What-If CGN-42 Advanced Missile and Defense Radar Cruiser

[navydavesof]

Hey, guys.

I have some updates on the CGN-42. As you all know I have been working on a model of the CGN-42 with a friend of mine. He has developed a remarkable hull that I have had great fun examining. I really appreciate craftsmanship, and this is a good example. I would like to show off some of his work.

Here you can see a lot of things all at once. The stern boat gate really looks great, the Stern Wedge, and the NIXIE and TACTAS port holes are very well represented here.

His method of mounting the models is really nice. Thanks to his tutelage I have been able to adopt many of his practices into my own ships. It works out really well.

There is particular notice to be taken here. There have been hydrodynamic lessons learned with the Arleigh Burke-class over the past 25 years. It has been learned that the shape of the rudders has greater influence over the maneuverability than earlier thought. The curve in the rudders not only performs well aboard ships, but it looks really cool, too!!!

Here the armor belt, bilge keels and NIXIE cables are represented. Quite excellent.

Here is a comparison between the super structures of the Burke and the CGN.

The next step is to build the helicopter hanger and modules on top of the super structure. Then I will be able to move onto detailing the super structures and main deck.

The hull is great, and I look forward to building a super structure to measure up to the quality of the hull. This is one of the most fun projects I have worked on in a long time. Daily progress on this project is really rewarding!

[navydavesof]

Hey, guys!

Here are some photos of what I have been able to do today. I got to climb Mt. Fuji yesterday. It was a challenging push.

What I have been able to do is build the exterior of the helo hanger, deck, and the hanger door face.

More detail will come soon! But now, it's dinner time!

[carr]

..

[navydavesof]

It's looking great!

It's hard to tell from the photos but is that a helo control station in the upper left of the hangar face?

Thank you, my dear sir! Yes, that is the helo control station in the upper left corner. It's the clear lense included in the 1/350 Trumpeter Arleigh Burke-class DDG kit.

[CSGN138]

hey Dave, Joe here. I started on CGN-42. Im using the same background as my CSGN-138 beacuse for a first attempt its just and easy background to work with. I know everything is not spaced out correctly, yet, just kind os "schetching" it in right now to get a feel for it. I dont have any good images of the Mk71. I have a buddy that works at Dalgren, and he promised me some good digital images from different angles that i can use for my pictures, but he's had a lot on his plate. He just had a baby, and now he has had a tree fall on their house durring Irean. So for now Ive got the 5 45's on. I will send updates as i can




Tell next time
Joe

[navydavesof]

hey Dave, Joe here. I started on CGN-42.

My man, thank you! I am about to post a little of my own as well so you might have some more to go off of.

I have a buddy that works at Dalgren, and he promised me some good digital images from different angles that i can use for my pictures, but he's had a lot on his plate.

Hey, that's pretty cool! It would be great if you could pass along some of his pictures as well. The Mk71 is a neat gun.

Thanks a lot, and please pass along well wishes to him for us.

[ex-navy]

keep up the good work dave,
hey quick ? for you how are you going to blend the Superstructure and hangar deck with the main deck... you are setting the bar very high my friend...

[navydavesof]

keep up the good work dave,
hey quick ? for you how are you going to blend the Superstructure and hangar deck with the main deck... you are setting the bar very high my friend...

Thanks, Bruce. I am going to bevel the bottom of the super structure so it's flat against the hull and then fix it to the hull with the liquid crazy glue and then putty the gap if there is any. I don't think there will be a gap though.

I got a bunch of rework done on the forward super structure this weekend, and I will be posting pictures later on today (tomorrow for you guys).

[navydavesof]

Hey, guys,

Here is a little more progress on the CGN-42. The next step is to detail out the bridge, build a Harpoon tub ahead of the super structure and start detailing out the boat deck.

[navydavesof]

Hey guys, here's a little series of updates. Last weekend-ish I tried my hand at building a bridge for a ship. And it worked. I have thought about this kind of things a lot. I knew that one day I would have to confront this, and I am scratch building a super structure....so I am doing a LOT of things for the first time.

These first few pictures illustrate a lot of work

So, I started with the base that makes up the base of the windows made out of some square stock about the right height, cut, and glued the pieces together in the correct angles to match the shape of the roof.

and then took some Plastiruct ladder, cut one of the sides off it, and then glued the rungs to the square stock.

Bam, like magic!

