USS Guam LPH - 9

Iron Shipwright makes a resin & brass USS Guam

http://www.commanderseries.com/ships_350.html

It comes with a full hangar deck and a complete USMC airwing of helos (also resin & brass)

WOW sweet but for  429.95. I don't know if my brother in-law is worth that LOL

Bud

LPH

           Bud.Aroura made an LPH a few years back you can still find them on e-bay or swap meets. Not a bad kit. Ship it self is good for a 1960's kit.The A/C in the kit are poor. I'm not sure on the scale,it is around 300 to 400 .

Bud;

            I just checked the Ship model index,the Aroura LPH is the USS Guadalcanal, the scale is 1/600. I served on the USS Okinawa twice 1985-86 and 1987/88. That was the frist "Gator" flattop i served on. My frist ship was the LST1193 the USS Fairfax County. Flatbottomed skinny roller.

                                                                 Ferg

Ferg or anyone else, If you have any web links for this model PLEASE let me know. I have looked and looked and still can't find it.

Thanks all

Bud

I've heard the Aurora kit is a decent representation of the size and "general look" of an LPH, I might see about getting one myself someday... If you do go that route I can send you some pics of the radar and flight deck.

I was on the USS Guam with 26th MEU in 1989, the MAIN difference between the Guam and other 'built from scratch' LPH's is the radar.  It had an experimental radar system and it was one of its type.  It was comfoting to know during the Cold War that anywhere in the world I went on the Guam the Soviets knew exactly where I was, due to her radar signature.

I emailed Trumpeter awhile back about producing the USS Guam and several people here followed up with emails requesting the same (do a search for "Kinda Sad tonight" in this topic).. I have let it fall by the wayside but Jackson over at Trumpeter wanted me to send him a set of plans for the Guam but real life helped me forget.  Another person here recently got me interested in it again so I will see if I can get it out to him.  If you go to "Contact" on the Trumpeter site and email sales and technical about wanting a USS Guam model it might help the cause!  I don't hold much hope in it as Amphibs aren't sexy, but who knows?

Good luck in your search and if you find one let me know!!  I would love to build one as well...

-=edit=-

I just followed the link and saw the Guam model is in 1/350.. I just might pay the price for something that big of her... 1/700 doesn't do her justice....

The Ferg wrote:

Bud;             I just checked the Ship model index,the Aroura LPH is the USS Guadalcanal, the scale is 1/600. I served on the USS Okinawa twice 1985-86 and 1987/88. That was the frist "Gator" flattop i served on. My frist ship was the LST1193 the USS Fairfax County. Flatbottomed skinny roller.                                                                  Ferg

Ferg - I remember the Fairfax County out with us... I used to cringe at that thing burying itself in the waves when seas were a bit rough... of course the first time I was out with her was when I was on the USS Austin as a Navy Corpsman attached to 24th MAU in 1986 so I was almost in the same boat (no pun intended).. ... I felt bad for you guys when the storms would hit.. 

 I think Jag does a Fairfax County in 1/700.. That's why I wanted a Guam... Jag does the Austin already so I could have a waterline amphib fleet on my coffee table...

Yea if you can please email me some if not all of the pics you have of the ship

Please email to:

wonabe@comcast.net

Thanks

Bud

That's Great langshan, thanks for the link. Off hand I don't know what year he was on the ship. He has some Black and White photos. Soooooooooo a LONG time ago  hehehhhe

I heard that if I were to get the USS Guadacanal that I would have to make some changes. I am still looking though.

Thanks again and have a GREAT day

Bud

Oh yeah...  in the meantime if you want to hit it big with your brother in law, buy him this for a birthday or such:

http://cgi.ebay.com/USS-GUAM-LPH-9-MILITARY-BALL-CAP_W0QQitemZ6620466951QQcategoryZ586QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I know when my dad found one and ordered it for me, it was like Christman in July!!!  I had lost mine from the cruise years before so it was a very treasured present!

Hay Tom, I just got off the phone with him and he told me he was on the ship between 1969 to 1973.

I am getting some what mixed up here now, ok if I were to get the USS Guadalcanal model that people have told me about would that ship look just like the USS Guam ?

And as for the hat I think he has 1 but that's something I have to find out.

Thanks all

Bud

Bud - yeah it would work... the differences are so infinitely small that hardly anyone would notice, even people who had been on her.. the only things you MIGHT consider getting rid of if they are separate pieces would be the CIWS weapons, they wouldn't have been there in 69-70.. they are the R2D2 looking white domed barrels..

Otherwise the hull, superstructure etc.. would be essentially identical.  The only things different from your aspect would be the numbers of course and the helo spot markings I believe are different for that (1970ish) time period as well.  Go to http://www.ussguamlph9.org and there is a photo album in there of the Guam and many are of that time period, you should be able to see if there are any differences. 

-=edit=-
I just looked and here is a blurry pic of what she looked like during that time...

http://www.ussguamlph9.org/underway2.jpg

5" guns, aft

http://www.ussguamlph9.org/sternpic.jpg

I still haven't forgotten your photos... this week was a bear, but I'll try to sort through my negatives for some shots for you.  I've been meaning to archive all my old military photos on CD so now's as good a time to start as any!

Thanks all that help. Now to find a model of the USS Guadalcanal to make it into the USS Guam.

Now if I can pull this off, this model is going to make a GREAT Xmas gift for him. And again THANK YOU ALL for all the help.

Bud

Although I still would LOVE to get this model of the USS Guam.

http://www.commanderseries.com/ships_350.html   But for 429.95 bucks Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I might have to talk to his wife " My sister in law " and see if she would want to buy it for him for my to build, hehehehehehhe

Bud

my wife just told me I can get for myself for Xmas... now I am a little apprehensive though... that much resin!!!  not sure I am up to it with my current modeling skills and not sure I want to find out how to work on a resin kit on something that expensive...

maybe I'll get it and wait till I get a few Eastern Europe made resin aircraft kits under me to find out first how I do with all resin...

It sure would be good to model it... of course now that it is in resin and with the requests that came through here earlier to Trumpeter for an LPH model, in a few yrs maybe it will come out in styrene...

Hay Tom,

            I emailed the Co. that makes that Resin kit, and asked them to send me some pics of it and they sent me the instructions.  If you want I can make a copy of the instructions and mail them to you, so you can see what you have to do. Just let me know. NOT to scare you  "I know it's a LOT of me to", but not only resin but a lot of Photo Etched parts too.

And if anyone else would want a copy of it please let me know.

Email me your address and I will send you a copy.       wonabe@comcast.net

But I think when it's done " WOW " !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"""""Disclamer""""""

For the Co. that makes this kit. I am not in any way trying to rip you off by making copys of the instructions for your kit. I am just trying to show people what they would have to do and maybe get you more sales :)

Bud

P.S. Tom, you could always adopt me and "MOM" could get the model for me LOL  Hell for a 500.00 kit I would call you Dad  hehehhehehehehehehehehe

tho9900 wrote:

my wife just told me I can get for myself for Xmas... now I am a little apprehensive though... that much resin!!!  not sure I am up to it with my current modeling skills and not sure I want to find out how to work on a resin kit on something that expensive... maybe I'll get it and wait till I get a few Eastern Europe made resin aircraft kits under me to find out first how I do with all resin... It sure would be good to model it... of course now that it is in resin and with the requests that came through here earlier to Trumpeter for an LPH model, in a few yrs maybe it will come out in styrene...

While resin kits are not difficult, they are different from styrene.  They require some different skills.  While many of the skills that you will need can be picked up from a resin aircraft kit there are some skills which are specific to ships.  These generally are associated with the preparation and application of the PE which are an integral part of most resin kits.

I would recommend a resin ship "learner" kit before you tackle that large (expensive) kit.   Iron Shipwright offers several small kits for less than 50 dollars.   I often recommend their PC-461 173-foot subchaser as a starter kit.  When you build it you will be exposed to many of the skills that are in a resin & brass shipmodeler's bag of tricks.  See Phil Kirchmeier's article on building this kit, located in the articles section on FSM.

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/objects/pdf/fpb040422.pdf

Resin must be assembled with epoxy or CA as opposed to a solvent glue as used on styrene.   If you use either of these adhesives in your modeling - then there is nothing new here. 

You can putty & fill resin with your favorite material.   Solvent putty (Squadron, Tamiya, Bondo Red, etc.);  epoxy putty (Milliput, Bondo, Evercoat), and CA all work on resin.  

Similarly, your favorite paints (enamels or acrylics) also work well on resin.

I recommend a learner kit in 1:350 scale since the parts are larger than in 1:700.  Once you learn the manual skills, then transfer than knowledge to the smaller scale if that is your preference.   I would encourage you to try one of the small ISW kits as a learning experience.  Don't fret if you don't make it perfect.  Learn from the experience and develop the skills for the next project.

trailer sailor,   

               Post some pics if you can, would LOVE to see some and if you have more info please post it.

Thanks

Bud

TS - I heard about that in the welcome aboard indoc classes... there are some people on the USS Guam website mentioned above who were also aboard for the Gemini recovery... you might recognize some names...  I think Casey Sluys was one of them...

Bud - I tried emailing you and it came back "mailbox not found"  I'll PM my email to ya... if ya can send the instructions to that...

thanks!!!

NP Tom, sorry about that I put .com and it's .net heheh I was tired when I posted that. I will email you the instructions and if anyone else would like a copy please email me at:

wonabe@comcat.net

Bud

I scand them in my computer, but I would have to shrink them all down and email them, So I am going to post all 16 pages here. If you still want a hard copy email your address and I will ship them out to you.

I hope this help's

Bud