The Ship Model Forum

I could only hope for a plastic 1/350 version!!!


Dave

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"There is no problem which cannot be solved through suitable application of naval artillery."

I built the Aurora St. Paul when I was about 13. I knew then it wasn't very good compaired with the Revell model but it was free and something to build. I still have it sitting on the shelf just to show what times use to be to what they are now and it is about 33 years old and in one piece. Keith

Hi ,

i have build a St.Paul in her last configuration for some years. The kit was the Waveline Pittsburgh kit in 1/700.

Best Regards
Chris

thanks for the replys guys. I like ship by the way Christopher, nice work. I really need to get some more foreign ships in the collection. Mostly I have been stuck doing British Airfix 1/600, French Heller 1/400, and 3 Hasegawa 1/450, which with some work can look quite nice, but lack the nice detail of say, Heller 1/400, and even some of the 1/600 ships. I was hoping that the Aurora kit would get a good review, but I may just have to scratch that one off. I dont think I can do 1/700 ships now... hands are too useless for such tiny ships. thanks again

I'd love one too. My grandfather was CO of Saint Paul in '57-'58. I've always wanted to build a large-scale of her.

I have done both kits, many years ago (30+) so what I remember is the detail is soft on the Aurora kit, similar ot their kit of the Iowa class. No 20mm, the 3 inch twins were lifeless and the masts and antennas were one piece. I also think it was aflat bottom boat for carpet sea battles. Biggest problem with the Revell kit is the molded in handrails and 20mm guns. Pretty tough to deal with.

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Mike Pajewski

I built the Aurora St. Paul a couple of times, it was my first ship model and one of my favorites as a kid. It represented the ship as built. It was a full hull kit, but it had a flat bottom, no props or shafts, and twin rudders. The 20mm guns were molded into their tubs. The 40mm guns lacked detail and the triple 8-inch guns did not fit properly into the turrets. These were molded as one piece and if you put them into the turret that way, it would force the guns to splay outward, pointing in different directions. The Seahawk aircraft never looked right to me, even as an 11 year old. Despite all that, I still loved that kit. It went together fairly easily, wasn't difficult to paint, and when finished, it looked like the ship, or so I thought. FWIW

She's better box artwork than the model inside...I won't repeat the previous posts other than to say it's not even a model one can bring to life very easily by applying corrections, etc.

It's a popular eBay item, mainly for the nostalgic boomer generations (like me). Best when loaded with pennies for ballast, taken out to water and used as a BB sponge.

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Danny DON'T "waterline"...!

Quincy, from a photo won recently at auction

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Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery

Did the Baltimore Class have the same main guns (8 in/55) as the later units of the New Orleans Class (USS Tuscaloosa, USS San Francisco, USS Quincy, USS Vincennes) ?

Adaks, i think you mean the earlier units as baltimore class came out after the new orleans class. they used the same guns according to this link.
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_8-55_mk12-15.htm

No, he asked the question correctly. The New Orleans class had two gun/turret designs. The "earlier" design, for the New Orleans, Astoria, and Minneapolis, carried the same "Mark" or model gun carried by the Pensacola, Northampton, and Portland classes, and on the New Orleans class was mounted in the "curved-faced" turrets. The "later" design was lighter and slimmer and carried by the Tuscaloosa, San Francisco, Quincy and Vincennes in the "flat-faced" turrets. His question is "Was the Mark of the 8" 55 carried by the "later" group of the New Orleans class the same Mark that was carried by the Baltimore's?"

Ok., mayby my question was not too precise. Thanks for answer.
Meanwhile I have found the following information about 8"/55 (20.3 cm) guns of US Cruisers:

CA-37 – 39 and CA-44 carried Mark 12 Mod. 0
CA-45 Wichita - Mark 12 Mod. 1
CA-68 Baltimore - Mark 12 Mod. 1
rest of the Baltimore Class – Mark 15 Mod. 0

Mk 15 was generally very similar to Mk 12.

Hello All..

If anyone needs info on the Cruisers of the U.S. Navy try going to Naval Institute press and look to see if book called U.S. cruisers, Illustrated History, Norman Friedman, isbn 0-87021-718-6 is still available. It cover the entire class of us navy cruisers.

Regards

How accurate is the Trumpeter`s kit of the Baltimore in the `43 fit?
also,does anybody have any plans for that fit?

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Matija

Also check out "Cruisers of the Navy 1922-1962" by Stefan Terzibaschitsch. It covers EVERY cruiser from the Omaha Class to the Des Moines Class, up to the Long Beach and all of the missile conversions and one offs in between. As well as multiple photos of EACH ship throughout their service lives as well as complete listings of weapons, specifications, camo schemes, etc... Here's one on Abe books. I got a copy and its awesome!!!

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=900324739&searchurl=an%3Dstefan%26sts%3Dt%26tn%3Dus%2Bcruisers%26x%3D0%26y%3D0

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Drawing Board:
1/700 Whiff USS Leyte and escorts 1984
1/700 Whiff USN Modernized CAs 1984
1/700 Whiff ASW Showdown - FFs vs SSGN 1984

Slipway:
1/700 Whiff USN ASW Hunter Killer Group Dio 1984

no takers?

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Matija

At first glance, the '43 fit seems OK. But I haven't had the time to start mine, so I can't say whether the opinion will hold up. Baltimore only carried that fit for a very short time after commissioning, and was upgraded before entering combat.

See US Cruisers by Friedman. I believe that I still have the original 1" = 16' drawing. It may help you a little.
If you are a serious modeller, you should contact The Floating Drydock.

well,the plans were meant to check the fit,and also help with the WEM PE set,since the only book I have is the US Heavy Cruisers part 2. In it,there is a nice side and overhead plan showing a lot more quad bofors than on the Trumpeter kit,so I assume that is the `44 fit?

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Matija