Earlier in the month, my sister inadvertently crushed one of the San Francisco's two Curtiss Seagull aircraft, so I spent some time restoring its damaged wing struts. Thankfully, the plastic parts were not damaged, so I was able to restore the aircraft to its original condition by straightening the brass struts. I then worked on the most challenging part of the ship: her twin aircraft catapults. American ships in WWII had a vast array of different catapult designs, and many were extensively modified over the course of the war. The San Francisco was originally designed with two catapults, and still had two at Guadalcanal, but had one removed and the other modified when she was refitted after the battle. I've recreated the complex system of catwalks and launching systems to the best of my ability, and I plan to paint the catapults separately and install them after painting the deck. I've only managed to find one primary photograph of the San Francisco's catapults, but it was unfortunately taken after her refitting in 1943. At first I thought the two stabilizing platforms in the rear were a later modification, but I've since concluded from the work of other modelers and from written sources that they were present at Guadalcanal, and I plan to construct them out of wire and add them to the final catapult.
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Alex BreniaMy name is Alex Brenia, and I am a senior at Severn School. I am passionate about military history and service to veterans, as I come from a military family. I see this project as a unique opportunity to combine both of these interests, within the scope of the Severn community as a whole. Archives
September 2021
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