) this build, I have come across some more and much better reference pics; revealing details I had earlier gotten wrong. Thus, I determined that my latest work - the hanging catwalks under the flight deck ends - are not just overstated, as noted earlier, but are incorrect per se:
Click on Image to Enlarge
Because the above two reference pics are not the best, I also checked all my other decent pics of Boxer, dating from both before this period and after:
Click on Image to Enlarge
The only other features - visible in virtually all pics except at center-right - were a pair of small tubs; one at each corner. The one exception dates from 1958 - immediately upon Boxer's conversion to an LPH - when a hanging "stop-light" type array replaced (at least) the portside tub (the starboard corner being out of view). Appearing very similar if not identical to the radio-navigational aids mounted on most carriers during the '60s and '70s, this array - plus the observation of what appear to be stubby whip aerials and an electronics box on the tub close-up from 1964 (bottom-right) - together suggest the tubs housed a radio nav-aid system; perhaps affording greater maintenance or even manual operation access to an earlier system, and/or protection, on the open-bowed carriers. I appears Boxer as an LPH briefly tried the new arrays but soon reverted back to the tubs.
In any case there was no catwalk, but only the above tubs, hanging from the end of her forward flight deck during the period I want to depict. While I am not generally a stickler for total accuracy - especially if some departure strikes my artistic fancy - in this case the build is for a veteran - who was there - so it becomes much more important to depict the ship accurately - or at least, as I think my friend Frank might have remembered her:
Click on Image to Enlarge) I obtained the tubs - complete with molded-in detail - from a Revell 1/480 Helena. They even happened to have rectangular boxes on the side; (which will be cut down) to depict the above, radio nav-aid boxes! I also added support ribbing (bottom-left) in the highest-visibility areas of the overhang; adapted from my own cast-resin copies of the fantail construction (see below).
At top, note I began to continue, while all these reference pics were handy, back along the fligh deck port side; to include a hanging platform for a Mk56 director cab, just ahead of the AA gun sponson (not shown; see ref pics, above).
For the aft overhang, the situation turned out much the same:
Click on Image to Enlarge
So be it:
Click on Image to Enlarge
Speaking of which - and looking forward to the future - note Boxer carried unshielded quad-40mms in her fantail tubs; apparently continuing into 1957 and certainly in 1953 when, if you look closely, they included their own dishes for radar direction. At the same time, the 1956-57 pic shows what clearly appers to be a twin-3"/50cal mount on the 5" gun sponson. This "hybrid" suite of both 40mm and 3in AA weapons is something I had long suspected for at least some of the Essexes, at some period(s), but had never seen any evidence until now. Meantime, note from the bow references, above, that here Boxer retained only her empty pair of gun (half-) tubs, by 1956-57 (and note she lost even those immediately afterward; on conversion to an LPH). This was undoubtedly the result of efforts to reduce stress on the clipper bow, which had by then been found to take a severe pounding - to the point of causing structural damage - in heavy seas.
Despite all the above, I really want to show off a pair of unshielded AA mounts - either quad-40s or twin-3"50s - as "pointy bits" in these high-visibility, bow gun tubs! In a build for myself, I would do it in a heartbeat - but for my friend Frank, the clipper bow - which we know positively lacked weapons while he was aboard - was no doubt a pretty memorable part of his ship. On the other hand, Frank is getting pretty old by now...!
What do y'all think?
Cheers,
-Matty
Responses « Back to index | View thread »
