Overboard discharges, intakes & condenser intakes on Fletcher class destroyers

Modeling Subjects Ships
1

Hi all, Does anyone have any info on the subject (links to plans, dimensions, photos etc) that they could steer me towards please? I’ve picked up one of those big Fletcher kits and would like to do justice to the hull. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to locate any info about the discharges, intakes or those big condenser intakes that were under the hull, apart from the fact that they were there somewhere! Any info very gratefully received. Yours aye Nick

2

DestroyerHistory.org used to offer a DVD-rom with scans of Fletcher-class blueprints obtained from the US Archives. I had seen these and they were very complete including drawings of the information you seek.

http://destroyerhistory.org/destroyers/store/

Unfortunately see that they are no longer available through DestroyerHistory. You may need to contact NARA and/or hire a researcher to obtain a copy of them

3

Hi Ed,

Many thanks for giving me a line to follow. I just have one question, though, and that is what is NARA? I’m making a guess that it’s an American organisation and one that us Brits wouldn’t be familiar with!

Yours aye

Nick

4

National Archives and Records Administration – the official name of the US Archives

The microfilm you are looking for is located at the NARA branch in College Park, MD

5

Sadly, I cannot remember if the Floating Drydock (floatingdrydock.com) set of plans for DD-544 USS Boyd included that sort of useful info (they were a detailed set, all at 1/4"= 1’-0" if a tad pale when run off as blueprints–mine faded to just cream-coloured paper).

AFD, if memory serves, has a CD of Fletcher plans, but, I do not know if those are round -r square bridge, east or west coast built, first or second phase, plans or not.

6

Check out The Floating Drydock - http://floatingdrydock.com/

Just a partial listing of FLETCHER class data they have:

Ship photograph CD sets:

USN FLETCHER DD445 Class ROUND BRIDGE ONLY 800+ photos, PDF format DVD, PSDD445R $30.00

USN FLETCHER DD445 Class SQUARE BRIDGE ONLY 800+ photos, PDF format DVD, PSDD445R $30.00

Fletcher Class Destroyers of World War Two PLAN eBOOK

Available now, Orders being taken now. $25.95 Order Number: DDPB-CD

Many more added photographs then the old printed version.

General arrangements are in 1/8”=1’ (1/96) scale. Many larger. This IS the most complete book on this subject ever published.

7

I’ve looked through my old printed copy of the Fletcher Class Planbook, and could not see anything about the underwater hull openings. Perhaps the new PLAN eBOOK does have something.

Likewise, nothing in Alan Raven’s “Fletcher-Class Destroyers” or “The Anatomy of the Ship - USS The Sullivans”, by Al Ross.

8

Here’s a place with lots of useful info: www.shipmodels.info/…/viewtopic.php

I found it very helpful when building my Tamiya Fletcher.

Jose

9

A kind of lazy comment:

If the grey beards above come up with little info, it’s a reasonable attitude to take that a goodenuff guess based on what you think is probably right will be more than most any other model you’ll see.

10

Blueman: refer to my earlier response to your posting suggesting the DestroyerHistory.com website as a source for engineering drawings for the Fletcher.

I was surfing through that site and I came to an obituary for the site’s founder. In that article it is stated that the engineering drawings are available through the Tin Can Sailors for 30USD.

I went to the Tin Can Sailors ship store [http://www.destroyers.org/] but didn’t see the item listed. If you are still interested drop them an email or give them a call (number is on the order form). They may have the drawing CD available for purchase.

I may see for myself.

11

Blueman

I’m trying to PM you via the FSM message service. Check for it. Found a copy of the CD

Reply back

View:http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/efgrune1/media/BIW_Fletcher_DWG_CD_zps5adbc98d.jpg.html?o=0:600:0]

12

13

Hi guys,

Many thanks to all who have given me the info to try tracking things down. Sorry for not replying earlier - have had a really bad illness and haven’t been checking things for a while.

Regards to all

Nick

14

Rick Davis just posted this elsewhere, coincidentally to this conversation:

When Dave McComb died there was the question of whether the FLETCHER CLASS Bath Iron Works (BIW) ENGINEERING DRAWINGS DVD would still be made available for purchase. Dave McComb paid to have ALL of the 1,000’s of drawings from this file at the National Archives digitally copied from microfilm at great cost and sold the DVDs at $30.00. This DVD is chocked full of drawings for EVERY configuration of FLETCHERS that BIW built. If one wanted to, they could nearly build a destroyer from them.

Well, I’m glad to inform anyone interested that the BIW FLETCHER CLASS Drawings DVD is how available from Tincan Sailor Assoc. Dave’s widow provided Tincan Sailor with the rights to sell the DVD. Tincan Sailors will continue to sell the DVD for $30.00. They have yet to put the DVD on their “Store’s” webpage, but the DVD can be ordered now.

Contact info for ordering a copy of the DVD is;

Tin Can Sailors, Inc.
PO Box 100
1077 County Street
Somerset MA 02726
(508)677-0515
800-223-5535
tcs@tincans.org