Looking for 1/700 or 1/350 "Gator Navy" amphibs

QUOTE: Originally posted by LemonJello Who makes amphibs in either of these scales? Or any scale for that matter. I was thinking of getting ambitious someday and making a MEU/ARG diorama of ships. So what's out there? Any and all USN gators. I've taken a ride on the USS Shreveport and USS Bataan, but I'd be interested in knowing what is offered. Thanks.

here ya go!

http://www.pacificfront.com/

you can get them from other sources but this one has a them all in one spot... LHA, LPH, LPD, LSD, LST, LKA etc... etc... all 1/700 I was on the Guam(LPH-9) and the Austin (LPD-4) and was thinking of getting a refueler and put the amhibs I was on, on either side doing unreps as a diorama...

they have a LHD-1 Wasp model from revel in resin that could easily be converted to the LHD-5 Bataan... especially with that testors decal printing software...

and the LPD-4 Austin I think comes with decals for several ships... you'll have to watch, the Austin was the only ship of its class without a hanger, the Shreveport had one... if the model doesn't have one you'll have to scratchbuild it out of something...

Your pretty much stuck with 1/700 resin. I did see some 1/350 resin at the Kalamazoo show last weekend, but runs several hundred per kit. A little much.

Resin kits are definately more expensive. If you're looking for straight plastics, Dragon makes the LHA/LHDs in 1/700 scale. I have kits of the L-Decks I sailed on: USS TARAWA (LHA-1) and USS PELELIU (LHA-5). Bear in mind, a lot of extra detailing will be needed to get the "island" in correct configuration. Shouldn't be too off on the WASP Class LHDs.

Semper Fi!

Carl

Thanks, this is a project that isn't on the top of the list, but one of these days I'll get around to it and that link from tho9900 should set me on the path to decide just what I want to do. I'm thinking in 1/700 I could have a nice little 4 ship ARG like the one I went out on in 97-98. If memory serves, we had Shreveport, Guam, Oak Ridge, and Asheville. Thanks for the help.

QUOTE: Originally posted by LemonJello Thanks, this is a project that isn't on the top of the list, but one of these days I'll get around to it and that link from tho9900 should set me on the path to decide just what I want to do. I'm thinking in 1/700 I could have a nice little 4 ship ARG like the one I went out on in 97-98. If memory serves, we had Shreveport, Guam, Oak Ridge, and Asheville. Thanks for the help.

you can check here: http://www.navsource.org/ for each of the ships you listed, it will tell ya in one of them exactly who was out on that float with yall..

the asheville is a SSN, it was probably the Ashland, LSD-48, and the Oak Hill LSD-51. Yall didn't have any LST's with yall? the little destroyer size ships with the two huge booms on the front bow for lowering the bow ramps? We always had two with us, Fairfax county was out both deployments with us, I think the other one was LaMoore County... I just found out the LaMoore was also sunk like the Guam.. ::Sigh:: a whole generation of ships sunk now... Fairfax County is serving as a Spanish vessel now...

here's an LST:

I heard the LSTs were a pretty interesting ride in rough seas with their flat bottoms.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Dragonfire I heard the LSTs were a pretty interesting ride in rough seas with their flat bottoms.

we called them submarines... if the waves got above 10-15 feet you only saw em surface about once every 5 min or so....

Sorry to disappoint, Fairfax County and one other LST (whose name escapes me) were transferred to the Australian Navy in the mid 1990s and renamed HMAS MANOORA and KANIMBLA respectively. The horns, bow ramp were removed, the bow flared to take a helo spot and the aft fight deck extended to take two spots with a hangar able to take 4 x SH60 sized aircraft. They have now been redesignated as LPAs although for those that served in them as LSTs their heritage is evident. Some history for those that served and those of us that continue to serve in them.

Bill Davidson

Yeah, Ashland, not Asheville, I knew that wasn't quite right when I typed it. Nope, no LSTs with us, and we were a 4 ship ARG because the big deck didn't have a well deck, or that's what they told us, anyways...I was a Cpl in the boat/raid company, so we rode on Shreveport with our zodiacs. Mech company was on Ashland, I believe and helo co was on Guam. Arty rode on Oak Hill. Thanks for that link!

Lemonjello...yep...the LPHs didn't have well decks. That didn't come along until the TARAWA Class LHAs and continued with the WASP Class LHDs.