JMSDF CVDN in port, with escorts

[Joe C-P]

Recon photos have just been obtained of the Honshu preparing for her deployment, along with one of her escorts.



Here is a closer, though blurrier, view of some of the objects on the pier.



We're sorry for the poor quality of the photos, but our cameraman was a bit shaky due to high winds. We've send out another recon patrol for better quality images.

Another vessel, likely USN, is in transit at sea, but is reported to need drydocking before joining this grouping.

[Hobbes]

You do realize we'll want to see more photos, do you?

[Bryan H.]

Beautimus!     I thought recon satellites could make out licence plates, at night no less!  

Bryan

[Guest]

Is that a shin meiwa?  Will it accompany the fleet?

Unfortunately the Zubir will not fit oh well

[Guest]

These were from an air-based source on a windy day.  The second overflight was more successful; the images are being processed and should be available later today.

We'll also send in ground-level surveillance for close up of some of the details.

[Joe C-P]

Here are better photos, all from the beginning of her 1991 deployment.

Overhead, clearer:



You can now see the CVDN Honshu, and her escort, HMS Tiger, along with the USMC "Zoober". Here's another shot:



Here's a shot down the deck of the CVDN:



Most of the aircraft are JMSDF - F-4s and F-15s, AV-8Bs and Sea Harriers, CH-47s, and some others, but there are some visitors.

Here you see the E-2 and an S-2 Tracker, along with a couple visiting USN F-14s, and in the background one of her escorts for this deployment, the East Asian Station ship HMS Tiger.



This shot shows the Ro-Ro feature - just aft of the armor on the pier you see the doors into their "hangar", currently closed.



Here's a closer shot of the armor, somewhat out of focus. (I'll post a better one eventually.)



And a closer shot of the aircraft amidships, and the island. Note the USMC Skycrane on the right, which has just dropped off parts for the Zoober.



Note the JMGDF PS-1 on the pier. It is based on the patrol aircraft, but in this case is used to transport men and materiel straight to the landing site, removing the need to berth as many troops aboard.



Another shot of the Zoober, plus an LCAC pulling into the dry deck built into the after end of the CVDN Honshu:



Finally, a photo of her escort, HMS Tiger.



A half-sister to Blake and Lion, she was converted to carry Sea Dart when the CVA-01 were cancelled, along with their escorting Type 82 DDGs. She would be a testbed for the new SAMs before production of the Type 42s.

I'll post a history and specifications of both ships later this weekend.

[Guest]

who carries the 1/700 Schwinn Meya and the 1/700 skycrane?

white esg doesnt seem to carry them.

[Palpatane]

http://www.g2mil.com/c130seaplane.htm
http://www.aviation-history.com/martin/p6m.html
http://www.geocities.com/equipmentshop/sr7...smustreturn.htm

Have larger varriants of the Shinmaywa outfited as large bombers.  Have them accompany the fleet to give the fleet and its division of ground troops strategic bombing capabilities.  could also deliver airborne forces.

[Joe C-P]

who carries the 1/700 Schwinn Meya and the 1/700 skycrane?

white esg doesnt seem to carry them.

White Ensign makes the Skycrane in their Airstrike 700 set. I made one just because I've always liked that particular helo.

The Shin Meiwa is from Skywave, in a set called "West Wings 2", their code S-10, JSDF/USDF Airplanes with Tanks. It contains two each PS-1/US-1, F-86, F-104, and S-2 Tracker; the Tracer can also be built as an E-1 Tracer. It also contains many pieces of JMGDF armor; I only used about half in the diorama.

My PS-1 has been converted to a long-range high-speed troop transport; the idea is that the CVDN would carry the armor and maintenance personnel to the invasion site, while the troops would be transported via aircraft and loaded aboard the landing vessels. This saves room and supplies aboard ship and has the troops moving only if and when needed.

[Joe C-P]

Here's the story of the two ships. I'll post details of the models I used if any one is interested.

Japanese supercarrier:

After his unexpected victory in 1980 (in large part due to the dramatically successful rescue of the Iranian hostages just prior to the election) President Carter continued his drawdown of the US military. He sought to reduce tensions with the USSR by reducing the West's threat to them while holding out carrots of financial investment and trade. He also worked to hand over more defense costs to allied nations.

As part of the military drawdown, production of large CVNs was to be cut back in favor of smaller CVVs. In theory more of the smaller ships could be afforded, but Congress decided that a carrier is a carrier, and would only buy them as a one-for-one replacement for older ships.

The US Navy therefore became creative to keep their carrier numbers up. Using previously passed legislation, Oriskany was "re-activated", but only long enough to fix her up to sell her to Brazil to replace the aging Minas Gerais. Hornet, too, was pulled from retirement, and sold to Canada for a pittance, along with a flight of S-3 ASW aircraft. The RCN then "discovered" that their new CF-118s could launch and land on their new CVS. The training carrier Lexington was retired, to become a museum in Texas, nominally replaced in that role by Coral Sea. This "allowed" the Navy to order 3 new CVVs, two powered by conventional steam, and the third gas-turbine as an experiment.

The carrier-based ASW helicopter group was also shifted onto escorting cruisers, destroyers and frigates which previously sailed with less than their full compliment. Tomcats were upgraded to drop bombs, and the purchase of new F/A-18s was accelerated to replace the older A-4s, A-7s and F-4s, which could then be sold on to other countries.

The CVV design itself was used to bring in revenue. The plans were licensed to France for replacements for Foch and Clemenceau, and the Royal Navy used them as a starting point for replacements for Ark Royal and Eagle. France redesigned to a nuclear-propelled version, while the Royal Navy would decide on the gas-turbine design, using indigenous engines.

