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1⁄700
Wednesday, August 22, 2007 - 12:50 PM UTC
Exclusive from Battlefleet Models. Harry Abbott (Harry_at_BFM) proudly announces BFM's next release - 1/700 AK-23 Alchiba, as fitted during the Guadalcanal Campaign. Due out in mid September, this kit will also include PE and brass rod, 9 paletted supplies and 5 LCVP's. Retail cost will be $70.00.
Ship History
"USS Alchiba, a 14,125 ton cargo ship, was built at Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1938-40 as the civilian freighter Mormacdove. She was acquired by the Navy in June 1941 and soon placed in commission. During the rest of the year, she operated in the western and north Atlantic, reaching as far east as Iceland. In early 1942, Alchiba went to the Pacific to take cargo to the Society Islands, then returned to the U.S. east coast by way of Chile and the Panama Canal. She was back in the Pacific in mid-June and arrived in New Zealand the next month to become part of the Amphibious Force. In early August she took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal and continued to provide logistics support for the Guadalcanal campaign during the next four months.
On 28 November 1942, while anchored off Guadalcanal's Lunga Point, Alchiba was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-16, setting fire to her forward holds. She was run aground to prevent sinking, and the blazes were extinguished after five days of hard work. However, on 7 December the ship was again torpedoed, probably by a Japanese midget submarine, opening up her after hull and starting more fires. Again, Alchiba's crew controlled the flooding and flames. Her wounds were patched up sufficiently for her to return to the United States for permanent repairs, which lasted until August 1943. Meanwhile, in February 1943, she had been reclassified as an attack cargo ship, with the new hull number AKA-6.
During the rest of 1943 and into March 1944, Alchiba performed logistics duties in the South Pacific, also taking part in the invasion of Bougainville in November 1943. Following an overhaul in mid-1944, the ship was plagued by recurrent engine troubles, was in and out of shipyards for the next year, and completed only one voyage to the south Pacific during this time. In July and August 1945, Alchiba crossed the ocean to deliver cargo to bases in the central and western Pacific. She stayed in the former combat zone until late October and then returned to the U.S., reaching the east coast by way of the Panama Canal in mid-December. USS Alchiba was decommissioned in January 1946. Transferred to the Maritime Commission in July of that year, she was sold to commercial interests in 1948."
"USS Alchiba, a 14,125 ton cargo ship, was built at Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1938-40 as the civilian freighter Mormacdove. She was acquired by the Navy in June 1941 and soon placed in commission. During the rest of the year, she operated in the western and north Atlantic, reaching as far east as Iceland. In early 1942, Alchiba went to the Pacific to take cargo to the Society Islands, then returned to the U.S. east coast by way of Chile and the Panama Canal. She was back in the Pacific in mid-June and arrived in New Zealand the next month to become part of the Amphibious Force. In early August she took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal and continued to provide logistics support for the Guadalcanal campaign during the next four months.
On 28 November 1942, while anchored off Guadalcanal's Lunga Point, Alchiba was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-16, setting fire to her forward holds. She was run aground to prevent sinking, and the blazes were extinguished after five days of hard work. However, on 7 December the ship was again torpedoed, probably by a Japanese midget submarine, opening up her after hull and starting more fires. Again, Alchiba's crew controlled the flooding and flames. Her wounds were patched up sufficiently for her to return to the United States for permanent repairs, which lasted until August 1943. Meanwhile, in February 1943, she had been reclassified as an attack cargo ship, with the new hull number AKA-6.
During the rest of 1943 and into March 1944, Alchiba performed logistics duties in the South Pacific, also taking part in the invasion of Bougainville in November 1943. Following an overhaul in mid-1944, the ship was plagued by recurrent engine troubles, was in and out of shipyards for the next year, and completed only one voyage to the south Pacific during this time. In July and August 1945, Alchiba crossed the ocean to deliver cargo to bases in the central and western Pacific. She stayed in the former combat zone until late October and then returned to the U.S., reaching the east coast by way of the Panama Canal in mid-December. USS Alchiba was decommissioned in January 1946. Transferred to the Maritime Commission in July of that year, she was sold to commercial interests in 1948."
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