The Ship Model Forum

I stumbled upon some ‘41 California plans. I don’t know the source or validity of them but they show nothing there but lockers.



Martin,
Perhaps this helps explain why it appears that ladder terminates where it does.
In this shot of the area, you can see the ladder but there is also a locker on the out board side hiding the bottom portion of the ladder.

There are so few, unblocked views of that area. It's frustrating. As best I can tell, the upper ladder portion to the mid level landing was always in that position; the bottom ladder's placement may have varied over time, depending on what, if anything, was at the base of the bulkhead.

I also have a copy of that '41 plan, but it's origin, as you point out, is unknown. I suspect it's just someone's line drawing.

Matt's posted 1940 pics (thank you) do seems to show a large solid object at the base of the bulkhead, clearly taller than the sailor in front of it. Assuming it was a compartment such as I have proposed, then the angle of the light on that particular bulkhead would account for the difference in appearance from the curved surface above it.

I guess it's all a matter of interpretation at this point. I'm going to go with that additional compartment.

Thank you all for your help. Much appreciated.

New question:

California (and Tennesse) have readily apparent 3" ready ammo lockers in the vicinity of the aft 3"AA tub. It's not so apparent for West Virginia. The few photos of this area are all post December7th, and no locker is apparent in the same location, nor anywhere else.

Does anyone have better information, thoughts, conjecture? I do wonder if the force of two torpedo hits under WeeVee's 3" tub might have dislocated the locker, or it was removed post attack to aid in clean-up.

Bump. Any thoughts, anyone?

Dan,

That's a great question. Been looking through my archives and going through the salvage report, but alas nothing definitive. I used my high res copy of the image you posted to zoom in-



The lockers if in the same location as TN and CA should show above water still if they were there. What is interesting is there does indeed seem to be something mounted there or at least had been. Your theory about them being dislodged, while possible I do not feel that there was enough devastation to completely remove evidence of them from the area. Even if they had "Cooked Off" from the oil fires or the fires atop Turret 3, we would see more damage then just a couple of missing lockers.

This image of her refloated shows the area, but the gun tub is obstructing the base of the Projection Booth and obscuring any sight of the lockers. Does show the tub has being open backed however.


My theory is that they are mounted on the Stern facing side of the Projection booth and just obscured by the tub in all the available images.

My $.02 before taxes...

Matt

_________________
In the yards right now:
USS Utah AG-16
On Hold
1/350 USS Portland CA-33 1942
1/350 Trumpeter Texas with a twist

Hi Dan,
I also looked for any evidence of them but didn't find any yet. I did however start to wonder what the rounded bulges on the projector booth were. There is something attached to the bulge that is facing forward. Any ideas on that? I bet Matt could produce a 3D printed version of this booth complete with the loud speakers on top. Hint, hint!

Thank you both for pondering this.

Matt's idea about the lockers being placed behind the tubs by the opening makes a lot of sense; even more sense then where these are placed on CA. I can go with that.

Jeff, do you mean at the base of the booth, fore and aft? Isn't that just the top of the vent,with the booth extending down around it? Or am I misunderstanding what you're indicating.

Yes, you are exactly right about the vent. I completely wasn't thinking about a vent under the projector booth.

Looks like it's the movie screen frame without the canvas screen

Matt

_________________
In the yards right now:
USS Utah AG-16
On Hold
1/350 USS Portland CA-33 1942
1/350 Trumpeter Texas with a twist

Forgive me this little silly question...but the '41 Wee Vee in the MEAS 32/7D... do you like or dislike?
I actually consider building it in this what-if look. I know it's my model but still want to know the opinions of other peers.

_________________
- David

Brilliant and imaginative!

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Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

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Just not to get it wrong and avoid any confusion - the renderings are not mine, they are results of the Wargaming's art department, she is presented in World of Warships as such.

_________________
- David

That is very cool, and unique!

Build a 41' and paint it like 44', build a 44' and paint it in MS1. Love it!

Matt

_________________
In the yards right now:
USS Utah AG-16
On Hold
1/350 USS Portland CA-33 1942
1/350 Trumpeter Texas with a twist

Hey - it's your model. Build it however you want to. That being said, she looks cool in that fit with that camo.

_________________
Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

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OK, thank you all. I really like her in that camo, will make both the Measure 1 and this.

_________________
- David

Does anyone have the actual measurements for the cage foremast itself? Looking at the general plans for West Virginia, and using the heights above DWL, I come up with approximately 32+ feet. Do I have that right?

If so, it would seem that kit PE and all the aftermarket alternatives are slightly short.

Great illustration and thank you for posting it, David. By any chance, would you happen to have the foremast as well?

I agree that both mast tops seem to be of the same height, and the West Virginia BoGP that you linked indicates the same. However, the dimensions to the top of the mast that I read/take from those same BoGP appear to be different, at 101+', assuming I am reading them correctly. The plan seems indicate this height is the deck of the secondary battery top, which also the top of the cage mast itself.

Do I have that right and, if so, maybe this discrepancy between sources is the reason the parts are off?

This helps illustrate the dilemma, though not earth shaking by any means. I might have the Blue Ridge version upside down. Not easy to tell with that piece.

I think you may.

Doesn't the cage mast actually continue up INTO the spotting tops? The real spotting top - unlike the kit parts - doesn't actually SIT on top of the top ring. I wonder if that adds to the confusion.

_________________
Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery