Calling Alaska-class (CB-1) fans

[James M]

Shout out to Steve W.
When he says it's done and in the mail. It is!!!!

[Fliger747]

Looking forward to this book! I am sure it will be worth the wait. I ordered mine a month ago when it was first listed. However Steve didn't have them in hand from the publisher quite then. The problem that ensued wasn't really Steve's fault as I made the judgement that the book would have plenty of time to arrive before I moved from the location of my seasonal job. So hasn't caught up yet!

No worries really as a huge late Sept snow dump has had the power off for four days now, not much model work going on! Will wait till the book arrives at thins point as I don't want to add stuff or progress beyond easy modification as additional information will probably make for some changes.

Cheers: T

[lgmccauley]

Just received Steve's book and it was well worth the wait. There are numerous new pictures that I have never seen and Steve has given explanations for the ones that have been published before, both great assets. These new pictures answer a lot of the questions that were asked in previous messages. I just wish I would have had this book prior to starting my model of the Alaska, but better late than sorry.

[Fliger747]

Haven't recieved my book as yet, but yes, wishing I had had it before progressing on my ship. There are numerous areas of my ship that I am sure will be found in error. As with the Iowas there are some details of the area below the turret overhangs that I have as yet to explore. Photos and the plethora of small stuff affixed to almost every bulkhead really can add to a models effect.

Cheers. Tom

[Ian Roberts]

Received my copy today. Good stuff. I like the labeled photos and I'm almost convinced he took a cue from me earlier in this thread, I can only hope my amateurish drawings and labeled photos helped Steve on the book!

Lots of new aerial views but not really much in the way of refit period closeups. The Mare Island photos taken during refits were always such a boon whenever I could find them for other ships. Well worth the price and the wait, though. Great series of yard photos of CB-2 being built. Page 24 has an amazing head-on view of CB-1 during the shakedown.

10/10 from me.

[Cliffy B]

I concur with the others as to Steve's book; outstanding!!!!!!

Question for you guys. Can anyone tell what the piece of metal on the port side of the bridge of CB-3 in the following photo is? The one that has all the circular holes cut in it (8 on top and 4 on the side)

http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1203/04020304.jpg

I can't see it any other photos of the CB-1 or 2 and its not present in the excellent photo of CB-1's bridge while in mothballs in the book. Curious if it was supposed to remain or if it was just something temporarily installed by the yard workers. Any ideas?

[Fliger747]

Hawaii is quite a bit different in configuration than Alaska. The item was of some curiosity when I have looked at this photo in the past. I believe it is some sort of temporary shipyard equipment, possibly cobbled of spare plate used for something else. Either that or a greenhouse for the Captain's tomatoes.

To low to be of any use on a comissioned ship.

T

[Ian Roberts]

I noticed that as well when trying to draw CB-3's updated superstructure. I think it's just scaffolding placed by yard workers. It certainly has no other equivalent on any post-1945 USN ship I've seen.

[Ian Roberts]

Something I noticed on closer inspection of Mr Wiper's book: I'm not sure the captions about CB-2's main battery director radars are correct on page 51. The photo shows CB-2 docked at Pearl Harbor on Feb 21, 1945 (this photo: http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1202/04020207.jpg). This clearly shows the egg-shaped profile of what is either the Mark 8 Mod 3 or Mark 13 main battery director radar (with the forward Mark 38 director trained to starboard).

The caption notes that this change was done during the PHNSY visit 2/1945; however, some of the earlier photos of the ship in its Measure 32 camouflage clearly show the later director radar in place. Consult page 38, labeled as "October 25, 1944" - and the later type radars are clearly visible. However, the prior page is dated November 13, 1944, and shows the earlier radars.

I doubt it will be possible to ever know the real date these radars were changed (my guess would be the period immediately after shakedown before transiting the Panama Canal to the Pacific).

[Fliger747]

I wonder if the date on the photo is wrong, the sun is quite high in the sky for 10 AM or so in the winter. Somebody who had the expertise and motivation could work out the exact time and date of the photo from the shadows.

Guam did have the later model MK 37 directors.

T

[Fliger747]

Interesting that Guam appears to still be in Measure 32, at least as to the decks. Hull could be in measure 22. Being repainted?

[Ian Roberts]

Yep, the captions state that she was being repainted at that time which makes sense. You can even see the crew on top of turret #2 repainting it.

Anyway... just the little details I notice occasionally. What I really should do is compile a list of the directors, radars, guns, etc on each ship during the time periods I've been able to identify.

[Fliger747]

Useful piece of information!

Cheers. T

[lgmccauley]

I'm trying to determine the size of the anchor chain links on the Alaska. Would they have been the same as the Iowa's?

[Fliger747]

I would guess that they would be about the same anchor and chain size as say an Essex. It's not so much the anchor that keeps the ship in place, but the payed out chain, so weight would be somewhat commensurate with the tonnage of the ship. Interesting question!

[Cliffy B]

BB-61s have 30,000 lbs anchors with 120 lbs anchor chain links. Each chain is 1,080' feet long, contains 12 shots of chain for a total of 56.16 tons. So 71.16 tons times two for a total of 142.32 tons for the ship. If I remember correctly the CV-9s have the same anchors. We have one of CV-36s anchors in front of the building and its the same as the ones on BB-64.

[Fliger747]

Question for the camo experts! Are the waterways along the deck edge during WWII (measure 22) painted, the hull color, superstructure color (5H) or Deck Blue? Mixing up my colors, the deck blue came out well, looks as if the 5H needs a snitch of purple?

Cheers: Tom

[MartinJQuinn]

Courtesy of Roger Torgeson. From the US National Archives, NARA II, 80-G 309672:

80-G 309672

[Fliger747]

Thanks! That helps for a number of issues.

T

[Fliger747]

Current progress on CB1, 1945. Drone's eye view of the shipyard.