Ron Saueracker
Posts: 12121
Joined: 1/28/2002 From: Ottawa, Canada OR Zakynthos Island, Greece Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Don Bowen Here is the current list of changes for U.S. Carriers. Waiting a bit on Long Island to see if anyone gets emotional over Long Island. Lexington ALL: Capacity changed to 91 to account for CAG aircraft (237) No other changes. (1253) No other changes - an excellent representation of Lexington at Coral Sea. (1254) Flight deck edge 5/38 were in single mounts. Added secondary air search radar. Added quadruple 40mm that replaced 3rd 5/25 in each gallery. Equates to Saratoga Refit after 1/42 torpedoing. (1255) Flight deck edge 5/38 were in single mounts. Added secondary search radar. Equates to Saratoga after second torpedoing. (1256) Flight deck edge 5/38 were in single mounts. 40mm substantially increased - the outfit given for 1/45 (class 1257) was really fitted 12/43 - 1/44 at Hunters Point. Adjust this refit to the values given in 1257 and remove 1257. (1257) Upgrade deleted. Yorktown ALL: Capacity changed to 91 to account for CAG aircraft (238) - no other changes. (1258) - no other changes. (1259) New (5th) Quad 1.1in was in the bows, not on Port Side. (1260) Quad 40mm properly distributed (they directly replaced the 4 flight deck quad 1.1) (1261) Upgrade date changed to 7/43 (beginning of refit, 10/43 was end). 40mm Locations adjusted and 20mm number reduced to 50 (twin and triple mounts were temporary). (1550) New Upgrade added for 6/45. Increased AA to 54 40mm (11 quad and 5 twin) and adjusted 20mm to 16 twin. Wasp ALL: Speed increased to 30 knots. Her trials gave 30.73 average on three runs with an estimated 29.8 after an allowance for sea conditions and fouling. Aircraft complement increased to 80 (what she carried at Eastern Solomons). (239) Unused - Wasp was refitted past this point prior to deployment to the Pacific. Removed CXAM, which was not fitted until 1/42. (1262) Changed upgrade date to 7/42 to coincide with Deployment to Pacific. Weapons in slots 8 and 9 should be 50Cal MG, not 20mm. Added one Quad 40mm on port quarter. (1263) and (1264) Hypothetical as Wasp was lost in September, 1942. No additional changes made. Essex ALL: Added second air warning set and a surface radar (SG). Increased aircraft complement to 92 as carried by Intrepid in the Marshall Islands (the largest complement I can find). The Essex class had a large variety of AA outfits and I think Matrix did an excellent job representing them so I made no other changes. Independence ALL: Aircraft complements varied during the war. Original design of 45 (24 Wildcat, 12 Dauntless, 9 Avenger) proved too large and was reduced to 36 in service. When the larger Hellcat replaced the Wildcat the complement was set at 30 (12 Hellcat, 9 Dauntless, 9 Avenger) but the mixed VB/VT attack group was difficult to coordinate. Also the non-folding wing Dauntless were difficult to accommodate. The airgroup was changed to 33 (24 Hellcat and 9 Avenger) in autumn of 1943. Since none of these ships went into action with Wildcats aboard, I've simplified the airgroups to a standard 33. (243) Adjusted aircraft complement to 33, added second air warning set. (1267) Adjusted aircraft complement to 33, added second air warning set (really removed and replaced with a height finding radar but no way to reflect this). Long Island Still thinking. Bogue ALL: increased speed to 17 knots. Trials were just over and service speeds just under 17. Considerable confusion on the original armament of these ships and, other than the 5in guns, I can find insufficient justification to change the original Matrix armament. refitted in early 1943 anyway. (246) 12/42 version. 5in/51 were originally fitted, not 5in/38 and they were sponsoned port and starboard. (1269) 4/43 Upgrade. 5in/38 were fitted but still sponsoned port/starboard. AA re-arranged based on detailed description of Crotan as of 5/43. Radar upgraded. Sangamon These were converted oilers that retained a large part of their oil carrying capacity and were able to refuel their escorts underway. To reflect this I have increased their oil capacity to 5880. And, since they could use this oil cargo as their own fuel, I have increased their endurance to the maximum (32767). (247) 11/42 Version. No additional Changes. (1270) 6/44 Version 5in Guns were 38 Cal, not 51. Casablanca ALL: Increased capacity to 28 - the originally planned air group of 9 fighters, 9 dive bombers, 9 torpedo planes was replaced with a standard group of 16 fighters and 12 torpedo planes (as in Bogues). No other changes. Commencement Bay (249) re-arranged 40mm (quads in bow and stern) and upgraded radar. Endurance is also a reflection of stores etc which sustain the crew. Don't over compensate for Sangamons oil cap this way.
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Yammas from The Apo-Tiki Lounge. Future site of WITP AE benders! And then the s--t hit the fan
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