This Week's Mystery Ship

[Schöneboom]

Sighted tonight as the fog was rolling in. Interesting design, clearly meant for hauling huge vehicles, among other things. Can anyone ID her?

[TLAM Strike]

Cape M class SEABEE.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...hip/cape-m.htm

Russia also built a lot of them to that design, the Russian cargo ship that lands troops in Iceland in Red Storm Rising is of that design IIRC.

[Schöneboom]

Brilliant! Thanks, TLAM. Based on my location (nearest base is Alameda), I'm guessing she's the SS Cape Mohican (AKR-5065), pictured below in better weather:

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Schöneboom

Brilliant! Thanks, TLAM. Based on my location (nearest base is Alameda), I'm guessing she's the SS Cape Mohican (AKR-5065), pictured below in better weather:

Your pic is not showing.

Oh and I edited my other post to make it clear I was referencing a book and not real life!

[Oberon]

The Ivan Rogov? Or Alligators?

I know they used Lebeds in the initial assault though, those things are quite impressive.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Oberon

The Ivan Rogov? Or Alligators?

I know they used Lebeds in the initial assault though, those things are quite impressive.

No the MV Julius Fucik. Remember the merchant ship that sneaks a unit of Soviet paras on to Iceland during the initial attack. That was a ship of this design.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

No the MV Julius Fucik. Remember the merchant ship that sneaks a unit of Soviet paras on to Iceland during the initial attack. That was a ship of this design.

Aye, I remember the Fucik, I thought she was a disguised Ivan Rogov or something though instead of a standard freighter.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Aye, I remember the Fucik, I thought she was a disguised Ivan Rogov or something though instead of a standard freighter.

Nope she was a Civilian SEABEE:

JULIUS FUCIK's first officer supervised
the loading process from the winch-control station aft,
communicating by portable radio to other men scattered about
the afterpart of the ship. The elevator matched levels with
that of the third cargo deck, and the access door opened to
expose the vast cargo deck. Crewmen strung cables onto the
trolleys and bolted them rapidly into place.
Winches pulled the barge forward into the third, lowermost,
cargo deck of the Seabee-for Seagoing Barge Carrier-ship.
...
... He paused. "What sort of damage can this ship
absorb and still survive?"
"He is not a warship, Comrade General." Kherov smiled
cryptically.

[Oberon]

Aaah, I thought SEABEEs were a US only thing.

[Schöneboom]

I reckon Clancy spotted this bit of real-life news (quoted from the Sea Breezes website):

"It is perhaps significant that with the provision having been made for future military use if required by the US Government that after a licence was granted to Valmet Oy of Finland they were contracted to build two Seabee carriers for the Soviet Ministry of Merchant Marine."

And this is a clipping from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Oct. 29, 1975, on the same subject:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...2387%2C5750191

From the Red Storm Rising excerpt I read, the Soviets used their own Seebee and repainted it to pass for one of the Lykes Lines ships, for ex.:

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Aaah, I thought SEABEEs were a US only thing.

From Norman Polmar's Guide to the Soviet Navy 3rd Edition:

During the 1970's the Soviets purchased the plans from a US firm for the SEABEE design and contracted with the Finnish shipyard Valmet to construct two 36.383-DWT ships, larger than any barge carriers that had been built built until that time. These ships the Julius Fucik (delivered in 1978) and Tibor Szamueli (1979)...

[Oberon]

Aaah, I see now, thanks for that. At least I got the Lebeds right...I think...