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A guide to the AP-2 and AP-3 Cargo and Victory ship plans, 1944
HDC1306 (SAFR 21365)
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Title: AP-2 and AP-3 Cargo and Victory ship plans
Date: 1944
Identifier/Call Number: HDC1306 (SAFR 21365)
Creator:
Duncan, John Alexander
Physical Description:
27 items.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The AP-2 and AP-3 Cargo and Victory ship plans collection (SAFR 21365, HDC1306) consists of 27 notebook pages of plans, engineering
specifications and outfitting drawings for AP2 and AP3 cargo ships, or Victory ships from 1944. A note in the collection indicates
that the notebook belonged to John Alexander Duncan, Assistant Superintendent of Outfitting, and that these ships were built
at Kaiser Shipyard #2 in Richmond, California. The pages are offset printing and handwritten and include profiles of the ships,
drawings of decks, engine rooms and machinery arrangement, tables and general specifications. The collection is open for use.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other
case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include
the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter
experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide
please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], HDC1306 (SAFR 21365), AP-2 and AP-3 Cargo and Victory ship plans, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
SAFR-00001
A note indicates the collection was brought in by John Alexander Duncan's son. These records are part of a bulk accession
from Golden Gate National Recreational Area when the San Francisco Maritime Museum became a National Historical Park in 1988.
Historical or Biographical Note
According to the note in the collection file, John Alexander Duncan was a marine engineer from Scotland, who was the Assistant
Superintendent of Outfitting at Kaiser Shipyard #2 in Richmond, California. He may have worked specifically at the Permanente
Metals Corporation. The note mentions "dock 42 43, 44-45," which may refer to the years Duncan was there. He was also a machinist
with Chevrolet/Fisher Body in Oakland, California.
Kaiser was one of a number of U.S. yards that produced Victory ships during World War II. The ships were designed to replace
shipping loses caused by German submarines, and they were faster and had stronger hulls than Liberty ships. AP2 and AP3-type
Victory ships had different horsepower engines (6,000 versus 8,000, respectively).
The AP-2 and AP-3 Cargo and Victory ship plans collection (SAFR 21365, HDC1306) consists of 27 notebook pages of plans, engineering
specifications and outfitting drawings for AP2 and AP3 cargo ships, or Victory ships from 1944. A note in the collection indicates
that the notebook belonged to John Alexander Duncan, Assistant Superintendent of Outfitting, and that these ships were built
at Kaiser Shipyard #2 in Richmond, California. The pages are offset printing and handwritten and include profiles of the ships,
drawings of decks, engine rooms and machinery arrangement, tables and general specifications. The collection is open for use.
Original order was maintained.
The San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park has numerous collections related to Victory ships and Kaiser Shipyards.
A few of these are listed below, but researchers will find more if they search the Park's web catalog.
Lidgerwood Manufacturing Company instructions booklet, 1944, for Victory ship electro-hydraulic steering gear, SAFR 7839,
HDC0673
SS FORDHAM VICTORY test records, 1945, SAFR 7840, HDC0674
U.S. Maritime Service Training School papers, 1944-1981, SAFR 8136, HDC0730
John Kinney-Ed Parker papers, 1943-1944, SAFR 14672, HDC1095, papers related to fitting Liberty and Victory ships at Kaiser
Shipyard #2
Dolores H. Burns photo collection, 1943-1945, SAFR 17652, P88-011, group portrait at Kaiser Shipyard #2
- This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War, 1939-1945
victory ships
Shipbuilding industry
Kaiser Shipyards (Richmond, Calif.)
Specifications
Naval architecture
shipfitting