Review of American Heavy Cruiser CA44 1942
U.S.S. Vincennes
Ship Plans no. 2
Author: Grzegorz Nowak
ISBN: 978-83-65281-58-6
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $11.99
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $11.99
HISTORY:
The USS Vincennes (CA-44) was a United States Navy New Orleans-class cruiser, sunk at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942. She was the second ship to bear the name.
She was laid down on 2 January 1934 at Quincy, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company's Fore River plant, launched on 21 May 1936, sponsored by Miss Harriet Virginia Kimmell (daughter of Joseph Kimmell, mayor of Vincennes, Indiana), and commissioned on 24 February 1937, Captain Burton H. Green in command.
The New Orleans-class cruisers were the last U.S. cruisers built to the specifications and standards of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. Such ships, with a limit of 10,000 tons standard displacement and 8-inch caliber main guns may be referred to as "treaty cruisers." Originally classified a light cruiser when she was authorized, because of her thin armor, Vincennes was reclassified a heavy cruiser, because of her 8-inch guns. The term "heavy cruiser" was not defined until the London Naval Treaty in 1930. This ship and Quincy were a slightly improved version of the New Orleans-class design.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Name: Vincennes
Namesake: City of Vincennes, Indiana
Ordered: 16 June 1933
Awarded: 3 August 1933
Builder: Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation's Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts
Cost: $11,720,000 (contract price)
Laid down: 2 January 1934
Launched: 21 May 1936
Sponsored by: Miss Harriet Virginia Kimmell
Commissioned: 24 February 1937
Identification: Hull symbol:CA-44
Honors and awards: Bronze-service-star-3d.png 2 × battle stars
Fate: Sunk, Battle of Savo Island 9 August 1942
General characteristics (as built:]
Class and type: New Orleans-class cruiser
Displacement: 10,136 long tons (10,299 t) (standard)
12,463 long tons (12,663 t) (loaded)
Length: 588 ft (179 m) oa
575 ft (175 m) pp
Beam: 61 ft 10 in (18.85 m)
Draft: 19 ft 6 in (5.94 m) (mean), 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m) (max)
Installed power: 8 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 107,000 shp (80,000 kW)
Propulsion: 4 × Parsons reduction steam turbines, 4 × screws
Speed: 32.7 kn (37.6 mph; 60.6 km/h)
Range: 10,000 nmi (12,000 mi; 19,000 km) at 15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h)
Capacity: Fuel oil: 1,650 tons
Complement: 103 officers 763 enlisted
Armament:
9 × 8 in (200 mm)/55 caliber guns (3x3)
8 × 5 in (130 mm)/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns
2 × 3-pounder 47 mm (1.9 in) saluting guns
8 × caliber 0.50 in (13 mm) machine guns
Armor:
Belt: 3–5 in (76–127 mm)
Deck: 1 1⁄4–2 1⁄4 in (32–57 mm)
Barbettes: 5 in (130 mm)
Turrets: 1 1⁄2–8 in (38–203 mm)
Conning Tower: 5 in (130 mm)
Aircraft carried: 4 × floatplanes
Aviation facilities: 2 × Amidship catapults
General characteristics (1942)[2][3]
Armament:
9 × 8 in (200 mm)/55 caliber guns (3x3)
8 × 5 in (130 mm)/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns
2 × 3-pounder 47 mm (1.9 in) saluting guns
12 × single 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons
4 × quad 1.1 in (28 mm)/75 caliber anti-aircraft guns
The USS Vincennes (CA-44) was a United States Navy New Orleans-class cruiser, sunk at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942. She was the second ship to bear the name.
She was laid down on 2 January 1934 at Quincy, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company's Fore River plant, launched on 21 May 1936, sponsored by Miss Harriet Virginia Kimmell (daughter of Joseph Kimmell, mayor of Vincennes, Indiana), and commissioned on 24 February 1937, Captain Burton H. Green in command.
