"Ok, let's go!" US Navy's Amphibious Ships and Crafts

June 6, 1944: Operation Overlord (aka D-Day; Normandy Landings). It has been a plan of mine to commemorate these events by doing various transport ships and landing crafts. Outlined below are my choices of what to include in 1/4800.

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Attack Transports (APA)
Looking at the various classes of attack transports (APA) used, I've decided to do two: Bayfields and Haskells; due to the sheer number of ships per class, 34 and 117 respectively. Started with the Bayfield as there are no good (general/deck) plans available publicly. The APAs differ from attack cargo ships (AKAs) are considered as CL/CA in terms of 1/4800 pack construction.

Bayfield-class Attack Transports
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayfield_class_attack_transport
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/usa/us_aws_bayfield.htm
http://www.shipscribe.com/usnaux/APA/APA36-p.html
http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/03/03033.htm

Below are links to the camouflage scheme (M32/2A), the main resources I used to recreate the ship
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g100000/g177454c.htm (port-side)
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g100000/g177453c.htm  (starboard-side)
Please visit http://www.shipcamouflage.com for more information about USN camouflage.

 

Haskell-class Attack Transport
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haskell_class_attack_transport
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/usa/us_aws_haskell.htm
http://www.dobrinkman.net/lowndes/index.shtml

Additional links:
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/shusn-no/apa-no.htm

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Landing Ship, Tank Mk2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Ship,_Tank#LST_Mk.2
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/usa/us_aws_lst1.htm
These ships are almost as long, or as short (?!) as the destroyers I've done, albeit with wider beams (Bagleys, Navigatoris, Le Hardis) and are intended to carry 20 medium tanks across the Atlantic and unload them through a bow ramp. Materiel located top-side are unloaded (driven-off) via an access ramp going below deck.

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Landing Crafts

Landing Craft, Infantry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Craft_Infantry
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/usa/us_aws_lcil.htm
For their size, I did the three versions: 'square' conn tower, round conn and "round conn with bow ramp" (the two previous ones' ramps are located on the sides)

Landing Craft, Tank (Mk5 and Mk6)
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/usa/us_aws_lct5.htm
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/usa/us_aws_lct6.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_craft_tank
http://ww2lct.org/
Mk5's conn located aftmost, vs Mk6's starboard

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The 1/4800 pack: 48US06 US Navy Amphibious Ships & Crafts contains the following:
APA Haskell (x6)
APA Bayfield (x4)
LST Mk2 (x10)
LCI(L) (4 of each version, 12 total)
LCT (2 each of Mk5 & Mk6, 8 total)

Lastly for size/length comparison: