The Ship Model Forum

Would love the powerpoint. lumbertis@sausalito.gov


[quote="grayson72"]Thanks guys, if anyone is interested in doing a conversion like this I'd be happy to share the PowerPoint file. It could be made to work for any scale.

It covers the entire ship at once which is necessary because the port side helo pads are offset from the centerline 4 different times.

The current available decal set for the helo pads, for the Princeton anyway, aren't accurate.

Here's the main shot I used to create them.[/quote]

I am doing the same thing, and the years since I last built one are probably more than 20. I'm converting a https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagories/Ship_Models/uss-boxer-lph-4-helicopter-carrier/DML00007070/product.php to the Princeton. And I plan on giving it as a gift to my father who served on her during Vietnam.

We should encourage each other on our progress.


[quote="grayson72"]And so it begins... I haven't built a plastic ship model in over 20 years so this will be a fun and challenging exercise. I've built many plastic and wood models in the last 20 years just not this particular genre. I focus on Age of Sail wooden ships, 1/32 modern aircraft and 1/72 sci fi subjects.

This will be a gift for my father, he was a Machinery Repairman (MR) on her from 1963-1966, he was 17 when he joined the Navy and had to get my grandfather's permission to enlist. I figure I lucked out that my dad was on a ship that can even be modeled and will be a relatively straightforward conversion build.

I am converting the Trumpeter USS Hancock into LPH-5 USS Princeton, roughly around the time period of 1964. As many of you know she is one of 3 Essex class carriers that were converted to Marine helicopter platforms for the vietnam war in order to fulfill the mission of vertical envelopment of the enemy. These ships went through only minor updates from their original WWII configuration.

I have poured over the internet looking for reference photos and have come up with quite a few that will be very helpful and have purchased several books.
Some details still remain in question however and I hope it will be alright if I ping the many well respected experts on this site for more information.

This is a list of the modifications and additions I have planned so far in order to convert her to the Princeton:
- All anti-aircraft weaponry will be omitted
- 1 Double 5" gun omitted fore and aft
- New Mk37 gun director with Mk25 radar
- Completely new antenna mast built from scratch (using some parts from GMM and IronShipwrights)
- Whip antennae and assemblies built from scratch
- All new era appropriate Helicopter wing (UH-34s, UH-37s)
- Various PE parts from GMM and WEM applied
- Covered sections for the bridge scratchbuilt
- one open 5" 38 caliber Mk30 gun mount with Mk56 gun director radar will need to be added to the port side catwalk area
- Many watertight doors, hatches and ladder locations are modeled on the USS Essex and will have to be moved/removed
- Crew from L'Arsenal and Fujimi added

Known issues:
- The flight deck is too short on this kit
Any other known issues?[/quote]

My dad served on the Princeton in Vietnam and I was planning on making a model of it for him using this model as the basis https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagories/Ship_Models/uss-boxer-lph-4-helicopter-carrier/DML00007070/product.php

It's the same class, just a different ship, so I'll need to change out the number and may have to check out the award flag differences.

Any helpful hints out there?

I used the Hancock model on this build but I thought it was a short hull.

Or maybe it was a long hull but the kit came with a flight deck for a short hull.

[quote="grayson72"]I would have preferred to use a long hull kit, however I don't think they make one. I may be wrong though.
[/quote]

Trumpeter makes Ticonderoga and Hancock for their long-hull Essexes in 1/350.

Hello Major, just saw these posts from April, glad you all liked the build.

To answer your question Major, I would have preferred to use a long hull kit, however I don't think they make one. I may be wrong though.

I never did get an answer to my deck question.

For all of you former Sweet Pea shipmates there will be a Princeton reunion in Long Beach this September on the Queen Mary. This model will proudly be displayed in the dining room during the event.

Regards,

Chad

You did such a wonderful build it made me do some further research on this ship.. When I found this photo it was just too cool to pass on and screamed build me.
So if you where to re-do your build again which kit would you use?
Secondly did you ever get the answer to aftermarket deck ?
Again keep up the great work...
:thumbs_up_1:

Fantastic conversion - I love it.

[quote="grayson72"]I do have a few questions right from the start:

What's your opinion regarding Nautilus Models wood deck for this? If I'm going to paint the deck would it look any better?
Also I'm thinking it would save me from having to fill the seams on the deck due to them being in three pieces.
If no how the heck do you guys fill the seams on the pieces withought completely destroying the deck detail?

Also, can someone please tell me what the heck these things are?. They are black on the Princeton, white on the Valley Forge and non-existant on the Boxer.
Also in the photo can anyone identify which Tilly Crane that is sticking out from behind the dual 5"?[/quote]


Those posts are actually light posts. More of accent lighting. Covers swung out 90 degrees from the posts so the light shown on the deck but the covers prevented the light from shinning upwards to interfere with the pilots vision.

[quote="grayson72"]In this shot I'm adding the supports for the forward flight deck safety netting.[/quote]


Looks good! I servered aboard the Sweet Pea for over 3 years ('64-'67). Eventually becoming Fly 1 petty officer (Fly 1 was the forward 3rd of the flight deck),..spent many hours on the flt dk, often sleeping on fire hoses during stand by flight operations off the coast of VN.
keep up the great work.

Maybe, was that a common practice to put the ships badge there?

Also, for anyone who wants to have some accurate fruit salad on the superstructure, I used Hawk Graphics 1/350 USN Signal Flags decal set.
You have to cut out each tiny individual ribbon to create an accurate citation board. On the starboard side I placed them directly on the bridge which was a pain considering all of the existing detail awaiting to be destroyed by one slip of the tweasers.
So for the port side what I did was cut out a spare piece of clear decal paper and applied the ribbon decals to that, once that dried I sprayed it with the clear sealant.
Once that dried I was able to closely cut out the whole thing and apply the entire citation board to the bridge in one go.

Could it be the ship's insignia?

Excellent, thank you for the tip! Glad you enjoyed the build :)

Also, if anyone can identify this emblem(s) I'd much appreciate.

Awesome conversion, I love it! really, you pulled this off beautifully, no way can you tell that this "kit" was of an entirely different ship and era.

If you are still loooking for small doors for the catwalks, check out gold medal models 1/350 doors and hatches set. It has a bunch of small different shaped hatches that are probably just what you are looking for.

Started working on her again, adding the details I mentioned above.

Fruit salad anyone?

Just superb grayson!! amazing work
congrats
Nicolas

Really cool build, good work on the conversion. I am building a Princeton as well, from the Dragon kit. I'm doing her as an ASW carrier, and boy does the Dragon kit need work. Lots of hull detail is missing, those pipes you mentioned being especially prominent. The radar fit is also incorrect, or rather incomplete.

I see you have the Italeri UH-34 Seahorse kit. I am trying to find that kit, but boxed as the HSS-1. I'd love to build a 1:72 Seabat to go with my Princeton.

Thanks guys, if anyone is interested in doing a conversion like this I'd be happy to share the PowerPoint file. It could be made to work for any scale.

It covers the entire ship at once which is necessary because the port side helo pads are offset from the centerline 4 different times.

The current available decal set for the helo pads, for the Princeton anyway, aren't accurate.

Here's the main shot I used to create them.

Amazing work on those helo pad markings.

I love it! Great conversion your dad will be proud of. You pulled it off beautifully, looks just like a kit would be expected, no evidence that this is a conversion of a ship from a diffeent era with a different fit.