Calling all Ticonderoga-class (CG-47) fans

[DrDull]

Can anyone enlighten me on the differences among the DML 1:350 offerings in this class? I see that have Ticonderoga (CG-47), Bunker Hill (CG-52), and Mobile Bay (CG-53) each represented. Interestingly, the kits seem to have different retail prices as well - Mobile Bay most expensive. Are there alternatives from other styrene manufacturers or in resin? Thanks, Barry

[Devin]

Ticonderoga: early fit, MK 26 dual-arm missile launchers.

Bunker Hill: Early VLS launcher version

Mobile Bay: later VLS launcher version that includes satellite and radar domes now in use.

I think Revell used to have a Ticonderoga offering, but I haven't seen it in years.

In 1/350th scale the Dragon kits seem to be it. There are some Chinese knock-off versions of these kits that you can get for a lower price, but the casting quality is sub-par.

-Devin

[Timmy C]

Italeri also markets one of the VLS versions as the Gettysburg, CG-64.

[simon b]

Sure wish trumpy would do one. I'm trying to put together the mobile bay. The kit is pretty &*%$. The 700 scale ones are lovely little kits though

[arnobiz]

The 700 are full of mistakes, as they took the Ticonderoga main parts and simply added the domes, while the superstructure has significant differences between the batches. I'm working on a Chancellorsville (CG62) and I find a new mistake each time I move to the next part

Maybe the Fujimis are better, I hear their detail is crisper than Dragon's

[pingjockey]

In my opinion Fujimi kits are better than Dragon's, but they are also close to double the price. I have Dragon's 1/700 Ingraham kit which cost $25.00 but could also get a Fujimi 1/700 Vandegrift for $42.00.

[arnobiz]

I have a question about this class but it might also apply to other US ships: What are the "Efficiency ratings" one can see on some pictures? They are not always present, why?

[Devin]

They are not always present because all ships do not earn them. If you do bad on inspections, no letters for you!

[arnobiz]

Thanks! But then what do they mean (Colour, number...) and for how long do your keep them? Are they painted symetrically on both sides of the ship?

[goldenpony]

I copied this to explain the Battle E
-------------------------------------------------------

The Battle Efficiency Award, commonly known as the Battle "E" is awarded annually to the small number of U.S. Navy ships, submarines, aviation and other units that win their battle efficiency competition.
The criterion for the Battle Efficiency Award is the overall readiness of the command to carry out its assigned wartime tasks, and is based on a year-long evaluation. The competition for the award is, and has always been, extremely keen. To win, a ship or unit must demonstrate the highest state of battle readiness.
The Battle Efficiency Award recognizes sustained superior performance in an operational environment within a command. To qualify for Battle E consideration, a ship must win a minimum of three out of four command excellence awards (Maritime Warfare, Engineering/Survivability, Command and Control, Logistics Management), and be nominated by their immediate superior in command. Eligibility for the award demands day-to-day demonstrated excellence in addition to superior achievement during the certifications and qualifications conducted throughout the year. A ship�s performance during training exercises, weapons inspections, and tactical readiness examinations are among the 16 different areas that are considered in the competition.

Ships that win a battle efficiency competition are authorized to paint a white "E" on their stacks or elsewhere to give evidence of the honor. For winning each subsequent consecutive competition, the ship paints an angled line or "hashmark" below the white E. The very rare winners of five consecutive E's replace the white E and hashmarks with a Gold E. The E and any hashmarks are removed in the year the ship first fails to win the award.
Personnel of ships and units that win the Battle "E" are authorized to wear the Navy "E" Ribbon and Battle "E" Device. Before 1976, they wore a small cloth "E" on their uniform sleeves, with hashmarks and color corresponding to that on their ship or unit.
The latest revision of the SURFORTRAMAN (Surface Forces Training Manual) has changed the name of the Battle Efficiency Award to the Battle Effectiveness Award for COMNAVSURFOR ships.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also that being said different divisions on the ship can be awarded an E without the ship being awarded one. If I recall an E with a star on top is for 5 awards.

If you knew which Tico that was in the picture you could track down which divisions had won the E. That ship in particular only won two overall Battle E's. She also has a combat action ribbon and a few other nice awards.

[arnobiz]

Wow that's accurate! Thanks a lot. Do you have any idea of the reason why there are several different colours? Also, what do the bars underneath the "E"s mean?

[Devin]

The big white E is the overall Battle E. The other colors are for the individual departments. I'm MAKING THIS UP as I don't know the true assignments, but red is for engineering, blue is for weapons, green for administration, and black for deck department. If they have an E, that means they have won the award once. If they win it again, then they get a colored hash below the E; etc. and so on, as previously stated with the Battle E hash marks.

[goldenpony]

Also if they have a star above it is for 5 awards. That last bridge wing photo shows that Tico was part of Desert Storm and had won 2 overall Battle E�s. Sometimes the ships will paint the E won by different divisions in different spots. Sometimes you will see them on the gun mounts or on the Gas Turbine intakes.

[arnobiz]

OK everything is there: http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/navy/doc ... 5sec1.html
**************************
BATTLE "E" AWARD Center of bridge bulwark, forward, port and starboard or in

White formula 6 and black formula 48 general vicinity of painted campaign ribbons. (For FFG 7 class:Immediately below the sidelights.)

