Calling all Essex-class (WWII configuration) fans

[Tracy White]

Dick nailed it. Just so you know Mark, the "long hull" ships were an effort to increase AA at the forward and aft ends. The waterline length was the same, but there were extensions above that to allow for more mounts to be fitted. Additionally (this is where the deck comes in) they wanted to improve the overhead firing arc, so they cut back the deck by about seven feet (I think it's actually 7' forward, 9' aft, but I'm not near my references, so this is probably reversed or wrong). The air groups objected to the problems this created, and the ships had their decks restored to the original length as scheduling allowed. I've got the paperwork that proves Ticonderoga and Hancock, with good enough photos of all three. But essentially, "Long Hull" means "short deck" initially, but not for long. Each ship was different.

[Hokkaido]

Mark, Dick J and Tracy White: Thanks very much for your responses to my deck length question. I have all of the kits mentioned so will swap out the Princeton solid deck to accurize Randolph and use Princeton's clear for her.

[whaynes]

Does anyone have a picture/diagram of a "hangar sprinkling control station" as indicated on A8/1, page 44 AOTS USS Intrepid? Also, what type of door was used on the hangar deck to access interior compartments? Thanks for the help.
Walt Haynes

[DennisJP]

Does anyone have a picture/diagram of a "hangar sprinkling control station" as indicated on A8/1, page 44 AOTS USS Intrepid? Also, what type of door was used on the hangar deck to access interior compartments? Thanks for the help.
Walt Haynes

You got three different types of hatches (Doors) on the ship. I know they were different in WW2 then when I was in the Navy.
1) A ballistic Hatch in the floor of the Hanger Deck. The plans I have read these hatches are flush with the deck and have what they call escape scuttles on them. In the middle of the hatch there will be a round hatch with a wheel on it. They turn the wheel to open the scuttle and crawl through. Used during General Quarters where hatches are closed all the time (Magazines)
2) Is a ballistic (Armored) hatch with "dogs" on them. Usually about 10 "Dogs" that are cranked down over the door with a pipe when you close the door.
3) is a regular passage way hatch that has a wheel in the middle of it like the escape scuttle that opens and closes (Dogs) the hatch after you shut it. These hatches are not ballistic (Armored) For these hatches now a days there is only two arms one on each side of the door you pull down after shutting the door in stead of a wheel in the center.

Hope this helps

[DennisJP]

Does anyone have a picture/diagram of a "hangar sprinkling control station" as indicated on A8/1, page 44 AOTS USS Intrepid? Also, what type of door was used on the hangar deck to access interior compartments? Thanks for the help.
Walt Haynes

If you look on the plans the sprinkler control station back then might also have been the "Conflag Station" Now a days the conflag station controls the overhead sprinklers.
The structure is half way up the height of the hangar deck on the o2 level and extends out from the hangar wall in the shape of a "Bay window" and has narrow glass windows (Special glass I'm sure) so the person standing watch can see out.
I noticed on the plans I have of other carriers they had conflag stations.

Hope this helps but not an expert.

[whaynes]

Thanks, but there are 3 or 4 of the sprinker control stations scattered along the bulkheads, and only one conflagration station; so I think they are different structures.
Walt

[Russ2146]

You may as well get it from the book.
Navy Basic Military Requirements (BMR) Doors
http://navyadvancement.tpub.com/14325/css/14325_199.htm

Hatches with drawing of one with an escape scuttle
http://navyadvancement.tpub.com/14325/css/14325_200.htm

Quick Acting lever action

watertight-door-on-navy-ship.jpg (26.1 KiB) Viewed 1895 times

Not Quick Acting

watertight-door-on-navy-ship 2.jpg (44.75 KiB) Viewed 1895 times

Another style of quick acting

Raising a deck hatch

WT Hatch.jpg (10.87 KiB) Viewed 1895 times

[Dick J]

they wanted to improve the overhead firing arc, so they cut back the deck by about seven feet (I think it's actually 7' forward, 9' aft,

I believe it was 11' forward and 7' aft.

[DennisJP]

Thanks, but there are 3 or 4 of the sprinker control stations scattered along the bulkheads, and only one conflagration station; so I think they are different structures.
Walt

ok, then most likely it is some kind of pull lever like pulling a fire alarm in a building now a days. I have no idea what it would look like.

[DennisJP]

they wanted to improve the overhead firing arc, so they cut back the deck by about seven feet (I think it's actually 7' forward, 9' aft,

I believe it was 11' forward and 7' aft.

I had to do some research for a project I'm working on and I was going through all the Essex Class Carriers and I found not all the long hulled ships had that cut out in the port side for the director and even not all had their flight deck shortened either. It seems only Hancock had the original long hull design. The rest where modified quite a bit. Most of them had the original design of the 40mms in front but most had their flight deck as normal as the short hull design extended all the way to the 40mm guns forward where the barrels come out of the main part of the gun.
The directors where placed differently but on Hancock the directors where placed right behind the 40's and the flight deck did not extend over the directors (MK51 Tubes) Both the gun and the director tube where unobstructed.
I noticed in the model that the Hancock's flight deck was to long in the front.
I'm really amazed at the differences in these ships. There were quite allot. Enough I know no one could go generic on the models. You would have to build each one to build the class.

