Support battleship

[Joe C-P]

I need a 1/700 or 1/720 Revell USS Massachusetts for my build.  The USN considered rebuilding the older modern BBs as fast armored support ships for the Iowas.  Still deciding how many and what type of weapons to keep or add.

[Sport21ing]

Still deciding how many and what type of weapons to keep or add.

just self-defense weapons maybe

[sandiego89]

Sounds great!  Love the idea.  The Iowa's were a bit faster and had more space. 

[NARSES2]

I need a 1/700 or 1/720 Revell USS Massachusetts for my build.  The USN considered rebuilding the older modern BBs as fast armored support ships for the Iowas.  Still deciding how many and what type of weapons to keep or add.

Now that's an interesting piece of information 

Probably plenty of AAA, but wouldn't need much else I would have thought

[kerick]

Would that have had the turrets removed and deck cranes added to lift shells out of its magazines and passed to the Iowas? I guess I don't quite get the concept.

[Gondor]

Would that have had the turrets removed and deck cranes added to lift shells out of its magazines and passed to the Iowas? I guess I don't quite get the concept.

You would not use cranes as that means direct asses to the magazines. Larger lifts than those already used with safety doors to help contain any blast from an explosion would be best. To move equipment and parts between ships hawsers and the like would be used as they can deal with each ship pitching and rolling at different speeds to each other far better than any crane would. It's a normal fleet replenishment method or at least was back in the day.

Gondor

[zenrat]

Like this.



My Father worked on the design of RAS gear for the RN when he was a young engineer at GEC.  Also on aircraft carrier lifts.

[Gondor]

That's what I was thinking, how big a crane would you need to bridge that gap and that is in calm seas. This way works even though you can't move a huge amount in one go there is nothing to stop you using several at a time.

Gondor

[Joe C-P]

Essentially yes, remove the B and X turrets and most lighter guns, put down an armored covered with blast doors over an elevator that goes down the magazines, add cranes and king posts and refueling posts.
I'm leaving A turret so the ship can also serve a heavy convoy escort/fuel/ammo ship.  One 16" triple would be enough to ward off any potential Soviet raider.

The model has been acquired!  Now I just need to find a source of model putty as there will be many, many holes and gaps to fill.   

[Joe C-P]

Here is the model from the box.  I had another kit in the stash that will join her.


https://link.shutterfly.com/Geeq7D8AJvb

My first time trying Shutterfly, so please do let me know if it worked.

[zenrat]

...My first time trying Shutterfly, so please do let me know if it worked.

Works for me.
 

[NARSES2]

...My first time trying Shutterfly, so please do let me know if it worked.

Works for me.
 

And me 

[jcf]

Another option is to upload your photo directly to the What-If server.

Click on the "Attachments and other options" arrow below the text box, click the "Add Files" button,
select your image file (or drag and drop), click "Upload", adjust the image size if you wish (this only
changes the displayed sized, it will enlarge when clicked on), then click the "Insert" button. The pic
is now in your post.

Note that you'll want to be aware of where the cursor is in your post, if it's in the middle of a sentence,
that's where the image will insert.

 You cannot view this attachment.

[Joe C-P]

Thanks jcf, I'll try that in the future.

Here's the completed model:

Overall

Forward
Amidships
Aft


BOR-58  USS Indiana

Battleship/resupply ship

After WW2 the western powers needed battleships to counter Soviet battleships and battle cruisers, while adopting new technology and capabilities to broaden their utility.

In stages the Iowas were converted to multi-purpose ships; Iowa and New Jersey to carry helos and landing craft, Missouri having Talos replace the after turret with two Tartar replacing four 5" twins, Wisconsin two Terrier aft plus two Tartar.  Illinois would never be finished in favor of affording rebuilding her sisters, while Kentucky had been granted to England to replace the well-worn Rodney and Nelson, ensuring the RN had 16" guns to counter similarly-armed Soviet BBs.

To supply these ships in combat zones the USN would repurpose older modern BBs.  Indiana and SoDak were chosen for this rebuild.  The after and B turrets were removed, preserved as spares, A turret retained as a self-defense measure as they were intended to go in harm's way.  The barbettes and magazines were reconfigured to stow ammunition and powder, new staged hoists carried up to gantries on the main deck, with booms and cranes for transfer.

Eight of ten 5" twins were removed, their magazines reworked for storage of said ammunition and cases along with 3", hoists and towers added for transfer.

All 20mm were removed and the 40mm replaced with four 3" twin.  Escorts would provide primary AA protection now, a reversal from their role in WW2.  These reductions significantly reduced crew requirements, living spaces needed for the men to handle and transfer ammunition, fuel, and other supplies.

Further spaces were opened for fuel, the tanks piped to gantries port and starboard.  Aft the catapults were removed in favor of a helipad.

While the two battleships were being rebuilt, a second role was envisioned - heavy escort for high speed convoys.  If battle was joined in Europe, or anywhere else, transports would need an escort beyond short-legged destroyers and the few cruisers available. SoDak and Indiana would join convoys of fast troop transports and cargo ships, carrying while guarding against raiders.  Their single triple 16" would be more than sufficient against Sverdlovs and other cruisers, even the 12" armed battle cruisers, and should deter one of the Soyuz class BBs.  In this role they exercised through the 50s and into the 60s, when they would be retired along with most other battleships as the threat of enemy heavy warships faded.

[Pellson]

Lovely, Joe! And it's so very tempting to just stow the current aircraft projects on my bench, instead reverting to the 1/700 ship Stash^TM instead. Be still, my pounding heart..