Next came a tub for the Harpoon anti-ship missiles. Like described earlier in this thread the Harpoons are a very important weapon in a US Navy ship's arsenal. It's pretty much the only offensive capability a US Navy ship has. While this ship has 8" guns that can disable and sink another ship (as opposed to 5" that cannot), the Harpoon provides a long-range capability. While we hear the next generation ASM is coming, Harpoon is the only one available at the moment. Unfortunately the Harpoon is only available to a ship in the Mk141 racks that stand above the deck. While that is very convenient making it a plug-and-play weapons system, it leaves the missiles exposed on the main deck to all kinds of fire ranging from fragmentation to small arms and crew served weapons fire. As a result the Harpoons need to be protected a little more than simply being mounted on the deck so I built an armored tub they can sit in and fire out of. This also helps reduce the launchers' influence on the radar cross section.

As you can see in the above pictures of the super structure, I still have a few gaps to fill and sand smooth in the faces of the radar array.

On to the next post!

[carr]

..

[navydavesof]

Are you going to provide above-deck passage from the forward superstructure to the forward deck area? Presumably via hatches on either side of the tub?

Thanks, Bob. I think so. I will have a hatch on the face of the super structure leading into the Harpoon tub and perhaps one on the face of the tub so there can be external deck access to it. As on the Absalon ships I am thinking ot building a pair of tiny cranes and having them on the inside faces of the tub so the ship can load its own Harpoons.

Here you can see the PE hatches, a life ring, and the low RCS vent covers have gone onto the upper super structure.

This is also the tentative positioning of the Phalanx CIWS and RAM locations.
The next stage is moving onto the aft super structure.

In the mean time, however I am going to continue detailing out the forward super structure. The mast/tower structure will come after the SPY deckhouse aft is built.

More later this week!

[johndon]

Nice work David

John

[HvyCgn9]

She's looking good Dave I like how you have incorporated stuff we have seen on other modern ships (such as the tubs for the 'poons) into the upgraded design. Going to be a nasty warship when completed. Top job mate!!

Bruce

[navydavesof]

She's looking good Dave I like how you have incorporated stuff we have seen on other modern ships (such as the tubs for the 'poons) into the upgraded design. Going to be a nasty warship when completed. Top job mate!!

Bruce

Thanks a bunch, guys! It's a challenge, that's for sure. You guys who scratch build so much on your own, such as hulls and whole ships, I really admire you guys.

I just got my Chopper III in yesterday!!! I am going to be able to make repeatable precision cuts now! How awesome. I can't wait to try it out.

[Leonidas]

She's really coming along well. Nice work!

[Busto963]

This model really show cases some nice work.

I really like the harpoon tub.

Are you going to go with a MK 110, or 76mm?

[navydavesof]

This model really show cases some nice work.

I really like the harpoon tub.

Are you going to go with a MK 110, or 76mm?

Thanks for the kind words! Well...that is a good question. I am always considering and reconsidering the ship's armament. The secondary battery of 57mm or 76mm is of questionable value. Since those guns would only be used against small, highly maneuverable boats, their effective range would be very short. For instance, even though they would be able to fire 9 miles or so, the time of projectile-travel compared to how maneuverable the targets are reduces the effective range to about 2 miles. The plug-and-play Mk38 25mm/30mm gun can successfully engage and neutralize targets at the same ranges. I am not sure if the extra internal volume consumed and increase in manning required by the 57 or 76mm guns would be worth the larger caliber rounds.

I am still thinking about it though.

She's really coming along well. Nice work!

Wow, I have been complimented by a Spartan king. Thanks! I am honored.

More later this week!

[navydavesof]

I really like the harpoon tub.

I like how you have incorporated stuff we have seen on other modern ships (such as the tubs for the 'poons) into the upgraded design.

You know, it's kind of funny that you point out the Harpoon tub. I talked with my commander about both the need for larger numbers of Harpoons aboard ships and the need to protect them, and he completely flipped his . It was pretty ridiculous. He was indignant that I would question to wisdom of the US Navy. I had better never show him a link to any of my threads, huh? I might get sent to captain's mast for questioning the established doctrine!

I am going to make the tub a little larger to provide more room for maneuvering the missiles while loading. Other than that I will be moving onto more detail on the forward super structure such as the ammunition elevator to take the 20mm CIWS ammunition and RAM missiles up to the launchers on top of the ship.

Stay tuned for more pictures!

[GTDEATH13]

Breath taking work Dave... I love it...

Why did you choose to install the Phalanx in such a way? I mean overhanging from the edge of the superstructure...

Have you thought out the mast(s) configuration?

Please post a full length picture...