Subject: SMML12/02/98VOL088 shipmodels@tac.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- INDEX 1: L.A. Class Sub 2: 1/700 AA weapons construction and the February "SPECIAL" 3: HMNZS Achilles 4: Lighting 5: Re: Lighting 6: Revel titanic painting question 7: Re: Info 8: Re: HMS Achilles ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Paolo Pizzi Subject: Re: L.A. Class Sub SMML wrote: >> All this Sub talk has got me thinking, is there a nice L.A. Class sub on the market? << DML have just re-released their LA class kit with the necessary corrections (no more tail stabilizers...), nice looking kit and above all CHEAP. Reviewed in the next navismagazine.com Blue Water Navy have an even better LA kit but of course pricier, although it comes with very nice photoetch you won't find in the DML kit. Paolo Pizzi Navismagazine.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Dave Carter Subject: 1/700 AA weapons construction and the February "SPECIAL" Hi Guys, If any of you would like to see the WEM PE 720 Royal Navy AA Weapons set built up and photographed, please click below: Chris Drage kindly did this for us as my photography does not go THAT small! We will have our built-up set on display (with a magnifier!) at The Fleet Arm Model Show at Yeovilton, and Truks and Traks at Folkestone, Kent. http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/avenue/xdt22/wempe720.jpg We are currently working on an IJN set if anyone out there is interested.. We have some very special offers on at this time..click on below. http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/avenue/xdt22/special.htm Cheers Caroline 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/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Dave Carter Subject: HMNZS Achilles Hi Graham, >> I am looking for information on the armament and fittings of the Achilles during 1945. I believe that X turret had been removed and some pom-poms in its place. How many were there? << From Raven and Roberts Brit. Cruisers of WW2, Achilles received 2 refits during the war. In 1942, she received a number of single 20mm mountings, exactly how many was not documented. Between April 1943 and May 1944 she was refitted again with the following alterations: Single 4 inch guns were replaced by Twin mountings, X Turret removed. 4 Quad Pom-Poms were fitted, catapult removed, 5 Twin 20mm fitted, 6 x Single 20mm fitted, radar types 293, 218b, 227, 285(3) and 282(4) fitted, together with fighter direction equipment. No further armamament changes were made before the end of the war. Whitley in "Cruisers of WW2" states that after the 2nd refit, the 20mm totalled 18, in 7 power operated twin, and 4 single mounts. He also states that 2 HACS were fitted on the lower signal deck, the bridge HACS having been replaced by a radar aerial. He lists the April 1945 Light AA fit as 4 x Single 40mm Bofors, 5 Twin 20mm, 5 Single Twin 20mm plus the Pom-Poms. You pays your money, you takes your choice! This book has a starboard view of Achilles in June 1944, whereas Cruisers of the Royal and Commonwealth Navies by Morris has a port side view of her in August 1944. It is however difficult to make out all the AA positions from these photographs. Our new Twin 4 inch guns, recently retooled, are now available in bags of 4, and the WEM PE 720 AA Weapons set will provide the 4-Barrelled Pom-Poms. >> Did she have all 4 twin 4" in place? << Yes. >> What other light AA was there, and what was in place of the catapult? Are there any photos of her in any publications out there? << Well, from Whitley's Cruisers of WW2, Ajax had a 4-B Pom-Pom in place of her catapult. However, the pic we have of Achilles, in Cruisers of the Royal and Commonwealth, shows that there are 2 x 4-Barrelled Pom-Poms where X-turret used to be i.e. one either side of the deckhouse, one either side of where the catapult used to be, and a Twin Oerlikon on top of Y turret. Also 1, maybe 2 Twin Oerlikons in a Zareba on the stern. >> Finally will the WEM pom-poms in 1/700 suit in X turrets place. << Yes, indeedy! Regards Caroline Check out Chris Drage's built-up pics at: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/avenue/xdt22/wempe720.jpg 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/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "John S. Altemueller" Subject: Lighting Are there any good references on the use of fiber optics or Lightsheet to light a shipmodel? My current project is the Academy Titanic and lights are a desired feature but I'm clueless on how to do proceed. Any help appreciated! John ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Greg Lee (Listmaster - SMML) Subject: Lighting Hi John, Here's a recent article I wrote for SMML, I think it will answer all of your questions, and if it doesn't, let me know what you still need and I will do my best. Hope this helps. Greg (Listmaster - SMML) >>Light travels and can be directed through Fibre Optic cable, but there is no need to run a strand to every individual porthole, as this would leave you with the undesirable effect of having every lit porthole appearing as a spotlight, because the light doesn't just diffuse at the end of the strand, depending on the strength of your light source and the closeness of the strand end to a solid object, the light is actually thrown out from the cable like a small flash light. The best Idea (IMO) would be to arrange a group of strands, say 12 to start off with, at evenly spaced intervals, at the very bottom of your hull (Below waterline), running midship, and point the ends upwards outboard, so they illuminate evenly throughout all portholes, and simply block off the ones you dont want lit. Temporarily fit your Poop deck, switch it all on to see if you have sufficient light, If not ad more strands and work on placement until you reach your desired effect. Keeping them below water line will keep the brightness even, and not really bright in patches. Also lighting the Promenade A Deck and Boat deck is quiet simple, you just have to think like a chess player, and plan your next three moves in advance (Where to fix a strand end, where to drill a hole to run a strand through to illuminate the deck above etc....) I found with the above decks, It was best to drill a hole in the floor of the larger rooms on that deck, say the First Class Lounges on Promenade Deck A, and mount your strand Flush in the floor, so the light bounces off your walls and ceilings, and lights through-out the deck. I found the best light source is a partially powered incandescent light globe, Partially powering the globe will give it a dull yellow glow which is very true to the ships appearance at that time. By using a larger strand to feed your smaller strands in the hull, you only need drill one hole in the hull to run it through, drill the hole so it lines up with the post of your display stand so you can conveniantly "Hide" it, this keeps your light source OUT of the hull, meaning if you have a globe blowout, you dont have a situation on your hands << ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Gerlach, Bill J" Subject: Revel titanic painting question Yet another titanic question... Whats the best way to airbrush the decks? Unfortunately most of the walls are molded on that are to be painted white. Should i airbrush the decks white and then paint on the decks? I airbrushed the decks tan, and then brushed the walls, but i didn't like the results. So I masked off the deck and airbrushed it, but the masking didn't work too well. Is there a better way to mask than just using tape? thanks, Bill ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: John Snyder Subject: Re: Info A modeler friend is seeking drawings or photos of the following WW2 USN vessels: USS Ashville USS Lark USS Pigeon USS Canopus Thanks, John Snyder ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: John Snyder Subject: Re: HMS Achilles Graham: According to Raven & Roberts' _British Cruisers of World War Two_, Achilles underwent the following war modifications: 1942: all single 4" replaced by an unknown number of single 20mm mounts. Portsmouth 1 April 1943 - 20 May 1944: single 4" guns replaced by twin mounts; "X" turret removed; four quad pom-poms fitted; catapult removed; five twin 20mm fitted; six single 20mm fitted; radar types 293, 218b, 227, 285(3), 282(4) fitted; fitted with fighter direction equipment; No further changes made. According to Whitley's _Cruisers of World War Two_ however, in April 1945 Achilles' light AA suite consisted of four single 40mm Bofors, five 20mm twin and five 20mm single, in addition to four quad 2-pounders. There's a picture of her in June '44 in Whitley. Hope this helps, John Snyder ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume