Calling all Atlanta-class & Oakland-class (CL-51) fans

[Rick E Davis]

Martin,

What is interesting about this pair of photos, is that the first one is one of several photos of USS ATLANTA taking during the Battle of Midway with USS HORNET and the other one was taken a few months later. But, both of these photos were dated the same month on the 80-G mounting card caption and were obviously in different camo schemes. So what were the dates for these photos?

When I came across these two photos and scanned them, I knew there was no way they both were taken in August 1942. I recognized that the first one was similar to two other images I had scanned of ATLANTA alongside USS HORNET (and taken by USS ENTERPRISE) at the Battle of Midway. I had figured out that USS ATLANTA had repainted her hull with 5N in June-July 1942 at Pearl Harbor, so the photo dated to after July 1942. But, when was the second photo taken?

It took some research to track down when USS SARATOGA and USS ATLANTA and USS ENTERPRISE were all at the same place at the same time. It was tricky because SARATOGA was in a different Task Force than ENTERPRISE and ATLANTA around the time of the Guadalcanal Landings. Eventually from War Diaries and other accounts, I narrowed down the date to more or less 21 August 1942 just before ENTERPRISE was torpedoed and when SARATOGA was torpedoed a few days afterwards and while the two Task Forces joined for a short period.

I posted these same images back in August of last year. Here is the post and some additional info.

... viewtopic.php?f=69&t=164112&start=300#p698924 ...

[MartinJQuinn]

I posted these same images back in August of last year. Here is the post and some additional info.

... viewtopic.php?f=69&t=164112&start=300#p698924 ...

Thanks Rick. I admit to not being motivated enough to go through the whole thread to see if one of the other had been posted. I knew one looked familiar. Now I know why.

[Tracy White]

Down time is precious and mod time takes away from mod-eling time, so you have my thanks for the good amount that you do!

[Haijun watcher]

Hi all,

I aim to build Dragon's Premium 1/700 USS Juneau 1942 kit as her sister USS Atlanta right about the time of the Battle of Midway.

I was looking through Glenn Arnold's book Warship Perspectives: Atlanta Class Cruisers of World War Two, and from what I can find, I can't seem to see any differences in the hull, superstructure or in her AA fit, if any.

The only main difference seems to be within their camo schemes, which are clearly represented in the book.

So would it be reasonable to assume that since both sisters came from the same shipyard, they were structurally identical, so therefore the only thing that needs changing in the kit is the pennant/hull number?

I can use spare hull decals from a Midship Models destroyer kit.

If anyone thinks I missed something, please let me know.

[Rick E Davis]

It is true that the two sisters built at Federal are more or less the same, except for their radar suites. ATLANTA had the SC-1 radar on the foremast and never had a SG radar installed. JUNEAU had her SC-1 radar relocated to the mainmast and a SG radar installed on the foremast.

The problem is that the old Skywave ATLANTA class cruiser kits have a number of errors. Perhaps the worst is the oversized armor belt that Battleships would be jealous of.

[Haijun watcher]

It is true that the two sisters built at Federal are more or less the same, except for their radar suites. ATLANTA had the SC-1 radar on the foremast and never had a SG radar installed. JUNEAU had her SC-1 radar relocated to the mainmast and a SG radar installed on the foremast.

The problem is that the old Skywave ATLANTA class cruiser kits have a number of errors. Perhaps the worst is the oversized armor belt that Battleships would be jealous of.

Thanks for pointing out the radar. I'll just have to switch the positions of the two then as you pointed out above.

I will be using the Dragon Premium Juneau kit, so there shouldn't be the same problems as the Skywave Atlanta kit.

[Timmy C]

I will be using the Dragon Premium Juneau kit, so there shouldn't be the same problems as the Skywave Atlanta kit.

It's the same plastic for the hull and superstructure.

[Rick E Davis]

I don't have (at least I don't think I do, I'm sometimes surprised to find a kit in my stash that I forgot about getting) the DML Premium JUNEAU kit, but I believe the only "major" upgrades provided over the original Skywave kit, is adding replacement 5-in mounts and a lower hull.

