[American]

I am a carrier freak i love Airplanes i love ship's. Even better when they are combined! Now i was doing some searching for a really kool mission i can make. And i stumbled over some nifty bit's of info. If any of you knew the united states used there carrier to deliver new aircraft. Many time in the pacific with f4u's that will take off land at a airbase ad never see the carrier again. Well the USS Ranger (CV-4) Did the same with p-40's 2 times and did it with p-38 2. She mainly roamed around the north Africa region thought out the war. Mostly fighting Italian and German planes.

I think work should be done to make this carrier. And since the 3d convert is being made or done. wouldn't mind doing some 3d Work for the purpose of this carrier.


(Side note: I think work should be done to make a carrier like the BIG E)

[VT-51_Razor]

Actually, the Ranger didn't stay in the ETO very long, but she did participate in a very little known series of raids on the coast of Norway in late '42 or early '43. Her Air Group sank a couple of ships and downed a few transports and bombers, while losing a few of her own planes. After this operation I believe that she went back to the states for training and transportation duties.

Another interesting period for US Naval carrier operations was during the invasion of the south of France. Operation Dragoon involved a bunch of CVEs covering the invasion, three of which were US Navy. They had TBF/Ms and F6Fs embarked, and shot up quite a bit of rolling stock in southern France as well as downing a couple of night intruders - JU-88s I believe. One of the CVEs had a night fighter squadron of F6Fs aboard. Google Operation Dragoon if you'd like some background for mission building.

[Willy]

I'm pretty keen on Naval aviation too And I'd say that the USS Ranger (CV-4), like the USS Wasp (CV-7) are often largely forgotten about, probably overshadowed by the exploits of the larger USN fleet carriers in the Lexington, Yorktown & Essex classes.

Another often overlooked USN carrier class is the Independence class of fast fleet carrier, converted from cruiser hulls. I hope to change that from the IL2 point of view as I've been working on one in 3dsmax for some time...but more on that later

The plans you show of Ranger, while ok, are unfortunately not detailed enough for a good build. if you, or anyone can produce detailed plans I'd see if I could find an empty slipway to lay the keel on More detail the better, at very least including all sides and hull below waterline...

Aircraft Carriers ferrying aircraft, either to rear bases, hot spot's or for invasion purposes was a common practice during WW2 and not only limited to the US Navy, or even just Navies

Some of the better known cases are the Royal Navy convoys to supply Malta with aircraft to defend the besieged Island. They lost two carriers during these operations, HMS Arc Royal & HMS Eagle. They also enlisted the help of the US Navy with USS Wasp (CV-7) going on two convoy's.

Possibly the least known are the exploits of the 5 escort carriers ordered to be built for the Japanese Imperial Army, that's right Army not Navy From what I've recently read, they converted 3 merchant ships into small carriers to support landing operations by flying Army aircraft to new beachheads, not unlike the practise at Operation Torch, these ships could also carry landing craft. They had no provision for recovering aircraft. Only 2 saw active service (details mostly unknown), the Akitsu Maru & the Nigitsu Maru and both were sunk by submarines in 1944. The 3rd Kumano Maru saw no action and survived the war.
They also converted 2 tankers into escort carriers Yamashiro Maru & Chigusa Maru. Only Yamashiro Maru was commissioned, entering service on 27th Jan 1945. It apparently had 8 Ki-44 Shoki (Tojo) aircraft on board. Whatever service history it may have had was certainly short lived as Yamashiro Maru was sunk by US aircraft in Yokohama on 17th Feb 1945.
How this was to function in practice I have yet to find out...hard facts being hard to find.
It could be that the aircraft were deemed expendable, like the catapulted Hurricanes on British merchant vessels in the Atlantic. On the other hand, they might have had arrestor gear, who knows? But it would be nice to have a Ki-44 with a tailhook in IL2, or any kind of Ki-44 for that matter

Re; USS Enterprise, it has already be done, but was never released due to the Northrop Grumman thing. It's a real shame, as SaQSon, the guy who modelled it, certainly made a beautiful job. Easily worthy of taking the time & effort to post an old screen shot of

SaQSon's "Big E"

[/url]

[VT-51_Razor]

Willy, have you seen the work that FC and Archie have done to bring a couple of the Nine Sisters to life here? Given the limitations of the modders here, I would say that they are very, very good. Air Group 51 will have the San Jacinto to fly off of any day now, and she is just gorgeous!

Thanks for the picture of the Big "E". It certainly was a shame that she didn't make it into Pacific Fighters - along with her sister ships Hornet and Yorktown.

[RAF_Leigh]

hi willy

is there anyway to get your habd or our hands on the "Big E"
would be good to have but if not

oh well

S! RAF_Leigh

[Willy]

Willy, have you seen the work that FC and Archie have done to bring a couple of the Nine Sisters to life here? Given the limitations of the modders here, I would say that they are very, very good. Air Group 51 will have the San Jacinto to fly off of any day now, and she is just gorgeous!

Thanks for the picture of the Big "E". It certainly was a shame that she didn't make it into Pacific Fighters - along with her sister ships Hornet and Yorktown.

Yes, I'm roughly up to speed on what FC & Archie are doing with the the pair of sisters (sounds like fun :mrgreen: ) In fact part of the reason I started the Independence class was from discussion with FC. It will be a good while down the line though & FC and Archies sisters will have trapped and entertained a fair few guys by then, clipped a few wings and bruised a few ego's too I shouldn't wonder

While doing research on it I ran into a mother load of plans and photos of HMS Repulse, a personal favourite ship of mine with family connections and I was tempted to shelf the fast carrier... but I'm going to press on and have a look at Force Z after. We already have the PoW, so...

It's a real shame about the Enterprise, and like you say we could have had all three. But above all I really feel for the guy who made it. While trying to avoid being silly and biting off too much, I have already started to accumulate some documents...it gets addictive. But I'm really gonna focus on one at a time.

[Willy]

hi willy

is there anyway to get your habd or our hands on the "Big E"
would be good to have but if not

oh well

S! RAF_Leigh

I have a feeling that's highly unlikely. But you never know what's around the corner.

[VT-51_Razor]

Looking forward to seeing your work Willy. You guys that can do this stuff never cease to amaze me!

[archie1971]

I'm pretty keen on Naval aviation too And I'd say that the USS Ranger (CV-4), like the USS Wasp (CV-7) are often largely forgotten about, probably overshadowed by the exploits of the larger USN fleet carriers in the Lexington, Yorktown & Essex classes.

Another often overlooked USN carrier class is the Independence class of fast fleet carrier, converted from cruiser hulls. I hope to change that from the IL2 point of view as I've been working on one in 3dsmax for some time...but more on that later

The plans you show of Ranger, while ok, are unfortunately not detailed enough for a good build. if you, or anyone can produce detailed plans I'd see if I could find an empty slipway to lay the keel on More detail the better, at very least including all sides and hull below waterline...

Aircraft Carriers ferrying aircraft, either to rear bases, hot spot's or for invasion purposes was a common practice during WW2 and not only limited to the US Navy, or even just Navies

Some of the better known cases are the Royal Navy convoys to supply Malta with aircraft to defend the besieged Island. They lost two carriers during these operations, HMS Arc Royal & HMS Eagle. They also enlisted the help of the US Navy with USS Wasp (CV-7) going on two convoy's.

Possibly the least known are the exploits of the 5 escort carriers ordered to be built for the Japanese Imperial Army, that's right Army not Navy From what I've recently read, they converted 3 merchant ships into small carriers to support landing operations by flying Army aircraft to new beachheads, not unlike the practise at Operation Torch, these ships could also carry landing craft. They had no provision for recovering aircraft. Only 2 saw active service (details mostly unknown), the Akitsu Maru & the Nigitsu Maru and both were sunk by submarines in 1944. The 3rd Kumano Maru saw no action and survived the war.
They also converted 2 tankers into escort carriers Yamashiro Maru & Chigusa Maru. Only Yamashiro Maru was commissioned, entering service on 27th Jan 1945. It apparently had 8 Ki-44 Shoki (Tojo) aircraft on board. Whatever service history it may have had was certainly short lived as Yamashiro Maru was sunk by US aircraft in Yokohama on 17th Feb 1945.
How this was to function in practice I have yet to find out...hard facts being hard to find.
It could be that the aircraft were deemed expendable, like the catapulted Hurricanes on British merchant vessels in the Atlantic. On the other hand, they might have had arrestor gear, who knows? But it would be nice to have a Ki-44 with a tailhook in IL2, or any kind of Ki-44 for that matter

Re; USS Enterprise, it has already be done, but was never released due to the Northrop Grumman thing. It's a real shame, as SaQSon, the guy who modelled it, certainly made a beautiful job. Easily worthy of taking the time & effort to post an old screen shot of

SaQSon's "Big E"

[/url]

much nice work ,I'd like near to me model so like

[Willy]

Looking forward to seeing your work Willy

I'm looking forward to reaching the stage where it's worth looking at It is relatively early doors on a looooong project, but as you are a mad flattop fan like myself pm me your email and I'll try and let you in on the build.

Anyway I came across some more info's about the Imperial Japanese army carriers, turns out, from a few sources, that they used Autogyros for spotting & asw duties from the Akitsu Maru, a real short decked affair too short for normal aircraft. Apparently they sank at least one USN sub!

Here is the best read I came across about it. http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.p...70&start=9

[RAF_Leigh]

well willy

if you need any help ill try as much as i can