Calling all Baltimore-class (CA-68) fans

[maccrage]

Yes, unfortunately no clear pics of the midships deck between the forward and aft superstructures.

[maccrage]

For clarity, I need views from before tha flag accommodations were added.

[Guest]

Hello, everyone.

Does anyone here happen to posess a picture of USS Pittsburgh bowless with a clear view of what's going on with the bulkhead on the 2 lowest decks? This would help immesurably.

Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

Seen all of this, isn't quite clear if the bulkhead has holes in it down low or not. Still, thanks for the effort.

[DrPR]

That appears to be one of the main structural water tight bulkheads, and possibly the armored bulkhead forward of the magazines.

It is unlikely that there were any significant openings in the bulkhead below the third deck. Possibly some cable stuffing tubes and maybe a pipe or two, but no vents or doors.

Phil

[maxim]

Back to the topic of the Baltimores modernized with 3" guns:

Model Monkey offers gun tubs for the middle four twin guns:
https://www.model-monkey.com/product-pa ... -3-50-tubs

But how did the other gun tubs look like?

I thought about building USS Los Angeles 1958, with the enclosed bridge (also available by Model Monkey) and Regulus I launcher (Regulus I are available by New Aragon Mechanical Works).

Los Angeles had to my knowledge seven 3" twins: one forward, two next to the forward 5" turret and four amidships. In addition, there are two empty gun tubs close to the rear 5" turret.

Would it make sense to use more of Model Monkey's parts? Or modify the Trumpeter kit's parts? The photos I have found are not very clear.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413561.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413510.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413553.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413518.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413513.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413562.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/04135.htm

I assume that the 3" equipped sister ships were similar.

[rfwood1]

I have an overhead view of USS BALTIMORE dated 15 May 1955, a year before she decommissioned, clearly showing that she still has quad 40-mm guns.

I have a question about when the catapults were removed from the USS Baltimore (specifically). I read in Squadron/Signal #12 about the port catapults being removed from some Clevelands in 1945 to save top weight and I thought that this might have been done to some of the Baltimores as well. I have seen no photographs that show late war Baltimores with one or both catapults removed. I'm almost done with a 1/700 Baltimore kit and I'd like to finish it as the ship appeared in 1945, hence my question. Does anyone have more information along this line? Thanx in advance for any help!

[Rick E Davis]

The BALTIMORE's retained both catapults through the end of WWII. The ships had enough weight reserve that they didn't need to be removed. Also, during the Anti-Kamikaze upgrades going on in Spring-Summer of 1945, it was felt that the BALTIMORE's didn't need anymore 40-mm mounts. In fact there weren't any remaining "good" places to place more 40-mm mounts. The plan was that the BALTIMORE's would get improved Fire Control Systems to improve the performance of the existing AA armament.

Cruisers had the catapults removed in about 1947, unless the unit was in mothballs. Units recommissioned for the Korean War, had the catapults removed and facilities to support helicopters.

[rfwood1]

Thanks for your help and solid advice!

[Rick E Davis]

Something I learned today as I read my just arrived WARSHIP INTERNATIONAL (Issue #4 2020), the INRO quarterly journal. USS BALTIMORE did indeed have seven twin 3-in/50 RFG mounts installed. But, they were installed in 1956 during her inactivation yard period. This to me is really surprising. My experience with the USN decommissioning of ships, is that they seldom (almost NEVER) made significant upgrades as they were putting a ship in mothballs. The USN always assumed that if and when they actually would recommission a ship, that they would upgrade the ship to whatever standard they would be using the ship for. Realize the USN was starting to modify cruiser with guided missiles for Air Defense in this timeframe. They certainly didn't do "major" upgrades before mothballing with any of the destroyers. (Except when they ran out of funds and mothballed four of the new FLETCHER class DDE conversions in 1950) At the end of WWII, the USN did repair several major ships badly damaged by Kamikazes and bring them back to or close to, the current standard configuration, even if they in turn quickly mothballed the ship. USS BUNKER HILL and USS FRANKLIN were prime examples of this. Some cruisers had upgrades done before going into reserve after WWII, like all of the CLEVELAND class cruisers save one, had the two twin 40-mm mounts (one each port and starboard) formerly located amidships between the two quad 40-mm mounts, moved to the fantail to provide better AA firepower aft before they went into mothballs. But, during the 1950's and afterwards, I had never run into a situation where a unit had this major of an upgrade done as part of being mothballed (more than installing the mounts was required, redoing ammo magazines and ammo handling, were required, plus new fire control was likely needed as well).

