Calling all USS Langley (CV-1 / AV-3) fans

[Charybdis]

Brooklyn Naval Yard

[Charybdis]

Deep from the depths of the internet, I found this fascinating shot of Langley in Dry Dock at Norfolk Navy Yard. I had never seen a picture of her with a circle on the flight deck. I know Lex and Sara had circles around 1930. I think the cruiser is Northampton Class, probably Huston or Augusta as they were the only Northamptons built in the area. Does anyone have any info on circles on flight decks?

[G-Opt]

I have found one very poor quality image of LANGLEY with a circle on her flight deck. It's a post-conversion pic & said to have been taken in the summer of 1937. Not too definitive, however.

[Captain Morgan]

Deep from the depths of the internet, I found this fascinating shot of Langley in Dry Dock at Norfolk Navy Yard. I had never seen a picture of her with a circle on the flight deck. I know Lex and Sara had circles around 1930. I think the cruiser is Northampton Class, probably Huston or Augusta as they were the only Northamptons built in the area. Does anyone have any info on circles on flight decks?

Definitely NOT Houston or Augusta, nor Chicago since the ship is a short forecastle Northampton class. That means Northampton, Chester or Louisville.

Probably Northampton (Bethlehem Steel Quincy Mass) or Chester (New York Shipbuilding Camden NJ) since Louisville was built at Puget Sound.Navy Yard. Unless the photo is actually at Puget Sound in early 1930.

By the way I like the discarded cage mast lying in the foreground of the photo. Which means this was most likely Norfolk Navy yard in Portsmouth, Va. since most the battleship reconstructions of the 1930�s were done there.

[Charybdis]

Definitely NOT Houston or Augusta, nor Chicago since the ship is a short forecastle Northampton class. That means Northampton, Chester or Louisville.

Great observation. I've found a picture of Mississippi being reconstructed in the same dock. It's from the opposite angle and you can see the same cage masts and funnel. The photo is dated 24th June 1931. In my notes, I have Langley in the Norfolk area in Sept 1931 when she did the autogyro (Pitcairn XOP-1) tests. Her builders plans list a change being made to the drawings at Norfolk on 03 Sept 1931.

However, There's another photo of Mississippi in the same dock in October 1931. So was it before or after Mississippi was in there? Or was she moved out for Langley and put back? It's a conundrum but it must be 1931, surely.

[MartinJQuinn]

Interesting photo of Langley (AV-3). Taken in Australia, on or about February 11, 1942.

Photo from "Everyday a nightmare", by William Bartsch. For discussion purposes only

[G-Opt]

In Bill's pic, the remnants of the Asiatic Fleet's Utility unit are on deck--SOCs & Kingfishers--and also visible are her improvised 3"/50cal AA batteries aft, plus the .50cal MGs atop her bridge...

Below is a xerox of her Utility unit ca.1939-41.

[Greg lester]

In Bill's pic, the remnants of the Asiatic Fleet's Utility unit are on deck--SOCs & Kingfishers--and also visible are her improvised 3"/50cal AA batteries aft, plus the .50cal MGs atop her bridge...

Below is a xerox of her Utility unit ca.1939-41.

If possible could you please point out which as AA guns and where? I can�t see them on the last photo. I want to do her up as of Darwin before her final port of Perth and her sinking. I�m also trying to figure out how they got seaplanes on the deck!!!

[G-Opt]

A better image of the Covered Wagon...

[Quincy]

Great photo! Thank you for posting!



BobPink

[Greg lester]

Thankyou. Any idea how the seaplanes got up on deck? From a wharf? I can�t imagine them using the ships own cranes.

[MartinJQuinn]

Thankyou. Any idea how the seaplanes got up on deck? From a wharf? I can�t imagine them using the ships own cranes.

Hoisted up from pier side, I would imagine.

EDIT: another photo from Roger Torgeson, showing they WERE lifted onboard by crane.

[MartinJQuinn]

Two photos of Langley as AV-3, from NARA II, courtesy of Roger Torgeson:

Aircraft are from Patrol Squadrons VP-1 & VP-18

[G-Opt]

LANGLEY definitely could & did bring aboard the single engine floatplanes of the Utility Squadron by her own cranes. I believe I once posted photos of that here (which I still have), but in any case, they were lifted onto the hangar-deck, then placed on the elevator and brought up on the flight deck.

I think they placed the planes at an angle on the elevator...then folded the wings later once up on the flight deck when they were in their cradles.


HTH

[Greg lester]

Dammit that makes so much sense and I completely missed it, thanks.

[Charybdis]

An example of one of Langley's two cranes in action:

[Greg lester]

Unfortunately the image does not show

[MartinJQuinn]

Unfortunately the image does not show

You have to be logged in to see it. Not sure if you are posting as a guest.

Those cranes don't look like they'd handle the larger seaplanes being hoisted by the dockside crane.

[G-Opt]

Here's a poor quality Xerox copy of pics showing the retrieval of an SOC from LANGLEY, etc. I am skeptical these electric cranes could have lifted a PBY, too, but really have no info on that pro or con.
Photos of AV-3 at Sitka and French Frigate Shoals never show her lifting PBYs.
Years ago I knew & communicated often with an old LANGLEY survivor who could have easily answered such questions...

[Greg lester]

Unfortunately the image does not show

You have to be logged in to see it. Not sure if you are posting as a guest.

Those cranes don't look like they'd handle the larger seaplanes being hoisted by the dockside crane.

Yea I was logged in. Just was and is not visible on phone but is on desktop thanks