USA - Montana Class Battleship

[BB1987]

I've implemented your suggestions Colo, I'll post the revised earlier versions after Colombamike's round (he said it was incoming), yet I have just one question to ask:
You pointed out about the black funnel tops and I've indeed removed them from the 1941 plan. Yet while the 1942 and 1943 official models shows many parts in black instead of white (parts that were modifed over the earlier plans I suppose) the funnel tops themselves sport a diffferent, darker shade of black that also differently reflects light (it can be seen from the pictures I've linked), Also, the mast supporting the SC radar on the back of the second funnel shows it's lower part beign black while the upper part not, as it was supposed to be pained parly in black because of the funnel exhausts.
I've interpreted the pictures this way, yet I might still be wrong, what are you two cents about it?

Meanwhile, here is the 1948 Montana that was still unfinished days ago.


I know that postwar ships are not you area of expertize Colo, but I still wanted to ask you some minor questions:
Now that the searchlight platform on the back of the FCT would have (probably) not been used for that purpose anymore, it would have been left opened or it would have been enclosed?
The new antennaes would have still been fixed with brackets or with solid whip platforms?

Thanks in advance.

[Colombamike]

I'll post the revised earlier versions after Colombamike's round (he said it was incoming)

Be patient please, this is incoming in the next 2/3 days (by the week-end)

[emperor_andreas]

Great work on the Montanas, my friend...they would've been gorgeous ships!

[Colosseum]

I'll post the revised earlier versions after Colombamike's round (he said it was incoming)

Be patient please, this is incoming in the next 2/3 days (by the week-end)

You're never patient when "waiting" for our new drawings.

BB: points received and understood - I'm at the office right now, but will post once I get home and can more thoroughly examine the drawing.

[Colosseum]

You pointed out about the black funnel tops and I've indeed removed them from the 1941 plan. Yet while the 1942 and 1943 official models shows many parts in black instead of white (parts that were modifed over the earlier plans I suppose) the funnel tops themselves sport a diffferent, darker shade of black that also differently reflects light (it can be seen from the pictures I've linked), Also, the mast supporting the SC radar on the back of the second funnel shows it's lower part beign black while the upper part not, as it was supposed to be pained parly in black because of the funnel exhausts.
I've interpreted the pictures this way, yet I might still be wrong, what are you two cents about it?

I wouldn't take this picture for as a reference for coloring the drawing - note the black finish on other areas of the ship (half of the forward superstructure, the turrets, etc), which to me (on close inspection) looks to be the same shade as the other parts. Who knows why the model was colored differently - like you said, it might just be areas that were slightly modified or re-dimensioned. Again, I'm always a bit wary of using models for this sort of thing. Models are good if you're having trouble wrapping your head around a confusing amidships AA arrangement, or weirdly-shaped deck, but I wouldn't use them as a "be all to end all" reference. Keep in mind that the yard would likely end up modifying the design anyway.

Now that the searchlight platform on the back of the FCT would have (probably) not been used for that purpose anymore, it would have been left opened or it would have been enclosed?

Good question... it likely would have been a semaphore platform (flag signals are still in use after all) and remained open.

The new antennaes would have still been fixed with brackets or with solid whip platforms?

Go with the solid platforms but look at the postwar Iowas for what they should look like - I don't think the current ones are really what you want.

Here are some photos of the Korean War-era Iowa for reference: http://navsource.org/archives/01/061/016173r.jpg http://navsource.org/archives/01/061/016173o.jpg

Will respond in more depth later...

[erik_t]

I finally found some good references on SR-2, so there will be a revised version of that soon.

[BB1987]

I'll post the revised earlier versions after Colombamike's round (he said it was incoming)

Be patient please, this is incoming in the next 2/3 days (by the week-end)

I didn't meant to be pushy. My intent was just to inform Colo that I would have posted the revised earlier versions at once after your posts.

[Colosseum]

One more thing: they likely would have added canopies to the top of the 07 level conning station... during the war, canopies were never added because the threat of kamikazes and air attacks were real, but postwar in peacetime the protection from the sun was welcomed.

Correction: the 08 level conning station... these really were massive ships!

[BB1987]

It might be possible that I like to complicate my life...


By now at least those two should be completed (exept for the SR-2 radar on the 1948 Montana which I'll swap once Erik has updated it.)


Hope Mike will not be upset for not following entierely his suggestions about the 1945 fit.

[emperor_andreas]

Nice work!