Flash, C-2 is your basic Liberty ship class--about 450 feet long, 60 feet abeam, and about 10,000 deadweight tons. I used to know the other classes, but that's faded from memory. I think modern container ships are about a C-4--900 feet long, 100 feet abeam, and maybe 50,000 deadweight tons. Classification of ships is one of those mysteries known only to maritime lawyers. Port taxes and fees largely determine how a ship is classified. Tonnage can be calculated in innumerable ways--the most favorite tax structure usually determines what "class" a ship is in. It is, from what I've read, bewildering complex, so I haven't tried to understand it.
Site regarding the Arctic Corsair, the subject of the Revell trawler model. The original ship is preserved as the "last of type" at Kingston-upon-Hull. Arctic Corsair link
Astute observation! I'd never really thought about it. When I was designing the layout, I knew I wanted to use the aisle down the middle for a harbor, at least on the first deck. So ships in front were natural. Thinking about it, I realize I grew up on water. My parents' house was "on the shores of Lake Cochituate." So I spent a lot of time in a canoe or powerboat looking at the shore, and the B&A line running across the south end of the lake, which was a long six-mile paddle from a dock on the north end. In the 70s, I spent a lot of time power-boating on the coastline between Hyannis and Fall River. I rarely visited these ports from the land-side, so a sea-side perspective was natural to me. Fascinating to me. Thanks, Bob.
About weathering: I'll make some of my ships real rust-buckets. But two of the others accepted passengers, and were actually fairly well maintained. All ships have some rust, even Navy ships. What's the old saying: "If it moves, oil it; if it deosn't, paint it?" I just haven't gotten around to finsihing the details. When I do, a bucket of rust and grease is the first order of business.
I thought a bump was reasonable, since I've aded to the fleet at: http://www.trainboard.com/ultimatebb.php/ubb/get_topic/f/9/t/006624.html
And another bump, as I've added another ship: http://www.trainboard.com/ultimatebb.php/ubb/get_topic/f/9/t/007075.html
Pete...the ships are totally awesome but your backdrop with the water and distant mountains absolutely blows me away...whew!! Cam PS...are those photos or painted?
I should have posted this here, too. It is a minesweeper? USS San Pedro is the ship name. From WWII, I think. It is on the Belmont Shores Club layout and was made by John Pignatelli of the Los Angeles Maritime Museum.
I think it's a destroyer escort (DE) class. I'm not sure whether it was built first for the Navy or the Coast Guard. It's specs are DE type: 303 feet long, 37.5' beam, 2,130 tons, top speed 20 knots. Here's what the Coast Guard site has to say: San Pedro (PF-37), originally classified PG-145, was laid down under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1448) by the Consolidated Steel Corp., Wilmington, CA, on 17 April 1943. She was launched on 11 June 1943 and sponsored by Miss Virginia Ann Massee. San Pedro was commissioned on 23 October 1943 and LCDR C. O. Ashley, USCG, was given command. Following shakedown, San Pedro sailed for the Southwest Pacific. She performed escort duty briefly in the Admiralty Islands at the beginning of April 1944; and, at the end of the month, became part of forces attempting to consolidate the western New Guinea area. Her first mission took her to Hollandia, and she subsequently advanced to Biak in June, Noemfoor Island in July, and Cape Sansapor in August. During September, she escorted a convoy of tugs and barges to Morotai with sufficient equipment to set up a fully-equipped base for PT boats. On 18 October, San Pedro sailed with a convoy bound for the initial assault on Leyte. She helped repulse Japanese air attacks after the 24th, splashing two aircraft before the end of the month. While operations continued ashore, San Pedro escorted resupply convoys between Hollandia and Leyte. On 5 December, a single plane attacked one of these convoys near Leyte, torpedoed a Liberty ship, and escaped by flying through the convoy at masthead height. It then led a companion in for a re-attack and scored a second and fatal hit on the hapless merchant ship. San Pedro rescued 178 survivors and, at the same time, helped repulse a third attack on the sinking ship. San Pedro departed the southwest Pacific on 17 December 1944 and headed toward Boston for overhaul. Upon completion of repairs in April, she started back to the Pacific, bound for the Aleutians. On 12 July 1945, she was decommissioned at Cold Bay, and was turned over to the Soviet Navy the next day as EK-5. She was returned to the United States on 17 October 1949 and was loaned to Japan on 2 April 1953 as Kaya. S he was struck from the Navy list on 1 December 1961 and transferred outright to Japan on 28 August 1962. San Pedro earned four battle stars for her World War II service.
That's a photo panorama of Homer, Alaska. Other photo panoramas were taken in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico, and the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. With a little manipulation in Photoshop, they all serve for New England.
I did a little more research. It's a cutter from the beginning. I thought it sounded a little heavy for a DE, which were about the same length but displaced 1300 to 1400 tons rather than the San Pedro's 2130 tons. It's armed and laid out much like a DE, but it's got a stepped hull, rather than a flush one, and the bow is much fuller and undercut. I'll bet it was a whole lot more comfortable than a DE in heavy seas.
Since I've been reorganizing my new Railimages album, I ran across this thread. I've built a few more ships since then. The latest is this minesweeper.
Quite a fleet........... That ship looks great Pete. You have quite a fleet. Stay cool and run steam.....
WOW, Pete, that is an incredible looking ship, just like all your others of course. I especially love the timing of bringing this thread back because I have followed your progress on the ships and used them as a reference point to scratchbuild my own merchant freighter for my harbour. It just happens to be my project right now. I needed some encouragement and some ideas and you've done more then given them to me.
Ed, I'm really glad that I'm encouraging others to try this kind of scratchbuilding. Post some pics when you're ready. I've been doing this for less than four years, while building a big railroad, and my skills keep improving.
On another note, Welcome to Trainboard! If you need any help navigating, just give any moderator a quick email.
Well I have scratchbuilt a Maersk Lines container ship...unfortunatly I didn't have even enough room to have the harbour let alone the layout to go with it and gave it to a fellow model railroader in BC to use on his layout. So I guess it's in a good home. It wasn't as detailed as this one is going to be as I am finding different odds and ends around the house that resemble different parts of the ship.
Pete: My N scale guided missile cruiser is coming along great. It's 50" long. I'll try and get some pictures of it posted this weekend.
Prototype photo of "rust buckets" Here's a photo from Newport News during WWII, showing a US Army regiment disembarking from a C&O passenger train onto waiting troop ships. Notice the various patches of paint on the ship on the right, which is obviously NOT camoflage. http://lvaimage.lib.va.us/cgi-bin/photo.cgi/VTLS/SC/05/006
