Lindberg- "Bobtail Cruiser"

"sumpter250 hasn't posted anything on the Forum since July. I hope he is getting this."

The feeling is mutual. And furthermore (can you tell I'm harboring an obsession here?) sumpter250 has, at least, been rather prolific with this build thread all over the net. Found another one on the Ship Model Forum site and one here:

http://bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=4388&start=15

Looks like a bit more work done and with different photos. Seems most recent too on 7 Jul 2011.

I am leaning toward the purchase of those same Floating Drydock plans (why not) as the general feeling here is that they're worthwhile.

BTT. Funny, if you do a search for this kit, it shows up on several hobby vendor sites with a pic and description but "out of stock/discontinued". One says it was due for 2010 re-release. Since almost every Lindberg ship is currently available including a lot of obscure classics, maybe they will bring back the Carronade/Bobtail Cruiser but it sort of has limited appeal.

That popular auction site has had several in the last 30 days or so...and with low starting bids.

And finally here's a model of the Carronade but it is not the kit of which we speak (for reference only):

Lord, I remember this kit from may many moons ago and always wondered WTH is a "bobtail cruiser"? Thanks for resurrecting this thread and enlightening me. I missed it the first time around.

"Tanks- you realize this is 5 years old?

My two bits would be those gun tubs have got to go. Simple to replace with some strips of Coke can."

I didn't really stress that this was a thread resurrection but it is seriously like trying to wake the dead.

Never thought about using pop can material to improve the 40mm gun tubs, just figured I could thin the top edge and leave it at that.

Once you get the kit, both the kit and the real ship sort of grows on you and you start to think the odd configuration (it just looks like an old style freighter or tanker with superstructure aft) is attractive. I like the idea that, though ungainly, this vessel had the firepower--just sat offshore and bombarded the foe into submission. Look around the web and you will find videos of this thing firing off volley upon volley...

These have an annoying watermark over the video but they're still useful and awe inspiring:

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675026093_Carronade-rocket-ship_O1-plane_barrel-of-5-inch-gun_sailors-sand-barrel

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675026096_Carronade-rocket-ship_land-in-surf_5-inch-rocket-shell_rocket-misfire

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675026092_Carronade-rocket-ship_captain-on-ship_rocket-launcher-fire_relay-plotting-information

Just found this one: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=072_1318181284

Hi :

 No , I didn't look at the post date . I just cruise around and find something that catches my eye .Where I live It seems I am the only ship modeler around , or modeler period .Everyone seems to be concentrated in San Antonio 45 miles from me . Gas is expensive for a fellow on S.S. Retirement .

sumpter250 hasn't posted anything on the Forum since July. I hope he is getting this.

Tanks- you realize this is 5 years old?

My two bits would be those gun tubs have got to go. Simple to replace with some strips of Coke can.

Hi :

I have to chime in again after looking at the drydock scenes really closely . Whatever you do don't forget the walkway rails on top of the watertight gates on the drydock .I like that you've added more to the scene . I have always felt ,that any figure doing something adds to a shipmodel . Now that said ,when you tell a story around a specific ship  ,you write a whole interesting book .

 It looks like when you finish you will have compiled an outstanding story and I want to see the finish .You've done well so far . When you put the blocks under her and lots of gear in the dock bottom that will be a scene to really hold anyone's attention.

Hi :

  You know , when I was a kid in 53 , I always wondered why the whole ship wasn't there . I didn't know then what " Bobtail " meant !  "A whole half a ship missing " I thought . I happen to have three of the beasts .One is now sporting " Heavy Lift  " gear as a salvage ship , One is in the box and one is being " Refined " to look proper , according to those " Floating Drydock " Plans ,which I found at a swap table in a model show . I have always taken my students through many LINDBERG kits in preparation to their graduating to a REVELL ship .Then when that was done a TAMIYA vessel of their choice . I taught that with care ,  even a LINDBERG early model could be a jewel .  This model is unusual and I always wondered why the others didn't do it .Shoot ,REVELL did the SAVANNAH and the MOORE/McCORMACK - BRAZILs . Even the " Undersea research vessel " ( CALYPSO )Why not a better " Bobtail Cruiser " ?

Sumpter250: I have to resurrect your thread on account of the rarity of the Lindberg Carronade (aka "Bobtail Cruiser") and that you are the only one on the 'interwebz' that has attempted an assembly. I have obtained one of these extremely rare kits myself after having seen your efforts for inspiration and was wondering what your end result was like?

Finally got to take a couple of pics.

The two 40mm mounts, Mt-41,and Mt-42:

A port side shot with the changes to the original 01 level aft:

and a port quarter shot:

Also, can I see the steam yacht "Corsair II" in the same photo?

 No, actually it is a clipper hull, about 8" long, that I am converting into a 106' two mast schooner.

 I spent all day yesterday, scratchbuilding a pair of 40mm twin mounts ( 47 individually measured and cut pieces for each mount), and added detail to the 5' mount, to replace the "blobs" in the Lindberg kit. At this time, I intend to build the mast assembly next. I mentioned portlights earlier, they all had to be enlarged, Lindberg made them about two thirds their actual sise.

Your diorama is looking very good! I particularly like the final "ground level" shot. 
Is the Revell "Russian Spy Trawler" the same kit as their North Sea Fishing Trawler? I always assumed this was the case, but I'm not sure. (Also, can I see the steam yacht "Corsair II" in the same photo?)

I'll be very interested to see how your USS Carronade build progresses. I also have this kit, although it's fairly low on my build priority at the moment.

 The picture here is of the Lindberg Bobtail Cruiser, assembled, and the beginning of the drydock. The scale of the kit, approx. 1/170, is close enough that I am using N scale, 1/160, figures and building kits for the shipyard scene.

Here, the 1' X 2' drydock module is incorporated into the 2' X 4' diorama.

and here, a close-up of the ship in drydock. the caison/gate for the dock hasn't been built yet. The "white" hull in the background, is the Revel "Russian Spy Trawler Volga" kit, and is on the building ways.

The decision to upgrade the model wasn't easy, as there is very little aftermarket parts, so all the changes will have to be scratchbuilt. For example, in the last photo, notice the "blank wall" forward bulkhead of the pilot house, there's supposed to be three portlights there, same size as the rest on that level, and all of them need frames around them.

Sounds like you got quick service, and a great set.

  Both!, and an excellent email exchange of questions and answers before ordering! Great service, great plans, and great people!

I didn't even get a chance to reply to your earlier post, but a lot of the Floating Drydock plans come from the navy. Depending on what set you are ordering out of, the plans could be general arrangements to builders plans.. I have ordered TFW, G, Bu, and McCandliss sets from them and  never been disappointed.

Sounds like you got quick service, and a great set.

   The plans, from Floating Drydock, arrived today, and while "as built", as advertized, there's a ton of detail there that can be modeled, in the scale of the kit! It is also nice to have a scale drawing of the 5" mount, as I said before, what Lindberg has there is ___________(fill in the blank). All the door positions, and the exterior ladders can also be modeled. Most of the ladders didn't show up in photos, only the one from the main deck to the 01 level, at the director tub aft was documented in pictures. Very nice set of plans....a big thumbs up to Floating Drydock.

Pete

It may be possible to e-mail the webmaster and find out if there are higher resolution copies available of the original pictures. They may not be the same ship, but you can use them for detail and scale referances...

  Well!, there's a forehead slapping moment! I should have thought of that up front! Thanks! While most of the photos were "less than desirable", there were a few that shed some light on details I couldn't see clearly in the "Carronade" pics. I also have a set of plans of Carronade coming from Floating Drydock. I was a bit reluctant to order those, because most of the ship's construction is covered by the kit, and it is only the finer details I am looking for. But, after thinking over the benefits of having them, I ordered.

Try this site, or maybe some of the other reunion sites that may exist.

http://our409.home.att.net/

The Vietnam portion may have some pictures you can use..

It may be possible to e-mail the webmaster and find out if there are higher resolution copies available of the original pictures. They may not be the same ship, but you can use them for detail and scale referances...

Closest relatives were the class of fifty  or so Rocket Landing Ships, 37' shorter, and mising the 5", and covered with 5" rocket launchers, on the hulls of LSMs.

  Of the ships converted from LSMs, I have photos of the USS St Francis River LSMR-525, USS Clarion River LSMR-409, and USS White River LSMR-536. These three, at least, also have the 5" mount, just forward of the superstructure, on the main deck.  BTW, does anyone remember the diameter of the material used for the screwguards? I want to say 7-9 inches. The ones in the kit are "slightly oversize".

navsource.org/archives/10/06/06idx.htm

  I've got all those photos. The problem with most of them is they are taken from too far away to clearly show the detail, possible in 1/170 scale. Add to that, I'm doing the ship in drydock, and a lot of the things stowed "to the weather", liferafts,etc. would not be on board, so their brackets, cradles, tiedown points have to be modeled "empty". I have yet to find a photo that clearly shows where the pilothouse doors are located (01 level somewhere in the shadows under the 02 level overhang, port and starboard). I emailed "Floating drydock" to see if I could get some idea of the detail level of their plans.

Data on the Carronade and the smaller LFR ships...

http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/06/06idx.htm

The Floating Drydock (www.floatingdrydock.com) offers the Booklet of General Plans for CARRONADE.

Al Ross 

Absolute one of a kind, with the 5" gun.

 And Lindberg did a horrible job of modeling that 5" gun mount! The muzzle is very close to the correct diameter, but the rest of the mount is out of someone's imagination! Fixing that, is going to be a scratchbuild of its own. I'm going to try the ship's website one more time, and see if there are any crewmembers who have the photos I need to do this right. Still, if any here have, or can find the detail shots I need, please post them.

Absolute one of a kind, with the 5" gun.

 Closest relatives were the class of fifty  or so Rocket Landing Ships, 37' shorter, and mising the 5", and covered with 5" rocket launchers, on the hulls of LSMs.  Elk River was the last of the class in semi-commmission, although not with rockets, into the 1980's, as IX-501. 

 Rick 

Hadn't known of this ship or her sisters before,

   To the best of my knowledge, Carronade is the only ship of this design, constructed for the United States Navy. If she has "sisters", they were built for other navies.