Calling all Forrest Sherman-class (DD-931) fans

Red Devil Squadron · Post by **Red Devil Squadron** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 12:52 pm

Hello Guest,

I have some left over "JOHN PAUL JONES" decals that I made for my build of DD932 from the Revell kit and will be happy to send them to you. Just PM me your address. You can see how they look in this photo and also here:

viewtopic.php?f=60&t=108638

I am not sure about the triple torpedo launchers. I built JPJ in her early configuration with the Mk 4 launchers.

Cheers,

Bill

Rick E Davis · Post by **Rick E Davis** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 5:57 pm

Guest,

As with Bill, we need an idea of WHEN you are modeling USS JOHN PAUL JONES to furnish a better answer. JOHN PAUL JONES went through several configuration mods during her career, as did most of the class. In the end there were three basic configurations to the SHERMAN class; DDG, ASW enhanced as ASROC, and those that remained as "Gun Destroyers" with three 5-in guns. All of these included the Mk 32 ASW triple TT mounts originally added in early 1960s. The fixed TT were only installed an a few early units and were deleted when the Mk 32 ASW triple TT mounts were installed.

USS JOHN PAUL JONES was one of the units converted to a DDG in 1966-67.

NavyFan1 · Post by **NavyFan1** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 11:41 am

Rick E Davis wrote:Guest,

As with Bill, we need an idea of WHEN you are modeling USS JOHN PAUL JONES to furnish a better answer. JOHN PAUL JONES went through several configuration mods during her career, as did most of the class. In the end there were three basic configurations to the SHERMAN class; DDG, ASW enhanced as ASROC, and those that remained as "Gun Destroyers" with three 5-in guns. All of these included the Mk 32 ASW triple TT mounts originally added in early 1960s. The fixed TT were only installed an a few early units and were deleted when the Mk 32 ASW triple TT mounts were installed.

USS JOHN PAUL JONES was one of the units converted to a DDG in 1966-67.

Rick,
Aha! Early JPJ is what I'm building; the all gun version but with the triple tubes mk32. Thanks for the tip on the fixed tubes being removed; both Wiki and Navsource list them both being aboard at the same time. Maybe they have a issue with context?

Rick E Davis · Post by **Rick E Davis** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:45 pm

There can be some confusion between the Mk 32 ASW TT and the Mk 32 TORPEDO that were launched over the side by the Mk 4 launcher. The Mk 32 torpedo and Mk 4 launcher were "original" equipment on the earlier SHERMAN class destroyers. But not on the last batch of SHERMANs, DD-945 through DD-951, that got the Mk 32 ASW TT installed during building. Only a few of the earlier SHERMAN class destroyers had the Mk 25 fixed tubes for launching Mk 37 torpedoes installed, DD-931, 932, 933, 936, and 938, and USS JOHN PAUL JONES was one of them.

I don't know exactly when JOHN PAUL JONES had the Mk 32 ASW TT installed. My best guess would be about 1961-62, but could be a bit earlier in 1960. So if you are modeling during say 1962 to 1965, you are pretty safe to have the Mk 32 ASW TT triple mounts and no Mk 25 TT.

NavyFan1 · Post by **NavyFan1** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 2:45 pm

Rick E Davis wrote:There can be some confusion between the Mk 32 ASW TT and the Mk 32 TORPEDO that were launched over the side by the Mk 4 launcher. The Mk 32 torpedo and Mk 4 launcher were "original" equipment on the earlier SHERMAN class destroyers. But not on the last batch of SHERMANs, DD-945 through DD-951, that got the Mk 32 ASW TT installed during building. Only a few of the earlier SHERMAN class destroyers had the Mk 25 fixed tubes for launching Mk 37 torpedoes installed, DD-931, 932, 933, 936, and 938, and USS JOHN PAUL JONES was one of them.

I don't know exactly when JOHN PAUL JONES had the Mk 32 ASW TT installed. My best guess would be about 1961-62, but could be a bit earlier in 1960. So if you are modeling during say 1962 to 1965, you are pretty safe to have the Mk 32 ASW TT triple mounts and no Mk 25 TT.

That works for me. Call me a snob, but I just think the triple tube looks better so if I'm sacrificing a wee bit of accuracy for looks, I will cheerfully do the ten hail Mary's in penance.

Rob Jansen · Post by **Rob Jansen** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 7:16 pm

Hello all,
I found some pictures I took while aboard the USS Enterprise in Fall of 1982 and wanted to share them before they're lost again...

This is the USS Hull DD-945 on her last deployment. The pictures are not great detail but may provide some interest to those who model or just love this class of destroyer.

Firing 5" Guns.

Ever faithful Plane Guard.

With USS WADDELL DG-24

Not the greatest quality; some day I'll find the negatives and get new prints made.

Hope they may be useful to some nonetheless.

Thanks all!

Ship Model Gallery · Post by **MartinJQuinn** » Tue Dec 06, 2016 10:01 am

Great photos. Good looking ships.

Curt · Post by **Curt** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:10 am

Hi all, my name is Curt Preston, I was an MS3 aboard the Forrest Sherman , DD=931 from 10/73 to 6/77.
what a great time of my life.
VERY PROUD to have served on her and to have served my country.
I am from Pennsylvania but I live in North Platte, Nebraska now with my daughter and grandsons.
I would love to find an inexpensive wood model of the ship. I know they are not to cheap but I am looking for one to put together.
if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

seaforce · Post by **seaforce** » Thu Mar 30, 2023 3:49 pm

any one know what the two poles on the forward 3"/50 gun deck in front the bridge is for, this after the guns are removed and a deckhouse is installed in place of the guns, I see this in pictures begining with DDG conversions and later DDs late 1960s/70s, one of poles usually has a type of communications antenna on top. Iam building two forrest shermans in 1/320 scale, one as a DDG, was wondering?

