1/2400 bits

[TAMMY]

It shoul read German 88mm guins

[Donald M. Scheef]

I think I finally have a resolution for the Aquila's armament. This time, I looked at the instruction sheet as well as the pieces. The instruction sheet identifies the smaller piees by letter:

"A" and "B": three pieces each, each with two large single gun mounts. Two of each are used - the third of each is a spare. These are obviously the 135 mm.

"C" and "D": Ten pieces "C" of which eight are to be used. Six pieces of "D" of which four are to be used. These are what I initially identified as 90 mm ("C") and 65 mm ("D"). The size of the "C" is greater than that of the "D" but, on closer examination, the guns themselves are the same size. That means that these are all the 65 mm mounts (alternately, 90 mm if you believe that Conway's was correct in describing the earlier armament).

"E": six pieces, four of which are to be installed on the ship. These are almost certainly the six-barrel 20 mm (alternately, multi-barrel 37 mm if you believe Conway's initial design). Examining other pieces in GHQ's model, I identified the following similar mounts molded into larger pieces: 3 on the hull (one in the bow, two on the flight deck immediately fore and aft the superstructure), 8 on the superstructure (2 forward, 2 aft, and four on the starboard side), and 6 on a large port sponson. That adds up to 21 mounts, which matches well to the 22 six-barrel mounts in the description.

Does anyone know where the 22nd mount was located? I've got the extra part "E" to add this. It can't go at the stern because the flight deck overhung the hull. I can't find any extra room on the superstructure. Anywhere else on the flight deck would be in the way. I am considering placing it in a superfiring position aft of the 20 mm mount in the bow of the ship. The sky arcs would not be great, but there is room there and it would not extend above the flight deck.

Don S.

[TAMMY]

You are right on the 20mm. I checked on the plan view I have of Aquila but I was able to identify the position of 21 mounts only (12 on starboard, 10 on port and 1 in the bow). The 22nd mount is missing.

The other point is that the 65mm are shown all of the same type/size and, as far as I know, there was one type omly planned for Aquila and the Etna class AA cruisers.

In any case the alternate armament reported by Conway is relevant to a completely different shape even if based on the same Roma passenger ship, so there are no possibility of mixing up the guns.

[dragon6]

In any case the alternate armament reported by Conway is relevant to a completely different shape even if based on the same Roma passenger ship, so there are no possibility of mixing up the guns.

I have to disagree with you. The 135mm (AA variant) and 65mm guns never existed, nor did the 6 barreled 20mm yet Aquila did exist and did have AA armament. Since she didn't have fictional AA the guns must be ones that the Italian navy actually had, that means 90mm, single or twin 37mm, single or twin 20mm, and the old 100mm guns. Some version of that is what Aquila had.

Of course GHQ may have just gone with some completely fictional armament. I would hope that they didn't do that as Aquila was effectively complete. Therefore I would prefer that GHQ use actual weapons available to the Regia Marina.

Different question but are the twin 135mm gun turrets on the Attilio Regolo model separate? As I understand the Vesuvio would have had three twin 135 AA mounts.

[Donald M. Scheef]

The twin 135 mm mounts on GHQ's Attilio Regolo (RMN7) are separate pieces.

Don S.

[TAMMY]

The Aquila model realized by GHQ is correct and correspond to the plan of the ship under modification/construction but NEVER completed. The hull and part of the island were ready when the works were stopped in September 43.

The hull was completed with the sponsons shown on GHQ model but without armament.

About the "non existance" of the weapons installed by GHQ as per plan I can say the following.

!35mm in single mounts. This gun was realizedin but was never in service afloat. Some pieces were installed in coast defence. I have to note that the dvelopment regarded the mount only as the gun itself was the same of the twin and triple mounts.

65mm AA gun. The prototype was ready in summer 1943 but was never in series production. It was hand loaded as the automatic rammer gave a lot of trouble never completely solved.

20mm ** CENSORED **. Same thing. It was at prototyoe stage at the armistice. I have a photograoh of it.

The other armament indicated by Conway were relevant to a previous and different project even if it was based on the same hull pf the Roma passenger ship. This project like a few othes remained only a drawing.

[Donald M. Scheef]

TAMMY: You can't use s*xtuple in this forum; the auto censor won't allow any word that contains s*x even as a part of the word. For similar reasons, Guadalcan*l and similar are censored. You can use the Greek root hex- for six, as in hextuple 20 mm gun mount.

Don S.

[TAMMY]

Sorry Don. I i understand and take duly note of it. In future I will use 6x20mm as for my Italian/English "hextuple" is really horrible, moreover it gives the idea of an hexagonal disposition of the barrels while they are three couples one on the top of the other.

I take the occasion to add further information about the rediness of Aquila on August43 fron an Italian Navy Report,
Hull: completed at 99%
Machinery completed at 98% (The boiler had alreadybeen fired but the ship was not yet in condition to move by ist own means)
Fitted at 70%. (the most important missing parts were armament and electronics)

In order to give some AA defence while in port it was temporarily fitted with a few Flakvierling.
On September 9 it was caprured by Germans who soon provided to take evrithyng they found useful and the hull remained at the wharf in Genoa.

I

[Mikee]

One of the GHQ UK capital ships (I think it's the Q.E, or valiant) has a superstructure deck with four pom-poms on it. I don't know whether it's a four-barrel or eight-barrel, but i used some when I modified the KGV battleships. You just file down the deck (carefully!) & you have four mounts.

[dragon6]

I started painting my CV-2 Lexington. I planned on depicting her as she appeared at the Battle of the Coral Sea. I know that in March-April 1942 she had the 8" guns removed. In their place I can see three gun tubs each of which was supposed to have 1.1" quad mounts.
Alas, the GHQ model does not come with them. There are several models with the 1.1" quad mounts molded into various models, but I do not want to cut up anything yet.
Does anyone know of a model that would have the 1.1 quads on a sprue?
Suggestions anyone?

Up thread Don said

USN19 (BB-38 Pennsylvania '42) and USN61 (BB-39 Arizona) each has a sprue with three quad 1.1" mounts along with cranes.

It's an excellent project! I wish you luck and show us pictures