMM]

With some parts still being developed, here are two variants of the USCG 311' Cutters; 1950's (top) and 1960's (bottom).

[NukeMM]

Here are two different types of smoke screen generator tanks...........





Garbage Can Rack........



6MC Reproducer Loud Speaker................

[tko24]

BZ Carl! You do awesome work with your builds.

[Nektarios]

Excellent work as always Carl.

[NukeMM]

Thank you, Tom! Thank you, Nektarios!

Since March, I have been steadily making the parts that I'll need to modify the ISW USS Mackinac kit into several variants of this class of ships including; AVPs 24-26, AVPs 33, 34, 48-52, AVPs 35-41, and AVP 53, and AVPs 54-55.

So far, there are the following modelers that have the kit(s), or are planning on getting the kit, and are looking forward to using some of my parts:

Russell Moody (2 WWII AVPs)
Keith Bender (AVP-55)
Mike Cavel (AVP-26)
Tuan Nguyen (South Vietnamese Navy)
Tom Kane (USCG 311' Cutters)
Johnny Chen (Philippine Navy PF-7)
Bob Zeit (WWII AVP)

I'm planning a diorama with the three ships of "The Little White Fleet", USS Duxbury Bay AVP-38, USS Greenwich Bay AVP-41, and USS Valcour AVP-55 which share duties as flagships for Commander Middle East Forces during the 1950's and 1960's in the Arabian Gulf, Med Sea, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. They were all painted white to keep the ship cooler in the Middle East's blazing sun. I doubt that there were many times that all three were in the same place at the same time, but I want to place them in a dockside diorama.

I'd also like to build the USS Duxbury Bay in her WWII configuration and camo scheme.

Some nice 1/350 PBM Mariner and Coronado flying boat models would be most welcome for many diorama ideas. Hint Hint! (L'Arsenal )

I've thought of making a diorama of this incident involving the USS San Pablo AVP-30 and the Honolulu Clipper. ISW makes a Clipper in 1/350.

http://athenaintel.com/html/boeing314_4.html

[NukeMM]

Still experimenting with photography and computer effects.......

[NukeMM]

I have created a new web page for collecting and providing references of all kinds concerning the USS Barnegat class of seaplane tenders.

http://back-aft.com/

It is still a work in progress. I hope that you like it. I am open to suggestions and contributions for its content.

[NukeMM]

I've called "DIBBS" on this diorama!!

These two photos were submitted to Navsource.org by the son of the USN Photographer's Mate who took the photos.





They were mis-captioned stating that they were of the USS Floyds Bay AVP-40 at Kerama Retto, Okinawa in Spring of 1945. Gary Priolo at Navsource.org asked me if I could tell which AVP it was and the best thing that I could do was use the process of elimination and determining which AVPs were at Kerama Retto, at this time, assuming that the location, stated, was correct.

Both ships were at Kerama Retto during this time and both had the same camo pattern. I was able to give my best hunch, to Gary, by saying that I believed it to be the USS Duxbury Bay, mostly by the array atop the stack mast and the absence of a square aircraft pyrotechnique locker just forward of the port side twin 40mm mount. The Floyds bay had one at commission, but the Duxbury Bay didn't until after the war and there isn't one on the ship in these photos.

Well, just today, I have discovered documentation that the USS Duxbury Bay actually tended to the PBM E-1 (the plane number is visible just aft of the aft door on the plane) from VPB-27, on a barge, on the port side, at Kerama Retto from May 24th through and beyond May 31st, 1945. The documentation came from a WWII Veteran of the Duxbury Bay and he sent me a copy of the War Diary for the ship.

I've posted the War Diary page referencing this, and these photos, and the entire War Diary, here...........

http://back-aft.com/uploads/DuxBargePBM0001.pdf

and here....................

http://back-aft.com/uploads/DuxWarDiary0001.pdf