Rick E Davis · Post by **Rick E Davis** » Thu Mar 30, 2023 7:03 pm

Your guess is right, they are posts for antenna (wires). See attached view from USS DAVIS (DD-937) BGP.

seaforce · Post by **seaforce** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 7:29 pm

Thanks Rick E Davis for the ship drawing, that answers a few questions, I was wondering about on the modified Forrest Shermans.

I plan on building a 3rd 1/320 ASW mod of revell/Atlantis F .Sherman, after I finish the two F. Shermans currently working on. probably even do a fourth ship, these are my favorite destroyer types.

seaforce · Post by **seaforce** » Sun Apr 16, 2023 4:17 pm

After looking at these photos you can see why the DD 936 Decatur was converted into an DDG after colliding with the CVS 39 Lake Champlain, The need to repair the ship from deck 1 from behind the forward 3"50 gun , and all of the bridge/pilot house all the way back just before the Mk56 gunfire ctrl mount.

photo are from https://www.navsource.org/archives/05/936.htm

note ship has mk32 ASW triple tubes and the twin mk25 21" anti surface torp.tubes, and still has hedgehogs, no Depth charges seen, info : for those who are building an model of F.Sherman class in this time frame, may 1964

seaforce · Post by **seaforce** » Sun Apr 16, 2023 9:26 pm

F.Sherman class question iam looking at photo of the DD 933 Barry, this third ship of the class, shows a bow anchor. Was barry built with a bow anchor ? meaning SQS-23 sonar in bow ?, or is this later modification ?

I assumed that bow anchor came with ASW rebuild which includes the ASROC replacing a aft 5"/54 gun, and rebuilt bridge etc

photo shows original bridge, all 5"/54 guns, 3"/50 guns, and the 21" torp tubes, hedgehogs still there meaning photo is early, but has a bow anchor.

plan on building a model of the DD 933 barry with ASROC, with this photo might built it as the photo shows.

seaforce · Post by **seaforce** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 10:57 am

thanks DavidP that answers that ? DD 933 Barry from 1956 to about 1960 was in the original design build along with the first two ships, Barry receives Bow sonar probably an SQS-23; which results in bow anchor installation this done sometime in 1960 ..... perhaps as test install for future bow sonars for the later C.F. Adams class DDGs

now wondering if F.Sherman recieved a SQS-23 in 1960, she had overhaul from 11-1960 to 2-1961

seaforce · Post by **seaforce** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 4:55 pm

I think i read somewhere only the DD 933 barry has a bow SQS-23 sonar, the rest of the clasferences had either SQS-4 or SQS-23 dome under hull bottom forward area, all ships with ASROC had SQS-23.

I thought all of F.Sherman class ended up with SQS-23 Sonars by late 1960s-early 1970s

photo shows the deck height difference of ships built after DD 933 Barry, starting with DD 936 Decatur and later all have higher deck forward of the 5'/54, by 3 ft' , and DD 945 Hull and later all have the 3 ft' raise bow with strenghten/reinforced bow section, why the DD 945 Hull was able to mount a forward 8" gun for testing.

this one of photo's DavidP listed as reference from the above previous post.

seaforce · Post by **seaforce** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 5:23 pm

My next question is the bridge/pilot house setup, looking at photos online looks like original bridge is open with removeable top, later this modified into parmenently enclosed bridge.

Ending up with three types of bridges: 1. The original with a removable top, 2. enclosed bridge with basic shape of the original bridge with pilot house still separate as in the original design, 3. new bridge that combines the bridge and pilot house into one, as seen with the DDG conversions. Is this a correct observation?

seaforce · Post by **seaforce** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 8:11 pm

got info from a book: U.S,Destroyers

this topic from previous post about forward bow height on DD936 +

Rick E Davis · Post by **Rick E Davis** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 9:57 pm

All of the SHERMAN class had the SQS-23 Sonar installed (originally the SQS-4 Sonar was installed) as an upgrade. For most units the SQS-23 sonar was installed on the keel and did not require the anchors to be relocated (see in drawing of USS DAVIS I posted earlier) or was bow-mounted which did require the starboard anchor relocated to the bow and modification of the bow. See the attached image. USS BARRY (DD-933) appears to be the only unit of the class to have the bow mounted sonar and dome installed in 1960.

The bridge on this class had multiple changes, depending on timeframe of completion and mods applied. Not easy to breakdown into only three categories. The ASW mod units swapped the GFCS directors between the pilothouse and aft locations, with the Mk 68 GFCS now forward and Mk 56 GFCS aft. Which was the arrangement installed as built on the last group built in FY 56 (DD945-951) The small deckhouse originally under the forward director was expanded in size and extended further aft.

seaforce · Post by **seaforce** » Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:57 pm

photos show bridge types and the bow to forward 5"54 mk42 gun

seaforce · Post by **seaforce** » Mon Apr 24, 2023 10:42 pm

photos of two bridge types from inside : 951 Turner Joy (last one built) has the bridge with separate pilot house, and 946 Edson has the late redesigned enclosed bridge that combines bridge/pilot house, note both of these ships have same armament three mk42 5"54 guns and two mk32 triple tubes, and fwd mk68 with small upper deck. house