Subject: SMML01/04/98VOL136 shipmodels@wr.com.au ============================================================================ MODELLERS INDEX 1: models vs models 2: Avaliable kits - second try 3: Re: Rigging in 1/350 scale 4: Asiatic Fleet DDs- 5: 1/350 scale Titanic 6: Photos of your own Big E hangar bays, anyone?? 7: Re: rigging 8: WE 1/350 HOOD 9: Warship model rigging 10: 1:700 Fletcher Class 11: Re: plexiglas "water" 12: Re: rigging line ============================================================================ TRADERS & ANNOUNCEMENTS INDEX 1: USS RANGER KIT 2: Coming up in the next navismagazine.com 3: Badges for RMS members 4: Badges for RMS members ============================================================================ MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Dan Goodpasture" Subject: Re: Models Vs models Regarding models vs models: Well said, Hank. >> Now, how about some feedback on *this* idea -- I'm planning on using some wavy plexiglas sheet (shower door variety, I guess) as water under a Revell1/550-1/600 ship or two, specifically SS UNITED STATES and perhaps USS HORNET. I figure that I could paint the flat (bottom) side of the wavy sheet the desired shade and mount the ship to the other side. My idea is to give the illusion of the water's "transparency," at least down to a scale depth of 10 feet. For the SSUS, because of the way the "secret" hull is molded, I used a coping saw to cut a hull-shaped hole in the wavy sheet, leaving the ship riding at the right level, and will add some sort of filler to the joint to enhance the effect. This is a decidedly non-choppy sea, so wake would be somewhat subdued. For HORNET, I may try to heat the sheet and bend it up to add "roll" to the sea. Anyone gone this route before?? << I haven't tried this myself, but there was an article in FSM (Oct 96 or thereabouts) on doing just this, without the added effect of cutting and filling, or bending. Just as you have, the author painted the bottom of the "cracked-ice" sheet and mounted the (waterline) model to the top (I can't recall if he painted the flat or the rough side), then airbrushed a bow wave and wake. It actually looked pretty good in the photos, giving a nice illusion of depth and the light effects from the ripple pattern simulating a choppy sea. However, the finished product looked kind of incomplete to me, but I can't really say why. Perhaps it's the two-dimensional wake and/or the nearly uniform look of the pattern on the plexiglass (for the mathematically-minded, it reminded me of a fractal pattern). Your idea of using filler might be just the trick. Let us know how it turns out. If you'd like the article, I'd be happy to send you a copy or just type out the high points and e-mail them to you. Hey...the publisher of my favorite magazine just showed up! Welcome aboard, Dan Jones! Dan ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Gene Larson Subject: Avaliable kits - second try I did not receive a reply to this request. Thought I would post it again Thanks. At one time I found, and thought I placed on the NRG sources list, the site that lists almost all the plastic and resin ship model kits available. Now I can not find it. I would appreciate the URL. Gene Larson, Alexandria, Virginia mailto:Genenrg@Naut-Res-Guild.org Nautical Research Guild, Inc. http://www.Naut-Res-Guild.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: BChaucer@ix.netcom.com Subject: Re: Rigging in 1/350 scale >> Try strechted sprue - you can control the thickness and length, also very compatible with the cements we use. I do mine over a small alcohol burner - available at most casting supply / jewelry houses. You can control the flame height by adjusting the wick. << I use a heat gun, basically the $40 type available from most decent hardware stores. It's flameless therefore safer, puts out a greater volume of heat so you cah stretch a larger amount of material and more controlable, Regards, Bradford Chaucer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Jeff Herne" Subject: Asiatic Fleet DDs Gentlemen, I am posting this while speaking with Alan Raven. He speculates (an educated guess) "...that front line vessels were re-painted rather quickly, since everyone knew war was coming, and there was an overall sense of urgency. Chances are the hull pennants were painted over in the interests of security, or substantially reduced in size from their pre-war dimensions. This is of course speculation on my part." Has anyone done any research of photographs from this period and theatre? He continues, "Admiral Hart, I think it was Hart, knew war was coming and stressed the Navy for new colors. When the Navy couldn't comply in a timely fashion, colors were mixed with whatever was available at the time. Cavite Blue was one of these concoctions..." I guess this leaves it