Calling all Wickes-class & Clemson-class "Four-Piper" fans

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G-Opt
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Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:24 pm

Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by G-Opt »

Either way, Sydney or Brisbane, it would be well after the Java Campaign & after the dissolution of the old Asiatic Fleet.
Does not appear to be NEI waters, in any case.
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Brett Morrow
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by Brett Morrow »

Agree with you G-Opt. There are 2 renditions which exist of your image, the one you have posted Incorrectly captions the ship as Peary, the second labels the ship as Whipple. Four pipers are not my forte, but given her movements and layout, I would guess the ship to be Whipple. I suggest the location is the Brisbane River, likely taken at Hamilton wharves, and the date approx. early May 1942. At a guess, given the freeboard and accommodation ladder, the cruiser from which the image was taken may have been HMAS Australia.
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maccrage
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by maccrage »

An expedition dove on Stewart, DD-224. She's in good shape. You can recognize her in the sonar scan.

https://fox40.com/news/california-conne ... ornia/amp/
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KevinD
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by KevinD »

"We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it." Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
"A review of the situation at about 1100 was not encouraging." Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942
WeekendWarrior
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Re: Calling all USS Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by WeekendWarrior »

raven316 wrote:Hi I ran across a large scale (I think) model of a Four Stacker in an antique store . It's 2 1/2 feet long and is in good shape. There is no information on her aside from an incorrect listing of it as a WWI Light Cruiser PT Boat. This is obviously not the best picture but it's the best I could get. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/324/1906 ... 5c5c_k.jpg

Anyway I bought it for $300 and wondered what ya'll thought?
Sorry to resurrect a long lost post but is your model similar to these from my own collection?
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KevinD
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by KevinD »

quote="WeekendWarrior"]
raven316 wrote:............. incorrect listing of it as a WWI Light Cruiser PT Boat.
Very nice set of models you have there WW!

Re the advertising listing above for other model, now there's a contradiction in terms. Guess they were thinking an awfully big PT boat then. :smallsmile:
"We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it." Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
"A review of the situation at about 1100 was not encouraging." Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942
InchHigh
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by InchHigh »

Those are beautiful! I'd love to do one in 1/72 scale.
WeekendWarrior
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by WeekendWarrior »

Does anyone have reference photos showing the galley roof of a pre-war Asiatic Fleet DD?

I'm building the old 1/96 Bluejacket kit using the Floating Drydock plans and I have identified several possible inaccuracies. It appears two ready ammunition lockers were angled in front of the No.2 funnel. I also believe the 4 inch ammunition racks were angled to fit around the rear of the funnel. The Floating Drydock plans also show a 4 inch practice loader on the galley deckhouse. I am curious if anyone has good reference photos of this device.
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G-Opt
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by G-Opt »

This is the only authentic view I could find offhand, and may not be very helpful, but it does show that some 4" ammo containers seem to be angled (upper R)...
Of more interest to me was the American flag spread atop the aft awnings.
Taken somewhere along China ca. 1939-40, on either EDSALL or POPE.

HTH
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FFG-7
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by FFG-7 »

that flag was there to let the Japanese aircraft know that the ship was American not Chinese.
WeekendWarrior
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by WeekendWarrior »

Great photo, thank you!!!! I realized belatedly the galley on the Bluejacket kit is slightly too short... hence I went with a "close enough" configuration on the ready service racks.

She's about 90% complete in the photos. I need to add flags, replace the whaleboats with more accurate 3D prints and add in a few details. Feedback is very welcome as I am a novice.

The model depicts DD-227 circa 1937-39, before her foremast was cut down.
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G-Opt
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by G-Opt »

That looks very fine to me--altho' I am not a model builder--and my only hands-on experience was with the old Bluewater USS HOUSTON (CA-30) kit...helping a friend who built two of them for CA-30 survivors some 30 yrs ago, both models now in the Navy Memorial in DC.

I am attaching a pic I have of DD-227 from roughly the period in question (1939-40)...and see nothing much to alter except that area on the open bridge above the pilot house. It appears they elevated that aft section slightly. Whether that was metal windscreen or canvas, I can't say. Knowing how 'frugal' the old Asiatic Fleet had to be, I could well imagine it was canvas [?]

HTH
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WeekendWarrior
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by WeekendWarrior »

I do have an answer on that... looks to be canvas shielding. I'm considering adding that... but splicing PE is a nightmare.
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Killerbeans
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by Killerbeans »

I too, have a Revell 1/240 4 piper in the stash. So far, I have the GMM pe for it, and have found some 3dp parts, which the base kit sorely needs. When I get to it, I'll likely build a mid-1918 fit, to have a WWI DD on display. My cursory look thru yeilded a lot of info. Any consensus on a good book that covers 4 pipers?
WeekendWarrior
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Re: Calling all Wickes and Clemson class Four Piper fans

Post by WeekendWarrior »

In reviewing photos of the Asiatic Fleet DDs, it looks like they had weather shielding around their forward galley deckhouse .50 cals during early WWII.

However, in reviewing the later photos of the ships at Mare Island (the only closeups of these areas) the shields appear to extend the deck forward, wrap all the way around, necessitate the removal of the forward companionway and be much more substantial.

I was wondering if anyone had more insight into the configuration during Java? The DD-219 wreck photos don't know the forward extension of the deckhouse at all.
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