The New Orleans-class cruisers were the last U.S. cruisers built to the specifications and standards of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. Such ships, with a limit of 10,000 tons standard displacement and 8-inch caliber main guns may be referred to as "treaty cruisers." Originally classified a light cruiser when she was authorized, because of her thin armor, Vincennes was reclassified a heavy cruiser, because of her 8-inch guns. The term "heavy cruiser" was not defined until the London Naval Treaty in 1930. This ship and Quincy were a slightly improved version of the New Orleans-class design.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Name: Vincennes
Namesake: City of Vincennes, Indiana
Ordered: 16 June 1933
Awarded: 3 August 1933
Builder: Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation's Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts
Cost: $11,720,000 (contract price)
Laid down: 2 January 1934
Launched: 21 May 1936
Sponsored by: Miss Harriet Virginia Kimmell
Commissioned: 24 February 1937
Identification: Hull symbol:CA-44
Honors and awards: Bronze-service-star-3d.png 2 × battle stars
Fate: Sunk, Battle of Savo Island 9 August 1942
General characteristics (as built:]
Class and type: New Orleans-class cruiser
Displacement: 10,136 long tons (10,299 t) (standard)
12,463 long tons (12,663 t) (loaded)
Length: 588 ft (179 m) oa
575 ft (175 m) pp
Beam: 61 ft 10 in (18.85 m)
Draft: 19 ft 6 in (5.94 m) (mean), 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m) (max)
Installed power: 8 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 107,000 shp (80,000 kW)
Propulsion: 4 × Parsons reduction steam turbines, 4 × screws
Speed: 32.7 kn (37.6 mph; 60.6 km/h)
Range: 10,000 nmi (12,000 mi; 19,000 km) at 15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h)
Capacity: Fuel oil: 1,650 tons
Complement: 103 officers 763 enlisted
Armament:
9 × 8 in (200 mm)/55 caliber guns (3x3)
8 × 5 in (130 mm)/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns
2 × 3-pounder 47 mm (1.9 in) saluting guns
8 × caliber 0.50 in (13 mm) machine guns
Armor:
Belt: 3–5 in (76–127 mm)
Deck: 1 1⁄4–2 1⁄4 in (32–57 mm)
Barbettes: 5 in (130 mm)
Turrets: 1 1⁄2–8 in (38–203 mm)
Conning Tower: 5 in (130 mm)
Aircraft carried: 4 × floatplanes
Aviation facilities: 2 × Amidship catapults
General characteristics (1942)[2][3]
Armament:
9 × 8 in (200 mm)/55 caliber guns (3x3)
8 × 5 in (130 mm)/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns
2 × 3-pounder 47 mm (1.9 in) saluting guns
12 × single 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons
4 × quad 1.1 in (28 mm)/75 caliber anti-aircraft guns
THE PLANS SET:
Mushroom Model Publications (MMP) is based in the U.K. They have all their books printed by their associate Stratus in Sandomierz, Poland in the English language. Stratus also does their own line of books in both English and Polish.
This plan set is in a soft cover portfolio that holds 6 sheets of plans that are 11 3/4" x 16 1/2" in size, folded in the center of the 16 1/2" width to fit the cover. These plans can be easily removed from the cover to be used away from it.
The cover art is a white line drawing of the U.S.S. Vincennes against an all green background.
One corner of the box says that the set contains plans in 1/700th, 1/350th and 1/200th scales.
The first plan in the book is to 1/350th scale. It shows the U.S.S. Vincennes CA44 1942, American Heavy Cruiser, New Orleans Class middle and stern section from the side and the bow and middle section from above.
The reverse side of the first plan shows the Vincennes in 1/30th showing a side profile of the forward and center part of the ship and an above-view of those sections.
The second plan has illustrations of the inner bulkheads of the Vincennes to 1/350th scale.
The reverse side of the second plan has a 1/350th head on bow view and stern view, illustrations of the propeller guard, 1.1' gun shield on the main deck , bollards (1/175 scale), propellers, stowage , aviation workshop and storeroom, crew's washroom & W.C., the main and well deck plan and the upper deck plan.
The third plan has illustrations to 1/35th scale of the communications platform, the battle lookout, the signal platform, the navigation bridge, the Mk 31 director, the signal bridge, the Mk 28 director, the sky lookout, fire control platform and a search light.
The reverse side of the third plan has illustrations in 1/350th scale of the construction of the superstructure showing a stern and starboard view of it, a 1.1 in AA gun, main mast & S.C. search radar antenna, 36 in searchlight, searchlight platforms, main funnel, 40 ft. motor launch, 26' motor whaleboat, aft funnel and the catapult towers on the port and starboard sides.
