Hey all,
My father sailed on the Caloosahatchee and I would like to make a model of it for him. I haven’t been able to find a kit or ship plans of anything very similar to it. I believe it would be considered an Ashtabula class Auxilary Oiler. Can anyone point me in the right direction to get my hands on some plans? I would appreciate any insight I could get as this would be my first attempt at scratch building.
Thanks
still a Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler
USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98) http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/19/19098.htm
AO-106 – USS Navasota – Booklet of General Plans, 1960, Cimmeron Class Fleet Oiler
It will depend on when your dad served on the ship. In the '60s several oilers were “jumboized”, increasing their capacity and giving them the ability to work with helicopters. This also altered their appearance and lengthened their hulls, giving them a different look than the original Cimmaron class. If he was on it before 1968 your job will be easier, but after will take more work. I served on the Passumpsic (AO-107) in the late '60s and have always wanted to model it, but I’m not that ambitious, or skilled. Same story for another ship I was on, the USS Mount Hood (AE-29). Good luck!
Awesome. I appreciate the help. This should be able to get me started and I will just have to reference photos of the Caloosahatchee to make it right. Thank you very much.
One of those were Shell .
I did my first captaincy on the Shell Connecticut . She was a " Jumboized " Ashtabula class ! Decent ship except the Norwegian black gang .Only one ( the second engineer ) spoke english . T.B.