The Ship Model Forum

Well, it certainly helps me. New kitten decided to go kaiju on my 90% complete Academy premium edition Indianapolis. Only thing salvageable is the hull and decks. So I just ordered the Model Monkey Portland conversion set and am backdating her to pre-war.

I have the Academy 1/350 kit and Infini detail set in the stash. These as designed for 1945. I am having an interest to build her in measure 32, which would mean 1944 fit. If I've done my reading correctly, I need (in descending order of obviousness):

1. Source another catapult to put on the starboard side
2. Source new radars on the gun directors (Mk. 4 I believe for the 44 fit)
3. And downsize the dual 20mm mounts to single

To my knowledge, there were no superstructure, deck, or mast changes. So the rest of of the kit could be left as is?

Any major omissions? And any advice to source numbers 1 or 2, particularly the catapult?

The October/November 1944 refit at Mare Island, when the Measure 32 camouflage was replaced with Measure 22, included replacement of the twin 40mm mounts on the fantail with quad mountings, in addition to new Mk 34 main battery fire control directors and radars, plus Mk 25 radar replacing the Mk 4 or Mk 12 sets.

In December 1944, the after main battery director and support were replaced, and positioned further aft.

In her May/June 1945 refit/repair, the single 20mm were replaced by twins, the starboard catapult removed and SC-1 Seahawk aircraft replaced the SOC Seagulls, as well as further radar and electronics upgrades.

Howdy

The Academy kit does give you the opportunity to backdate vs the Trumpeter edition but not quite out of the box.
- It does include 2 sprues with parts for 2 catapults, can't comment on if the Infini set includes parts to detail 2 catapults though.
- The MK33's were open topped versions with MK4's I believe
- The forward mast was different with the fighting top where the MBD was and the MBD was an earlier model with Mk3 radar on top
- The 20mm Single layout was similar but more of them. Academy included the bow shields for the 44' version

Those are the big ones off of the top of my head. I recommend getting the Classic Warships Pictorial(Indy is way out of print and hard to come by, the Indy/Portland edition is still nice and is easier to find) and the latest from David Doyle Legends of Warfare series on the Indy is a great resource as well.

A 3D Aftermarket outfit has a backdate kit on the books, just no timeline yet on when it will enter design queue and be produced.

Hope this helps,

Matt

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In the yards right now:
USS Utah AG-16
On Hold
1/350 USS Portland CA-33 1942
1/350 Trumpeter Texas with a twist

Thank you all! I will have to inspect the kit parts some. It seems doable at least. I've got some sorting to do to figure out a Mk. something to Mk. another. But seems doable. Seems the biggest issue may be to figure out detailing the second catapult.

ESzczesniak,

I have a set of Yankee Model Works p.e catapults that I will not be needing. They are somewhat dated as there is no relief etch but I guess that was the technology at the time. You are welcomed to have them if you are not able to come up with another option. Jon

Gents, thought some might be interested in this recently 'discovered' photo of Indy, which apparently has sat basically unseen since it was taken.

You can almost get the feel of what is was like looking through the Jap subs periscope on that fateful July night in '45.

It came to me courtesy of John Duresky, a researcher for the recently published book RELENTLESS HOPE - A True Story of War and Survival, by David L Britt with John Duresky and Vickie Graham ISBN 978-1-09838-539-2 about 1Lt Chester K Britt and the men he served with on Bataan, Corregidor and as a POW. John recently donated the pic to the Naval History and Heritage Command.

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“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

All:
I am searching for information(plans, drawings, etc) for the Indianapolis as she was in May'44(dazzle); particularly the forward superstructure. I know she received her Mk34 main directors later in Dec/Jan 44-45 which replaced the Mk27 which is the version I'm looking for. The May '44 version has two-20mm singles(1 each side) just above the ones by the quad 40mm. They later were removed with a peloris replacing it.. Also there seemes to be a gap around O-5? level navigation? I have drawings/plans for the later 1/45 version. I'm just trying to get an idea if its feasible..
Randy

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Completed: Trumpeter 1/200 USS Arizona
Current Project: Trumpeter1/200 scale HMS Hood
Future Project: TBD

Is is possible (reasonably) to use the Tamiya Indianapolis kit as a starting point for a Northampton as the Portland was done by SL at MM using the same approach? Of course the parts needed would have to be developed by MM or Kraken or a similar 3D house. There are so many variations for the class it is a loss not to have a plastic/3D option. We can have the RAN heavies using existing plastic RN kits why not the Northamptons?

Is anyone able to tell me the necessary changes I would need to make in order to convert the 1/350 Academy USS Indianapolis to the USS Portland to represent the ship in the same time period? Thanks heaps, Clyde.

There are some significant differences. The biggest is that the forecastle deck did not extend as far back on Portland, ending at about the forward end of the catapults. This will require scratch building the narrower structure beneath the forward stack. Also, the deckhouse supporting turret 2, in addition to being shorter, was slightly narrower as well. Portland retained both catapults and never got the twin 20MM upgrade that Indy received. So you will have to locate all of the single 20MM gun positions. Indy had quad 40MM on the fantail, while Portland had twins. But Portland had two more twins on the main deck just forward of turret 3, where the Indy's boats were located. Portland had her boats on either side of the forward stack, beneath the forward ends of the catapults. Portland's tripod foremast was slightly taller than Indy's, and the SK radar was on the foremast rather than the mainmast. These are the basic differences. It then depends on how picky you are with the smaller details.

I too have the Academy 1/350 kit for 1945 and the 2 Pontos detail sets, and am interested in building the measure 32 early1944 fit. It looks like the Academy kit represents Indianapolis in July 1945, after the October/November 1944, December 1944, and May/June 1945 refits, so all the documented updates from these dates need to be undone to accurately represent the measure 32 Indianapolis.

I do have the Warships Pictorial for the Indianapolis, but am handicapped in explaining my needs by my relative lack of knowledge of navy terms; hope more experienced minds will understand.

I’m trying to compile a comprehensive list of what I’ll need to get for this build, using previous posts as a starting point. I would welcome any corrections to this tentative list - thanks in advance for any help:

1. Need 2nd catapult on the starboard side
2. Need twin 40mm mounts on the fantail instead of (1945) quad mounts
3. Replace (all 1945?) twin 20mm guns with single 20mm (also,1944 used more 20mm guns, check deck plans)
4. Academy kit includes 1944 bow splinter shields for 20mm guns.
5. 1944 forward mast was different, above (what I think is called) the chart house top. It looks like I could use part of Model Monkey’s “1/350 USS Portland Forward Superstructure 1942” to add on the new top.
6. I still need photo etch detailing for the new forward mast, not sure where to find it. If I can find a detailed picture reference for the mast I could scratch build.
7. Not sure, but I think 1944 Indianapolis had MK33 5” gun directors with MK4 radar, instead of MK25 radar, and MK37 main fire directors instead of MK34?
question: can anyone simply tell me the names of the two kinds of gun directors and accompanying radar, for 5” guns and main guns, for the 1944 version?
8. 1944 aft main battery director was positioned further forward
9. 1944 had SOC Seagull aircraft instead of SC-1 Seahawks
10. other radar and electronics upgrades probably too detailed to follow up on.