USS Tucson

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  • CC Clarke
    Lieutenant Commander
    • Aug 2020
    • 239

    #46
    Can't make out any detail of #1, but Forum is the same shape and profile of the Active Emissions Intercept LF hydrophone (also mounted topside on the bow) used from the WLR-9 to at least the WLR-17. A smaller, nearly identical fairing for HF acoustic reception sits on top of the sail, and along the keel. Mounting the pair of dual-acoustic band hydrophones above and below the ship's centerline gave optimal threat coverage against targets below (submarines or skimmers joining them) and surface contacts (nearly always skimmers). Forum has an oval mount projecting from the keel with the hydropone suspended from it. Heavy pigs; I never enjoyed having to remove / install the lower from scaffolding.

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    • SSBN659
      Commander
      • Feb 2009
      • 405

      #47
      Thanks CC for the info.

      I found this photo of hatches on Toledo SSN 769 and wanted to include the detail on my model.

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      I used a Forstner bit to create a flat indent on the hull for my polystyrene hatch plate. Then masked around the hatch plate and filled in with glazing putty. Next I sanded around the plate to get the contour with the hull. Hopefully this will look close to the real thing once I get the final coat of paint on the model. That will take awhile as I still have a lot of work to do on the hull before getting back to the sail, rudders and planes.

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      Happy New Year everyone!

      Will Rogers
      SSBN659
      Attached Files

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      • SSBN659
        Commander
        • Feb 2009
        • 405

        #48
        Scribing the fairing covers for the Vertical Launch System has been a challenge. I haven't done any scribing since the Kilo I did several years back and my eyes aren't as sharp as before. I found some templates I used on my Visitor III and tried them.

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        The problem was they were too round and didn't come close to matching the real thing so I created new templates from Polystyrene Sheet. This one was better in that it was closer to the real thing..

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        I've tried several times to get it just right but still not there yet. I fill the mistakes with glazing putty, sand, prime and re-scribe.
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        I will eventually get there. Stay tuned.

        Will Rogers
        SSBN659

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        • SSBN659
          Commander
          • Feb 2009
          • 405

          #49
          Too cold out in the shop to work on the model so researching details for scribing Tucson sail. Found this photo of Tucson coming alongside Emory Land in the Philippines. Can anyone identify what the 2 areas in red are? The larger area appears to be set in.

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          Thanks for any help.

          Will Rogers
          SSBN659

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          • SSBN659
            Commander
            • Feb 2009
            • 405

            #50
            Tucson arriving Pearl Harbor shows same inset on port side.

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            • He Who Shall Not Be Named
              Moderator
              • Aug 2008
              • 12253

              #51
              sonar window?
              Who is John Galt?

              Comment

              • SSBN659
                Commander
                • Feb 2009
                • 405

                #52
                Thanks David, right on.

                Found this in Norman Friedman's U.S. SUBMARINES SINCE 1945.

                "Unlike earlier designs, Los Angeles shows no separate sonar dome for an acoustic intercept receiver, so presumably her WLR-12 arrays are behind windows faired into the sail; for example, some photographs suggest that there is an acoustic window on the after part of the sail."

                I will include this in the sail.

                Will Rogers
                SSBN659

                Comment

                • CC Clarke
                  Lieutenant Commander
                  • Aug 2020
                  • 239

                  #53
                  As a former ST, I can tell you the WLR-12 (9, 12, 17) systems all used the same hydrophone configuration topside and on the keel. Two, small, (high-freq hydrophone fairings) and a larger, low freq hydrophone fairing - normally, only the topside, bow-mounted fairings are ever photographed. The smaller fairing on top of the sail and lower fairing on the bow (Kamehameha shown) are pictured.

                  The square panels on the sides of the sail may be one-offs on this flight for another sonar, but they aren't from the 12.

                  CC

                  Attached Files

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                  • SSBN659
                    Commander
                    • Feb 2009
                    • 405

                    #54
                    Thanks again for good information CC. Looking back at post D&E MINIATURES SUPPORT I see Toledo had no inset on the sail so your comment about a one-off makes sense. The pictures you posted above and item 2 on post KMC DESIGNS SUPPORT will help me include them on my model.

                    Will Rogers
                    SSBN659

                    Comment

                    • SSBN659
                      Commander
                      • Feb 2009
                      • 405

                      #55
                      Oops, don't know how that happened. The links above should have been posts number 47 and 45.

                      Will Rogers
                      SSBN659

                      Comment

                      • SSBN659
                        Commander
                        • Feb 2009
                        • 405

                        #56
                        To add the safety track faring I started with a half inch dowel rod, drew a 3/8" chord for scale and mounted the rod to a jig with hot glue to hold it in place. Then I cut the rod at the bandsaw, shaped the ends and mounted it to the hull with blue tape for a first fit. The forth photo shows the placement was off by about a half inch at the pencil mark so I moved the rod back, re-taped it and drilled pilot holes for nails. The next step will be to secure the rod in place with epoxy and nails. There is a lot more to do but our garage is still a bit cold so the work progresses slowly. Oh, hope you don't mind the messy work bench. It works for me.

                        Will Rogers
                        SSBN659

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                        • JHapprich
                          Captain
                          • Oct 2017
                          • 712

                          #57
                          Looking good! Messy bench? Looks like work beeing done to me!
                          i thought you were bulding that hull directly , but now i see this is the master plug under construction, right?

                          Jörg

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                          • CC Clarke
                            Lieutenant Commander
                            • Aug 2020
                            • 239

                            #58
                            This keeps getting better and better!

                            The fairing is for the towed array cover, (The array is stored inside a steel tube under the fairing when retracted.) The handling system with winch and hull penetration, (static and dynamic seals) for the tow cable is located under the forward leading edge of the fairing.

                            Constructed of fiberglass mounted to a steel frame, the towed array covers' center offset makes it an ideal location to mount the safety track with close hatch access.

                            CC

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                            • SSBN659
                              Commander
                              • Feb 2009
                              • 405

                              #59
                              Hi Jorg thanks for your comments. This will be a display model only not a master for a rubber mold and fiberglass layup. Several years ago I did a Victor III and a Kilo in fiberglass and posted them here but no plans to do one now.

                              Will Rogers
                              SSBN659

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                              • He Who Shall Not Be Named
                                Moderator
                                • Aug 2008
                                • 12253

                                #60
                                I got one of Will's VICTOR-3 GRP hulls and it's a beaut!

                                David
                                Who is John Galt?

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