Calling all Essex-class (Cold War configuration) fans

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Expand view Topic review: Calling all Essex-class (Cold War configuration) fans

Re: Calling all Essex-class (Cold War configuration) fans

by SeanF » Wed Sep 30, 2026 2:32 am

TZoli wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2026 1:06 am Question: the Essex class USS Lexington CV-16 constantly losed her 5" guns with each modernization, but when she was became a museum ship she got back some 5" guns including twin turrets as well. Do anybody know where these 5" twin turrets came from? I presume from than recently decomissioned destroyers?
They came from the USS Des Moines, scrapped in 2007, according to the information board on one of the mounts displayed on Lexington.

Lexington has a lot of weaponry today that she never carried in service... many a twin Bofors, for example, set in places they never would have been even if she had carried such a thing...

(I visited on May 23 of this year. Definitely worth visiting if you get the chance. Very surprised to discover they have a builder's model of the battlecruiser Lexington on board!)

- Sean F.

Re: Calling all Essex-class (Cold War configuration) fans

by Maarten Sch�nfeld » Wed Sep 30, 2026 1:30 am

TZoli wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2026 1:06 am Question: the Essex class USS Lexington CV-16 constantly losed her 5" guns with each modernization, but when she was became a museum ship she got back some 5" guns including twin turrets as well. Do anybody know where these 5" twin turrets came from? I presume from than recently decomissioned destroyers?
Maybe you can ask this to
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/h ... -16-v.html

Re: Calling all Essex-class (Cold War configuration) fans

by TZoli » Wed Sep 30, 2026 1:06 am

Question: the Essex class USS Lexington CV-16 constantly losed her 5" guns with each modernization, but when she was became a museum ship she got back some 5" guns including twin turrets as well. Do anybody know where these 5" twin turrets came from? I presume from than recently decomissioned destroyers?

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by TZoli » Fri Nov 15, 2024 3:04 pm

maurice de saxe wrote:From photographs it seems that Oriskany's gun armament by 1973 was four single 5-inch and no 3-inch twins. Is this correct?

Thank you,
Maurice
Even from 1962 or 61 that was the armament:
https://www.seaforces.org/usnships/cv/C ... iskany.htm

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by maurice de saxe » Fri Nov 15, 2024 2:52 pm

From photographs it seems that Oriskany's gun armament by 1973 was four single 5-inch and no 3-inch twins. Is this correct?

Thank you,
Maurice

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Braniff92@gmail.com » Wed Apr 10, 2024 10:27 am

sctbrd wrote:I found this document: http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Ships/ ... ights.html

As noted:

(f) Landing Deck Lights: These lights are installed at the flight deck level to outline the flight deck for landing and take-off. The two forward lights on the starboard side and the two forward lights on the port side are red, all other lights are white.

(1) The white lights have a maximum range of 1800 yards, and a vertical light spread of 14.5� with the lower light cutoff parallel to the top of the flight deck. The angle of azimuth is l60�.
(2) The red lights have a maximum range of 400 yards and a vertical light spread of 30� with the lower light cutoff parallel to the top of the flight deck. The angle of azimuth is 104�
(3) The starboard row of white lights and the aftermost port white light have a horizontal light distribution from 130� to 290� relative. All other white landing deck lights on the port side have a horizontal light distribution from 100� to 260� relative.
(4) The starboard red lights have a horizontal light distribution from 156� to 260� relative. The port red lights have a horizontal light distribution from 100� to 204� relative.
(5) The landing deck lights are installed and mounted so that the rows of lights will be as nearly as possible in straight lines, parallel to the ship's centerline, as is
compatible with the contour of the flight deck. Red lights may be designated for the white lights in which case all red lights except the two forward lights on each the starboard and port bow, would have the same characteristics and be installed the same as the white landing deck lights.

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THANKS SO MUCH!!!!! This is a good start. Looks like it's for Yorktown class (although it states for "CV, CVB, CVL, CVE). My Essex Class Line Drawings shows only four flight deck level lights on each side so it's alittle different than this one but again, it's a great start, especially since it references colors also. I really appreciate your help.

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by sctbrd » Wed Apr 10, 2024 12:03 am

I found this document: http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Ships/ ... ights.html

As noted:

(f) Landing Deck Lights: These lights are installed at the flight deck level to outline the flight deck for landing and take-off. The two forward lights on the starboard side and the two forward lights on the port side are red, all other lights are white.

