Calling all Essex-class (WWII configuration) fans

[Hanchang Kuo]

Thanks for the reply. Right now the only good reference I have is ATOS Intrepid's gallery deck diagram. I kind of assume that Franklin has similar layout. Nevertheless I don't have any picture showing details under the overhang---flight deck supports, platform and walkway floors and supports, etc. I hope I could find more pictures before starting any serious guesswork...

[Gordon Bjorklund]

Here's a couple of pictures of the Lex's progress.
Lex has been mounted to the base.
PE has been added and some has been repaired. She's ready for hangar deck a/c , crew and 40mm's to be mounted. A/C have been gloss coated and are ready for decals. Some of the F6F"s have just been painted white. The two completed a/c are left overs from an
Enterprise project.




Gordon

[Reid]

How boat a RC 1/350 CV?? (a very nice pool toy lol)

reid

[Tracy White]

Hey guys, I cleaned out *some* of the fluff to make this read a little easier for people new to the thread... I'll do more as I get a chance.

But now, to add something worthwhile, I came across this a couple of months ago and just now grabbed a screen capture to post"



This is CV-17 Bunker Hill sometime in 1945. Note the non-standard "17" on top of the #3 twin 5" turret. This capture is out of Aircraft Films/Taskforce Films USS Hornet DVD. This segment of the DVD claims to have been shot on CV-10 Bennington, but no way.

[Tracy White]

Three new Essexes in the gallery! CV-10 Yorktown, CV-12 Hornet, and CV-19 Hancock!

[Reid]

yes they are very nice

Reid

[Gordon Bjorklund]

Island in progress pictures.






The quad 40mm's in this kit look good but the 20mm's are a bit over sized.

A/C are painted, gloss coated and ready for decals.

Looks like I need to work on my picture taking skills.

Gordon

[Tracy White]

Looks like I need to work on my picture taking skills.

If they get as good as your modeling skills you're going to have every time you post new shots

[Gordon Bjorklund]

Decal production line.


Once I get the decals on I can fold some wings and add the landing gear to the planes that will go on the hangar deck. Then add some gun crews and then the flight deck will be ready to be installed.

Yesterday I got my monthly modeling fix at the local IPMS meeting.
Rick H. brought to beautiful looking ships and Chris brought two 1/144 subs. (I have ship modelers envy) One was a small german sub and the other was the Seawolf with an 8 1/2" extenstion to make it the Jimmy Carter.

Now it's back to the decals for me.

Gordon

[Hanchang Kuo]

Later in the war some Essexes had their aft radio towers removed and replaced with whip antennae. In Motorbook's coffe table book "Battlestations" there's a color photo taken aboard an MS-21'ed Essex ship which clearly shows those antennae in some sort of light grey. Is this antenna color correct for every ship that had similar modifications?

Thanks,

[Tracy White]

I believe so; at least the ones I've got from Puget sound seem to be that way.

[Hanchang Kuo]

Thanks Tracy. As always you are a source of great helps.

[Tracy White]

I'll double check this weekend if I can get any time at my home computer

[Tracy White]

OK, I went though my photos tonight. The smaller whip aerials are definately a lighter color. I can't tell you what specifically as it's not mentioned in any of the measure 21 or 12 (CV-16 Lexington) specs... it might be if I can locate some of the documents for the radios.

That's nothing I'll get to any time soon.
From my photographic records:

CV-10 October 1944 - Light Antenna
CV-13 January 1945 - Light Antennae
CV-14 April 1945 - Light antennae
CV-16 May 1945 - Light Antennae
CV-17 January 1945 - Light Antennae

[Hanchang Kuo]

Thanks for the infomation! Really appreciate it. And how about whip aerials installed on the bridge? Were they painted light grey as well? From the few pictures I gathered it looks like island whips were also in light grey though.

Thanks,

[abramsteve]

Hi Guys

Got a question and maybe some one could answer it for me....

Why were the Essex xlass carriers built with open bow's? Its probably be asked ans answered before but... Was it something to do with AA armorment?

Personaly I think it looks neat, but I understand the drawbacks.

Cheers

[Werner]

Hi Guys

Got a question and maybe some one could answer it for me....

Why were the Essex xlass carriers built with open bow's? Its probably be asked ans answered before but... Was it something to do with AA armorment?

Personaly I think it looks neat, but I understand the drawbacks.

Cheers

If you look at the way USN carriers were built (except the converted Lexingtons), the flight deck is a light structure built on the ship's hull. It is built along the lines of a road bridge. To connect this light structure firmly fore or aft was just not a part of the design.

Operationally, the USN wanted open hangars, so airplane engines could be started and run below the flight deck. The designers accepted this requirement and greatly reduced the structures between flight and hangar deck.

[Tracy White]

Weight.

Any ship is a balance of offensive and defensive powers, stability, range, etc. The Essex class was primarily designed to fight in the Pacific and it was felt they wouldn't need sea-keeping qualities for heavy duty North Atlantic so much. The weight was used for AA, radar, etc.

[abramsteve]

Thanks for the quick response guys!

As Ive said before, I like the open bow, but after building a Lexington, and noting how modern her hull appears to be (at least to my untrained eye) I wondered why the Essex class had them. I thought it was either due to armorment or mass production values.

Again cheers for the answers

[Werner]

I think at least a part of it was practice, and part of it was trim. USN carriers have very little buoyancy forward.

Friedman wrote CV 5 has the finest lines of any ship built for the USN. In this case, weight over the bows is very important for trim and pitch moment.