Preliminary USN List: Atlantic/Med theatre...

Below is a semi-copy-pasta from the discussion on the USN Med/Atlantic list, together with some notes and updates from the 1/4800 Naval Wargaming Yahoo Group

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There are only a couple of sculpts left for the Regia Marina: Italian aircraft carriers almost done and should be available this weekend. Capitani Romani class light cruisers and the Freccia/Folgore destroyers

I'm having doubts with the SS: primarily because the last one (MN SS Redoutable) only got sold a handful (thanks to whoever you are ;) ) ...also I'm having difficulties finding higher resolution references (apart from some Italian forums/site)...

For the preliminary USN list, my only source at the moment is the OOB for the Invasion of North Africa ( http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Mediterranean/OOB_WWII_Casablanca.htm ). Tabulating the ship classes below:

BB SD = 1
BB NY = 2
CV Ranger = 1
CVE Sangamon = 4
CA Northampton = 1
CA New Orleans = 1
CA Wichita = 1
CL Cleveland = 1
CL Brooklyn = 3
DD Wickes = 2*
DD Clemson = 1*
DD Fletcher = 1
DD Sims** = 2
DD Benham = 3
DD Benson = 3
DD Gleaves = 26

*"Note that all three of these had the North Atlantic escort mod with 6
x 3 inch guns, aft funnel removed, and the two sets of torpedo mounts
removed (replaced with the two extra 3 inch). Note also there are 5 more variants of the class as destroyer minesweepers."

**Already done/available

I have no idea yet if we can proxy anything with regards to the DDs (just going with the Figurehead stuffs: Wickes/Clemson?)

Hmmm, coincidentally my preferred ships (BB SD, BB NY and CA NO) are in there XD. Note I also plan to have the BB CO and CV Wasp somewhere in the mix.

Also, during the previous conversations, some BBs have been mentioned (BB NewMex stuck in my mind). We'll list it down...

TL;DR for now

Regia Marina: Their aircraft carriers of World War II...

Please visit the link below for some background on Italian aircraft carriers during World War II http://www.regiamarina.net/detail_text.asp?nid=56&lid=1

The next 1/4800 release, aircraft carriers...

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(Almost) everybody knows the Aquila, a conversion from a passenger liner (SS Roma). She was almost completed by the time of the armistice. From a distance, her profile looks similar to the Kriegsmarine's CV Graf Zeppelin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_aircraft_carrier_Aquila
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/italy/it_cv_aquila.htm

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Sparviero, another planned passenger liner conversion. Simple enough design-wise, just hoped they improved upon the design to something similar to the Aquila
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_aircraft_carrier_Sparviero
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/italy/it_cv_sparviero.htm

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Bonfiglietti Project 1929 (see below)

There are a couple of WW2 Italian CV designs floating around, specially in one MMO naval game: Bolzano (post-war) conversion, Rota(1925), Gagnotto(1936), etc. (I have no idea the availability of the RM in that game when I did my list)

After some research, I've read that the design of the La Spezia model (Vian-Bonfiglietti Project 1928 CVL) in this link, was an earler design vs. the one below; which I tagged as Bonfiglietti(1929), but as per topmost/www.regiamarina.net link, falls under 1932. Notice the similarities of the bridge/island superstructure. Still, the project/designs were dropped some time around 1936.

Personal archive pic; credits to where I got the pic from (unfortunately I forgot already).

Considering the aircraft carriers I made available for Marine Nationale (French Navy): Béarn and the Joffres (x2)... and with Sparviero's stats near/similar to Béarn; I will be doing the Bonfiglietti as another fleet carrier (via 1929/1932 design).

Meow... Royal Navy's Lion class battleships of 1939

*cough*ROARRR*cough*... The Royal Navy's Lion class battleships of 1939. Four were planned, only 2 laid down... all were ultimately cancelled. (HMS Vanguard fared better but was completed too late to join the war)

Something to play with the French Richelieus, Italian Littorios, USN Iowas, IJN Yamato and German H39.

Comes with 4 Supermarine Walrus (2 with folded/stowed wings) along the central longitudinal support
Link to shop/product page: http://shpws.me/3O35

Additional readings:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_class_battleship
http://navypedia.org/ships/uk/brit_bb_lion.htm