Shipbucket

Finally one that has never actually been drawn before on this site!



This is RALPH TALBOT (DD-390) in April of 1942 after a refit period at Mare Island Navy Yard in Vallejo, California. RALPH TALBOT sports the usual Measure 21 all-over Navy Blue (5-N) applied to most of the Pacific Fleet at this time.

RALPH TALBOT shows the effects of the early refits for these ships, with the mast prepped to receive the SC air search radar, but no antenna yet fitted. Only a TBS tactical radio antenna is present at the mast top; SG surface search and the aforementioned SC would be added by 1943. The Mark 33 director has no radar fitted yet, but would receive one at a forward base by August of 1942. The prominent uptakes, trunked into a single wide funnel, were a distinguishing feature of this ten-ship class.

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This is RALPH TALBOT (DD-390) after the ship's refit period at Mare Island in October of 1942. The ship has received the SC air search radar, along with the SG surface search set on the mainmast. The Mark 4 "FD" radar on the Mark 33 gun director was added somewhere at a forward base during the preceding months. RALPH TALBOT remains in Measure 21, now the standard camouflage for all the Pacific Fleet units with the retirement of Measure 12 (modified).

A 20mm Oerlikon in a gun tub has been added ahead of the bridge, and the original "Battle Two" position atop the rear deckhouse has been converted to a 40mm Bofors tub with attendant Mark 51 director. The amidships searchlight tower has been reduced one deck level and now houses the ship's after conn. Additionally, the crew shield on the aft set of torpedo tubes has been landed, likely as a weight savings measure.

RALPH TALBOT would survive the war to be expended as a target during the CROSSROADS nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

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This is BLUE (DD-387) in August of 1942, as lost off Guadalcanal. BLUE is painted in the standard Measure 21 all-over Navy Blue (5-N) of the period.

BLUE was torpedoed in Ironbottom Sound by KAWAKAZE, and after several attempts to salvage the ship by towing it to Tulagi were unsuccessful, BLUE was scuttled on August 23rd. Nine men were killed by the torpedo hit.

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This is PATTERSON (DD-392) in March of 1944, with Measure 31/2C camouflage. The ships of this class (like most of the interwar DDs that survived) received only basic refits, usually of radar and radio systems and the usual outgrowth of anti-aircraft armament. PATTERSON has been refitted along the same lines as RALPH TALBOT, with a few differences. The later refits standardized the 20mm tub ahead of the bridge (built similarly to the same tub aboard the BENSON class ships), and relocated the radio DF loop (for LORAN) to a position aft of the pilot house. PATTERSON's starboard whaleboat has been landed, leaving the ship with only one whaleboat to port. The amidships 20mm position just aft of the funnel has received a splinter shield, and the SC-2 air search radar has been fitted at the mast top.

PATTERSON would survive the war to be broken up for scrap in 1947.

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This is MUGFORD (DD-389) in April of 1944 after a refit period at Mare Island. The ship is camouflaged in Measure 32/1D.

All of the surviving BAGLEYs were refitted along the same (sparse) lines. SC-2 and SG search radars sit on the foremast, along with a TBS tactical radio antenna. The Mark 4 "FD" ranging radar has been mounted to the front of the Mark 33 director. MUGFORD shows the effects of the usual wartime AA refits, with a 40mm Bofors twin mounted atop the aft deckhouse, and 20mm Oerlikons in amidships tubs. The ship retains its four torpedo tubes.

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This is MUGFORD (DD-389) in March of 1945, after her final refit period at Mare Island. The ship is camouflaged in Measure 22.

This refit replaced the Mark 4 ranging radar on the Mark 33 with the lighter and more advanced Mark 25 set. MUGFORD would end the war in this configuration, and would be expended as a target off Kwajalein after the Operation CROSSROADS nuclear tests.

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All BAGLEY class destroyer drawings available here: http://shipbucket.com/drawings/search?c ... =&drawing=

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)

Fan-bloody-tastic.

Any reason why they had open mounts at the back and enclosed at the front?

Thanks - my understanding is that the forward mounts were gradually enclosed on all the USN DD classes primarily as weather protection (and also as splinter protection for the crews). The forward mounts were enclosed first because they took the brunt of the battering in heavy seas, and that's why you also see strengthening bars and stiffeners on the forward guns (in this case a diagonal bar running left to right on mount 51).



This is RALPH TALBOT (DD-390) after the ship's refit period at Mare Island in October of 1942. The ship has received the SC air search radar, along with the SG surface search set on the mainmast. The Mark 4 "FD" radar on the Mark 33 gun director was added somewhere at a forward base during the preceding months. RALPH TALBOT remains in Measure 21, now the standard camouflage for all the Pacific Fleet units with the retirement of Measure 12 (modified).

A 20mm Oerlikon in a gun tub has been added ahead of the bridge, and the original "Battle Two" position atop the rear deckhouse has been converted to a 40mm Bofors tub with attendant Mark 51 director. The amidships searchlight tower has been reduced one deck level and now houses the ship's after conn. Additionally, the crew shield on the aft set of torpedo tubes has been landed, likely as a weight savings measure.

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

This is PATTERSON (DD-392) in March of 1944, with Measure 31/2C camouflage. The ships of this class (like most of the interwar DDs that survived) received only basic refits, usually of radar and radio systems and the usual outgrowth of anti-aircraft armament. PATTERSON has been refitted along the same lines as RALPH TALBOT, with a few differences. The later refits standardized the 20mm tub ahead of the bridge (built similarly to the same tub aboard the BENSON class ships), and relocated the radio DF loop (for LORAN) to a position aft of the pilot house. PATTERSON's starboard whaleboat has been landed, leaving the ship with only one whaleboat to port. The amidships 20mm position just aft of the funnel has received a splinter shield, and the SC-2 air search radar has been fitted at the mast top.

PATTERSON would survive the war to be broken up for scrap in 1947.

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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

Ian,
Do you have planned others drawing-versions ?
(prewar, helm, henley, bagley, mugford)

Excellent work.

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Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

Fantastic!

Thanks all.

For this class I may do one or two more camouflage variants, and possibly a pre-war example.

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

Wonderful work. Thanks.