Calling all "41 for Freedom" SSBN fans

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Peter O
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Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2005 5:46 am
Location: Southport NC

Re: Calling all "41 for Freedom" SSBN fans

Post by Peter O »

Yes, that overhead shot is a gold mine indeed. Other than that one, and a few taken by submariners from inside the dock, all the other photos I've found have been taken from the water.

In the overhead photo, Theodore Roosevelt is centered in the dock, so it must be a relatively early photo. At some point after the Ethan Allens and later classes came online, the dock was refitted with two rows of keel blocks to handle all the different classes, without needing to rearrange the blocks in between subs. Just based on length, I surmise that one set was for the GW class, and the other set handled all the later classes. The differences between the later ones could probably have been handled by stacking different amounts of wooden blocks on top of the steel supports.

The Takom kit includes two cranes, whose bases straddle the width of the wall. It may be that the original cranes were simply relocated to the outer edge of the wider top deck. Or if they are larger cranes, that may be a detail I'm willing to overlook :whistle:
Vepr157
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Re: Calling all "41 for Freedom" SSBN fans

Post by Vepr157 »

Maarten, that's a pretty awesome photo! Where did you come across that?

Jacob
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Maarten Sch�nfeld
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Location: Herk-de-Stad, Belgium

Re: Calling all "41 for Freedom" SSBN fans

Post by Maarten Sch�nfeld »

Vepr157 wrote:Maarten, that's a pretty awesome photo! Where did you come across that?

Jacob
It was in the first reference I mentioned, Jacob! :thumbs_up_1:
https://www.aboutsubs.com/los-alamos.htm

To Peter O.: Are you planning to model also a sub in the dock, and which one then? I'm curious!
The Takom kit includes two cranes, whose bases straddle the width of the wall. It may be that the original cranes were simply relocated to the outer edge of the wider top deck. Or if they are larger cranes, that may be a detail I'm willing to overlook :whistle:
Of course you do as you choose, but to my eye the cranes of Los Alamos are very different from those in the Takom kit! It already starts with their bases...
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell"
Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
Peter O
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2005 5:46 am
Location: Southport NC

Re: Calling all "41 for Freedom" SSBN fans

Post by Peter O »

Yes, I'm planning to display a sub in the dock. I'll probably go with a GW class, since the Abraham Lincoln was built at Portsmouth NSY, near where I used to live.
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Maarten Sch�nfeld
Posts: 1835
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:44 pm
Location: Herk-de-Stad, Belgium

Re: Calling all "41 for Freedom" SSBN fans

Post by Maarten Sch�nfeld »

Peter O wrote:Yes, I'm planning to display a sub in the dock. I'll probably go with a GW class, since the Abraham Lincoln was built at Portsmouth NSY, near where I used to live.
Good choice of course. Mikromir in fact now provides al the subsequent classes as well, I believe, the missing Ethan Allen was added the latest.
When you choose to model it with the propeller (screw I must say, I know) in the open, be aware there are splendid replacements available today, the Mikoromir one is somewhat eeh... lacking.
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell"
Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
Peter O
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2005 5:46 am
Location: Southport NC

Re: Calling all "41 for Freedom" SSBN fans

Post by Peter O »

Yes, I've been building MikroMir subs for years, and their screws are pretty basic. The 3D printed screws from Mulsanne Mike on eBay are far superior!

My other choice would be Ethan Allen, for her (his?) Dominic Frigate Bird launch. However, I'm not sure that she was based at Holy Loch. Globalsecurity.org says "After returning to the Atlantic from Operation Dominic, Ethan Allen commenced her first deterrent patrol in late June 1962 and eventually completed 57 deterrent patrols before conversion to an SSN in September 1980.", but I've been unable to find any corroboration for this statement.
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Maarten Sch�nfeld
Posts: 1835
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:44 pm
Location: Herk-de-Stad, Belgium

Re: Calling all "41 for Freedom" SSBN fans

Post by Maarten Sch�nfeld »

Hi Peter,

I understand SSBN 610 Thomas A. Edison, an Ethan Allen boat, was the first SSBN being detached to Holy Loch until Sept. 1966. Wasn't she ever docked in Los Alamos? Or was she already returned to the US before the drydock was commisioned? Also Sam Houston (609), John Marshall (611) and Thomas Jefferson (618) had their time at Holy Loch between 1963 and 1966.
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell"
Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
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