[Dick J]

Both Hancock and Ticonderoga were built to the "original" long-hull specifications. Only Hancock deployed that way. Tico had the forward end of the flightdeck extended to the original Essex deck plan, as well as having the port-side "notch" filled in before she deployed. Tico had the after end extended during her '45 refit/repair, and Hancock appears to have had the port-side notch filled in in '45 as well. However, her deck was apparently not lengthened at either end until her SCB-27 upgrade. Randolph's commissioning config is not known for certain, but within a month, she had the full length flightdeck and no notch. No other long-hull had the short deck or port-side notch. Hancock and Tico had the MK-51 director tubs behind the bow 40MM tubs as built. These would have been obscured by the lengthened deck and so, when the deck was modified, they were moved to the corners of the extended flightdeck.

[Coyote-Man]

Trying to find a source for some 1/350 scale service equipment used on USN carriers in WWII.

Would like to find some moto-tugs and a crane. I read from am earlier thread way back when that GMM had a PE set with tugs. I have searched 30 pages deep into google and haven't found anyone who has such a thing. GMM's site doesn't list either.

Anyone have ideas on a crane and moto-tug? I would prefer resin if they could be found.

I have checked:

FreeTime
HLJ
HobbyEasy
Sprue Brothers
Squadron
Hannants
All the vendor sites mentioned at Steel Navy
White Ensign

thanks Randy

[Russ2146]

Some photo-etch detail sets for Essex class carriers include fold-em yourself moto-tows. I don't know know that there are period Tillys available. Also note that you may accurately include jeeps (without windshields and without spare tire) on Essex class carriers. (Documentation of this is available)

L'Arsenal makes them http://www.larsenal.com/GB/index.php

[Tracy White]

It'd take me a while to list them out. Drop me a PM and I can start chipping away at them as I have time.

[Coyote-Man]

Thanks Tracey - from studying fine print of the Pontos upgrade, you're the man. I hope you get a cut for all the effort put into that set.

Apparently, I can't send a PM just yet. While I have been viewing this site for years, I have only had a reason to post recently. Only just now completing my second ship since modeling as an adult.

I am a fan of knowing the subject matter being modeled and enjoy the research just as much as actually building a kit. This, of course, leads to much agonizing and strife as I try to adapt a kit to meet my standards. To do our veterans justice, it's worth the effort.

From looking at the Pontos excellent instructions, seems like the set is nearly a one-stop solution to appoint an accurate late-war Essex carrier. I like the fact that the set includes the paint mask for nearly all the short hulled versions and the transom transfers too. The air group decals make it a must have.

Just starting posting my nearly completed IJN Takao build here:
viewtopic.php?f=59&t=139174

regards Randy

[Timmy C]

With 5 posts under your belt, you should be able to send PMs now.

[Tracy White]

Hey Randy... "welcome aboard" the posting ship!

I sent Pontos an awful lot of photos, but wasn't able to really look the set over of critique it before it was finalized, so my involvement was less than some other projects I've helped on. That said, the ships themselves varied so much that there is still plenty of opportunity for the builder to study and personalize their build. I, too, am a fan of accurizing my builds and use model building as a way to try and understand the ship and her crew better, but I also know that most of her crew didn't care about the details quite as much as we might. Just seeing a finished model of a ship is a good thing in my book; I'd rather see a finished sorta-accurate model than a hyper-accurate project indefinitely stalled due to burn-out!

[Rdutnell]

Thanks!

I was able to find the jeeps. I heard that JAG (now sold to Admiralty) makes a 1 /700 crane and moto-tug set. Think I will call my buddy Pavel and see if he ever plans to release a set in 1/350. Anyone else interested? I can tell him that there is an interest if there are more takers...

I'm definitely interested. I, like you, spent quite a bit of time trying to find tugs and Tilly cranes, and would love it if somebody made them.

[MM2CVS9]

Thanks!

I was able to find the jeeps. I heard that JAG (now sold to Admiralty) makes a 1 /700 crane and moto-tug set. Think I will call my buddy Pavel and see if he ever plans to release a set in 1/350. Anyone else interested? I can tell him that there is an interest if there are more takers...

I'm definitely interested. I, like you, spent quite a bit of time trying to find tugs and Tilly cranes, and would love it if somebody made them.

I second that! I would need several sets myself in 1/350.

EJ

[ShangHist]

Thanks!

I was able to find the jeeps. I heard that JAG (now sold to Admiralty) makes a 1 /700 crane and moto-tug set. Think I will call my buddy Pavel and see if he ever plans to release a set in 1/350. Anyone else interested? I can tell him that there is an interest if there are more takers...

I'm definitely interested. I, like you, spent quite a bit of time trying to find tugs and Tilly cranes, and would love it if somebody made them.

I am definitely interested in at least 2 sets.