MARITIME WARFARE EXCELLENCE
AWARD BLACK "E"
Black formula 48 Port and starboard side of bridge bulwark aft of the Battle "E".

ENGINEERING/SURVIVABILITY
EXCELLENCE AWARD RED "E"
Red formula 40 Port and starboard side of bridge bulwark aft of the Battle "E".

COMMAND & CONTROL EXCELLENCE
AWARD GREEN "E"
Green formula 39 Port and starboard side of bridge bulwark aft of the Battle "E".

LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT
EXCELLENCE AWARD BLUE "E"
Blue formula 43 Port and starboard side of bridge bulwark aft of the Battle "E".

e. Consecutive Awards. Service stripes the same color as the related award color are added for additional awards earned in consecutive years. Instead of the letter and four service stripes for winning the award five consecutive times, in the case of the Battle "E", a gold "E" shall be displayed with a silver star above the "E". In the case of the command excellence awards, an "E" and a star of the same color will be shown for the fifth consecutive award, replacing the service stripes. Another star shall be added for each five successive annual awards.
***************************************

Thanks guys for your help, I did not even know what to look for on Google

Decals are available by GMM (White and red on the Naval ship sheet and all colors on USN Supercarriers sheet)

[Tracy White]

Some Clean-up and new features:

Dragon 1/350th plastic kit review

Gallery of Built 1/350 scale Models

* USS Ticonderoga CG-47 by Jorge Martinez
* USS Ticonderoga CG-47 by Hawke Lee
* USS Vincennes CG-49 by Dave Becker
* USS Thomas S. Gates CG-51 by Bae Chang-ho
* USS Thomas S. Gates CG-51 by Richard April
* USS Mobile Bay CG-53 by Artur Oslizlo
* USS Antietam CG-54 by Keith Hufnagel
* USS Antietam CG-54 By Peter Van Buren
* USS Lake Camplain CG-57 by Joe Cano
* USS Phillipine Sea CG-58 by Chris Bradbury
* USS Philippine Sea CG-58 by Rino de Silvio
* USS Chancellorsville by Dave Becker
* USS Gettysburg CG-64 by Chris Bradbury
* USS Gettysburg CG-64 by Klaus Kolbe
* USS Lake Erie CG-70 By Ken Summa

[Tracy White]

1/700th scale clean up and new features

NukeMM's 1/700 Skywave USS Vincennes CG-49 build posts have been split off into their own thread in Picture Post.

Reviews:
Fujimi CG-49 USS Vincennes
Dragon CG-58 USS Philippine Sea Premium Edition
Dragon CG-60 USS Normandy

Gallery of Built 1/700 scale Models
* USS Ticonderoga CG-47 by Paul Helfrich
* USS Mobile Bay CG-53 by Dan von Gartzen
* USS Princeton CG-59 by Heiko Schittek
* USS Princeton CG-59 By Serge
* USS Normandy CG-60 by Ralph Kuo
* USS Bunker Hill CG-52 by Adam Mcleish
* USS San Jacinto CG-56 by Richard Wonderly
* USS Chancellorsville CG-62 by Nye Nava

[sundownernz]

Hi all,

Hoping someone can help me out with a source for 1:72 scale plans. I'm looking at building an RC Ticonderoga class cruiser. I have a set of plans for the Tico at 1:96 and could get these scaled up but would prefer to get a new set at 1:72. I was searching the net a few weeks ago and I'm sure I came across a company that had them in 1:72 but can't find the site again.

If anyone could steer me in the right direction for purchasing a set of 1:72 plans for this ship I would be most grateful.

Many thanks,
Garry.

[Star45]

Have any luck finding a set of plans? I would love to build a 1:72 Chancellorsville.

[64Molson]

Greetings Everyone!

I am currently working on a Italeri 1/350 Gettysburg(CG-64). I cannot find any info or pictures of the placements of the triple torpedo launchers or the 25mm Bushmasters. It appears the torpedo launchers are mounted inside the hull (small door/hatch) slighty aft of midships. If they really are hidden (reduced radar signature) it's no big deal.
But the Bushmasters have to be somewhere. Does anyone have any leads on this?

I've been able to locate both on Burke class ships, but that's another build.

Thanks for your help.

[NukeMM]

Greetings Everyone!

I am currently working on a Italeri 1/350 Gettysburg(CG-64). I cannot find any info or pictures of the placements of the triple torpedo launchers or the 25mm Bushmasters. It appears the torpedo launchers are mounted inside the hull (small door/hatch) slighty aft of midships. If they really are hidden (reduced radar signature) it's no big deal.
But the Bushmasters have to be somewhere. Does anyone have any leads on this?

I've been able to locate both on Burke class ships, but that's another build.

Thanks for your help.

So, you are sure that the Gettysburg had them? What time period is your build? Moot questions, on my part, for I really can't help with configurations and time periods, but I have these photos in my computer and I'm wondering if the little gray "spots" under and forward of the RHIB could be the Bushmaster.

When researching my FFG-14 USS Sides, a veteran of the ship in 1988 (time period of my build) said they only had one Bushmaster and it was on the starboard side.

I see Nulks launchers atop the superstructure, too. Have you made note of those? I think Flyhawk has a new weapons set with these included. I scratch built some for my USS Samspon DDG-102.