Calling all USS Enterprise CV-6 fans

[Michael Vorrasi]

After reviewing the photos, maybe we shouldn't discout ALL of the previous info on the MK-4's. Both versions may have been half right. Check the photo at the top of page 25 of the Ewing book. (Its caption is at the bottom of page 41 - the photos were swapped, but not the captions.) It is clearly Enterprise with Eastern Solomons damage. There does not appear to be a MK-4 on the after director. Also, no MK-4 is visible on the after director in the shot on page 38. (Bad angle but still no radar visible.) So, did Enterprise receive the forward MK-4 shortly after Midway, but then wait until after Eastern Solomons to mount the after one?

Dick, I checked the Ewing book. The one on page 41 is a puzzle indeed. Something is odd about CV-6's Mk-4 installations. The forward unit is mounted sticking out in front of the director. Photos from Santa Cruz show the aft Mk-4 was mounted above the director. Perhaps clearances were an issue for the aft unit and a workable solution had not been developed for the aft unit until post Eastern Solomons. The photo on page 38 shows nothing mounted over what is visible of the aft director, so you might be right. Only a 50% installation in Aug 42.

[Timmy C]

The fifth shot down (the IMG tags don't work due to the way they formatted the URL):
http://www.cv6.org/noumea/ouemo.asp?uri ... rr-img-270

[Michael Vorrasi]

After reviewing the photos, maybe we shouldn't discout ALL of the previous info on the MK-4's. Both versions may have been half right. Check the photo at the top of page 25 of the Ewing book. (Its caption is at the bottom of page 41 - the photos were swapped, but not the captions.) It is clearly Enterprise with Eastern Solomons damage. There does not appear to be a MK-4 on the after director. Also, no MK-4 is visible on the after director in the shot on page 38. (Bad angle but still no radar visible.) So, did Enterprise receive the forward MK-4 shortly after Midway, but then wait until after Eastern Solomons to mount the after one?

Dick, I checked the Ewing book. The one on page 41 is a puzzle indeed. Something is odd about CV-6's Mk-4 installations. The forward unit is mounted sticking out in front of the director. Photos from Santa Cruz show the aft Mk-4 was mounted above the director. Perhaps clearances were an issue for the aft unit and a workable solution had not been developed for the aft unit until post Eastern Solomons. The photo on page 38 shows nothing mounted over what is visible of the aft director, so you might be right. Only a 50% installation in Aug 42.

Dick, I read CV-6's Eastern Solomons battle damage report and located a nice photo in it showing flight deck damage and the aft end of the island. There was no Mk4 on the aft director. Good call.

See page 135 photo:http://wwiiarchives.net/servlet/document/index/1420/0

[cool8]

Hi all! Thank you for such interesting topic!
I'm looking for detail plans of CV-6 for some time and contacted all sites (http://www.marylandsilver.com/, http://www.floatingdrydock.com), but there are no answers still.
I'm really need the plans now, so maybe anybody knows the other places to get it digitally? I can pay by PayPal.

[MartinJQuinn]

Saw a photo this weekend of Enterprise from the National Archives. The photo was dated from early 1943, before her refit. In the photo, it appears the front director has no radar and the aft director does.

[Michael Vorrasi]

Saw a photo this weekend of Enterprise from the National Archives. The photo was dated from early 1943, before her refit. In the photo, it appears the front director has no radar and the aft director does.

Martin, it may be the angle of view. The front director had the radar mount on a bracket out in front of it, while the aft one had it mounted above the director. If the front director is facing the right way, the radar will not be visible.

[JTninja]

Hi all! Thank you for such interesting topic!
I'm looking for detail plans of CV-6 for some time and contacted all sites (http://www.marylandsilver.com/, http://www.floatingdrydock.com), but there are no answers still.
I'm really need the plans now, so maybe anybody knows the other places to get it digitally? I can pay by PayPal.

What is it exactly that you're looking for?

Here are the pre-war plans for her sister ship, CV-5 Yorktown. The ships are very similar, with the exception of the lower flag bridge and the secondary flight control room (which the Enterprise had but not the yorktown).

http://www.hnsa.org/doc/plans/index.htm

[cool8]

Hi all! Thank you for such interesting topic!
I'm looking for detail plans of CV-6 for some time and contacted all sites (http://www.marylandsilver.com/, http://www.floatingdrydock.com), but there are no answers still.
I'm really need the plans now, so maybe anybody knows the other places to get it digitally? I can pay by PayPal.

What is it exactly that you're looking for?

Here are the pre-war plans for her sister ship, CV-5 Yorktown. The ships are very similar, with the exception of the lower flag bridge and the secondary flight control room (which the Enterprise had but not the yorktown).

http://www.hnsa.org/doc/plans/index.htm

Thank you! Great link!
Maybe you also know where I can find materials in pictures about "the exception of the lower flag bridge and the secondary flight control room" ?
You always can say"google it!" ) Sorry for stupid questions.

[JTninja]

Thank you! Great link!
Maybe you also know where I can find materials in pictures about "the exception of the lower flag bridge and the secondary flight control room" ?
You always can say"google it!" ) Sorry for stupid questions.

Dont worry, its not a stupid question. Theres some photos available online, but they can be confusing sometimes. The Flight Control rooms are on the island, overlooking the flight deck and the planes. Since there are a lot of pictures that dont go into great detail, Ive quickly made this diagram to give you an idea of where they are on the ships and how they look...


FlightControlRooms by JTninja, on Flickr


The flag bridges on the Yorktown and Enterprise were similar until the Enterprise was revamped in April/May of '43. They were pretty "rectangular" in shape, heres the Enterprise in 1942 (same as Yorktowns)

http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/020694.jpg

The Hornet, which was built a few year later than the Yorktown and Enterprise, had a much different flag bridge than the others (as well as a different flight control room, see above). Here

http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/020831d.jpg

When the Enterprise was changed in '43, her bridge and flight control room were changed to something similar of the Hornet. Notice the difference between this picture and the Enterprise in '42

http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/020667.jpg

Hope this helps!

Edit, please read post below for correct info

[Dick J]

The flag bridges on the Yorktown and Enterprise were the same until the Enterprise was revamped in April/May of '43. They were pretty "rectangular" in shape, heres the Enterprise in 1942 (same as Yorktowns)

Not quite. By 1940, Yorktown had most of the open flag bridge removed in favor of the open bridge wrapped around the armored conning station. http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/020503.jpg

[Michael Vorrasi]

I would also add that this depiction posted by JTninja of the Hornet pri-fly is incorrect. That is what Trumpeter, and Tamiya, who they copied, thinks it looked like. It is a far cry from the real one, either as built, where it was fairly close to the original CV-5/6 one, or as modified post-commissioning, where the aft section was angled to see aft and the forward face was 90 degrees to the ship's center-line axis, not slightly angled as shown here. Its location was also farther aft than the fairly similar CV-6 modified version. Go to the Hornet thread for good examples of the correct CV-8 pri-fly in Mike Sill's island build.

Michael

[Guest]

Hello, I am new to ship modeling, I want to build a CV-6 Enterprise out of a Revell 1/485 CV-5 Yorktown. I am familiar with photo-etch and the aftermarket kits but not for this type, I am used to sci-fi subjects. Is the 1/480 kit mentioned the revell 1/485 kit, are they the same or what? Sorry if this has been brought up before, I read up to page 6 and didn't see anything other than 1/350 Hornet conversions. Any help would be appreciated.

[unBrando]

I am the guest who posted this above. thank you.

[Michael Vorrasi]

Hello, I am new to ship modeling, I want to build a CV-6 Enterprise out of a Revell 1/485 CV-5 Yorktown. I am familiar with photo-etch and the aftermarket kits but not for this type, I am used to sci-fi subjects. Is the 1/480 kit mentioned the revell 1/485 kit, are they the same or what? Sorry if this has been brought up before, I read up to page 6 and didn't see anything other than 1/350 Hornet conversions. Any help would be appreciated.

The Revell kit has been commonly referred to as 1/480, the latest release (it is the same kit) calls it 1/485. Based on my measurements of the kit's hull it is actually 1/487 scale. Gold Medal Models has brass for this kit and with lots of elbow grease, it has potential for greatness. Take a look at this Yorktown build: http://www.smmlonline.com/articles/york ... ktown.html

[unBrando]

awesome build! I found the GMM's Photo-etch set, are there any decals out there for CV-6? I could print off some of my own if I knew the font and size.

[Jerry Phillips]

Now that is some modeling! We have all built that Revell kit at some time in our lives, but just not that good!! Talent will overcome any old model, anytime, anywhere. Hey Mike...any chance you could post those Lexington shots (Oct 1941) sometime at your convenience? Would love to view!

TIA
Jerry Phillips

[starfighterace]

awesome build! I found the GMM's Photo-etch set, are there any decals out there for CV-6? I could print off some of my own if I knew the font and size.

http://www.starfighter-decals.com/4806- ... roup-.html

[unBrando]

Awesome, I have these decals on the way! Thanks alot, I may begin soon, I have a 1/350 BB-12 I want to build first.

[Michael Vorrasi]

Now that is some modeling! We have all built that Revell kit at some time in our lives, but just not that good!! Talent will overcome any old model, anytime, anywhere. Hey Mike...any chance you could post those Lexington shots (Oct 1941) sometime at your convenience? Would love to view!

TIA
Jerry Phillips

Jerry, thanks for reminding me. I had to convert them from bitmap into JPEG format to upload, so I will start posting them shortly.

[Michael Vorrasi]

Some Enterprise shots.
Pre-War, early 1941:

Early 1942 SBD take off:




SBD traps:



At sea, early 1942, probably during the Tokyo Raid:

F4F-3 comes aboard:



SBD goes into the catwalk (20mm dates the shot as after March 1942 and prior to mid-May when the tail stripes and red centers came off).

The human deck tractors arrive:

F4F-3 in the groove:

nice trap: