USS Newport News (CA-148)

[David Latuch]

It was August of 1972; I was walking across the lobby of Recruit Training Command Headquarters San Diego, when I laid eyes on a six plus foot brass ship model encased in glass. As I approached the case, I mistook the craft for a battleship, three triple turrets et al; after a cursory glance I realized she was a heavy cruiser, she was in fact the USS Newport News, it was love at was love at first sight.

After Boot Camp and “A” School I was assigned to the USS Skipjack (SSN-585) for 13 months, when I was transferred. Low and behold, one of my choices of duty station was the USS Newport News (CA-148) whose crew I joined the day she arrived back in Norfolk, Virginia from her deployment in Viet Nam. My first sight of her sleek lines and teak deck brought back memories of the model ship I had seen long ago. I remained aboard Newport News until she was decommissioned June 27, 1975. I am a Plank Preserver.

USS Newport News (CA-148)
Namesake: Newport News, Virginia
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company
Laid down: 1 November 1945
Launched: 6 March 1948
Sponsored by: Mrs. Homer L. Ferguson
Commissioned: 29 January 1949
Decommissioned: 27 June 1975
Struck: 31 July 1978
Identification: Hull symbol: CA-148
Fate: Sold for scrap to Southern Scrap Material Co., Ltd, New Orleans 25 FEB 1993

Newport News
Type: Heavy cruiser
Displacement:
17,255 long tons (17,532 t) (standard)
20,933 long tons (21,269 t) (full load)
Length: 716 ft 6 in (218.39 m)
Beam: 76 ft 6 in (23.32 m)
Draft: 22 ft (6.7 m)
Propulsion:
4 shafts
General Electric turbines
4 boilers
120,000 shp (89,000 kW)
Speed: 33 kn (61 km/h)
Range:
10,500 nmi at 15 knots
19,400 km at 28 km/h
Complement: 1,799 officers and enlisted
Armament:
9 × 8 inch/55 caliber guns (3 x 3) (Rate of Fire: 9 rounds per minute per gun)
12 × 5 inch/38 caliber guns (6 x 2) (Rate of Fire: 15-22 rounds per minute per gun)
24 × 3 inch/50 caliber guns (12 x 2) (Rate of Fire: 45-50 rounds per minute per gun)
12 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannons (12 x 1) (Rate of Fire: 250 to 320 rounds per minute per gun)
Armor:
Belt: 4-6 in (102-152 mm)
Deck: 3.5 in (89 mm)
Turrets: 2-8 in (51-203 mm)
Barbettes: 6.3 in (160 mm)
Conning tower: 6.5 in (165 mm)

Looking at her amazing rate of fire you can see why her radio call sign was “Thunder”.

Below I have depicted USS Newport News (CA-148) in 1949 (as commissioned), 1962 after an update to her radar and communication suites, the enclosure of her bridges, and an addition of an enlargement of her deckhouse to accommodate the staff of the Admiral Second fleet/Strike Force Atlantic , and the removal of her Oerlikons and 3”/50 guns. And her recall to Norfolk in1972.

1949



1962



1972

[Colombamike]

David Latuch,
Yours drawings look interesting (Better than the older Midnigthnova one)

But I feel the need for a final re-checking of small details/deck details/outfitting (ladders, lights, rafts-life, mooring, electronics, ect...)
more particularly for top-view of upper-supertructure...

Look the quality-level of the Worcester by Ian (Colosseum)

[acelanceloet]

Well, we do know David likes a shading, detailing and colouring style that is simpler then most recent shipbucket works. While I disagree with that, I will ignore that in my further comments, as that is his choice.

However, I just noticed something: almost nothing in your top view lines up with your sideview. I first noticed this on the turrets, where the knuckle is further aft on the sideview then on the top view. I mean hell, the top view is even a few pixels longer then the sideview for some reason.
Then there is the hull shading. Why is there a lighter line at the bottom of the dark shaded part?
I also thought the Des Moines hull shape was derived from the baltimore, which had, like the worcester Mike posted above, a pretty distinctive knuckle shape in the stern. Are you sure these ships did not have this feature most if not all USN cruisers of the time did have? I am 99% certain she had a knuckled stern. The skeg being shaded dark but the rudder unshaded is very weird too.

Then there is the matter of parts. On the discord, we have seen WIP's from a Des Moines class drawing done by Raspingleech. IIRC, he was making an all new drawing as the old one by midnightnova was too inaccurate, and indeed comparing his work in progress with your drawing there are considerable differences. I also drew a new main gun director for him which looked considerably different from the old one you have on this drawing, and I know from my own research that the main gun turrets you have there are not the right shape nor size. Hell, you have proven that yourself by the top view which is all new not matching the sideview of these turrets.
All in all, the mix of outdated parts together with recently redrawn parts makes some parts of the ship look bland and ugly.

While the top view is nice, the planking pattern is not at all like the planking pattern on the real ship, so it actually makes the drawing less accurate.

All in all, a drawing that is not a bad drawing but deserves a check in accuracy both in proportions and in details of the parts, an update of the parts that have not been redrawn by other artists yet to bring them up to spec. Sorry to say, but this drawing just looks rushed and suffers from it.

[emperor_andreas]

Very nice work, and thank you for your service!

[RipSteakface]

Didn't @RaspingLeech already draw this?

[David Latuch]

As far I know only Midnightnova and I are the only ones to have drawn Newport News, but I could be wrong.

[acelanceloet]

As I mentioned in my post above, raspingleech was working on the Des Moines but he has so far not completed the drawing.