Scale drawings for freshwater carriers

see this thread for some resources:

http://74.6.239.67/search/cache?ei=3DUTF-8&p=3Duss+wolverine+scale+plans&fr==3Dyfp-t-701&u=3Dwww.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php%3Ftopic%3D4171.0&w=3Du=ss+wolverine+scale+scales+plans+plan&d=3Dc6ZKbN29UGKi&icp=3D1&.intl=3Dus&si=g=3D0yHa6ulh9asw2v9BPmRVFQ-- or search this page:

The scales may be a bit large, as some of this is intended for radio controlled models. Might be suitable for what you want, or maybe they can be reduced at a copy center (if needed)

Don Stauffer wrote: : I would like to do a model of either the USS Wolverine or USS Sable, the : paddlewheel training aircraft carriers operated out of Glenview : (Illinois) during World War 2. Anyone aware of scale drawings for : either of these two ships? : Hi Don,

May I suggest a trip to College Park, Maryland? It is the home of National Archives at College Park, aka Archives II, and is adjacent to the University of Maryland.

You can find the original microfilm for Wolverine and Sable. Somewhere, I have copies of much of that microfilm, but I have not found it since I moved (and, while packing, I managed to dump the box, scrambling the paper copy. Oh joy.)

The Archives II building also has photo archives, and you can get several photos of Wolverine and Sable in their refit.

Get there at the first opening in the morning, and head to the photo floor and ask them to pull photos of the two ships (the folks are very helpful on showing you what to look for), then head for the maps(?) room where they have the microfilm, and have them pull that stuff. By that time, you can head back up to the photo floor, and look at what they pulled for you. Get bored/look for other things, submit your request, and head down to look at what was pulled for the microfilm. Keep in mind the last pull is generally 2:30, so you need your ducks in order before the final pull. You can also request they NOT re-file the material overnight, so you can get back to work quickly the next day, once you have located your material.

You will need to register as a researcher (simple, and worth doing the afternoon before, if possible), and you are not permitted any containers into the archives. Cameras are fine, as are laptops and if you have it, your own micro film viewer, but no cases, briefcases, etc. Oh, and bring money. The microfilm reader/printer was 10 cents a page. You can purchase pre-paid cards (basic mag strip card you often see with subways/railpasses), and you can "refill" your card easily.

When your eyeballs fry (I found looking at microfilm was very, very hard, because it was nearly always moving) you can hop the subway into DC - there are several park and ride stations around. Of course, when I was doing this, the park and rides were utterly obnoxious - 4 hour limit, and there were all of three other car in this huge parking lot. Given it is a 30 - 40 minute ride in to DC (Federal Triangle station), that means only 2 hours in DC. Snarl mutter.

And, hopefully NARA has replaced their Minolta Micro- film readers/copiers with a better design - the damn take up reel was enclosed. Microfilm becomes very still with age. Some of that microfilm hadn't been viewed since it was created, so, eventually (maybe), it would come zooming off the original spool, and thwap! thwap! thwap! around the enclosured take up reel. There goes another microfilm reader out of service...

Anyway, that is the best way to find the girder detail on the underside of the flight decks, and the hull plan for "SeeandBee" and "Greater Buffalo" are also in the micro- film.

Bruce