Calling all Northampton-class (CA-26) fans

[Dick J]

Fred,

I see an object on the turret that could be a 20MM. But what I don't see is a tub. The gun seems to be free-standing in the various photos that I have, which would most likely make it a field mod similar to the ones Rick Davis is finding on so many South Pacific Fletchers. Good catch!!

Dick

[Haijun watcher]

One question: making a May 1942 USS Chester from Corsair Armada's 1942 Northampton kit wouldn't too hard a conversion, I hope?

Or, like the New Orleans class, even sisters of the Northampton class had numerous small differences that make a conversion not worth it?

[Dick J]

May is threading a fine line. There were significant differences although Chester did share a number of features with Northampton, but not all at the same time. Chester was damaged by a bomb in Feb '42 and was repaired and altered at Pearl Harbor. The CXAM antenna was moved from the mainmast to the foremast, as Northampton before her forefunnel was cut down and the cap added. (But Northampton, uniquely, traded her CXAM for a CXAM-1 at about the same time that the funnel was trimmed.) However, Chester's mainmast was not cut down and the after MK-19 AA director remained on the structure immediately aft of the second stack. Chester had her first 20MM added during the Pearl repair, so many were in the same positions as Northampton, but not all. The entire class was built with torpedo tubes on the main deck aft of the hangars. When those were removed in the mid 1930's, the openings were completely closed up on Northampton and all three fleet flagships (CA's 29-31). Louisville retained the larger opening and Chester had hers slightly reduced in size. (Which means carving out these openings on the Northampton conversion to Chester.) The vent intakes on the well deck (aircraft handling deck) differed slightly from one to the other and there were slight differences in the bridge decks. Of course things like raft stowage differed from one to the other. After Coral Sea, Chester went to Mare Island for a major refit and finally had the after MK-19 moved to the now-cut-down mainmast. At the same time she became the first of the class to have the bridge modified to the wartime open bridge configuration. So you will need photos for the correct timeframe and will have to carefully pick out the differences. But take care that all of your photos depict the same period.

[Aekold]

I wonder where the reels were situated on Chicago. I have profile's plans where on a cutaway they show several reel types, but on the overall scheme I can find only a single one on the stern. Can't believe there was only one reel per whole ship.

[Michael Potter]

Main battery gun turret from USS Louisville has been identified in Nevada:

http://m.independentnews.com/news/myste ... ate=dialog

[James M]

Posting more info about the turret so it can be found later.

Here are the coordinates: 37.13945�N 116.10904�W

Naval History and Heritage Command report:
The Mystery of the Gun Turret in the Desert
https://e-reports-ext.llnl.gov/pdf/803464.pdf

[MatthewB]

Posting more info about the turret so it can be found later.

Here are the coordinates: 37.13945�N 116.10904�W

Naval History and Heritage Command report:
The Mystery of the Gun Turret in the Desert
https://e-reports-ext.llnl.gov/pdf/803464.pdf

It is so strange how things like this affect me now.

I think of the men who fought in that war, and what they were willing to give.

And then the following history of the Cold War.

Our current history seems to pale in comparison.

MB

[robertmelvin]

Posting more info about the turret so it can be found later.

Here are the coordinates: 37.13945�N 116.10904�W

Naval History and Heritage Command report:
The Mystery of the Gun Turret in the Desert
https://e-reports-ext.llnl.gov/pdf/803464.pdf

It is so strange how things like this affect me now.

I think of the men who fought in that war, and what they were willing to give.

And then the following history of the Cold War.

Our current history seems to pale in comparison.

MB

Though not a ship related post, I understand exactly what you are saying about things affecting you and thinking back to World War II and the men who fought it. A few years ago I had the good fortune of being able to take a flight in a restored B-17 (the now crashed and burned Liberty Belle). Though we were flying at low altitudes and in the peaceful skies over east Tennessee, I could get behind one of the waist guns, or into the top turret and close my eyes and suddenly imagine myself flying over Germany at 30,000 feet, in sub freezing temperatures with Me 109s and FW 190s doing their best to shoot me out of the skies. It truly hit me in the face like a brick what the brave me who manned the heavy bombers of World War II endured for our freedom, and the freedom of the world. I would have to say that it is an experience that I wish everybody could have. It truly makes you appreciate the very real price of freedom paid by those men, and every man or woman who has donned the uniform of this country, whatever branch it may be, from the Revolution to the present day. It brings it to life in a way no static memorial, however well done, can do.

Thank you for that post and for bringing that experience back to my mind. If you ever get a chance to fly in one of these all too rare living memorials don't pass it up. It is an experience of a lifetime.

Bob M.

[tenacioustanaka]

Are there any plans, blueprints and/or uniquely detailed deck and superstructure drawings of the Northampton herself in her fit as lost? The Drydock has nothing nor does Morskie. Does anyone have a line on said reference materials?

[magicalflyer]

Hi,

I just bought Blue Water Navy's CA-30 1/350 kit from a fellow modeller. Pretty cheap, but mostly because the PE are badly damaged during shipping. Many PE parts are twisted and bent here and there. So, if these can't be repaired somehow, any suggestions on what product I have to buy to replace them?

Thanks ^_^

[Jeff Sharp]

Ran across this bow shot of Northampton at Brisbane Aug. '41.

[Mike C]

Cool! Looks like the bow wave wasn't a mirror image and light color on mast extends lower than expected, almost like Houston when lost.

Thanks!

[Jeff Sharp]

Yeah, the bow waves not being the same height caught my eye as well. You can barely see the top of the port side wave above the dock wall. The port wave is a bit lower than the one on the starboard side but not as bad as I originally thought. I think the angle of the wall is playing tricks with our eyes.

[Jeff Sharp]

I think you are confusing the anti-rat shield on the rope as the bow wave?

[MatthewB]

I think you are confusing the anti-rat shield on the rope as the bow wave?

The Port Side Bow-Wave is still lower than the Starboard side.

You can BARELY make out the top of the Port Bow-Wave over the edge of the dock, and it looks to be roughly 1' lower than the Starboard Bow wave.

But they do look to be roughly opposing in length back from the bow.

MB

[Jeff Sharp]

Perhaps this can help visualize both sides together.

[Propman]

That Louisville turret, is it still there ?

[Guba]

That Louisville turret, is it still there ?

It looks to be. I put these coordinates into Google Maps and changed it to satellite view. 37.13945�N 116.10904�W

[Elvis965]

Anyone have any idea of the work involved in turning the YKM 1943 Louisville into a 1940 USS Houston?

Outside of replacing the 1.1's with 3"/50's, I have no clue.

Bob

[maxim]

Check the main mast and the positions of the directors. Houston still had the high main mast and the directors not on its top, but behind the rear funnel. The Louisville kit probably has the short main mast with the directors on top of it.

Louisville 1943:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/028/0402803.jpg

Houston 1942:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/030/0403006.jpg

And there is a bigger problem: Louisville had the short forecastle, whereas Houston had the longer one reaching to the catapult (fleet flagship version).