Nuclear Cruisers of the USN

Per permission from the principal artist behind the three classes of nuclear-powered cruisers sofar drawn, Colosseum, I've undertaken the task to update and "freshen" them up. Since we're still missing two classes (albeit single ship ones!), I will eventually draw them too, the USSs Bainbridge and Truxtun - and I ask kindly that noone will do that before I've had an opportunity at it!

Anyway, I start with, in my opinion the handsomest of the lot, the sleek, lithe California-class:

Here's the USS South Carolina (DLGN-37) as she appeared during Fleet Excercise Solid Shield, in the spring of 1975, in the Caribbean:
[ img ]

The USS California (CGN-36) as she appeared as part of the US Seventh Fleet, based at Alameda, Cal., and principal escort for the conventionally-powered carrier USS Constellation ("Connie"; CV-64), 1985:
[ img ]

Finally I've depicted the ships at the end of an only too short career, cut short but budget restraints and the ongoing battle in Congress between then-President William J. Clinton and his congressional enemies in the Republican party, as well as a short-sighted post-Cold War strategic naval outlook by Pentagon.

So, here's the Golden Grizzly, again, this time in her last full year of service, 1998, as se appeared during the RIMPAC maneuver that year:
[ img ]

...and the Palmetto State wagon as she appeared as part of the US Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, in her final years' 1997-99:
[ img ]

A Great Thanks with Hugs and All goes to KimWerner for his terrific badges without which the ships would appear quite naked!

TimothyC: to you goes a Really Big Thanks for your supportive work in assisting in editing this while I was preoccupied with some severe personal issues! Thank you, also in pointing out those errors my own eyes were missing. Your work and assistance has ensured, I believe, a final 100% perfect product!

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My Avatar:Петр Алексеевич Безобразов (Petr Alekseevich Bezobrazov), Вице-адмирал , царская ВМФ России(1845-1906) - I sign my drawings as Ari Saarinen

And, lest we forget, here's Colosseum's original for comparison's sake: [ img ]

It's nice and a great job on the update, but I'm not sold on the use of non-standard parts (most notably the SPS-48s, SPS-49s, SPQ-9, the old SLQ-32, and the old Mk-45 NGS). I'd like to hear what others have to say about this.

Also, some of the header text is the wrong size.

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𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐍𝐄𝐓- 𝑻𝒐 𝑪𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆

I agree, just because that's a requirement to get into the Shipbucket database and it'd be a shame if it didn't.

It looks realy good! i like it!
it's always fun to see new and old comperisons, to see how far weve come

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Well, I beg to differ. The SPS-48 needed an overhaul, so I gave it that. As for the side elevation of it, I believe it could - and should be added to the parts sheet. The aft planar view of the SPS-48 is quite obvious considering how I chose to depict the ship in starboard and port elevations. As for the SPS-49, I'm not suit I understand, since that is a newly drawn part, intended to replace the old one. What I've done is merely to lighten it up to better confirm with the ships' overall color scheme. The other contended items you'll have to explain more in detail in order for me to respond.

Damn nice drawings of some handsome vessels

And Bezo I catched your wink

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Work in progress:
DD County Class PNS Babur (1982)(PAK)
FF Type 21 Class D182 PNS Babur (2000)(PAK)
All relevant Coat of Arms

bezobrazov wrote:

Well, I beg to differ. The SPS-48 needed an overhaul, so I gave it that.

Then that's something that needs to be addressed on the appropriate parts-sheet thread.

There's some extra black pixels on the Mk 13 GMLS that are looking left.
Also I think the overhang shadows are way too dark.

klags, I wasn't aware you've become a moderator.Congrats to your elevation...

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Nuclear Cruisers of the USN

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