The fourth plan has 1/350th scale illustrations of the construction of the hangar, handling cranes, ship's life rafts, 5/in 25 gun, triple turret for 8" 55 gun, catapult sections, aft fire control platform top, aft mast, stern and midship and forward swinging booms,20 cm Oerlikon single mount and a Curtiss SOC "Seagull" floatplane.
The reverse side of the fourth plan has a 1/200th scale side view showing the stern of the Vincennes.
The fifth plan shows the center section side view of the Vincennes in 1/200th scale.
The reverse side of the fifth plan shows the bow section of the Vincennes side view in 1/200th scale and the bow from above.
The sixth plan shows 1/200th scale illustrations from above of the center section and stern sections of the Vincennes.
The reverse side of the sixth plan has illustations to 1/700th scale of a side profile, above view and interior bulkheads of the Vincennes. One corner of the sheet has specifications of the ship and the other corner has a listing of all the New Orleans Class Heavy Cruisers, when their keel was laid, when launched, when commisioned and their fate.
Mushroom Model Publications (MMP) is based in the U.K. They have all their books printed by their associate Stratus in Sandomierz, Poland in the English language. Stratus also does their own line of books in both English and Polish.
This plan set is in a soft cover portfolio that holds 6 sheets of plans that are 11 3/4" x 16 1/2" in size, folded in the center of the 16 1/2" width to fit the cover. These plans can be easily removed from the cover to be used away from it.
The cover art is a white line drawing of the U.S.S. Vincennes against an all green background.
One corner of the box says that the set contains plans in 1/700th, 1/350th and 1/200th scales.
The first plan in the book is to 1/350th scale. It shows the U.S.S. Vincennes CA44 1942, American Heavy Cruiser, New Orleans Class middle and stern section from the side and the bow and middle section from above.
The reverse side of the first plan shows the Vincennes in 1/30th showing a side profile of the forward and center part of the ship and an above-view of those sections.
The second plan has illustrations of the inner bulkheads of the Vincennes to 1/350th scale.
The reverse side of the second plan has a 1/350th head on bow view and stern view, illustrations of the propeller guard, 1.1' gun shield on the main deck , bollards (1/175 scale), propellers, stowage , aviation workshop and storeroom, crew's washroom & W.C., the main and well deck plan and the upper deck plan.
The third plan has illustrations to 1/35th scale of the communications platform, the battle lookout, the signal platform, the navigation bridge, the Mk 31 director, the signal bridge, the Mk 28 director, the sky lookout, fire control platform and a search light.
The reverse side of the third plan has illustrations in 1/350th scale of the construction of the superstructure showing a stern and starboard view of it, a 1.1 in AA gun, main mast & S.C. search radar antenna, 36 in searchlight, searchlight platforms, main funnel, 40 ft. motor launch, 26' motor whaleboat, aft funnel and the catapult towers on the port and starboard sides.
The fourth plan has 1/350th scale illustrations of the construction of the hangar, handling cranes, ship's life rafts, 5/in 25 gun, triple turret for 8" 55 gun, catapult sections, aft fire control platform top, aft mast, stern and midship and forward swinging booms,20 cm Oerlikon single mount and a Curtiss SOC "Seagull" floatplane.
The reverse side of the fourth plan has a 1/200th scale side view showing the stern of the Vincennes.
The fifth plan shows the center section side view of the Vincennes in 1/200th scale.
The reverse side of the fifth plan shows the bow section of the Vincennes side view in 1/200th scale and the bow from above.
The sixth plan shows 1/200th scale illustrations from above of the center section and stern sections of the Vincennes.
The reverse side of the sixth plan has illustations to 1/700th scale of a side profile, above view and interior bulkheads of the Vincennes. One corner of the sheet has specifications of the ship and the other corner has a listing of all the New Orleans Class Heavy Cruisers, when their keel was laid, when launched, when commisioned and their fate.
I only found one kit of it around, to 1/700th scale from Trumpeter and available at Sprue Bros.
This is a nice set of plans and should appeal to both modelers and naval historians alike.
Recommended
I want to thank Roger Wallsgrove, Editor-in-Chief of MMP and the folks at Casemate who sent me this review sample.
All MMP titles can be seen on the Casemate site at:
www.casematepublishing.com
or
This is a nice set of plans and should appeal to both modelers and naval historians alike.
Recommended
I want to thank Roger Wallsgrove, Editor-in-Chief of MMP and the folks at Casemate who sent me this review sample.
All MMP titles can be seen on the Casemate site at:
www.casematepublishing.com
or