wide open...Cavite Blue anyone? If anyone has any questions for Mr. Raven, drop me a line and I'll forward it to him and respond on his behalf. Jeff ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Bill & Kaja Michaels" Subject: 1/350 scale Titanic >> A friend of mine wishes to build a Titanic model in 1/350 or aprox. The two kits I found in mail orders are Academy at $ 52.49 and Gunze San. At $ 143.81 as there is quite a gap can a good soul give Me a piece of advice. The model is to be donated to the Venezuelan Museum of Transportation. << Alberto, What is the difference between the Academy and Gunze Titanic kits? This has been discussed on the rec.scale.models list. As I recall, the answer was "not much". Apparently there was only one 1/350 Titanic-- the old Entex kit. Both the Academy and Gunze kits have the Entex kit as a direct ancestor. The concensus on rec.scale.models was "buy the Academy kit, and spend some of the money you save on Gold Medal Models' brass detail kits. If you want more details, go to www.dejanews.com and search for "Gunze" and "Titanic". Bill ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Terry Sumner" Subject: Photos of your own Big E hangar bays, anyone?? Hi all, If any of you have any photos of your own scratchbuilt hangar decks on CVN-65, I'd sure love to see them. I'm interested in seeing how other modelers have treated this subject. Thanks, Terry ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Mitch Fisher Subject: Re: rigging For very small rigging line, look no further then the the top of your head. Human hair works quite well. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: John Snyder Subject: WE 1/350 HOOD Colin: If you were in the U.S. I'd suggest a trophy shop for the brass name plate you want. Do they call them trophy shops in Scotland, or was Winston right and we are in fact two peoples separated by a common language? John Snyder ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: BSteinIPMS Subject: Warship model rigging The question frequently comes up on this list as to the best method for rigging scale model warships. While there are numerous acceptable methods, one which works for me is as follows: I use transparent nylon sewing thread (available at your local fabric store) and attach it with white glue (polyvinyl acetate: Elmer's Glue-all in the U.S.). The glue is applied with an old 5-0 (fine) paint brush which is kept well clean by swirling in a cup of water between applications. White glue has greater strength in attaching disimilar materials than most modelers imagine. While cyanoacrylate glues work with this method, they are less forgiving and usually messier. White glue can be smoothed out with a wet paint brush or removed altogether when tacky. Some modelers prefer to paint their rigging gray after installing it in order for it to show up better, some like to paint it a steel color, some like it black. As a hobbyist you have to please yourself. And yourself only. One possible disadvantage of nylon sewing thread is that after a period of time on the spool it takes a "set". This means that if you cut off a piece it will be slightly curved. This can be straightened after installation by heat shrinking the line with the gentle application of a heat source such as the tip of a soldering gun, a cigarette, or best of all, a thin diameter stick of incense which smells delightfully like the bos'n's paint locker. The line will become taut and can actually pull out stanchions, so be careful. Also, don't get your heat source too close to the styrene. You don't have to experience this first-hand in order to learn it: you can go by my unfortunate first-hand experience. The slight curve of nylon sewing thread works to your advantage if you are up to stringing your own wire railings. Cut the thread to fit between each stanchion and apply each piece individually. It appears to be sagging just a trifle and looks quite realistic. I am having great success with this method on a 1/192 scale FLETCHER class destroyer, but would think twice about using it in smaller scales. This curve also looks realistic on wireless and other aerials since it appears much like the catenary curve which real rigging frequently assumes. The smallest diameter nylon sewing thread I've been able to find at a fabric store is .004" in diameter. This can sometimes be too large for the job at hand or your scale. The solution is to look for monofilament fishing line in very small diameters. Wal-mart carries .002" diameter line, and Bill Gruner at Pacific Front Hobbies carries the same size under the Japanese Dai Riki brand This is VERY fine material to work with (in every sense of the word). As an aside, Bill Gruner is a gentleman, is highly recommended, and can be found moored at: http://www.pacificfront.com Bob Steinbrunn Minneapolis ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: 1:700 Fletcher Class >> 1:700 Fletcher-class. Are there any models available that include the hedgehog and any other changes made when some ships were reclassified DDEs in the 50s? << Skywave's USS Callaghan (Fletcher-class) came with several extra parts, including Weapon Alfa, hedgehogs, tripod mast, and a couple of post-war bridge arrangements. Not a lot but somewhere to start a 1950's vintage DD. Not sure if this kit is still available; I've seen it in a couple of shops recently but it's getting hard to find. The Skywave weapons sets for WW2 USN ships also have hedgehog variants. Mike ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: SantMin Subject: Re: plexiglas "water" The shower door plastic will work but the surface is really too regular and usually looks artificial. You can get the same effect but with waves and ripples of your choice by using a plain sheet of plexiglass and adding the ripples with Acrylic Gel Medium (available at all art and craft stores). You can still tint or paint the underside blue and the gell will fill in that gap you have at the waterline. Bob Santos ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: SantMin Subject: Re: rigging line Try Fly Fishing Tippets line. It's like invisible thread but you can get it in many sizes down to .009, like a hair. You can also "heat" tighten it just like stretched sprue and it will not be anywhere near as brittle as stretch sprue. Bob Santos ============================================================================ TRADERS & ANNOUNCEMENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Wally's World of Hobbies" Subject: USS RANGER KIT Wally's World of Hobbies HI TOM I WOULD BE VERY INTRESTED IN THE RANGER KIT IF IT IS NOT TO EXPENSIVE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WALLY ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Paolo Pizzi Subject: Coming up in the next navismagazine.com Coming up to the next navismagazine.com, the most exciting e-magazine dedicated to air&sea enthusiasts and modelers. Available around April 5th: - Exclusive photo report from the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Portsmouth - Modeling the aircraft of operation Musketeer, PART 1 - USS Hornet, CV12. A comprehensive tour with some never before published pictures of the interior - Heinkel's high speed hoax (He-110) - Historic and model building feature. - Warships of the XXI century PART 3: Surface ships (with rare pictures and drawings obtained directly from the shipyards) - Reggiane 2000 catapultabile, the WW2 Italian catapult launched battleship fighter. Historic and model building feature. - Building and superdetailing a 1/700 Bogue class CVE from the Tamiya kit - Zero 32 walkaround, exclusive pictures of the new A6m3-22 fighter reconstructed from 3 wrecks in the South Pacific - Maiale, the Italian human torpedo. Historic feature and a fantastic 1/35 scratchbuilt model - Peaceful Wildcat - converting a 1/48 Tamiya F4-f4 to an early F4-f3 - XRAY, kit analysis: Gulfstream 1/350 Type IXc U-Boote Plus our regular columns: - News - with exclusive pictures of the new Tamiya F-117 - Model showcase - with new fantastic airplane and ships from some of the best builders around - Modeler profile - this month dedicated to Ian Ruscoe (UK) and his fantastic works - On the market - product reviews. See each and every part in a kit. - Naval Reconnaissance - naval news from the world - New books - Letters - Bulletin board And starting this month we have Dan Winfield's MON-KEY, a tongue-in-cheek view of the hobby world. And don't forget our games MYSTERY PICTURES and TRIVIA QUIZ where you can win kits, photoetch sets etc. Don't let anyone fool you: NOBODY gives you all this stuff, EVERY MONTH, let alone for free. All we ask is a very modest $1.66 a month, WAY LESS THAN ANY MAGAZINE with way more content and hundreds of hi-res color pictures, drawings, profiles etc. Come and visit us at http://navismagazine.com we have PREVIEWS of every feature. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Graham Holmes Subject: Badges for RMS members I hope you have all seen my posts on rms regarding a badge for members to wear with pride at conventions etc. It had dissappointed me that no requests for copies have come from SMML subscribers. I do not want to push this on people, but I hope that some of you are interested, and have just just not seen the ads. Let me know by email, and please submit design proposals if you have any. Graham A. Holmes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Greg Lee (Listmaster - SMML) Subject: Badges for RMS members Hey Graham, Here's a good idea for your badge design - "SMML" I'd buy one! :-) Greg (Listmaster - SMML) ============================================================================ End of Volume