Calling all Liberty Ship / Victory Ship fans

[drasticplastic]

When underway did Liberty ships (or any cargo ship) stow their crane booms in horizontal, or vertical positions? I've viewed several other modellers ships and most tend to build the booms as the kit intends - in a roughly 60 degree raised position. I've even noted that renown modeller Won-hui Lee has built a 1/700 John Brown underway with booms raised (as Trumpeter intended)!

[Rick_H]

I've been told by a merchant mariner that when not in use booms are stowed on their support cradles, to prevent taking any unneeded strain on the rigging.

[drasticplastic]

I've been told by a merchant mariner that when not in use booms are stowed on their support cradles, to prevent taking any unneeded strain on the rigging.

You mean horizontal? That's what I thought.

[reigels]

Typically secured horizontal in their boom cradles when the decks are clear, and secured vertically to the mast heads when there is deck cargo, but almost always secured one way or another while at sea. Unsecured booms and tackle are a hazard on a rolling ship and should be made ready for sea if the ship is outside the breakwater.

That said, it does sometimes happen:

[drasticplastic]

That's a LOT of rigging!

When the booms are secured in the up position, are the cables from the boom ends secured to the same brackets that the booms would be secured to when in the down position?

[Intreno]

Last week started the very final stage... the setup of the diorama. That kind of activity that can give the final touch but that can also spoil and ruin everything. Below the present status, after the first three layers of 2components resin. At least another 2 are needed in order to get a final 8 mm of sea surface. Then ripples will be added. One layer per day. Still many chances to spoil it all, but the final picture is appearing. The starting sketch, handwritten, dates 2013 and when i wrote on it �torpedo arriving, very challenging� i yet had no idea of how to do that.

[Intreno]

I agree with Reigels. As much as possible all booms had to be secured during navigation. If the payload allowed it, the lowered position was chosen. Else the raised position. There are some pictures of exception but i think they could be related also to training on the job, done while navigating in domestic waters. I find unlikely that during convoy activities in high seas someone could hazard to take risks like that, expecially since the time between an air or submarine alarm and the attack was short and for sure time could not be lost in securing booms. Where the booms secured at the same fixing points? Really i do not know.

Below, i started doing the ripples.

[Intreno]

Things proceed quite slowly. Ripples are in place, but need improvements (white tops here and there). The rear area is getting ready and the right torpedo net area too. In b/w the overall impression starts to be nice, isn�t it?

[Intreno]

As a matter of fact, after some trial, i proved that the white ripples along the side can be done preparing some medium gel plus cotton plus transparent gel and then putting it in place and modulating it with two toothpics. Since they should be very small and light there should be no need to add white colour, while i added for the massive front waves (being the ship under attack, it was trying to move full speed). In the picture below both the sides and the front waves have steel to dry. Tomorrow we�ll see how they appear

[Intreno]

After adding the wires that hold the safety nets� booms, i added the ripples and today i added the wire that i think was laid for safety reasons.

[Intreno]

I think it is time to close the Martin Van Buren Project. With the last wires hanging from the mast tops to the booms hanging the nets i think the project is over. It has been a long and interesting job that led me to discover a whole world. Hundreds of hours spent searching the net, many hundreds in building the kit, setting up the diorama and making the case (base, sides and roof, in transparent plastic), exchanging experiences with some of you. Thanks to everyone. I now must take some more pictures and send for the gallery. And maybe write down some lines about what I did and what i learnt. The kit was not difficult, but i think i added a lot (scratchbuilt) to the original kit of Trumpeteer. And I am quite satisfied of the final result. It is also the first model of a Liberty ship with torpedo net deployed made or at least published. The dramatic of the torpedoes incoming was another challenge on its own. Won-hui Lee is a master in torpedoing and his tips were of hispiration. And now i can finally clean the desk and look at my finished diorama. Long life to Liberties !

[ARKOPPEJAN]

I am making a model of a Libertyship with nr 2 hatch in open condition.
My question is: the hatchcovers of the tween- and topdeck were they made of steel or wood?

[Intreno]

If I well understand the question, I would say that there were some steel crossmembers (should be 6) and then wood tables were placed above them. Canvas was placed at the end. At least according to the pictures I found in my archive, shown below.

[Intreno]

After quite a while, I was finally able to create and publish a tutorial about my Martin Van Buren.
I hope it can be useful. Again thanks to Scott Reigel for his support.

https://youtu.be/-S8mYdt2nGA

[reigels]

I just realized a kind of interesting bit of wartime production data that helps illustrate an apples and oranges comparison in allied vs German manufacturing capacity.

Although sources vary on the exact number, Germany produced only about 1350 Tiger I tanks during the entire production run. Interesting to compare this to the 2710 Liberty Ships completed during the war and you'll get 2 Liberties cranked out for each Tiger I produced!

One source online actually calls out 1355 Tiger I's which would be exactly 50% of the Liberty output, if accurate.

Interesting musings on Friday afternoon.

[reigels]

I'm looking at some photos of Liberty Ships converted to US Navy use, and seeing what looks like either additional lookout stations or gun directors installed. The armament still consists of mostly 20MM's (a few more than the Merchant Marine Liberties) and the regular 3" and 5" mounts.

20mm's didn't have a centralized fire control did they? Not quite sure what equipment these positions support but hoping to depict them correctly for a USS Stag I'm planning.





Any input is appreciated.

[reigels]

I'm looking at some photos of Liberty Ships converted to US Navy use, and seeing what looks like either additional lookout stations or gun directors installed...

I think the mount on the side of the deck house is Sky Lookout Support, similar to this:

http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Ships/ ... htm#photos

Thanks Tracy!

I was thinking Mk 51 for the covered instruments on the centerline (thanks David), but not clear to me that any of the weapons carried be linked to the Mk51.

[Intreno]

Hi, Scot!
Are you planning a 1/350 of the one shown in the pictures? It seems quite an heavy job to modify it from a John Brown Trupeteer kit ! Good luck!

[Mike E.]

Anyone know where I can find a hull shell expansion plan showing the hull plating pattern on a standard Liberty ship hull? I know that the general outlines of the hull plating can be discerned in photos, but a diagram would be very helpful. Any help would be appreciated.

THANKS!

Mike E.

[reigels]

Hi Mike -

Something like thses: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/118795036?objectPage=17

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1187913 ... ctPage=160

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1187913 ... ctPage=325


As David pointed out, thousands of pages of Liberty Ship plans have been digitized by the National Archives.

https://catalog.archives.gov/search?ava ... Number=357

Keep in mind that there were some differences in shell plating and construction between the various yards, with Bethlehem Fairfield hulls being the easiest to identify with their unique overlapping riveted horizontal strakes.