Calling all Essex-class (WWII configuration) fans

[Jose Chaica]

Here�s a book I would like to recommend to all Essex (WW2) fans:

- Aircraft Carrier by J. Bryan, III, Lieutenant Commander, USNR
Ballantine Books, 1954.

It�s a day by day account of the life onboard CV-10 Yorktown by the author. Basically a diary, since the day he was assigned (Jan 30, 1945), until the day he departed (Apr 30, 1945).
It has some very interesting passages, such as:

Pg.7 "...Feb.6th, Ulithi....painters are outlining false elevators in red..."
Pg.13 "...Feb.9th, Ulithi...emblems on all Yorktown planes are being changed today..."
Pg.63 "...Mar.6th, Ulithi...whole ship was painted, scrubbed, and shined..."

And goes on, with much more interesting facts.
Recommended to all (specially CV-10 fans, like me!)

.

[simon b]

A question to all those in the know.

I've just brought the Trump 350th USS Yorktown for a future project.
I would like to get it really detailed (sort of long term side project)

What would be the best plans etc to help me out.

I'm in the UK

[Tracy White]

Floating Drydock has some plans for various ships and configurations, but your best bet is to figure out about what time period you want to do and ask here. These ships all changed over time and some are similar at certain times, but others aren't. I've been catalogging those changes and details for a modeler's book, but it's not finished yet or published so I can't point you there. I will answer questions though if you ask.

[JimRussell]

simon b

To detail a god kit, pictures can be better than plans to get the job done. There is a very good book "Waship's Data 5 USS Yorktown (CV-10)" by Robert Sumrall. It is available used - Amazon or ABE.

Jim

[simon b]

Tracy,

I haven't really given much thought to the exact period.
I surpose whichever one is represented from the box

[Tracy White]

It's sorta 1944 sorta 1945. The AA fit is more post late 1944 refit, but details such as gun directors and catapults are more pre-refit. How much detailing/fixing do you like to do?

[simon b]

Well, i like detailing but dont bother with the fixing side of things. I have the Anatomy book to hand

[Devin]

Steve,

Thanks for the idea. I plan to use a plastic strip as you did in order to cover the edge of the wood deck I'm using on the Essex, but I was trying to figure out the best way to get those gallery openings in a single strip. Three strips seems to be the best answer.

-Devin

[Tracy White]

Great solution! Those "open air archways" as the Navy called them actually had a fillet on the corners, but in scale it wouldn't be that apparent. Those archways are also a big annoyance for the photo-etch catwalks because there were cut-outs in the catwalks with a stop or two DOWN just outboard of the archways that no one has chosen to represent. The thought of cutting those up to do so doesn't excite me....

[ModelMonkey]

Ditto. Originally, I intended to include the "step-downs" and cut openings in the photo-etch catwalks. I just couldn't bring myself to do the cutting.

John Haynes got it right with his 1/96 scale Yorktown. But he's magical.

[Hanchang Kuo]

Hi Devin,

The gallery deck opening could be done in one strip. At least that's what I've done with my 1/700 Franklin. I scaled a drawing showing locations of openings to 1/700. Use that as a base to drill out and sand smooth the openings. Then glue the processed strip to the flight deck edge. Also cutting a small square from photo etched catwalk is not as difficult as it seems. I use Tamiya's photo etch shear to cut then a diamond file to correct the edges after cutting.

[Tracy White]

I hadn't heard of those scissors until you mentioned them. How do you cut the cross piece, the one parallel to the edges?

[Hanchang Kuo]

After cutting two sides perpendicular to the edge using the scissor, bend the little rectangle you want to cut away upward. Put the piece on a hard flat surface. Now the piece you want to throw away should be in vertical position to the catwalk. Hold the scissor or a sprue nipper and press it against the horizontal flat surface, the execute the cut that way. There might be a small residual of the vertical portion left. If that's the case, press it against the flat surface and push it back to its original horizontal position using a metal ruler, then use diamond file to sand away the residuals. I actually spent less then two minutes for one opening after getting familiar with the process.

[Tracy White]

OK, that's what I was thinking of, but I wasn't sure how thin the scissors were or how close to the fold one could cut. I have also looked for a good small sheet metal nibbler but hadn't found anything really acceptable (I haven't looked recently though).

[MartinJQuinn]

Improving the Gallery Deck bulkheads:

Very inspiring stuff, Steve. I have saved all your text and pictures, and hope to put them to good use when and if I ever get around to building my USS Hornet (CV-12).

[Capt652]

Ditto here too! I'm saving all the pic posts for later when I work on mine... Oldest son is now away at MTU and youngest son starts school tomorrow so - Now I can get back to work on my Shang , I even have a vacant bedroom for my modeling work area! Bonus!

[Hanchang Kuo]

Hi,

I am looking for information on post-April 1944 CV-9 's two 40mm mounts at the starboard quarter. Were they installed on sponsons extended outboard or were they located inboard? Also the locations of their respective Mk.51 directors is a mystery to me. Am I right to assume that the locations of items mentioned above are the same as what's described in AOTS Intrepid book?

Thanks,

[Tracy White]

I've got a photo that will help... I'll scan it tonight or tomorrow.

[Hanchang Kuo]

Thanks a lot!

[Capt652]

Was there any 'usual' layout of 20mm guns on the starboard aft flightdeck edge (gallery deck)? I remember reading here (in this forum) about the 20mm tubs that hung off the rear of the flightdeck with issues with vibration and that they were removed. It seems like there are pictures showing two 20's in a tub at the rear-most area of flightdeck... were there more than one tub of 20's? Did they ever mount 40mm in that area? Did the layout change through the war? I'm mostly interested in the time period of Aug-Sept. 1945. Thanks!