Check past posts in this thread for comments about the Pitroad/Dragon Skywave ATLANTA class kits and errors needing fixed, if you are so inclined to fix them.

[Haijun watcher]

I will be using the Dragon Premium Juneau kit, so there shouldn't be the same problems as the Skywave Atlanta kit.

It's the same plastic for the hull and superstructure.

Ouch. When checking the review for the Dragon/DML Juneau, I should have checked our site's review for the San Diego as well, which said that Dragon bought their molds and supposedly improved them. D'OH!

[Betelguese90]

Was the uss san diego cl-53 measure 32/24D 5-L and dull black? Have a San Diego I've done years ago in the 5-L 5-O combos actual design is right though.

[Tracy White]

Yes.

[Rick E Davis]

Just as an aside. It turns out that USS SAN JUAN returned to Ms 21 camo by July 1945.

This image is from the "Arthur Boyer's USS RESCUE (AH-18) Photo Album" on Navsource ... http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/12/pdf/1218b.pdf ...

The photo was most likely taken on 21 July 1945 while transferring injured sailors to USS RESCUE according to USS RESCUE's War Diary. The only other ATLANTA class cruiser with wing twin 5-in mounts, USS SAN DIEGO (CL-53), remained in dazzle camo until returning to the West Coast a couple of months after the war was over. The unknown destroyer could be USS HALE (DD-642), also noted to have transferred injured that day and whose photo is elsewhere in the album.

[KevinD]

No help to you modellers, but a damn fine painting just the same! USS Atlanta, Friday 13th, November, 1942 during "The Barroom Brawl".

[FRED BRANYAN]

For anyone interested in trying to model Juneau after the 11/13/42 battle and before the fatal torpedo hit, you may want to read the survivor story at this site----

http://www.ussatlanta.com/stories/Juneasstoryfay.htm

This man was at Bat 2 which I am guessing was the platform between the aft stack and the aft director. His battle station was a 50 cal and his text seems to suggest the presence of at least one more 50, not clear whether on the same side or not. Also not explicit which side of the ship he was on but since he said he could see the torpedo hole it seems safe to assume it was the port side.

His description of damage from gun fire has more detail than any book I have read on the subject. He relates a large shell hit to the crew mess hall/battle dressing station, which per a plan I received from a CLAA crewman was in the area below the main deck below mount 6 and ran forward to the center of the 1.1 gun forward of the 5" loader practice units. If anyone wants a copy of the plans feel free to email me direct.

[KevinD]

Posting these here as requested by Fred Branyan (who was instrumental in getting the camouflage detailing correct for SAN DIEGO and SAN JUAN). Also a big thanks to everyone in this thread for providing the excellent reference material. Here's the results of my efforts, obviously any commentary/suggestions are appreciated:

If I may ask, what happened to the images in the above post?

Is it just me or are they no longer there?

[Ian Roberts]

They were linked from a subdomain of our Shipbucket website that's no longer active. Here they are, reposted with correct links:

[Guest]

They were linked from a subdomain of our Shipbucket website that's no longer active. Here they are..................

WOW, cool! THANKS!!!

[KevinD]

They were linked from a subdomain of our Shipbucket website that's no longer active. Here they are..................

WOW, cool! THANKS!!!

Just noticed today that I came up as a 'guest' above. Not sure how that happened but, for the record. that was me thanking you for posting. So again, THANKS!

Now a question (well, three); what is that above and abaft the main mast that looks like a torpedo (a torpedo?) and what does it signify, and................why is it not there on the San Juan June 42 diagram?

[carr]

..

[Guest]

what is that above and abaft the main mast that looks like a torpedo (a torpedo?) and what does it signify,

(I know nothing about this class!). If you saw a drawing of another ship without it, then the artist either didn't put it in, the ship didn't have a torpedo launcher, or the poster edited it out.

Hope this helps.

Helps, and thanks for your reply.

Guess it was inadvertantly left out then, as CL 54 - USS San Juan (previous page) had torps in June 42, and the launcher can be seen on deck below.

No worries, easy to 'fix'!