Freeware CFS2 USS Erie class gunboat. Multi LOD, includes DP made by Skipsan.  Model, paint, and config by Psullykeys.

Instructions:  

1)Place ship in the CFS2/Ships folder.  

2)Add the jpg in the included INFO folder to the main CFS2 INFO folder.

3)Add the following to the mdlnames.txt found in the main CFS2 folder:

"PJS_ERIE"=USN Erie class gunboat
    

Specifications:

Type: 	Patrol gunboat
Displacement: 	2,000 long tons (2,000 t)
Length: 	328 ft 6 in (100.13 m)
Beam: 	41 ft 3 in (12.57 m)
Draft: 	14 ft 10 in (4.52 m)
Speed: 	20 kn (23 mph; 37 km/h)
Complement: 	243
Armament: 	4  6 in (150 mm)/47 cal guns, 8  1.1 in (28 mm)/75 cal anti-aircraft guns (2x4)
Aircraft carried: 	1  floatplane

Class members: Erie, Charleston

Information: (From Wikapedia)

USS Erie (PG-50) was the lead ship in a class of two patrol gunboats. Launched and commissioned in 1936, Erie spent her shakedown cruise protecting American interests and citizens for two months during the Spanish Civil War.

At the outbreak of World War II Erie was stationed in Central America and participated in the Battle of the Caribbean by patrolling the western approaches to the Panama Canal. On 13 December 1941, Erie picked up 50 Japanese prisoners of war (POWs) at Puntarenas from the Costa Rican government. On 14 December, Erie boarded Sea Ray and removed one Japanese POW, and ordered Sea Ray into Balboa the next day.[1] On 16 December, she boarded the motor vessel Santa Margarita and ordered her to Puntarenas, and later the same day, towed a disabled motor boat, Orion, into the same port.

In June 1942, her home base was changed from Balboa to Cristobal, Panama, and with that she began to patrol against Kriegsmarine U-boats operating between Panama and Cuba.

While leading convoy TAG-20 between Trinidad and Guantanamo Bay, Erie was struck by one of three torpedoes fired by U-163 and badly damaged. Beached to prevent sinking, Erie burned for days and suffered seven killed and 11 wounded.

Raised and towed to the Willemstad inner harbor, Erie later capsized during preparations for salvage and was left in place until 1952, when her hulk was partially raised and towed out to sea, where it was sunk in deep water.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

USS Charleston (PG-51), the fourth vessel to carry her name, was the second of two Erie-class patrol gunboats. Launched from the Charleston Navy Yard on 25 February 1936, and commissioned on 8 July 1936, under the command of Captain Robert King Awtrey, and was part of the Atlantic Fleet.

Charleston sailed from Norfolk, Virginia on 24 February 1937 to join Squadron 40T, in which she visited Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, Trieste, Naples, Italy, and Algiers before returning back to Charleston, South Carolina for updating on 24 April. On 9 July, she sailed to Balboa, Panama for extensive training and combat exercises in the Panama area before returning north back to Charleston on 1 March 1938.

From 21 April-3 October 1938, and from 4 January 1939-27 June 1940, she returned to the Caribbean to conduct off-shore patrols and good will visits, and on the second trip she served as flagship. On September 1940, she cleared Norfolk, Virginia and headed for Seattle, Washington. From there, she headed to Alaska to the 13th Naval District. From 6 November 1940-27 November 1941, she made five cruises from Seattle to Aleutians.


Upon the entry of the United States into World War II, Charleston intensified the schedule of patrol and convoy escort duties necessary to protect this far-northern region, and except for four voyages to west coast ports for maintenance, she operated from Dutch Harbor or Kodiak, Alaska throughout the war. Along with her escort and patrol duties, she carried out such missions as landing reconnaissance parties, aiding stricken ships, and taking part in the operations at Attu Island, which was assaulted on 11 May 1943. Two days later, Charleston arrived to bring her fire power to support Army troops ashore, bombarding Chichago Harbor, and screening the transports lying off the island. During the attack of Japanese bombers on 22 May, she evaded aerial torpedoes by radical maneuvering, while splashing one enemy plane and helping to drive off the others. She provided call fire until the island was secured, and supported its occupation through convoy escort runs between Attu and Adak Islands.

At the close of the war, Charleston prepared for Far Eastern duty, and on 25 November 1945 arrived at Hong Kong. She also visited Shanghai before returning to San Francisco, California on 4 March 1946. Here she was decommissioned on 10 May and transferred to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy on 25 March 1948.

Charleston served as the training ship for the Massachusetts Maritime Academy from 1948-1959. In 1959, she was returned to the US Maritime Administration for final disposition.

Charleston received one battle star for World War II service.


 

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Skipsan of SOH who made a great DP for the vessel!  You'll have to work to sink her! Special thanks to Collin, for his help with FSDS. Also Tango Romeo, Simonu, Crashaz and Good2be for some shipbuilding insights. 

Legal:  Freeware, may not be included in any payware without written permission of the author.  If used in freeware, please acknowledge author. I'm not responsible for difficulties with your computer due to the use of this freeware.

Enjoy!

Psullykeys 11/3/2010