world war 2 support ships

should have given more info on my request for support ships in 1/700 I am looking for oil tenders and the like, destroyers aint a problem other tan going cross eyed, but I love it.

There is a 1:700 scale liberty ship available- I think Trumpeter.

You (OP) are probably limited to the resin market, as I don't believe there is a TF38-era AO in injection-moulded.  I want to remember that there's a resin ATF

Trumpeter has a 1/700 SS Jeremiah O'Brien Liberty ship

Trumpeter has a 1/700 SS John W. Brown Liberty Ship

Skywave has a 1/700 USS Bootes (AK-99) liberty ship commissioned into the USN. The rest I can find are in resin. As for the liberty ships many were used in the Pacific.  

Hey Trapper, did you even look at Wayne's link? Check out the Other Ships -> Auxiliaries section.

I believe the models of the O'Brien and Brown are 1/350 scale as is the Revell model of the USS Montrose.

Trumpeter makes Liberty ships in both 1/700 and 1/350 scales.  I believe the old Revell attack transport kit was a somewhere in the vicinity of 1/400 - as was the old Revell T-2 tanker, which was marketed for a while as a Navy oiler.  

A long time ago Renwal made an attack transport and an attack cargo ship on 1/500.  Those kits are long-gone, and fetch high prices on the web.  And Revell made a seaplane carrier in about 1/400, and issued its C-3 freighter for a while as (inaccurately) a Navy cargo ship.  So far as I know, those are the only plastic kits for U.S. Navy auxiliary ships.  In resin the situation is a bit better - but not a lot.

This is a big gap that I wish the manufacturers would have enough interest to fill.

thanks for the suggestions, will look into the trumpeter liberty ships, for with a bit of modifying and some colorful language I should come up with the necessary aux. ships.

Many liberty ships were used as auxiliaries, if you go to www.navsource.org you can find photos of ship and modifying the plastic kits shouldn't be difficult.

I am somewhat "pissed"as I previously thought that I had posted a fairly long and well researched response here.

No matter, but to short speak about Revell:

T-2- "J.L. Hanna", "San Juan Capistrano", "Esso Glasgow".

C-3- "Dr. Lykes", "Hawaiian Pilot".

VC-2- "Montrose", "Randall"

It would help if we had a TOE for TF38.  This is further complicated by TF38 actually being three separate units.  One of which (TF38.2 maybe--fickle memory) having an amphibious assault force temporarily attached.

The primary expendable for a combat TF is fuel, so the primary support ship will be an AO--an oiler equipped for underway replenishment ("UnRep" is the USN term-of-art).

Any other needed ship would be sent separately to rendezvous with the TF at some other location.  

The reason for that is in relative speed.   A TF, particularly a carrier-based TF needs to operate at speed beyond "best composite fuel cruise speed"--this is especially true for Flight Operations,  where 30kt speed is needful.

For WWII Amphib groups, those ere laden with support ships.  Ships like LST, and LSI were particularly slow, with best-fuel cruise speeds of 9-10kt, which was slower than the 14-16kt speeds of APD, AK, AP, and the like.  Or the 13-15kt Liberties (which was also why "Victory" ships were much preferred, as they cruised in the 14-18kt range).

Just to put this in the proper perspective in the 1960s, just before the introduction of helicopters, the ships required to move an entire Marine Battalion Landing Team (BLT) consisted of (2) APAs (1) AKA (1) LSD (1) Modern (1176 class) LST. In addition if the deployment was to the Caribbean there would be (1) APD. If the deployment was to the Med one additional LSD would be substituted for the APD. These constituted an amphibious squadron. The replenishment ships (usually an oiler and a stores ship) would meet up with the squadron at intervals but never traveled with it. Except for occasional training exercises the squadron never had an attached escort of destroyers or a carrier.

Amphib brings up a germane point.  We now use ships like AOR AOE  to rotate supplies in to keep units on station better/long than before.  

Also the standards for expendable items--particularly perishable foodstuffs have changed since the late '40s

There was some experimentation in the '60s in creating task units, particularly, CVBG, that integrated AF and AR with an AO or AOE.  This was good on paper, but had very practical problems in actual practice.  Some rather special engineering to create, to manufacture, an oiler capable of Fleet operations (ah, the Sacramentos).  The problem being, you need to separate them from the Battle group to better disperse your high-value targets.  But, the only way to do that is to divide your screening force.

I will bring up another point that would have started instantaneous arguments at any bar in Norfolk. Just who are the support ships? For an amphibious landing the primary battle group were the amphibious ships. The purpose of the exercise was to get the marines ashore. The battleships were just along to provide gunfire SUPPORT.

The highest state of readiness for an APA or AKA was condition 1Alpha. In this condition the ship was at general quarters but approximately a quarter of the crew were manning the boats and not on board and the ship was at anchor. The guns were manned by the stewards and storekeepers. The bosuns still on board were manning the cargo winches. Our stewards were consistently the best gunners on the 40MMs.

So for you guys who are looking to model support ships look for the oilers and stores ships, leave the amphibious ships in a class by themselves.

"Stop disrespectin' mah gators!" in other words

(even though WWII predated most true amphibs)

TW for the Win! <G>

I'm a gator fan :)

Both of my boys (and one daughter-in-law) served on Gator Freighters during their enlistments in addition to other ships (DDGs and CGs) and much preferred the amphibs. I don't know, those cracker boxes don't seem to be very good rides in heavy seas.

I would think you would have that opinion of any surface ship! ;)

Actually Tracy, I was a surface sailor. I only "fixed" submarines, among others.

I wasn't actually sure, but I figure the joke was worth the risk. ;)

Hey, no sweat! But I know a lot of sub sailors and they say even at 400 feet that a sub will still roll sickeningly during heavy weather that's on the surface.  I didn't have too much of that stuff on aircraft carriers.

Here's a bit of scutlebutt (I mean TO&E) on Task Force 38. http://pacific.valka.cz/forces/tf38.htm 

As for you swabby-types, I'm a land-lubber.  I have to admit I was well treated by the medical staff and crew aboard the USS Iwo Jima back in 11/83.  Merci et que Dieu vous bénisse

Sub: which carrier and when?

When on active duty: Ranger CVA-61 1972-1975    Lexington CVT-16 1975-1976 and did limited duty on Theodore Chandler DD-717.

I  did repairs on Coral Sea, Forrestal, Independence, America, Kennedy and every nuclear carrier the USN has, nuclear cruisers, too. Went out on sea trials on many of those boats. I can't remember all the subs I've worked on without a list. I'm retired now.

Oh, I did repairs on the Iwo Jima, your temporary home.

Sub: Thank you for your service!  

I really appreciate the medical treatment I rec'd on the Iwo Jima.....but after 3-days, I just had to get back to my brothers on shore despite the head wound.

A co-worker's grandfather served about The Blue Ghost during WWII - he was a radar operator and was aboard when she was hit by the kamikaze.

Another co-worker was a BT aboard the USS Gregory (DD-802) in the late-50s..

pyrman64

(I mean TO&E) on Task Force 38. http://pacific.valka.cz/forces/tf38.htm 

It's a good link, but does not offer a lot of detail on the support ships involved.

Very detailed on the combatant vessels and their actions, though.

After small boats, I went over to Amphib; boat operations before beach logistics.  All that before taking up this information warfare business.  Which is a dilemma now that I these Information Dominance "wings."  But, to wear them, I have to displace either my SWO water wings or my OIC Small Craft badge.  Both of which have been with me for my my entire career.  Harumph.

My friend George collects and restores line cannons for a hobby. How bout that?