Shipbucket

A few new ones for today:

First is DALE (DD-353) in mid-1944. DALE left the Puget Sound Navy Yard with the Measure 31/6D scheme. The raised searchlight platform above the aft deckhouse is a feature found on DALE, DEWEY (DD-349), WORDEN (DD-352), and MONAGHAN (DD-354); the original FARRAGUT design had a searchlight tower in this position at least two deck levels above the aft deckhouse and emergency conn, which was shortened during the early refits (another weight savings measure). The other ships of the class had their 36" searchlights placed directly on the deckhouse, with small supports to allow a clear line of sight over the 20mm tubs abeam.

Otherwise, DALE shows the usual late-war mods for this class: SC-2 and SG radars with associated IFF antennas on the yards, 40mm Bofors amidships, and four 5"/38 Mk.12 guns in half-shield mounts forward and open mounts aft.



Next is AYLWIN (DD-355) in December of 1941. AYLWIN shows the "as built" weaponry arrangement of the FARRAGUT class, with five 5" guns and eight torpedoes in two quadruple tubes. A token anti-aircraft machinegun battery consists of a mere five 20mm Oerlikons, with two ahead of the pilot house, two between the torpedo tubes, and one right aft between the depth charge roller racks. The arrangement of the "K-gun" depth charge projectors and their associated handling davits and arbor stowage racks has also changed, with one set of K-gun projectors aft of Mount 55 on the stern. The tall searchlight tower aft is a holdover from the original design; normally it would also support the tall mainmast, but the pre-war refits gradually removed the mainmast as it was realized how unstable these ships really were. The emergency conn is behind the tall canvas wind shields on the aft deckhouse. Pre-war refits removed the crow's nest (a feature present on nearly every USN small combatant) and replaced it with a much more exposed position at the mast ahead near the truck lights.

AYLWIN is camouflaged in Measure 11, the overall Sea Blue (5-S) system, with Deck Blue (20-B) on the horizontal surfaces. Feedback from the USN aviators resulted in the retirement of Measure 11 and its replacement with Measure 21 and its darker Navy Blue (5-N) camouflage, which was found to be more effective at defeating aerial observation.



AYLWIN was at the Mare Island Navy Yard for a refit in March of 1942. The ship emerged in Measure 21 camouflage, with Navy Blue (5-N) on all vertical surfaces. It was during this refit that AYLWIN lost the amidships 5" gun, to be replaced with a battery of 20mm Oerlikons. The 20mm mount ahead of the bridge has received a splinter shield, and the aft searchlight tower has been completely removed and the 36" searchlight mounted on a small riser above the aft deckhouse. An SC air search radar has been fitted at the mast head, along with three pairs of red-green-white fighting lights.

AYLWIN would participate in the Battle of Midway in this configuration.



Finally, another version of HULL (DD-350), this time in May of 1944. The most interesting part of this version of HULL is the SA air search radar, a system usually fitted only to light units like the destroyer escorts; this is another example of the USN rushing to get as many radar sets into the fleet as possible.



All FARRAGUT class drawings available here: http://shipbucket.com/drawings/search?c ... ate=&view=

All USN destroyer drawings available here: http://shipbucket.com/drawings?category ... shipType=1

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USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)

VERY nice work!

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MS State Guard - 08 March 2014 - 28 January 2023

The Official IJN Ships & Planes List

#FJB

Great series!

Colo, I just have two things to say. First, another fantastic job, just like we've come to expect of you. Second, look at your drawing of Farragut. . .

DD-349?

Thanks, fixed... churning too many of these things out, lose track of things.

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USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)