Calling all Farragut-class and Coontz-class DDG fans

[bwross11]

Nelson,
I'm going to have to watch that 1/96 build closely; I've got a 1/96 Coontz hull lurking in the closet that I've been meaning to get going one of these days! I've built the Terrier launcher and a couple of smaller deck gear, just need to tackle the superstructure.

Watching with interest,

Bruce

[admiralbb62]

Bruce:

You are in luck. check out http://www.cnc-models.com/cncship16_039.htm

Charles H

[Guest]

Dear Bruce,

Did you get the hull from Scale Shipyard? My friend's hull is one of them. Good stuff. I'll eventually have a goodly list of hulls and superstructures myself. My COONTZ superstructure is almost done, let me know if I can help you get your DLG underway.

Sincerely,
Nelson

[bwross11]

Hi Nelson,

Yes I did get it from Scale Shipyard but it was quite a while ago; it's been sitting in the closet for years waiting for me to get moving on it. What has slowed me down was a lack of plans for the class; I got the hull before Lee started offering plans with a hull.

Best,
Bruce

[NelstoneB]

Dear Bruce,

So, you'll need drawings showing antenna locations, lifeline arrangements, davit configurations, etc. I can help you on that. I'll email you.

Sincerely,
Nelson

[Garry71]

My new model (1/200 F. class destroyer) and DDG-24:

[Cliffy B]

Check out this shot of DDG-41 from Oct 1982 during UNITAS XXI. Notice the stanchions for the "velvet rope" around the launcher? Neat huh?

http://www.defenseimagery.mil/imagery.h ... d5314646de

Also a question, what is that bolted hatch cover with an angled piece of capped pipe on top right in front of and to the sides of the launcher? I've seen them in the same location on all ships with Mk-10s and haven't a clue as to their use. The angled piece on top appears solid which seems to negate any reason for using that but the fact that they didn't use a simple flat plate to cover the hole means it has some use right?

[bwross11]

Cliffy, those are rams; there were two of them, each sited to be behind the missile rail on it's side when it was perpendicular to the ship's centerline. The intent was that if a bird every failed to fly, that instead of trying to bring it back into the missle house the ram would blow the bird over the side and thereby clear the rail.

Bruce
USS Preble DLG-15/DDG-46

[Cliffy B]

So that's what they were! OK, cool, thanks man! Now I have to remember to add them to my Niko Farragut kit.

[Garry71]

What is it (USS Preble, 1987-88)?:

[Garry71]

In progress - AN/SPG-55 and AN/SLQ-32 for my 1/200 USS Preble:






And the bridge:

[bwross11]

Garry71,
Your model is coming along very nicely; I'm glad to see someone doing such a great job with a class I love.

Bruce
USS Preble (DDG-46, 76-78)

[Garry71]

Bruce
USS Preble (DDG-46, 76-78)

Bruce, You need Me as a breath!
Have You rare detail pics of Your ship?

[bwross11]

Garry are you looking for any particular areas of the ship? Let me know and I'll look through my photo albums and see if I can help you. I also have a number of pictures taken on the King so that might help as well.

Bruce
USS Preble (DDG-46, 76-78)

[Guest]

Garry, your question that a preliminary design for the DLG-6 could have included Weapon Alfa and torpedo tubes prompted me to double check Norman Freidman's book "U.S. Destroyers." There is nothing stated about torpedo tubes for the DLG-6. The ASROC launcher was the primary anti-submarine defense system.

As for additional information - The Farragut had the misfortune to be the lead ship of a new class with a new main propulsion system design. The 1200 psi boilers were controlled by a new pneumatic control system known as the Automatic Combustion Control System. It was a nightmare for the fireroom crews to operate until the "bugs" were worked out. As a result of many problems with the Automatic Combustion Control System, DLG-6 became known as "Building 6" because it spent so much time along side the pier for repairs.

Carl, thanks for the kind words. I too was a MM. I opted to not volunteer for the nuke program because I did not want to sign on for a six year obligation program when I entered A School in '61. It never entered my mind that I would serve a whole lot more than six years ....as a conventional monkey mate.

I was stationed aboard the USS Farragut DLG-6 when it was in dry-dock at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 1969. I was part of the "on-board" crew (and stood many a fire-watch for the welders during the renovations) and am a "PLANK-OWNER". My son has my certificate. And, I was a member of the crew until March 1971. I was on board when we hit the loose bouy and damaged our sonar dome and one screw. I was also on board when the boiler-feedwater tank collapsed and we had an ocean-going tug drag us to the shipyard.

We most certainly did have torpedo tubes amidships. Three on each side. That was in addition to the ASROC just behind the 5 inch 54 on the foredeck. To launch torpedoes, the tubes would pivot about the middle. They most certainly were aboard the DLG-6.

[gtbred]

Garry,no words need to be said. Anybody knows if a company makes this in 1/350?

[Guest]

What this? ASROC magazine? :

That is the Rammer Rail Stowage Locker - the ASROC loader crane (rail portion) is stored there when not in use. Saves wear, tear, and salt water corrosion. The Loader Crane power head and post is rotated around, the rail is (manually) pulled out of the locker (could be exciting when at sea - thing weighed a ton!), was physically connected by a yoke and large nut, and was ready for use. My handling crew dropped the rail inside the stowage compartment; took some creative thinking on all our parts to get it hoisted up and back on the trolley, lol

Ron, GMTC(SW) Ret.

[Guest]

Not those little portholes specifically, but that whole deck house is yes. The arrow pointed directly to the portholes so sorry for the confusion. I'd say that those might be blow out panels in the case of a mag explosion. Don't quote me on that though. I know they're not portholes per-say but I used that for lack of a better term.

Farragut was the only member of the class to ever receive the reload magazine. There are hatches on the front side of the deck house for the loading rails to slide out and hook into the the launcher. The launcher needs to elevate slightly in order to line up with the hatches. That re-load method is similar to the system on the Knox-class FFs. To my knowledge there would be no more than 2 full re-loads IE 16 missiles in the mag.

Sorry for the long winded answer :thumbs_up_1:

Tony Bunch pointed out those same blowout ports, to me, on the Knox class FFs and told me the same thing. Magazine Explosion Blowout Ports. Nomenclature maybe wrong, here, though.

I also wonder if they are for loading weapons through them, as well.

Blowout patches in the event of an inadvertent rocket motor ignition. The rockets were stored in the magazine with thrust neutralizers installed, so the force of the propellant thrust would be "forced" radially, negating the potential of a rocket trying to go through the forward bulkhead. The patch was just to give the overpressure someplace to go. That was their sole purpose - the missiles were loaded through a water-tight door on the 01 Level forward, in the front of the magazine.

Ron, GMTC(SW) Ret.

[Cliffy B]

What is it (USS Preble, 1987-88)?:

Gary did you ever get an answer to those photos?

I came across a photo of a CG-16 or 26 in a copy of "Ships and Aircraft of the US fLeet" that had a very similar setup amidships. It labeled it an "electronics intercept van". Hope that helps a bit man.

[snipechief]

Gary, I aplogize for my incorrect reply to your question about torpedo tubes on the Coontz Class DLG's. I was stationed on DLG-14 Dewey (1969-1974). The torpedo tubes were a modification installed at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard during overhaul/modernization in 1970. We had too many problems in the fwd engineroom and I forgot about the tube installation.

Snipechief, MMCM, USN (ret.)