(1) The white lights have a maximum range of 1800 yards, and a vertical light spread of 14.5� with the lower light cutoff parallel to the top of the flight deck. The angle of azimuth is l60�.
(2) The red lights have a maximum range of 400 yards and a vertical light spread of 30� with the lower light cutoff parallel to the top of the flight deck. The angle of azimuth is 104�
(3) The starboard row of white lights and the aftermost port white light have a horizontal light distribution from 130� to 290� relative. All other white landing deck lights on the port side have a horizontal light distribution from 100� to 260� relative.
(4) The starboard red lights have a horizontal light distribution from 156� to 260� relative. The port red lights have a horizontal light distribution from 100� to 204� relative.
(5) The landing deck lights are installed and mounted so that the rows of lights will be as nearly as possible in straight lines, parallel to the ship's centerline, as is
compatible with the contour of the flight deck. Red lights may be designated for the white lights in which case all red lights except the two forward lights on each the starboard and port bow, would have the same characteristics and be installed the same as the white landing deck lights.

Image

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Braniff92@gmail.com » Tue Apr 09, 2024 3:56 pm

Can anyone tell me what color the Landing deck lights on the edge of the flight deck (4 on each side per the USS Hornet CVA-12 Line Drawings) were when illuminated? White? Blue? I can't find anything on them. Thanks.
Attachments
port1.jpg

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Braniff92@gmail.com » Tue Feb 27, 2024 2:34 pm

Is anyone aware of where I can purchase plans or line drawings for the Essex class URR-13 Phasor 90 structures on the four corners of the ships? Anyone?
Attachments
265986337_2610811372384663_8947783370847351623_n.jpg
06 19 HANCOCK VIEW AFT STR QUARTER 1961 -62ISH copy.jpg

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Braniff92@gmail.com » Sun Feb 11, 2024 9:48 pm

MartinJQuinn wrote:A reminder these topics are for questions about the real ships themselves. Pictures of models, unless it is to ask a question about a real ship, should be in the work in progress forum. I moved the build posts to that forum.

Intrepid to Hornet conversion here: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=383037
Thanks Martin. I wasn't aware.

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by MartinJQuinn » Sun Feb 11, 2024 6:42 pm

A reminder these topics are for questions about the real ships themselves. Pictures of models, unless it is to ask a question about a real ship, should be in the work in progress forum. I moved the build posts to that forum.

Intrepid to Hornet conversion here: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=383037

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Michael Potter » Sun Oct 15, 2023 1:52 pm

For illustrations of boat dollies: visit Ray Bean�s Facebook site, directly or via a WWW search string:

<< site:www.facebook.com "Eyes of the Fleet 2" >>

and open his Photos tab. He posted drawings and a photo there approx October 13.

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Tracy White » Mon Oct 09, 2023 10:53 am

(For reference, the jeeps in the hangar are M151A2s, often called MUTT for "Military Utility Tactical Truck") and the de-militarization process for them before being surplussed was to have then cut in half. Some enterprising enthusiasts bought the pieces and welded them back together so there are historic examples running around today)

Good luck with your procedure David.

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Tracy White » Mon Oct 09, 2023 12:22 am

Well, hopefully your retirement won't / didn;t involve getting sawed in half!

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Tracy White » Sat Oct 07, 2023 2:07 am

Damned mangey MUTTs... :heh:

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Michael Potter » Fri Oct 06, 2023 6:31 pm

These photos show parts of boat dollies aboard LPH's, which overlapped with the postwar Essex class.

1. < Boat dollies in background aboard USS Guadalcanal (LPH 7) >

2. Boat dollies in background aboard USS Iwo Jima (LPH 2).

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1/350 Ships Boats Trailers/dolleys&3"/50 cal ready ammo lock

by Braniff92@gmail.com » Sun Jun 11, 2023 2:58 pm

I've spent hours on-line searching trying to find the trailers/dolleys Essex Class ships boats were set on. NO JOY!!!!!! also, can't find any 3"/50 Cal ready ammo lockers. Anyone know of any that I haven't been able to find?????? Also, I know I've seen a photo somewhere of the Hornet's personnel boats stored in Hangar Bay 3 but now I can't find the damned picture. Anyone know where I could find them? Thanks.

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Braniff92@gmail.com » Sat May 27, 2023 9:58 am

WOW! Thanks so much to you guys. The help from you all is so appreciated. This is the most technical and exhaustive conversion I've ever done (I thought my conversion of a BWN 1/350 Gearing Class to DD 731 (USS Maddox) in her 58 fit was intense) but this project easily out-does that. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Re: Calling all Cold War Essex-class Fans!

by Admhawk » Fri May 26, 2023 8:12 pm

These are the best pics I could find of the guns. HTH's.

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