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C2-class U.S. Navy cargo ship


gatoraptor

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Back in the 1950s, I traveled with my family on several occasions on freighters between either New York or Baltimore and San Juan, PR.  In fact, in 1959 when we moved to PR for what turned out to be nine years, we took a freighter.  Once the jets appeared and airfares took a comparative nosedive, we switched to flying and that was the end of my freighter experience.

I'd love to see a kit of a C2-class Navy cargo ship (which these freighters had started life as) in either 1/700 or 1/350 scale, preferably the latter.  Resin would be okay but I'd prefer injection-molded.  And along with the wartime Navy version, I'd like to see a version released as a 1950's freighter like the ones I sailed on.  Preferable markings for the latter would be for either the Alcoa Steamship Company or the Bull Line, which were the two companies whose ships I traveled on.

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Liberty Ships were designated EC2-S-x.   E indicated Emergency Construction.  C2 was the length code,   S - Steam, and x the builder.     My hull of my fathers ship, the USS Oberon (AK-56/AKA-14) launched in early 1942,  was rather indistingishable from a Liberty.   While she was build originally for MARAD,  her hull code was C2-S-F (for Federal Shipbuilders of Kearny NJ.   Of course there were differences between EC2- and C2- ships,  most of them being internal or construction expediency.  Deckhouses and goalposts varied with the assigned mission.    For example, the Oberon had strengthened cargo handling booms to allow for heavy cargo such as LCMs and tanks.  The Oberon also had a streamlined funnel,  while other C2- and EC2- had an oval or round funnel.   Building yard considerations

In plastic, 1:350 scale, there is the Trumpeter Jeremiah O'Brien or John Brown kits.  Iron Shipwright makes a Liberty in resin & brass.   Toms Modelworks used to as did l'Arsenal.    Thats about it in a larger scale.

In 1:700, again there is the Trumpeter kits,  also PitRoad in plastic.   There are several resin producers, including NNT and HP.  

To get to a civilian post-war C2,  remove the guns and gun tubs.   Adjust the deckhouse as desired and IAW references, enclosing the bridge as needed.   Again, funnel per references or desire

Paint, probably a black hull with white deckhouse.   Add steamship line colors to the funnel

 

Edited by EFGrune
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On 11/10/2018 at 8:44 AM, EFGrune said:

Liberty Ships were designated EC2-S-x.   E indicated Emergency Construction.  C2 was the length code,   S - Steam, and x the builder.     My hull of my fathers ship, the USS Oberon (AK-56/AKA-14) launched in early 1942,  was rather indistingishable from a Liberty.   While she was build originally for MARAD,  her hull code was C2-S-F (for Federal Shipbuilders of Kearny NJ.   Of course there were differences between EC2- and C2- ships,  most of them being internal or construction expediency.  Deckhouses and goalposts varied with the assigned mission.    For example, the Oberon had strengthened cargo handling booms to allow for heavy cargo such as LCMs and tanks.  The Oberon also had a streamlined funnel,  while other C2- and EC2- had an oval or round funnel.   Building yard considerations.

I beg to differ from you.  According to my research, the Maritime Commission C2-class had nothing in common with the EC-2 Liberty ships; in fact they predate the Liberty ships, having been designed before the war even began (along with the C1, C3 and C4-class ships).  On the Liberty ships, the superstructure is roughly amidships; on the C2-class, the superstructure is approximately 2/3 of the way back from the bow.  I still know of no kit or built-up model of a C2-class vessel.

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