Calling all New Orleans-class (CA-32) fans

[Vladi]

Hello everyone,
does anyone know what was the straight cable-like item at the side of USS Quincy on the following photo (marked with red arrows)? I noticed something similar on other ships of the NO class, too (e.g. SF and Tuscaloosa in 43). I�ve been thinking about a degauss cable but funny enough it seems to be present on one side only - see the second photo of Quincy in the same timeframe! It also does not stretch over the fulllength of the ship. Any ideas? And if so, dimensions/diameter, shape, attachment etc...?
Thanks!

[Roger Torgeson]

Vladi, I believe it is the aviation fuel dump line.

[Vladi]

Interesting! I have not thought about something like that, but it makes sense - and the sloping angle from the hangar area seems to support it.
Great, thanks!

[MatthewB]

Something that just occurred to me.

That "Line" is running from where the peak-tanks are to the hangar.

And the peak-tanks are where they stored the av-gas (at least on all of the New Orleans-class plans I have).

I wonder if that has to do with anything?

MB

[Dick J]

It wasn't a fuel dump line, simply the fuel line to get avgas from the tank to the planes. It was outside of the hull so that if it was damaged, the burning gas would be outside of the hull rather than inside of it.

[Vladi]

Thanks to all for the feedback. Have a good wekend

[MatthewB]

It wasn't a fuel dump line, simply the fuel line to get avgas from the tank to the planes. It was outside of the hull so that if it was damaged, the burning gas would be outside of the hull rather than inside of it.

So... Then my speculation was correct???

MB

[Cajuntiger]

Hey guys,

This may be old news to some of you but I came across this site with interesting photos of Astoria and Vincennes. The Camp on the Vincennes really is obvious. I'm sure Vulcan Inc. has more photos but just don't know how research them.

https://www.oceannews.com/featured-stor ... ture-story

Scot

[Cajuntiger]

Sorry for not proofing. I meant Camo not camp (auto correct)

Scot

[MatthewB]

I wonder what the Anchor chain is doing draped across the Astoria in those photos.

MB

[MatthewB]

Well, you can see links on it, for one.

And I can't think of anything else that would have bar-links of that size.

MB

[Chuck Bauer]

New questions, please...

1. My research says that USS San Francisco in 1939 was the flagship of CruDiv 7, would have had SOC Seagulls by then and the planes would have been numbered 1-4. Is this correct?

2. What about the stripes on turrets 1 & 2? Two parallel green bands, or two green bands with white pin stripes on the outboard edges of the green?

3. Was the rear turret top yellow with a number 38 on top or did it have a red "dot" with no number?

Thanks in advance,

Chuck

[Bas]

Hi Chuck,

According to Lester Abbey's New Orleans class cruisers (Shipcraft 13) you're right about the Seaplane numbering.

As for the turret color, the book says the following:

The squadron markings took the form of a broad stripe on turret No 2 and a large circle on turret No 3. The colour of the stripe indicated the squadron number and the colour of the circle on the aft turret indicated the position within the squadron
[...]
Therefore, the No 2 ship in Squadron 7 would be designated by a broad green stripe and a large white disc painted on top of the third turret.

So, no stripe or anything on turret #1. As for San Francisco '39, I would say a green band on turret #2 and a red circle on turret no #3. The book says nothing about the hull number being painted on turret #3 as well.

I could'nt find any pictures to support this last statement, so this is only limited to what the Shipcraft book is telling me.

- Bas

[Chuck Bauer]

Thanks for the reply Bas.
I do have the Lester Abbey book and will look at it again.
I, too, have been unable to find any photos of these circles or dots.

[Bas]

Another question:

Would anybody happen to know where to find the refueling connections? I'm building my '44 San Francisco with a tanker alongside, but don't know where to attach the hoses. One can clearly see the fuel lines on the superstructure photos, so I recon they must be somewhere forward (assuming there were multiple points).

My best guess would be at the searchlight tower. This is standing on top of the engine room vent (according to a cut section drawing I have of a pre-war USS Astoria), and on pictures I can see that there are short fuel hoses hanging on this vent (see below). Some pipe work leading alongside the vent all the way down to the bunkers would not seem as such a bad idea, but there is no indication on the Astoria drawings, so this remains only a guess.



The picture below is USS Minneapolis with a fuel line running towards her #1 turret, but I can't make out where it's going.



Anybody with an idea?

- Bas

[CA38@heart]

Hi All, I have been looking for a copy of Warship Pictorial #5 and saw one on ebay for $35, listed in good condition. I snagged it and the "good " condition is remarkable. No torn pages, no stains, etc.. This book is also on Amazon for $75 to $265. My dad was on board the 'Frisco from April '42 until the end of the war. I am about half finished with my 1:350 model of CA 38. Wish I had done it a lot sooner. And I want to thank those who guided and advised me with my build.

[CA38@heart]

I am building my first 1:350 of USS San Francisco CA 38 and got some good help from a few "new friends". I also picked up a copy of Warship Pictorial #5. Got it off ebay for only $35 and it's in great shape. Also, my dad was on board 'Frisco from April '42 to the end of the war, which is my inspiration for this build. I have also read most, if not all, the posts about the 'Frisco and her sister ships and the detailed knowledge of these ships is amazing.

[MartinJQuinn]

From the National Archives, via Roger Torgeson, CA-44 Vincennes, January 1942 (according to the caption).

[Vladi]

Thanks a lot for posting - a very interesting photo indeed, still showing a remainder of her "bird bath" tub at the top bridge level (removed before Midway), but splinter shields around her 5" guns already in place. And of course her unique splotched Ms12 camo pattern!

[Vlad]

Is there any aftermarket company that does replacement PE bridge/pilothouse faces with open windows for early war New Orleans class cruisers in 1/700? I see Flyhawk does in 1/350 but not 1/700, and the only other "full" sets I can find in 1/700 are for the 1944 San Francisco.