I double checked the 1960 Armament Summary I scanned for what it said about USS BALTIMORE. Sure enough she was listed as having seven twin 3-in/50 RFG mounts. Sister early group BALTIMORE's (CA-68 through 71), USS QUINCY was decommissioned two years before BALTIMORE and she retained her quad 40-mm mounts in mothballs.

As it was, USS BALTIMORE never served active duty with these newly installed weapons.

[maccrage]

Back to the topic of the Baltimores modernized with 3" guns:

Model Monkey offers gun tubs for the middle four twin guns:
https://www.model-monkey.com/product-pa ... -3-50-tubs

But how did the other gun tubs look like?

I thought about building USS Los Angeles 1958, with the enclosed bridge (also available by Model Monkey) and Regulus I launcher (Regulus I are available by New Aragon Mechanical Works).

Los Angeles had to my knowledge seven 3" twins: one forward, two next to the forward 5" turret and four amidships. In addition, there are two empty gun tubs close to the rear 5" turret.

Would it make sense to use more of Model Monkey's parts? Or modify the Trumpeter kit's parts? The photos I have found are not very clear.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413561.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413510.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413553.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413518.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413513.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/0413562.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/135/04135.htm

I assume that the 3" equipped sister ships were similar.

I'm using the Model Monkey tubs for Saint Paul. However, the two mounts next to Turret 2 are not round. I'll have to scratch them.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/073/0407335.jpg

[maccrage]

it appears to be just 4 round tubs on the Saint Paul, 2 on the fantail & 2, close to the rear 5" turret at the deck edge.

One bow, 2 near Turret 3, one starboard side fantail. Portside fantail 40mm tub was removed and a small platform built for boat stowage.

https://www.navsource.org/archives/04/073/0407339.jpg

[maxim]

Model Monkey has two types of tubs for the 3" guns.

https://www.model-monkey.com/product-pa ... -3-50-tubs
https://www.model-monkey.com/product-pa ... -set-of-15

These boats could be also useful:
https://www.shapeways.com/product/MGJ36 ... arketplace

[maccrage]

Model Monkey has two types of tubs for the 3" guns.

https://www.model-monkey.com/product-pa ... -3-50-tubs
https://www.model-monkey.com/product-pa ... -set-of-15

These boats could be also useful:
https://www.shapeways.com/product/MGJ36 ... arketplace

The St. Paul/Los Angeles specific tubs are for the midships 40mm platforms. That leaves six tubs left. The round 3" tubs are good for the four round 3" tubs on the main deck, but the the two tubs just behind Turret 2 are not round, and will have to be scratch built.

[maxim]

True, that one looks a bit like the one midships - but probably very different close to the deckhouse.

/edit:
which fit do you want to built?

That gun tub was removed later:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/073/0407351.jpg

[maccrage]

1957-58, when my grandfather was her Commanding Officer. And looking at an overhead picture in Cruisers of The US Navy, the two tubs next to Turret 2 ARE round, but with the outer edge cut flat. So the Model Monkey round tubs can be used with modification. It also looks like Saint Paul and Los Angeles had the same arrangement until LA got Regulus.

[maccrage]

I haven't worked on Saint Paul in a few months. Nothing is glued yet, just checking fit.

[anthony tow]

Hi everyone, I've been asked to build a USS Pittsburgh, mid 1950's configuration. Been having a hard time trying to find pictures of the helicopter pad. Closest I could find was this picture of USS St Paul, but I'm not sure if the pad was the same as that on the Pittsburgh.

https://www.navsource.org/archives/04/073/0407347.jpg

Does anyone have the book "Cruisers of the US Navy, 1922-1962" ? Would it have pictures or diagrams of the helo pad on the Pittsburgh ? Would it have info on its armament/ radars for that timeframe?

Thanks

[maccrage]

Just checked my copy. No luck on pics of the helo area.

[anthony tow]

OK, thanks for checking..