What an unusal way to reuse a WWII LST! What a awesome Model.
I came across this thread while researching the USS Sphinx for an article in the Cryptolog magazine of the United States Navy Cryptologic Veterans Association. IMHO, this model should be on display in the NSA Cryptologic History museum at Ft. Meade.
I am pinging various cryptologic history contacts to see if I can track down the usage of the “lego block” antenna. It looks to be a variant of the 3018 UHF SATCOMM antenna.
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Mark, thanks so much for you comments and kind words! Like most modelers, room to display all the kits that I’ve built is usually nowhere nearly enough.
I would certainly be honored to have a model on display at the NSA museum! If you have any contacts and can talk to them, I’d be more than willing to donate this to them if they would be interested in displaying it.
And if you can determine the type of antenna, that would also be great information.
Thanks so much for your posting!
And if you would like to use any photos of the model in your article, please let me know.
This is a fantastic build. I’m working on a presentation about the Sphinx for a cryptologic history symposium next May. I would like to use photos of your model as part of that presentation. Who should I contact for permission?
BTW, the ‘lego block’ antennas are probably for UHF satellite communications. They can be trained in azimuth and elevation. They probably had two so that one would always be unblocked by the mast structure.
A very similar UHF satelllite antenna is the AS-3018 shown in this photo:
Mark, thanks so much, as you indicated, photos showed that Sphinx indeed had two. Probably the best shot of that is this one.
As far as any photos are concerned, since I built the model and took all the photos, as far as I’m concerned the only permission required is mine, and you have it. Please feel free to use any photos of the model you wish.
If there are others you’d like, please don’t hesitate to ask and I’ll be more than happy to accommodate.
And please let me know as you get toward your symposium.
Tom
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Tom,
Thanks for the picture. It is better than most of the others I’ve found on line.
Unfortunately, I won’t know whether my proposal got accepted until sometime in December. However, if the NSA doesn’t want the presentation, I’ve got an invitation to do an article for the Cryptolog magazine of the United States Navy Cryptologic Veterans Association. I figure I’ll get the story out somehow!
Mark
In any event, I’d love to read your presentation. Despite the fact that the ANG unit to which I was attached as a Ground Liaison Officer was charged with providing defensive air cover (or more accurately retaliatory action since we were far enough away at Howard AFB to have been unlikely to arrive on station over head should something “untoward” have happened!), I really know only the barest details about her mission and capabilities, other than she was there to gather ELINT/SIGINT.
Have you considered reaching out the folks at Naval History Magazine (published by the Naval Institute Press)? They always print an article each issue about unusual/unique/less well know ships and aircraft. They might be interested as well!
Just found this thread!
Astoundingly good model making, Tom! 
Nice model! I served aboard the Sphinx in 1984-1986. I was on the commissioning crew. She had a colored history, for sure.
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