Subject: SMML03/02/98VOL79 shipmodels@tac.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- INDEX 1: USS ST. PAUL 2: Questions on decals and rigging/wiring 3: 1:600 Baltimore class CA 4: wanted:scale ship modeller mags 5: Re: Sunken Titanic 6: QE2 7: TITANIC 8: Putty & white paint ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: reyna@nosc.mil (joseph w. reyna) Subject: USS ST. PAUL Graham, The kit you refer to is, I believe, the USS ST. PAUL kit by Aurora. It's pretty decent for a kit from the 50s-60s era, with at least an attempted representation of the correct hull bottom shape (needs a little work), and a fair secondary battery (the 40mm quads are boxy, but could be detailed with some work). Some photoetched brass accessories, and adding some of the details pieces from SKYWAVE/PITROAD's WWII ship details set (the set is 1/700 scale, but some of the parts look fairly proportional on a 1/600 kit) would certainly dress her up. Overall, I think it's a fair kit, and is a collectible, as it has not been reissued since the demise of Aurora. I believe Revell owns most of Aurora's old molds, which may include that of the ST. PAUL, but I would imagine they would choose not to reissue this kit because they have their own rendition of the BALTIMORE-class cruiser in approximately 1/500 scale. Unless you happen to like to build 1/600 scale ships, as I do, this kit might best be considered a collector, vice a builder. I have an especially soft spot in my heart (my head, according to my wife) for the old Aurora kits. They're pretty much all classics to me, a reminder of some of my misbegotten youth. Hope this helps. Cheers. Joe Reyna ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: jpoutre@lehman.com (Joseph Poutre) Subject: Questions on decals and rigging/wiring Hi all, I have two questions, one philosophical and one practical. First, the philosophical: Why do many models come out with only one set of decals, when there are several ships of the class that are virtually identical? This was triggered by the recent models of the Spruance and Ticonderoga classes by ARII and DML - each class consists of ships of two or three different configurations, with minor differences, so why doesn't the company save on the costs of making multiple boxes and just print up a larger set of decals for all the ships of the same basic configuration? Aircraft models come with multiple choices for decals - why not ships? Now, the practical: What do you use for the various aerials and antennae wires on post-Marconi ships? Fine wire, stretched sprue, cat whiskers, something else? Do you use different substances for 1/700 vs. 1/360 vs. 1/192 and larger? Most ships until from just after WWI to after WWII had an impressive amount of wiring and the ships look more impressive and accurate with at least some of the wiring simulated. Thanks, Joe Poutre Webmaster, Battleship New Jersey Historical Museum Society http://www.quuxuum.org/bnj/ Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Les Dorr Jr." Subject: 1:600 Baltimore class CA To the poster who wanted info on the old Aurora Baltimore-class CA, here's what Rajendra's list of reviews (as seen in Navismagazine) has to say: >> St. Paul (USN Baltimore class CA-73) [1/600] (WW2/Mod) GOOD. I admit that below the waterline, it's pretty bad, but it's pretty good above. It's rather like a scaled down Revell Baltimore Class. It has the rounded stern of the later Baltimore class. The kit came with decals for the whole Baltimore class. (DRW) << Les ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: robin Subject: wanted:scale ship modeller mags hello, i am after the following "scale ship modeller" back issues: Vol 19, no.1 january/febuary 1996 vol 19, no.2 march/april 1996 vol 19, no.4 june/july 1996 vol 19, no.5 august/september 1996 i have only just discovered this magazine while at my local hobby shop, & was shown it, i picked up a few issues from 1997, & am wanting to keep getting it, i want these back issues, & i cannot locate them, if anybody has some lying around, please send them to me (email me first).... I am in victoria australia, & i would prefer someone in australia to help me....(for resons of local currency & postage)... my email is ordrazz@ne.com.au thank you in advance.... Cheers & 73's, ordrazz Web Page: www.ne.com.au/~ordrazz/WELCOME.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Dave Carter Subject: Re: Sunken Titanic Hi there Titanic fans.. >> An award winning (Popoular Best of Show) diorama of the sunken Titanic was done at last year's IPMS Nationals. Absolutely superb. The builder, Roy Mengot, used two kits, and most of the wreck was scratch built. << In addition to this, there is the on-line article on NAVIs (archived) and also my own colour photos I took of this stunning piece of work at the US Nats, at the following location. http://whiteensignmodels.simplenet.com/liners.htm ... I think that's the right address anyway .... darned good stuff this Aussie Chardonnay Greg!!... looks like, thanks to Billy and the Boys, our Aquitania project WILL go ahead, although not before the Sussex, the Kashmir, the Furious et al... Caroline (I'm not pi**ed dear) Carter White Ensign Models,Gardeners Cottage,Cowarne Court,Lower Eggleton, Ledbury,Herefordshire,HR8 2UF,U.K. Tel: 01432 820403 Fax: 01432 820830 http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/avenue/xdt22/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: RAA914@aol.com Subject: QE2 Dear sir, Do you know where I could find a model kit for the Queen Elizabeth (QE2)? Ron Acosta, Miami ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "the LePine's" Subject: Re: Welcome! Greetings, and thanks for the welcome. Let me introduce myself. My name is Robert S LePine, professional modeller from Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. To all of those Titanic fans out there, you know where I am. I'm currently working on a very special model. A model that will help the first woman to dive on the Titanic, to be displayed in the new TITANIC exhibit at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and for my wife....who at the end of seeing the film asked me to build this project, and to give up most of her living room. It is a 1/48 scale model of the bow section of TITANIC on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The model is 10 feet long, 2 feet wide and about 28 inches high (at this time). I seem to have a lot of reference material....but what I am after from you all!!!!! How would you go about the task of the "Rusticals"...also how do you see the ship on the bottom. Is the hull colour still visable??? Can you suggest a direction??? more to the blue's as in Ken Marschall's paintings of the wreck site...or as she is from a scientific standpoint!!!!! all information is really sought after and needed...... Looking forward to hearing from all of you Robert CTV Nostromo ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Putty & white paint >> My 2 cents on this kit and seam filling: Personally, I don't like the squadron green putty-- It leaves with a a dark green area to be covered with paing. I have switched to Testor's white putty, which is much easier to use under light paint. << Try the Squadron White putty, solves the uncoverable dark green problem and is decent filler. >> Brush painting white is hard to do. If all you have is a spray can, it is better to spray the whole model white, and brush the darker colors. << BTW I have found that the spray paint sold for car bodies; Boyd I think, covers excellently, even in white. Gives a finish between gloss and satin. Regards, Bradford Chaucer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume