Calling all Virginia-class (CGN-38) fans

[AndrexP]

...By the way, those pipes on the back of the top of the foremast, are those for the diesel generator(s)?

They are the exhaust pipes for the Reactor Compartment Ventilation System - one each for RC #1 and RC #2. California class had 'em too (I qualified EOOW on South Carolina) in a similarly prominent manner. I believe it's a D2G-plant feature, but I don't know where they were on 25 and 35. Incidentally, A4W carriers have them too, as a large rectangular duct and exhaust under the flight deck, starboard side, just aft of ACE #1 and under the island (I believe).

[sctbrd]

The thing on the platform under SPQ-9 is the ship's whistle. That's what the pipes are for (steam powered).

Under the AN/SPS-49 is a gunfire control camera for 5 inch mount ops. SPG-60 also has a GFC camera.

Can anyone tell me what the highlighted areas are in this shot of the port side of CGN-40 from 1989?

I believe the platform on the foremast is for the ship's whistle and/or siren but I don't know what the other little bumps are.

I know that the middle area is one of her SLQ-32(v)3 units but what are the two little rectangles on posts to either side of it? Only thing I can think of is Sidekick but (v)3 is already installed so....

The platform on the mainmast looks like some sort of remote E/O sight.

So, how close am I? By the way, those pipes on the back of the top of the foremast, are those for the diesel generator(s)?

[CSGN138]

...By the way, those pipes on the back of the top of the foremast, are those for the diesel generator(s)?

They are the exhaust pipes for the Reactor Compartment Ventilation System - one each for RC #1 and RC #2. California class had 'em too (I qualified EOOW on South Carolina) in a similarly prominent manner. I believe it's a D2G-plant feature, but I don't know where they were on 25 and 35. Incidentally, A4W carriers have them too, as a large rectangular duct and exhaust under the flight deck, starboard side, just aft of ACE #1 and under the island (I believe).

Those are actually exhaust stacks for the emegency boilers. They lit them off one time while I was on board and they covered eveything aft of them with black soot.

The exhaust for the EDG's came out of giant holes in the hull. Forward EDG came out on the port side just aft of the anchor and aft on the starbord side just forward of the ABL's

[AndrexP]

Those are actually exhaust stacks for the emegency boilers. They lit them off one time while I was on board and they covered eveything aft of them with black soot.

The exhaust for the EDG's came out of giant holes in the hull. Forward EDG came out on the port side just aft of the anchor and aft on the starbord side just forward of the ABL's

Actually, no. There was only one aux boiler, in AMR #2 port, and its stack was on the forward end of the break, on the aft bulkhead of the forward superstructure.

I agree with you about the EDG exhausts.

Those pipes at the top of the masts are indeed the RC ventilation exhausts.

[Cliffy B]

Wow, thanks a ton guys Feel kinda dumb now for not linking those vents to the reactors

Had no clue about the EDG exhausts, are they visible at all? From your description they should be but I can't recall ever seeing anything like them.

Edit: I see them now! Thanks for pointing them out. Now I have to break out my smallest drill bit and add them to my 1/700 CGN-38 Find it neat that there were 2 EDGs.

Andrew, where exactly are you talking about for the aux boiler stack?
Can you see it in any of these?
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1140/04014007.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1140/04014016.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1139/04013928.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1138/04013821.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1138/04013822.jpg

[CSGN138]

Actually, no. There was only one aux boiler, in AMR #2 port, and its stack was on the forward end of the break, on the aft bulkhead of the forward superstructure.

I agree with you about the EDG exhausts.

Those pipes at the top of the masts are indeed the RC ventilation exhausts.

I'm going to conceed this about the stack exhaust as I would probably be stupid trying to argue with an EOOW. I remember my LPO telling me they where for the AUX boiler the first time I was doing maintenance on the 48 antenna. He must have been wrong, or I remember the whole thing wrong, But im certain of them bellowing black soot out of them?

Anyway Cliffy the EDG's were really cool. Only 8 cylinders but 16 pistons aand about two decks tall

[CSGN138]

ok, I guess I'm not conceding the boiler exhaust stack after all. I know it really has no bearing on you modle...but I had to bring this up with my buddy that served with me on the ship. This guy new the Virginia up and down and inside and out. he explored ever inch of the ship, even the reactor compartments (when they would allow us non-nuke types in haha). The following is the email he sent back to me, and I hope it will clear the issue up

And yes you are correct. The stack just below the 48 platform were for the aux boiler located in reactor 1 compartment. They were used once that I remember while we were aboard. Just like most boilers, when they are lit off they smoke like crazy until they get hot enough to burn efficiently. Along those lines there were also a set of separate steam safety exhaust vents that were very similar in size for the fwd and aft reactors. Basically they were used to vent non-radioactive (secondary steam loop) steam to the outside in case of over pressurization in the secondary loop.

There are two stories I remember about those. The first I'm standing POOW on the q-deck and we were bringing the plants up to critical on a Sunday before getting underway on a Monday. The safety valve was being "checked" by building up just enough pressure to lift the valve and blow off the excess pressure. Because of the rust and various other debris was in the pipe, which was about 18" in diameter and angled away from the ship, when the safety valve opened it sent a bunch of stuff flying across the pier and hit the fwd deckhouse of the USS Yorktown (CG-48). After about 15 minutes from that happening the Yorktown's OOD sent their messenger over to ask about what just happened and our OOD told him with a straight face that it was a very small release of radioactive material and that he shouldn't be alarmed. What made it even better is the phone rang at that point and the OOD started talking about getting a radioactive cleanup crew to the pier to pick up the stuff. The look o!
n that guys face was priceless. I thought he was going to pass out right there.

The second wasn't so funny... We had an ET2 in our division... I can't remember his name off the top of my head, but we were doing the tiger cruise from Yorktown back to Norfolk after unloading our ammo. There were a bunch of families on board and it was about the time for "steel beach" lunch being served. Anyway, the guy and his family went up to the 02 level near where that steam pipe was and were all sitting on the deck eating when the vent opened up. When it opened, a bunch of stuff came flying out and then the pressure tapered off to the point where the steam was condensing back to water but it was still about 200 degrees or so. The ET2 was the only one that was burned from that but it was really sad that is happened in front of his family like that.

Attached is a picture (@ commissioning 1976) of the fwd pressure relief stack. Just aft of the ladder that goes up to the bridge and below the life raft racks. The aft one was on the same side (port) just inboard in the aft boat that was on that side of the ship. I can't find a good picture of it but if you know what you are looking for you can probably look for a good picture of it.

Later,
Bill


This is the photo he attatched http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1138/04013821.jpg
hes talking of the pipe thats in the picture, the second one is aft of these near the captians gig. I have a picture with the other pipe on my facebook virginia folder.

Ok, thats all I have on this issue. cant wait to see your model. I really wish there were a 1/350 kit out there somewhere.

Joe

[Cliffy B]

Awesome!!!! Thanks Joe! Thank your buddy for his service and the stories as well please

[sctbrd]

The aux boiler stack sticks up right behind the captain's gig in the middle on the port side. They had to clean the boat every time it was lit off since it would blow stuff all over it.
Easy to see on wikipedia page for the Miss.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... radars.jpg

[Navy2000]

A 1/96 scale of this class will be available by Xmas or early 2015 from Scale Shipyard.

Duane

[Scale Shipyard / W.L.U.]

Has anyone here seen a photo of one of these ships in drydock, that was taken from the floor of the drydock?

[AndrexP]

Has anyone here seen a photo of one of these ships in drydock, that was taken from the floor of the drydock?

Such photos may be difficult to find because they would be likely be classified. Naval Reactors is very restrictive with design information, and in their assessment, hull suctions and discharges are part of that design. Big no-no to take pictures of a nuke ship in drydock, absent formal permission.

[Guest]

Closest Ive seen:

https://auldarrow.files.wordpress.com/2 ... .jpg?w=700

CGN-36- So Car:

http://static.rcgroups.net/forums/attac ... cgn36c.jpg

http://static.rcgroups.net/forums/attac ... gn36dd.jpg

[HvyCgn9]

I actually used the last pic of California's props n rudders to get accurate running gear made up by George Sitek, he did a great bit of work too!!

Bruce

[sctbrd]

Some closeup video of the USS Mississippi. Some details of the side if anyone has interest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unJgPcBj_pQ

[Navy2000]

A 1/96 scale fiberglass hull is now available from Scale Shipyard. If interested contact Lee at: http://scaleshipyard.com/Main%20Pages/main.html

Scale Shipyard will also have a fittings list of what is available for the hull as well.

Duane

[Scale Shipyard / W.L.U.]

Alleluia..... The 1:96 scale USS Virginia CGN-38 class cruiser hull is finally in production. It only took about 60 hours of additional sanding and polishing the mold to get her back into the fiberglass shop for the first production hull.

The first Production hull came out beautifully. So I was able to take the portrait set today.



The location of the Bilge Keels, stern tube & strut arm locations as well as the rudder post location in molded in the hull, These show you where to drill or cut the hull for these items. I suggest not slotting through the hull for the bilge keels.



A view of how clean a Scale Shipyard hull comes out.



This hull is laid up in 2 pieces due to the scale sonar dome that we mold into the hulls that are so equipped. The hull is then seamed together in the mold with a strip of fiberglass matt and then a strip of 2" wide fiberglass tape for extra strength. I do this process in my shop to ensure the best job possible.

The mold has already been re-polished...again and is back at the fiberglass shop for hull #2

This hull sells for $419.00 + S&H. A detailed plans set is also available for this hull at additional cost. ( $79.00 )

The mold for her old slipway mate the USS California CGN-36 is currently going through the same process to bring that mold up to my high standard, for that hull to go into production.

[SebastianP]

I'm making a 3D model of the Virginia-class, and I've run into a bit of a snag regarding the missile launchers.

The measurements for the missiles are (sort of) readily available thanks to a model rocket forum whose members have posted manufacturer's specs on the SM-1 and SM-2, but the Mk26 launcher is a different story, as none of the free documentation I've been able to find has any dimensions listed - just the weights of the various versions. There's tons and tons of pictures... but nothing that tells me the exact size. Does anyone happen to have this info? I have a basic 3D model that looks accurate shape-wise, so I really only need a single measurement (that isn't the missile...) so I can scale the whole thing to match.

Here's where I am with the model currently:



It's probably not perfectly accurate shape-wise, as I'm working with photos and Shipbucket drawings for proportions, but I'm thinking it looks sort of like a Virginia at this point... As you can see though the Mk26 launchers look a little small for the SM-2MRs that are loaded on it.

(Edit: A lot of the detail parts are from various Sketchup 3D Warehouse ships, including the current launchers, they'll be replaced by my own stuff as I find reference material but for now they're useful as placeholders. Sir Topham hatt, who posts some absolutely stunning models, deserves the credit for most of them... unless he too borrowed them from somewhere, credits aren't a thing people are too fussy about on the 3D warehouse I find).

[Timmy C]

On pages 7-33 and 7-34 of this PDF, the text includes the lengths of several components of the guide arm. They're qualified with "about" rather than exact measures, but might be good enough to work from: http://www.alternatewars.com/BBOW/Weapo ... _Ch7-8.pdf

[SebastianP]

...Who puts measurements in the *text?* I must have glossed over those several times while trying to research the launcher and didn't see them...

Thanks for that, I think I may have gotten my missile rails to be somewhat the right size now, I just need to redo the geometry good and proper.