Further, the smaller SCS design was license-built for the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Thailand, Argentina, Chile, and Italy, in various fits for different missions. Even India later showed interest in purchasing one of the two designs, after circumstances brought them closer to the US.

Most controversial was allowing the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force to obtain a modified Nimitz class aircraft carrier. Recent events had convinced the Japanese government that "self-defense" couldn't start once the enemy was already in home waters. Excursions of North Korean spy vessels, more capable Chinese warships, the build-up of the Soviet fleet at Vladivostok, and finally the cost-cutting decision of the Carter administration to pull back the Japanese-homeported carrier to Pearl all combined to convince even the war-averse Japanese Diet that "the best defense is a good offence".

To placate nervous and skeptical Pacific Rim nations, and ease the financial burden on both the US and Japan, the ship would be leased, not sold, to the JMSDF, and remain under the nominal control of the USN; a USN officer of lieutenant commander rank and a small staff would be permanently assigned to her. Further, she would always sail escorted by an international escort group, with a USN vessel as flag.

For Japanese requirements the basic Nimitz design was heavily modified, adding a dry deck aft to operate the LCACs just coming into JSDF service, and the after hangar given over to troop berthing and garaging of JGSDF vehicles. The island was redesigned as well, adding space for command and control of landing forces. In addition, one gas turbine engine was fitted for in-port propulsion; the nuclear plant would be shut down during any such visit. While this is a difficult exercise, it allowed the JMSDF to retain the invaluable nuclear propulsion.

The airgroup was first made up of F-4EJ Phantoms, E-2 AEW, and H-3 helicopters already in JSDF service, plus a JGDSF group of CH-47 assault helicopters. Japan has since begun constructing modified F-15s based on a version proposed for USN use, and bought Harriers as part of the assault force. The balance depends on the expected mission, but usually consists of:

18 F-4, later F-15J fleet defense fighters
18 F-4, later F-15DJ fighter-bombers
3 E-2 AEW
3 S-2 Tracker ASW
6 Harrier ground attack
4 Sea Harrier fighters – these serve as escort for landing flights or quick reaction fleet defense
8 CH-47 assault helos
4 SH-3, later SH-60 ASW helos

The JMSDF vessel Honshu conducts regular patrols of the western Pacific. In addition to the US flagship, South Korean, Taiwanese, and Australian vessels join the escort group, usually augmented by Royal Navy and Canadian vessels.

This also reduced the need for a US carrier presence there, so the USN Indian Ocean fleet was beefed-up. India protested, but President Carter managed to convince them of the benefits of closer cooperation with the USN. The US carrier generally operates away from Indian waters, sailing between the Persian Gulf, the Cape of Good Hope, and Australia, and venturing to the Philippines and Taiwan when Honshu is in port.

Currently the JMSDF is considering carrier-adapting the F-2, while the USN has offered F/A-18E/Fs. The Japanese are also considering a second vessel to improve time-at-sea.


HMS Lion

Sister to Blake and Tiger, HMS Lion's conversion to a helicopter cruiser was never undertaken. Instead, after the cancellation of the Type 82 class DDGs, the RN decided they needed a test platform for the new Sea Dart missile. Lion was taken in hand, her after 6" twin turret removed and replaced with a twin-arm launcher, and the associated radars installed. She helped work out the bugs in the system before it was installed in the new Type 42s.

Lion, with considerably fewer sea miles on her and the Sea Dart system, was retained by the RN after her sisters were paid off. She underwent a major overhaul, updating her habitability and automating some of her engine functions, just in time to miss the Falklands War. The yard tried to put her back together for that conflict, but the war was over even before her 6" guns could be remounted.

After the total withdrawal of the Royal Navy from "East of Suez", the RN realized that a token presence was better than none. After establishing financial support and basing rights with Hong Kong and Singapore, HMS Lion was sent east.

The ship was homeported in Hong Kong, with primary duties of flag-showing, port visits and exercises with other navies. When the Japanese carrier Honshu deployed, she was always part of the escort group. After Hong Kong returned to Chinese control in 1997, the RN paid off HMS Lion, which had reached obsolecense, her steam engines and guns being unique in the RN inventory. The parts from her Sea Dart installation are being used as spares for the Type 42 and 43 DDGs.

[anthonyp]

Awesome backstory, Joe!  Especially the part about CVV's being sold abroad.  It's similar to my WiF/Alternate History carrier airwings, where the CVV was sold as an export carrier to allied nations.  The USN still has their behemoths, and the CVV is offered in three different sizes (with varying catapult and elevator numbers, overal length, tonnage, etc.).  I have Australia particularly liking the medium sized ones (the ones as presented in Friedman's book).  Gotta finish up the Soviets, then I'll post something in the AH forums.

Sweet models, btw!  The Honshu is very similar to what I had in mind for my JMSDF Yamato class Nimitz variants (sans the dock).  Makes me want to finish my German CVV, and begin to think about a Soviet Moskva variant that will be a thru-deck cruiser (similar to the proposed Skyhook equipped British CVE's, minus the skyhook and bigger).  Dangit, I got too many planes to finish!  MUST.... RESIST...  SHIPS!!!

The Tiger refit made me remember the Des Moines and Alaska class refits I'd outlined from a few years ago.  I wonder where those notes are?

Anyhow, great job!

   

[proditor]

Nice back story, beautiful ships.  Man, I can't wait to move so I can actually build something again...

[Carrier based Medium Bomber Stri]

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...archangel&st=75

Consider some F-14's in 1/400 1/500 scale as Archangel medium bombers to round out the airwing on this 1/700 beauty

[rallymodeller]

Luvverly backstory! And as a bonus, Canada gets a carrier! Yay! Now all I have to do is find a decant CVA kit to make into the new Canadian carrier...