"Mickey Mouse "Battleships"" Topic

Came across this while looking up the U.S.S. Canopus and it's actions in the Philippines in January of '42. Does anyone know the extent of the modifications and armament of the motor launches? And when they were "made into miniature mine sweepers"?. Robert

"The Canopus crew then set to work converting three of the 44-foot motor launches into "Mickey-Mouse Battleships," which routed several Japanese out of caves. They enacted a similar mission at Quinuan Point during the Battle of the Points, and then the Canopus contingent was officially incorporated into the Fourth Marines Regiment. However, Bataan fell to the Japanese, and the Canopus was scuttled, with many of her crewmen going to Corregidor to continue fighting. Afterward, the motor launches from the Canopus were taken over by Mine Force sailers and made into miniature mine sweepers."
link

Unfortunately no info I could find on what, exactly, a "Mickey Mouse Battleship" entails. I'm assuming light weapons like machine guns and/or 20mm or 40mm cannon. I'd be interested to see what sort of configurations were used…

Damon.

I'm thinking that the term "Mickey Mouse" meant the same as being just sort of slapped together.Poorly put together or quickly put together. Like my father used to say in the Service that it was a "mickey mouse job". Robert

I will be releasing this soon in 1/600. They had a M1916 short 37mm landing gun on the bow and some .50cal MGs. Been digging on these for years and finally hit pay dirt.

Dave G

This is a nice model. Robert

They were not made into miniature minesweepers. They were highly improvised and a bit overloaded to begin with.

Yeah the usscanopus.org site has no mention of that,

"Just before the New Year, the last of the submarines left Canopus, but her activity continued as she cared for small craft and equipment of the Army and Navy, sent her men into battle in the improvised naval battalion which fought so gallantly on Bataan, and converted her own launches into miniature gunboats which attacked the Japanese moving south near the shore. But the overwhelming Japanese strength could not be held off forever, and upon the surrender of Bataan on 9 April, Canopus was ordered scuttled and sunk, to deny her use to the enemy. On 10 April, she was proudly backed off into deep water under her own power, and the brave veteran whom the Japanese could not sink ended a lifetime of service to the Navy when she was laid to rest by her own men.
"Just before the New Year, the last of the submarines left Canopus, but her activity continued as she cared for small craft and equipment of the Army and Navy, sent her men into battle in the improvised naval battalion which fought so gallantly on Bataan, and converted her own launches into miniature gunboats which attacked the Japanese moving south near the shore. But the overwhelming Japanese strength could not be held off forever, and upon the surrender of Bataan on 9 April, Canopus was ordered scuttled and sunk, to deny her use to the enemy. On 10 April, she was proudly backed off into deep water under her own power, and the brave veteran whom the Japanese could not sink ended a lifetime of service to the Navy when she was laid to rest by her own men."
link

I wish I could find more information on the "Mickey Mouse Battle Fleet" or photos. Robert

IIRC there is a color plate in Osprey's Campaign Series that shows a couple of them landing an Army strike force. They were improvised affairs with whatever weapons could be scratched up. They were heavily used during the Battle of the Points to support US counter landings and mopping up operations

If you want to read up on their activities, and those of the US Navy and USMC during the Philippines then this book is an excellent source:

link

By the way PT- great news!!! I totally want a couple to support my 6mm operations!

Well I would be hoping for 1/600 . Robert

Should be able to finish it this weekend

What scale Dave? Robert

1/600

It is in the mold. If things go right, I could have a first casting today :)

Here she is. Based on the sketches I was able to locate.

Dave G
The PT Dockyard
ptdockyard.com

Looks nice Dave. And glad to see it will be in 1/600. Robert

Now we just need some 1/600 scale troops for them to land! At this scale I'm sure any British looking troops would work.