Calling all Northampton-class (CA-26) fans

[Vladi]

... I find the raised 20mm's on the bridge wings interesting and wonder if the Chicago had the same fit with slightly different bulwark. ...

Matt, I believe the Chicago photo (August 15, 1942) you posted shows she had the 03 level 20mm posts done in a different way from Northampton. Chicago�s added 20mm platforms extended forward from the bridge while Northampton�s 20mm guns were inside the original bridge level. I also think it�s not certain these 20mm guns were positioned higher above the 03 level floor on Chicago - at least it seems the floor of the extended platform was even with the 03 bridge floor level (if you consider the height of the floor bracing under the floor of the bridge). As I�m not aware of any photo showing the insides of this bridge level at the given time I cannot prove any raised platform like on the Northampton.

Also, Chicago definitely had no additional director tubs at the Mk19 level at the time of the Savo Battle, just railings (judging from other photos before and after the battle).

[PaulC]

Hi folks,

I've been seeing some relatively cheap 1/700 resin kits on eBay by CNDragon - including a "Northampton class" cruiser, Dorsetshire and several pre-WW1/WW1 subjects. The price, which included shipping was pretty much in the range of plastic kits!

I took the plunge and bought a Northampton, so it's in-transit, but anyone know anything about that company?

Couldn't find a website or anything, but the kit looked reasonable to me - including PE (for US$50 including shipping), but I'm FAR from a Northampton expert. I'm planning to build it as Houston.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CNDRAGON-70015 ... ctupt=true

Thoughts?

Paul

[maxim]

Northampton is a pirate copy of the Corsair Armada kit. That company produced not licensed copies of kits from several companies.

Northampton (and the kit) had the short forecastle, Houston had the longer forecastle. Corsair Armada has a specific kit for Houston.

From the kit, it could be possible to built an early war Northampton, Chester, and Louisville. The other three ships had the long forecastle.

[Rick_H]

Yes, it's a copy of the Corsair Armada kit, but, like all CNDragon kits, there are no instructions. I compared it to my Corsair Armada kits and it was a direct copy of the CA Northampton.

It appears that CNDragon does nothing but make an exact copy of the resin kits produced sometime in the past fifteen years by various reputable manufacturers, and they don't ever bother to provide any instructions. At least the other Chinese companies create drawings to some level of quality.

Does anybody know if SS-Model is also a pirate or do they do original work?

[PaulC]

Oh crap! Thanks guys...I should've guessed something wasn't right. Will not go down that road again!

Also, didn't know about that significant difference within the class. Wasn't mentioned in anything I'd read before, but I can clearly see it in photos now it's been pointed out.

You live and you learn....

Paul

[Captain Morgan]

The long forecastle ships were designed as fleet flagships. This was Chicago, Houston, and Augusta

[Dick J]

From the kit, it could be possible to built an early war Northampton, Chester, and Louisville. The other three ships had the long forecastle.

If you choose something other than Northampton, there is another feature to consider. The class was built with torpedo tubes below the after sets of 5" guns. After the tubes were removed, Northampton and all of the long-forecastle ships plated over the opening. Louisville retained the opening and Chester also had an opening, but of reduced size. So if you do either Chester or Louisville, this opening will have to be carved out. Just something to think about when deciding which ship you wish the kit to depict.

[maxim]

Ah, I was not aware that the torpedo tubes openings were retained in Chester and Louisville!

Regarding SS-Model: I am not sure, if there is a company with this name. The kits sold on Ebay under that name are usually by OceanMoon and they produce a lot of ships, which were never available from anyone else (e.g. Chinese, Japanese, and USN ships). But sometimes kits without any information about the company are included and some of these appear to be slightly modified copies of available kits.

[Vladi]

Hello guys, I am looking for a photo of a Northampton class CA that would show closed hangar door (the well deck looking aft). Any ideas please?

[Captain Morgan]

Hello guys, I am looking for a photo of a Northampton class CA that would show closed hangar door (the well deck looking aft). Any ideas please?

There are some Navsource pictures of USS Chester battle damage in early 1942 that shows some shots of the hangar area but the accordion style door is open. These were later replaced with roll up style doors that were lighter.

[taskforce48]

I�ve got a couple more home on my computer that might help, but here is one that gives you an idea.

Hope it helps,

Matt

[Vladi]

Thanks, guys, good points. It seems the doors consisted of two parts - one accordeon-like closer to the centre (as Cpt Morgan pointed out) and the second one outwards with heavy bracing (Matt�s point and also e.g. here). Interesting arrangement, quite complicated... Also where did the outward part fold to when the hangar was opened - rolled to the side?

[Vladi]

I just came accross this photo. It confirms the hangar door consisted of two parts, although it is still unclear to me where did the outer part go to when opened.

[G-Opt]

That's the most famous & widely reproduced image of CA-30. Her hangar doors were later altered to the lighter roll-up type as noted, but there are many pix of the earlier ones. Here is one that I found easily...but I will certainly have others, too.

[Vladi]

Thanks, G-Opt (and also to Mike C whom I am in touch with via email)! It is now clear that we are seing two different variants - the "old", foldable to the side, as above and the "new" one, roller-type, as seen e.g. on this USS Northampton photo.

Interestingly enough, the photos of bomb-damaged USS Chester (like this one) seem to show that she still had the old version (no roll-up seen, inner part of door folded).

Unfortunately for me, none of the 1941-42 photos of USS Chicago I�ve collected clearly show which version she had. The best of them is 19-N-39212 which seems to suggest she had the roll-up version at that time (modifications similar to Nothampton�s to the vent and structure between hangar doors can be barely seen while none of the vertical bracing seems to be there), but this is already after her major (and final) refit, so it does not say much about how she appeared in August 1942.

[Captain Morgan]

I think I was wrong earlier. Most Northampton's had the accordion style doors the whole time (at least until loss) Chester appears to have had her hanger doors changed during the war to a swinging type door from the accordion style.
Portland had a roll up type door to start and it was changed to accordion style during her damage repair after 11-13-42. Indy got the same door change in May 1943.
San Francisco also went from roll up to accordion style doors after 11-13-42 repairs.

[Jeff Sharp]

Hello guys, I am looking for a photo of a Northampton class CA that would show closed hangar door (the well deck looking aft). Any ideas please?

Does this shot of Chester Sept. '43 help?

[Vladi]

Thanks, Jeff! So correction to my previous conclusion - apparently Chester was an example of yet another variant... doors folded to the side without the heavy bracing.

[Mike C]

Thanks, G-Opt (and also to Mike C whom I am in touch with via email)! It is now clear that we are seeing two different variants - the "old", foldable to the side, as above and the "new" one, roller-type, as seen e.g. on this USS Northampton photo.

I guess I wasn't clear in my reply to your message. The roller doors were replaced with folding doors during wartime refits. Less maintenance and less vulnerable to damage.

The Northampton photo in the link was taken in 1942 in a series for LIFE magazine. Other photos showed the red dots being painted over with white on the SOCs.

[Vladi]

So three variants like this (pre-war to late)?