Calling all USS Wasp CV-7 fans

[taskforce48]

Might be a dumb question, but I have gone over all of my sources and haven't come across how many blades were on Wasp's propellors. Anyone know? The Pensacola model and Profile Morskie show 4, but I just would like confirmation.

Thanks
Matt

[Terence]

Matt,

Can you send me the three images at a higher resolution. I am currently scratch building a 1/350th Wasp and would like to reference them for the build.

Thank you,

Terry

[DennisJP]

I Have come to the conclusion that we need a topic dealing with the Wasp. She was singleton and generally under represented. A light carrier version of the Yorktowns.
We Have two models of her. The Corsair Armada and the GHQ.

Corsair Armada
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

GHQ
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

Kitbashes/Scratchbuilds
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

Also now HP Models. You can find it at Pacific Front Hobbies.

[aptivaboy]

Check out the Iron Shipwright Monthly Special: http://ironshipwrights.com/ship_specials.htm

YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!!

[DennisJP]

Looks pretty good. Looks like they made it so you can just add a wood deck to it.

[Elvis965]

Looks pretty good. Looks like they made it so you can just add a wood deck to it.

I believe it comes with a Nautilus wood deck.

Bob

[Mike C]

Matt,

Can you send me the three images at a higher resolution. I am currently scratch building a 1/350th Wasp and would like to reference them for the build.

Thank you,

Terry

Be sure to cross check plans with photos. The official drawings have errors. When I did the pattern for the 1/700 scale kit, photos revealed a knuckle on the forward hangar bulkhead on the starboard side, the back side of the funnel has an angle at the base, and photos of the port quarter hangar bulkhead reveal a slant to the hangar wall, forward of the rear sets of roller doors. I saw the ISW pattern several months ago and, unless they've revised the pattern, they missed those fine points, too.

[Elvis965]

When was Wasp painted into Ms-12 modified?

During her March 1941 yard period or the January 1942 yard period?

Bob

[weapon-x]

Hello everybody!

if it interests you, this youtube video shows the last moments of USS Wasp CV-7:




Only in black and white. But somehow spectacular.

[Keith T. Bender]

Go with three blade props on Wasp and all the cruisers had three as well until the Clevelands and Balts. However CV-6 was the only one that ended up with four in 1944 on.

Keith

[maurice de saxe]

I'm looking for help regarding Wasp's refit in March 1941.

DANFS states that, during this refit, Wasp received CXAM radar, splinter shields for the 5" and 1.1" guns, and had seals welded over the 3rd deck airports. Other indications are that some, at least, of the 0.5" machine guns were replaced with 20mm guns. I've also come across an unsubstantiated statement that Wasp, very briefly, was finished in Measure 4 Black scheme around then.

I'm specifically interested in Wasp's outfit in the period from late June to December 1941, but I've yet to see any images of the carrier during this time. My questions to all our experts are:

How many 20mm guns were embarked and how were they disposed?
How many 0.5: guns remained and where were they?
When were the forward arresting wires and associated LSO platform fitted?
How was Wasp painetd during this period.

All help much appreciated.

Thank you,
Maurice

[Dick J]

I will try to answer a few of your questions, but I don't have anything definitive for or against the MS-4 paint scheme you reference (although the dark gray of MS-1 is sometimes mistakenly thought to be black by those not familiar with the published measures). Some splinter screens are very likely to have been added in a March '41 refit. I have one photo showing the ship with splinter screens in place for the 5" mounts prior to receiving the MS-12mod paint scheme in Dec '41/Jan '42. In that photo, taken from the port side, the 1.1s are not readily apparent, being blocked from view by aircraft on the deck. No splinter screens are visible for the MG's in the catwalks. The ship is in what appears to be MS-12 (unmodified), the same scheme and colors as Yorktown. No radar is apparent, but the photo is not high enough resolution to rule it out. When she did receive the radar, it was a CXAM-1 rather than CXAM. (Only 6 CXAM set were produced and were mounted on Yorktown, California, Pensacola, Northampton, Chester and Chicago. California's set was later remounted on Hornet.) 20MM are highly unlikely for that refit since they only started hitting the fleet in the Nov/Dec '41 timeframe. Therefore, it is probable that she still had her as-commissioned outfit of .50 cal MG's through 1941. Wasp had the forward arrestor gear and LSO platform from the time she commissioned.

[SeanF]

Does anyone know about, or better yet have sharable pictures of, the Wasp's flight deck markings in her as-commissioned fit? I'm planning to build her with her full-color 1940 airgroup, and I'd like to know if there are any notable variations from the yellow striping patterns seen on the Yorktown and Enterprise at the same time, and most specifically whether her name was written complete (WASP) or abbreviated (WSP), or some other variation, and from which direction they were to be read. (My assumption would be WASP, oriented the same way as seen on the Yorktowns, but variations do happen!) All the original-fit photos I've seen to date only show her from the side.

- Sean F.

[maurice de saxe]

I will try to answer a few of your questions, but I don't have anything definitive for or against the MS-4 paint scheme you reference (although the dark gray of MS-1 is sometimes mistakenly thought to be black by those not familiar with the published measures). Some splinter screens are very likely to have been added in a March '41 refit. I have one photo showing the ship with splinter screens in place for the 5" mounts prior to receiving the MS-12mod paint scheme in Dec '41/Jan '42. In that photo, taken from the port side, the 1.1s are not readily apparent, being blocked from view by aircraft on the deck. No splinter screens are visible for the MG's in the catwalks. The ship is in what appears to be MS-12 (unmodified), the same scheme and colors as Yorktown. No radar is apparent, but the photo is not high enough resolution to rule it out. When she did receive the radar, it was a CXAM-1 rather than CXAM. (Only 6 CXAM set were produced and were mounted on Yorktown, California, Pensacola, Northampton, Chester and Chicago. California's set was later remounted on Hornet.) 20MM are highly unlikely for that refit since they only started hitting the fleet in the Nov/Dec '41 timeframe. Therefore, it is probable that she still had her as-commissioned outfit of .50 cal MG's through 1941. Wasp had the forward arrestor gear and LSO platform from the time she commissioned.

Thank you very much for the information. I'd be interested in seeing the photograph you mention if that is possible.

Maurice

[maurice de saxe]

I've been going over the booklet of general plans for Wasp trying to find out what happened to the elevator wells when the elevators were at flight deck level. It seems that other US carriers had auxiliary elevators that filled the wells flush with the hangar deck, but the really nice Corsair Armada kit includes auxiliary elevators that fill only about half the opening. Were there really large openings still when the elevators were at flight deck level?

A second question concerns the hangar deck catapults. On Wasp, these were not flush with the deck but had ramps fitted on either side so that aircraft could cross them easily. The plans do not show how much above the deck level these catapult rose. Photographs seem to indicate about 12 inches. Can anyone verify this number?

incidentally, the booklet's depiction of the flight deck seems to show the full pre-war deck markings, with the name spelled out in full and reading from the bow and stern aft and forward respectively, and otherwise very similar to those of the Yorktown class.

Thank you for all you assistance.

Maurice

[maurice de saxe]

I think I have found the answer to my second question myself. Going over the booklet for Yorktown (CV-5) I found a notation that the upper surface of its hangar deck catapult was 6-1/2 inches above the main deck, so it seems probable that it was the same for other similarly-equipped carriers. So, for my Wasp model I will add two catapults and ramps, one forward and one aft, shaped from 0.010-inch styrene sheet. It looks like I will have to do the same for my Yorktown (which, as far as I can tell, retained the hangar deck catapult to the end) from Tom's Model Works, and for my Hornet (CV-12), which also kept its hangar deck unit until January 1945.

The Yorktown booklet notes that each elevator well was surrounded by stanchions that erected automatically when the elevator was raised, along with the auxiliary elevators (which were indeed partial, and also had stanchion and railings around them). This raises an interesting conundrum: why were there railings around the partial auxiliary elevators and stanchions and rails around the elevator wells, all of which would have obstructed movement of aircraft within the hangar?

Maurice

[gnorfen]

As usual the best bet to be a kit in the waterline series is getting sunk.............

Wasp and I 19 new kit from Aoshima

http://www.hlj.com/product/aos01030

[Haijun watcher]

Does anyone know if the upcoming Aoshima 1/700 Wasp kit will be able to use the Blue Ridge wooden deck that's originally intended for the Corsair Armada Wasp?

Freetime Hobbies listing: Blue Ridge wooden flight deck for Corsair Armada carrier Wasp kit

[Haijun watcher]

Has anyone bought Aoshima's new 1/700 Wasp kit yet? A review of this new kit, especially regarding the accuracy of the molds or imperfections, would be a big help. No one wants a repeat of Tamiya's under scale Yorktown class CVs with this latest kit

[Frank Fowler]

I just paid for mine from HLJ. Should be here early next week.