Calling all Tarawa-class (LHA) & Wasp-class (LHD) fans

EJM · Post by **EJM** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 7:23 pm

Tarawa, Iwo Jima, Wasp, etc. Post away!

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 9:13 am

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 8:25 pm

lennythexdca · Post by **lennythexdca** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 7:59 pm

Those were some awesome pictures...I steamed LHA3 and LPD 14 for a few years, I thought it was a blast!!!!!!! I will always be an amphib sailor... I just wish there were more models of amphibious ships besides the big decks. My brother did get me a JAG 1/700 model of an LPD for christmas one year...

youngb · Post by **youngb** » Tue May 01, 2007 12:20 am

Just got the Revell Wasp class (1/700) kit.

Any items out there which can improve the accuracy of the model? i.e PE, decals etc.

bruce

TonyG2 · Post by **TonyG2** » Sat May 12, 2007 7:46 am

Any items out there which can improve the accuracy of the model? i.e PE, decals etc.

There are indeed. From Gold Medal Models

http://www.goldmm.com/ships/gms7029.htm

Well worth getting.

maarten · Post by **maarten** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 1:58 pm

Amphib fan calling in folks! I was hoping to get some views on what exactly Dragon has represented "down below" on these kits. I've been looking up references and can find darn little interior pictures on this class (Lots of LHD shots though, thanks Steve! Have Revell's Boxer too) , but Frank Ilse's great scratchbuild is giving clues that all is not well. The centerline divider seems way too large and improperly shaped judging by Frank's build, and then there are the completely missing side walkways. Not knowing much about operations on any of these ships, where would the LCAC be "stationed" normally? Doing a little testfitting with the included LCAC "kit", even with the side walkways missing it only barely fits alongside the centre divider, and only just to the rear of it if I put it there perpendicular to the ship where it could at most only move out sideways if not crashing into the stern. That little problem had me start looking for info as it just didn't seem right. Not having bought any drawings (yet), it could also be the dimensions of the whole deck and where the "ramp" starts that are off offcourse

Then there is this little quirk in the instructions that has you assemble two DP guns, yet these are mentioned nowhere else? If it makes any difference at all, my particular kit is of Peleliu.

Many thanks for your input and best regards,
Maarten

Charles Landrum · Post by **Charles Landrum** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 8:40 am

Maarten, some help:
First an LHD differs considerably outside and inside from the LHA - so disregard any LHD research.
LHA's do in fact have a divided well for 67% of the well. An LCAC is too wide to park between the divider and the side wall. The only place an LCAC can park is the very aft end of the well. The divided area was meant for LCUs and LCMs. In fact there was a movable barrier that could seal off the forward well and make it dry for LCMs even when the well was flooded. In the Pacific Peleliu, Belleau Wood and Trarawa carried two LCUs (one per slip) and an LCAC. In the Atlantic Saipan and Nassau carried 4 LCUs and only took an LCAC as an emergency haven. All landing craft always go in bow first and must back out.
When the well is flooded for LCUs and LCMs the water reaches the ramps and is 2 meter deep at the stern gate. For LCACs you only needs 30cm for the the LCAC to get a seal on its inflated skirt and "fly" out.

As for the 125mm guns, the ships originally carried three but by the early 90s they were removed to compensate weight added for improved command and control systems. The bow locations remained empty and the stern location took a RAM air defense system.
http://www.steelnavy.com has a reference photos I took while stationed aboard USS Saipan 1998-2000 including photos of the well.

maarten · Post by **maarten** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:14 pm

Hello Charles,
Many thanks for your informative reply! Some great info that should help a bunch with building the kit. If you don't mind, I have prepared a small picture of the kit parts as I would like to make sure I fully understand your info.
I have put in some green lines showing the entire deck, when measuring the percentage over the whole thing the divider comes out to 69 percent. Then I have outlined in red what I understand to be the actual well on which your percentage is measured - measuring the divider then, starting at the lowest point of the ramp it comes out to 78 percent. If you don't mind, could you please confirm my newbie assumption that the divider should be cut at about the blue line to end up looking reasonably correct? The percentage of the well that is divided (providing it is indeed called the well aft of the ramp lower end) should be more or less correct there. It would ofcourse need reshaping but that's no great shakes.
Now that I have bored you to tears with simple mathematics, I also have a question about your pics on Steelnavy (Thanks for those, a great help!) I just cannot seem to find pictures of the well deck! There's a set of nice views of the aircraft hangar above it, but none on the wells as far as I can see. Is that just my bad eyesight?
(Found it here: http://www.steelnavy.com/Saipan%20Photo%20Tour%20CL.htm )

Thanks again, best regards,
Maarten

And just for grins, here's what started my query - this just looked plain wrong to my eyes!

Charles Landrum · Post by **Charles Landrum** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 10:37 am

Maarten let me dig up some references - I have pics that I can send and some dimensions. I does indeed look like Dragon extended the Island (the term for the divider) too far aft. I will dig out my kit as well. By the way the ramps are called the "beach" and they lead to the upper vehicle decks. Farther forward are ramps that allow small vehicles down to the lower vehicle decks. Typically these were packed with HUMVEES and trailers. The large vehicles were in the "upper V".
The island actually carries a conveyor system that links elevators from cargo storerooms low in the ship. Palletized cargo could be fork-trucked to the elevator, raised to the conveyor and either transported to the upper V or lifted by a chain hoist and put in an LCU/LCM. There is a monorail system that serpentines through the overhead and allows these gas powered hoists to reach any spot of the well deck. We rarely used the conveyor or hoist system, both were maintenance intensive, but it wsas very ingenious.

Charles Landrum · Post by **Charles Landrum** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:09 pm

Maarten, I have some damage control plates and was able to take some measurements which should be adequate in this scale.
Well - 80ft across wing wall to wing wall
Aft end of the island to the stern gate - 110ft
Length of the well deck from stern gate to lower lower end of ramp - 245ft
length of well deck divide (island) - 205ft, width 15ft
Ramp length 70ft
The kit well deck is 25 scale feet too short and the kit island is 28 feet too long.
So an LCAC is 88ft and the well is 110ft in that area it should fit length wise.
By the way the island shape is fictitious. email me at crlandrum@earthlink.net for photos of the well.

Sidekicky · Post by **Sidekicky** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:50 am

Hi guys, this is my first attempt on doing a ship from scratch. Most of my 'expertise' is on planes and armour vehicles, and after finding on one makes 1/350 amphibious ships.... I simply have to make one to find home for my AH-1s, Harriers and HH-53s...

Hope you like it.

Will upload more pics of LHA-5 shortly.

Have built a 1/350 Kuznetsov as well, will post in due time.

P.S Does anyone knows who makes 1/350 LHA/LHD ships???[/img]

Sidekicky · Post by **Sidekicky** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:57 am

Most of my 'custom's can be found here:

http://www.custom-micros.blogspot.com

Anyone whos into doing 1/300-350 figther jets and 1/700 big planes (like bombers, tankers, transporters e.g) 1/144 armour do drip me a mail.

Sidekicky · Post by **Sidekicky** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:44 am

Here's more of it:

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:40 pm

Great work!!

Post by **Cadman** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:38 pm

Nice start. Hang around here a bit longer and these guys will have you doing that in 1/72 scale.

gtb -red · Post by **gtb -red** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:51 pm

Hey Sidekicky, nice work your not a teenager are you?

ModelWarships Gallery Page · Post by **ArizonaBB39** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:57 pm

Cadman wrote:Nice start. Hang around here a bit longer and these guys will have you doing that in 1/72 scale.

Its funny because its true!!!

Nice work, thanks for sharing!

BTW, when are you building that 1/72 scale one? ;P

Sidekicky · Post by **Sidekicky** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:17 am

Thanks guys, the trouble I faced is how to make the front of the ship - those curves and unqiue lines. Does anyone knows how to go about it?

Just take note that the planes are not in pure 1/350 scale though, they are micro machines which I collect as a hobby.

P.s.. I'm an 24 yr old, old teenager

Sidekicky · Post by **Sidekicky** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:52 am

Found someone that does from scratch in 1:350:

More can be found here: http://www.silentthundermodels.com/ship ... ima_2.html

Its professionally made, the only downside is that it will cost you $1150.

I think will stick to this, a site that shows you how to build step by step.
http://www.modellmarine.de/phpwebsite/i ... _page&PAGE

looks pretty accurate too.

The Ship Model Forum

Calling all Tarawa-class (LHA) & Wasp-class (LHD) fans

Calling all Tarawa-class (LHA) & Wasp-class (LHD) fans

USS Tarawa (LHA-1) class Official US Navy Photos

Make an old Gator Sailor smile

WASP

Dragon's 1/700 scale LHA Well deck

LHA Help from a former LHA officer

LHA Well Deck

Well Deck Dimensions

1/350 LHA-5 Peleliu

by the way....

more pictures

thanks!

A world of difference........