I picked up an old partially built Brooklyn at the WNC from Mikey Deskin, and resumed construction again last night. She'll be completed as the Independence class CVL USS Belleau Wood. A good portion of the hull work is already done: rudder installed (being replaced), shafts in, motors in, windows cut, ribs reinforced, waterchannel in, subdeck in, etc so other then building a new superstructure and installing the internals, there isn't much that truly needs to be done. At 31 knots (instead of 33 for a Brooklyn descended cruiser) she should battle much like a cruiser, and be fairly effective. I COULD do her as a cruiser, but with the Salt Lake City and Salem, I really don't NEED another cruiser. Doing the carrier version will give me something unique, which appeals to me. The carrier version also opens up gun locations; I intend to mount mine along the side of the hull so the magazines do not interfere with anything in the middle of the hull. The carrier version also allows me to use her for various scenario based battles, which I currently can only participate in with a standard warship. I ordered parts for her two nights ago from the folks at BC, and last night received an email that my order had already shipped. I can't believe the turn around. So, in short, I am looking forward to getting a carrier out on the water as a secondary, campaign, and loaner ship.
CV's get units assigned as battleships, with a minimum of 4 units. My CVL gets 3.0 units, just like the cruiser version would, and a CVE IIRC would be 1.5 units. I havent looked over the rules regarding carriers much to be more clear. CVs built from BB hulls (Kaga, Bearn, Eagle etc) get to keep their 1.25 gpm battleship pumps. CVs built from BC hulls (Akagi, Lexington, Furious etc) get to keep their 1.0 gpm battlecruiser pumps. Purpose built carriers get the "everything else".75 gpm pumps. I am admittedly a little bit hazy on my carrier rules so hopefully someone like Mikey who was more interested in the carriers then I was can clarify that a little bit. The thing about carriers is, we compromised. There are basically two groups of people: Those who hate the image of a carrier slugging it out with a battleship and those who think carriers are their favorite ships and they HAVE to have one. The compromise was to give them units like a BB would have, but arm them like a cruiser (no sidemounts) so our carriers basically end up as super cruisers.
I'll try to get some pictures this weekend Bob. I'm hoping to get some of that blue foam you use for gun tests and plugs to build the superstructure out of. That should be light enough that it doesn't get top heavy and roll more excessively then anything else would built on a Brooklyn hull. Since it's mostly square, the superstructure should be really easy to do. At least that's the thinking.
Mike, Good idea with the blue foam as it is above the "sinking deck" and is superstructure. I am going to play arounf with the foam that Mikey had up in Pburg for superstructure. That is after I find it.
I have a USS Princeton & San Jacinto that I use for campain ships. I started out with the blue foam SS and floppy plastic for the flight decks. When they sank the foam would hold the flight deck at the water so it would drive like a surf board. These did not have any guns, bottle or other stuff in them so they are really light. I replaced the junky SS with ABS plastic and 1/16" fiberglass for the flight deck. They look better and are still stable. You need to add some bugles, they were built on Cleveland class hulls. The bulges are really the only differance between Brooklyn & Cleveland and they are not that much wider. I'd guess they fit in the 2% rule, if you guys have that. SO how many units would a USS Midway get?
Off the top of my head, USS Midway gets 7.0 units. I'd have to check though; I am not at all sure. I do know that the Midway gets dual rudders which should help it's turning over most of the other USN carriers. Do you have any pictures of your CVLs? I'd be interested to see how your new superstructures turned out.
Check out the group of photos from NATS this year at: http://www.portpolarbear.com/RESOURCES/NATS2008/index.html The CVLS are in there a few times.
I'm still curious why the carriers need bugles... is there a little bugler aboard to play them? ps- when you go look at the pics, the carriers make an appearance starting on page 8. Almost makes me want to buy a hull and make one Nice work Bob!
I took a quick look-see from the internet cafe machine here at work (shhh don't tell) and that's a nice looking little carrier. The Axis has already started licking their chops about having a "big fat carrier" out there to shoot at. I think some of them are going to be in for a little bit of a surprise when they realize she's only 600 ft long on the waterline, 31 knots and decently armed!
Bob I just checked the rules to get an firm answer on your carrier questions: 7 units = Battleships - 44,000 ~ 49,999 tons Aircraft Carriers - 45,000 ~59,999 tons So USS Midway at 45,000 tons would be 7.0 units. 3 units = Heavy Cruisers built after 1922 - 8.000 ~ 11,999 tons Light Cruisers built after 1922 -9,000 tons or more Light Aircraft Carriers (converted Heavy Cruisers) So CVLs (including our Independence class ships) get 3.0 units 1 ½ units = Light Cruisers built after 1922 < 4,500 tons Protected cruisers built before 1922 All destroyers Monitors < 7,000 tons Submarines Escort Carriers Raiders/Liberty Ships/Armed merchant ships/Troop Carriers So CVEs get 1.5 units.
Got both the guns in today, and have the bow gun completely hooked up. I've run out of hose, which will prevent me from hooking up the stern gun until I get some more, however the rest of the CO2/actuation system is installed. I'm getting a little bit excited about this little carrier. I think she'll be a fun ship. I went to Walmart to get some of those 1/144 fighters I've heard people talk about, but they didnt have any at our walmart. Do they still carry them at other walmarts?
I bought out all the hellcats at my local walmart. I talked with the guy stocking the toy department and he said they are not allowed to order things, they just get what they get. Then I found some dauntless bombers a few weeks ago. I will keep an eye out for you but I know that someone on the forums probably has them in their local store already. Google alex's air or sweet 144. I believe they have models of them also.
Cool, I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled for them. I looked up the manufacturer on line, but they didn't seem to sell directly.
