Subject: SMML29/3/98Vol133 shipmodels@wr.com.au ============================================================================ MODELLERS INDEX 1: Lindberg Bismarck 2: Re: Application of decals 3: Lindbergh Fletcher & GQ Johnny 4: USN Colour Chips 5: Re: Lindberg Blue Devil Destroyer, 1/125 (DD 557) 6: USS Johnston Camo 7: Commanders USS Panay 1/192 scale 8: Re: USS Johnston 9: Re: 1/400 Scale Aircraft 10: Re: Asiatic Fleet 4-pipers ============================================================================ MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Alan Simon" Subject: Lindberg Bismarck Reference Ronnie Hiatt and David R. Wells. Built one (and companion HMS Hood) >from the box more than 10 years ago. Painted hull bottoms only - "dullcoated" balance. Semi-scale at best, but my 9 year old boy had a better idea. We installed the figure-8 rudder cam on each ship and re-enacted 5/24/41 at a small local swimming pool. Each model had a slightly different figure-8 pattern. A ship captain earned a point each time his ship "struck" the other - most were glancing blows (no real damage). Variation - introduce Lindberg's 1/300 Rudderow DE (straight pattern only and not nearly as bad a model). Deduct a point from either dreadnought, if it strikes the American (we were neutral then). Happy steaming with the Lindberg toys! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: b29@ix.netcom.com Subject: Re: Application of decals Re: Application of decals,I read Jeff Hearne's suggestion. I only model in 1:1200/1250, so it may be different in larger scales, but I always use a setting solution like Solvaset when applying decals. I literally melt the decal into the paint. I never sand the paint, or the like. It is important to get all the glue off the decal and cut close to the actual colored parts. You don't need the film, and you don't need the glue. The decal will be melted on. Paul Jacobs Contributing Editor Warship.simplenet.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Jeff Herne" Subject: Lindbergh Fletcher & GQ Johnny Alan, The USS Johnston carried Ms 21 throughout the war to the best of my knowledge. I was unable to find any photos showing her in anything but Ms 21. The AA configuration you mentioned is correct, 5 MK1 40mm Bofor and 7 single 20mm Oerlikons. She did not recieve an emergency AA fit, so the midship 40mm positions are parallel to the after funnel. Ships with emergency AA fits had them moved forward when the forward torpedo tubes were landed. Also, I've said this one thousand times, check your references, because many Fletchers carried ONLY ONE ANCHOR. This is not a 'class' error on Lindbergh's part, although it is a particular ship error. The Melvin carried two. Fletchers were top-heavy from the very beginning, and as the AA fits increased, non-essential items needed to be landed to balance the weight. I will be writing an article for the Warship site on accurizing the Lindbergh kit. Contrary to what everyone says, it can be done, including the hull problems, but not without some work. The article should appear in 4-5 days. Also, for those of you who are building any Fletcher, Gearing or Sumner, my book should be available in a week or two. Included will be a chart of all the ships and the camouflage patterns they carried. Check out 'Warship' for more info. Jeff Herne Author, "Fletcher, Gearing & Sumner Class Destroyers in WWII" 'Warship' Contributing Editor ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Rob Mackie" Subject: USN Colour Chips Al Ross wrote: >> I just printed the USN set and found that you had changed the format for the RN set - the DB colour names were not listed, but printed on the chip. The names don't print well and are almost unreadable. Do you plan to list them as you did for the RN colours? << I will publish the names of the USN paint chips on the Warship site (http://warship.simplenet.com) next week. This will enable you to obtain the exact chip from a home improvement center. This is preferable to relying on my scans, which may distort the true chip colour. Rob Mackie http://warship.simplenet.com The Best Things in Life are Free ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Candy Forster & Rob Robinson Subject: Re: Lindberg Blue Devil Destroyer, 1/125 (DD 557) I have a plan purchased from the Floating Drydock sometime back for DD 557. It's marked "For Vessels of DD 445 Class with Forward 40mm Guns & Square Bridge (DD 557 - 568)". It shows five twin 40mm in the usual Fletcher locations, seven single-barrel 20mm guns (four in the waist & three in the stern in a triangular pattern). The one photo I have is probably the same one you have - MS21. If you can't find any other data, I would suggest that DD 557 was probably pretty close to her commissioning configuration at the time of her sinking - she was less than one year in service & probably wouldn't have been in for any major overhauls. I have photographs of DD 529 undergoing overhaul at Mare Island as late as mid-June 1944, and the single-barreled 20mm were still in place (by 1945, all Fletchers were getting twin-barreled 20mm). (The photos are also purchased from the Floating Drydock.) Hope this helps. Rob Robinson mailto:robster1@ix.netcom.com Skillman, NJ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Paolo Pizzi Subject: Flats, gloss, and decals >> I tried the flat/gloss/decal/flat method a long time ago and met with disasterous results, it ruined a 1/350 Tamiya Enterprise flight deck. Never again... << Always used the flat-gloss-flat method, not only it has always worked for me (and not only me), but it has even improved the overall appearance because after the paint gets back to flat it's not the original flat out of the bottle, but a kind of semi-gloss (or maybe I'd better say semi-flat) that resembles much more the finish of the real thing underway with the water/sky reflections. That is of course if you're interested in having your model look real rather than a pretty, squeaky clean, toy-like replica faithfully built according to the original color chips. Paolo Pizzi http://navismagazine.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Mark Knowlton Subject: Re: USS Johnston Camo >> 1. What camouflage scheme did she wear at Samar (10/25/44)? Only photos available show Measure 21 (verticals all Navy Blue) at commisioning, 10/43. Previous inquiries, including to Navismagazine and an attempt to contact survivors, proved inconclusive. << A 1/96 scale ship modeler that used to work at the local hobby shop here did massive research and discovered that she was indeed in MS 21 at the time of the Samar battle. His Johnston was magnificant and detailed well, and it was even radio-controlled. Mark Knowlton ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: montreal@usit.net Subject: Commanders USS Panay 1/192 scale Commanders Series Models have just received the patterns of the USS Panay in 1/192 scale. This kit will be available at the US IPMS nationals in July. Jon Warneke Iron Shipwrights ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Sanartjam Subject: Re: USS Johnston Hi, According to a survivor I talked to (a Mr. Mercer from the Dallas-FW area), the Johnston was always painted in a solid color, which he described as a "slate gray." Whether it was really Ms. 21 (5-N Navy Blue) or something else like Ocean Gray (Ms. 14) I don't know; Ms. 21 would've been the most likely one, I would think. The survivor I talked to was very definite that she carried the 5 twin 40-mm guns and 7 20-mm guns, and said in general that she was configured like the USS Kidd that is restored in Baton Rouge. Hope this helps, Art Nicholson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Sanartjam Subject: Re: 1/400 Scale Aircraft Hi Dave, I'd really like to see 1/400 scale resin aircraft that would fit some of the Heller aircraft carriers, like the Arromanches (which I think can done as a British, Canadian, or Australian carrier; Ray Bean just did it as the Canadian carrier Bonaventure in PSM), the Illustrious (Swordfish, Fulmars, etc.), and the Clemenceau (Etendards?). Lots of good possibilities there, as well as 1/400 Arado 196's for the Heller German ships, a Walrus for the recently re- released Heller KGV, etc. Go for it! Art Nicholson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Sanartjam Subject: Re: Asiatic Fleet 4-pipers Hi, Thanks to all those who've helped with information the 4-pipers of the Asiatic Fleet! Art Nicholson ============================================================================ End of Volume