Subject: SMML02/01/98VOL047 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- INDEX 1: 1/350 USS Enterprise P/E Kit 2: Re: Covered (?) railings on modern USN ships 3: Re: Covered (?) railings on modern USN ships 4: New Book: Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Greg Subject: 1/350 USS Enterprise P/E Kit and bits. Howdy, Just some tid-bits for Big E builders, I have been chating with Loren Perry about the Big E kit and he says that All sponsons port and starboard should use railing style 2 (I questioned this, as there are no instructions for the port side, and the instruction sheet says style 1 for the sponson between #1 & #2 elevators) I am assuming at this stage that the 4x cleat decks on the port side do actually have railing, and they to would be of style 2? Anybody know for sure? I pulled out my hangar again today (3rd time). I just can't seem to get it to look right - I am not sure if I am being obsessive here, but I really wan't to know It's the best I can do b4 I seal it all up. If anybody has some suggestions of ANY aspect on the building of the hangar, I'd love to hear from you. I have been using 010" sheet for the walls, coated them in off white, with a deck blue band at the base, the actual floor I am very happy with, I used masonite wood, sprayed it white in patches, and scuffed it with some coarse grit paper, and then a mild coat of German Grey, and it looks great, slightly patchy and rough surfaced. I got some v grooved styrene from the railroad store to make the Opened Hangar doors, and seperator wall, The roof, I have tried a bunch of different things here and they ALL looked crappy! Basically it looks horrible - I would like to start afresh. Suggestions???? I would also welcome suggestions as to the most appropriate way to scratchbuild some tow bars for the 1/350 aircraft. Another point which has been bugging me is joining the three piece flight deck together without ugly gapping holes, any body got this far yet? Thanks Greg ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: witsie/ken mckelvy Subject: Re: Covered (?) railings on modern USN ships Les: I don't have your references, but from your description it sounds like you're seeing "dodgers." This is nothing more than canvas panels, pierced with (usually) brass grommets, and laced to pipe railings. Purpose: to provide some protection from wind/spray. When new they're an off-white, but between sunlight and periodic scrubbings they bleach pretty rapidly. They are also, sometimes, painted to match the superstructure, but I have no idea what current practice might be. Ken McKelvy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Mark Knowlton Subject: Covered (?) railings on modern USN ships? >> Again, please excuse what's probably an obvious question. I'm rather a newbie to ship modelling. I've seen photos of many USN CVs and surface warships that have what appear to be a bright white (or gray) covering where I'd expect to see railing or sheet steel. USS America, the ship I'm currently working on, has these around her bridge (Jane's 1991-92, p.726). USS Yorktown (CG-48), USS Bunker Hill ((CG-52) and USS Belknap (CG-26) all show these coverings (or whatever) in the same Jane's issue. Can someone tell me what these are? Are they just some ceremonial bunting to make the ships look smart in harbor? Would they show on a ship (particularly America) underway? << Hello Les, The coverings you refer to are more or less a gloss canvas material that fits over the section desired. Some ships have this sewn together by their own onboard deckforce. It is, as you said, a kind of bunting to imoprove looks of the ship or to cut down on the wind over certain areas while underway. Hope this helps. Happy New Year everone. Mark Knowlton ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Rob Robinson Subject: New Book: Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War This book (from the U.S. Naval Institute Press) is amazing. For modelers, it can't compare with Skulski's "Yamato" and "Takao" in the Anatomy of the Ship series (the drawings are not as detailed & are not scaled), but it covers ALL Japanese cruisers from before WWI thru WWII. The material covered includes weapon details, structural details, propulsion details, ships' histories, and countless other details. All major reworks of each type are shown, with analyses of interesting maratime architectural problems, design flaws, & descriptions of damage effects on many of the ships sunk. Over 800 pages, many previously unpublished photographs & drawings, & a solid wealth of information for a budding IJN buff like myself. If this kind of info is your meat, I think you'll find this tome far surpasses anything else you've ever seen (with the possible exception of Japanese-reading list members). Rob Robinson Skillman, NJ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume