Panther Jet-Carrier Deck Material

[datsun74]

Hello once again. For my 48th Trumpeter Panther F9F-2P in kit markings tail code UA, im looking to put on a carrier deck base. During this time what would the deck material be made of; wood? Ive seen photos dating from 1953 to 1957 with Panthers on carrier decks and they all look wood. Not sure when these decks were upgraded during or after Panthers would have been used. So I guess the question is, can anyone recceomend a carrier base made by Eduard or similiar that has correct surface material for period.

Thanks

[Superheat]

And hi Again,

The deck material would be wood for sure. The Panther was used primarily on straight deck carriers and all USN straight decks had wooden decks. Even after SCB-125 converted the Essex's to angle decks they were wood, though the catapult area had steel plates to prevent fires ignited by afterburners. The deck configuration was pretty much exactly the same as it had been in WWII, so any WWII carrier deck section will suffice for your model.

The first US all steel decks were the Forrestal class.

HTH,

Tom

[Paul Boyer]

While technically not "WWII" carriers, the Midway class trio (Midway, FDR, and Coral Sea) were originally build as straight-deck carriers. My references indicate the flight decks were "armored" and photos of the original straight-deck layouts indicate steel plates rather than wood plank construction. So I'm pretty sure the Midways were first with steel decks, but I'm open for correction.

[Jennings]

A UA code would indicate a utility squadron, not likely to have been aboard ship

[chriss7606]

The Midway class carriers did have steel plating on the deck, but they were eventually removed exposing the wood planking underneath. There was at least one photo of a Marine Panther landing on one of the Midway class carriers in the Detail & Scale that showed this.

[chriss7606]

Though not the one I was thinking of but look at the link:

http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/f9fpics/123494.jpg

From the well-known crash sequence aboard the U.S.S. Midway. You can see the wood deck planking, but note that the orientation is 90 degrees from the Essex class planks.

[Rex]

that isn't wood planking

that is the pattern that the non-skid was applied to the deck in

wood planking is applied with an overlap of the board ends for strength and load-bearing, not butt-jointed like those non-skid rectangles

[racerman]

that isn't wood planking

that is the pattern that the non-skid was applied to the deck in

wood planking is applied with an overlap of the board ends for strength and load-bearing, not butt-jointed like those non-skid rectangles

Beg to differ. Any coating applied would certainly cover a broader area than each individual "plank". Sorry, it's wood!

[Rex]

Sorry, it was steel.

see "US Aircraft Carriers, An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman, published by Naval Institute Press, 1983

pages 201 to 223 tell about the design process and discussions (and resistance) concerning the Class's top weight, which is one of the driving factors in the length to displacement ration (short version, you need more displacement to carry more top weight, which then requires more length to attain intended speed with a given powerplant SHP)

the top weight associated with having the flight deck be made of 3 1/2 inch STS is what caused the Midways to have the Montana BB class length, with the Iowa BB class powerplants

Midways were the first USN Class of steel flight deck carriers, and that fore-n-aft pattern was made by the applicator for the non-skid

(*I guess now someone will claim that Friedman was wrong, lol)