Galveston-Class CLG:s

As promised, I'm working on the Galveston-class guided missile cruisers (CLG:s) I'm using, as explained in my previous thread, a classification that allows all the fleet-flagship conversions of the Clevelands, to merge into the same class: the Little Rock-class, while the two remaining cruisers, the Galveston (CLG-3) and Topeka (CLG-8) are put together in one separate class, being the non-fleet-flagship conversions.

So, here's my personal favorite, the rather abused and sadly short-lived USS Topeka (CLG-8) as she appeared after her modernization, in 1967. Here she was ready to be deployed from the Pacific, where, among other duties, she had performed shore bombardment against Viet-Minh targets in South Viet-Nam.

My version captures, I believe, the handsome lines of this unique cruiser. Of the six converted original Clevelands, the Topeka was alone in shipping a prominent tripod foremast. No official (or inofficial!) reason was ever given for that odd choice. Her bridge also warrants a comment: it almost resembled a bridge structure on the much later USSR rocket cruisers of the Kara-class, with its pronounced forward tilt and compactness. It certainly added grace to an already handsome vessel! She carries a new SPS-52 on her aft mast, an SPS-30 height finder on her amidships mast and the prominent mesh of an SPS-37-A on her forward tripod, together with an early version of the LAN-66 navigation radar. Since she is a Terrier-armed ship, she carries three prominent masts, equally spaced and tapering in height towards the stern. The corresponding Talos ships always carried a tall fore lattice mast, an even taller main lattice mast and then a much lower platform on their aft superstructure.
It was always fairly easy to differentiate a Terrier ship from a Talos: the radar suit on a Terrier would always be stern to bow: 3D radar; heightfinder or empty mast; air-search radar on fore. The Talos always carried their height finder aerialss on the aft platform; the 3D on their main mast (if carried!) and then the airsearch radar on the foremast.

I have depicted the Topeka as she looked like as flagship of TG 60.2 with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, 1967-68. Noticeable is the two supernumerary personnel boats she is carrying; in fact she had three, the third one is here obscured by the aftermost superstructure. There must have been a high degree of latitude allowed for the individual admiral to have his 'barge' painted in various, non-navy regulation colors. It should be noted that the brightly painted 40 footer on top of the missile house is a motor boat of pre-WW2 design!
[ img ]

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My Avatar:Петр Алексеевич Безобразов (Petr Alekseevich Bezobrazov), Вице-адмирал , царская ВМФ России(1845-1906) - I sign my drawings as Ari Saarinen

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Great stuff!

This is such a radical redraw that I don't need to be credited - take the glory for yourself.

Soooo mannnyyy details.

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[ img ]

Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

Breathtaking stuff. Shows just how much work goes into a missile conversion.

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only a few small notes:
- the small dark 'foot' under the launcher should not be there, according to this pic http://bonanzleimages.s3.amazonaws.com/ ... M__075.jpg I think the launcher is OR lower OR is the same as the one used on the Mk 4 GMLS, which is to be found in the belowdeck parts thread.... but that is effectively the same launcher with an longer 'pole'
- according to the above pic, the back of the missile system has a small corner 'cut out'. I cannot find this on your drawing.

other then that AWESOME!
-- starts hoping for well researched, good looking belowdeck parts for the Mk 9 GMLS

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Drawings are credited with J.Scholtens
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this is awe--,.nsgødbkj.

Thank you, Colo, if you say so, then I'll change the credits out in a little while. ace: while your opinion is insightful, as usual, I'm not quite following you in your text. Could you, perhaps, rephrase it? I know English is not your primary language, and I really like to know exactly what you mean, since it will only further the drawing. As for the below-decks parts; well, in this case, with the exception of the guns, there won't be any! The whole system, bar some radar and missile guidance rooms were situated in the huge aft missile house!
Thank you, though for your nice compliments!

Edit: I've updated the drawing implementing the remarks made by ace. You were right about the 'knuckle' at the farther aft end of the missile house. It was there, albeit not too clearly outlined, and, what is worse, it was too far forward! So, I've altered that part of the ship. Then there were a few, rather embarrassing issues that I found at a closer look, such as entire sections missing pixels! I guess I didn't see the trees for the forest...

As for the launcher, I do believe I've got the right one. In dimensions it is wholly in agreement, so I don't see any reason why I ought to change that.

And again, thank you Colo, for your endorsement. I followed your advice with regards to the credits!

With this done, I can eventually move on to the Galveston and the two remaining Terrier fleet flagships...

bezo, I meant you have to take an closer look at these 2 parts:
[ img ]

the launcher and the back of the launcher deck house
and for the belowdeck parts: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/63276563/gmls%20Mk%207.png
your argument is invalid

I still expect it xD

EDIT: ow and I see you already edited the back of the launcher deck house

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Drawings are credited with J.Scholtens
I ask of you to prove me wrong. Not say I am wrong, but prove it, because then I will have learned something new.
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Galveston-Class CLG:s

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