Subject: SMML26/5/98VOL191 shipmodels@wr.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: (LHA-1) USS Tarawa Drawings 2: How to fix mistakes on Minicraft's RMS Titanic 3: LHA-1 USS Tarawa Drawings for 1/350th scale model 4: Italian DUILIO 1880 5: USS South Dakota/Mass 6: Re: USS Salem (was USS Texas ...) 7: USS San Francisco 8: Thanks for info ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Gary Au Subject: (LHA-1) USS Tarawa Drawings Hi Ralph, The plan is available at Rocky Mountain Shipyard at: http://www.iti2.net/~rms/ Try drop them a email, they are very friendly and helpful. The price is USD6.00, 1 page. Not highly detailed but OK for model making. Gary, Hong Kong ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Jacob Groby Subject: How to fix mistakes on Minicraft's RMS Titanic To All Titanic Modeler: The article for "How to fix mistakes on Minicraft's RMS Titanic I finished. I've received over 79 request so far. Because the documents was written in WordPerfect 5.2 and the overwelming request fot it. I've made arragments to have the entire article posted to a web page called TITANIC Scale Model Page, (TSMP) This page is specifically written to help modelers made better models of the vessel. The owner/writer of the page can be contacted at: mailto:darkness@worldnet.att.net . If nothing goes wrong I intend to post it (TSMP) no later than Wednesday May 27, 1998. Hang on for one more day, I' editing the article for typos' and run-ons as well as nautical terms most might understand. For those who want to contact me over the article, please continue do. I would hope that the article would be welcomed by follow modelers, getting a few new friendships started. If after reading the article, you have improvements or better ideas. You won't hurt my feelings be pointing out a few point. This is thwe whole point (idea exchange). ENJOY Jake Groby ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Ralph E. Batykefer, Jr." Subject: LHA-1 USS Tarawa Drawings for 1/350th scale model Thank you for your response concerning the drawings I am looking for about the LHA-1 USS Tarawa. I had already checked with the Floating Drydock and they do not have any information on the Tarawa. Are there other sources you may know about for drawings of the ship? (Even if they are in the US Navy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Nuno J. V. Rubim" Subject: Italian DUILIO 1880 Does anyone know where it is possible to find plans of the Italian Turret Ship DUILIO, completed in 1880? And its history? Is there any plastic (or resin) kit of it? Its main guns were of 17.7 or 17.9 in caliber? Thank you, N.Rubim Portugal ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: BECJPARKER Subject: USS South Dakota/Mass You can only build the South Dakota out of the South Dakota Blue Water Navy Kit. You can build the Mass/Indiana/Alabama out of the Mass kit. And yes, there are changes in the deck levels mountings for the 5" guns and the cranes. You can get the kit at a discount through mbishop446@aol.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: louellet@uism.bu.edu Subject: Re: USS Salem (was USS Texas ...) From: "Steve Belanger" wrote: >> I also went to see USS Salem for the first time, and initially from the outside it didn't look too good. Kind of rusty and lots of peeling paint. << The USS Salem's hull was last painted by the Navy decades ago. The volunteers aren't allowed to work on it because the paint chips would fall into the water (EPA rules). Most of the superstructure was scraped and painted because we could control where the chips went. There is a chance she could be drydocked within the next few years to have the hull stripped and repainted. Then the exterior would reflect the wonderful condition of the interior. >> Anyway the interior wasn't that bad though, I was actually surprised from it after seeing the outside. I was interested in the turret interior since it was different than the usual battleship ones, but you could only go into the gun house. << The interior is the best feature since it has not been touched since 1959. The Salem was mothballed for 35 years and very little was stripped out. A little cleaning and painting and the 2nd deck looks as if she was still in service. Opening the turret interior is on the 'someday' list. So far there have been no structural changes made in order to open a space up. However, the verticle ladders would have to be replaced, safety railings installed, possibly cutting of steel decks. It took the USS Massachusetts over 20 years to get their much larger turret open top to bottom, and much cutting was done to acommodate stairs to replace ladders. >> Another big thing I liked at Salem is that you could actually walk in almost every room. Not too many plexi-glass or wire mesh covered doorways to pear into the room from. The CIC was the most impressive. Everything was placed loosely everywhere (headphones, helmets, books, etc.) and you could walk right through it - no maze of plexiglas here! I hope they don't change that aspect of it, but I'm sure some idiots are going to touch and destroy everything so they will ruin it for everyone. << The CIC, Pilot House, and engine room are only accessable while on a guided tour. These are the areas that could be damaged the most by vandals. Most of the open areas are open because the spaces are used for functions, meetings, offices, volunteer berthing, Overnight Program activity spaces and berthing, etc. Half doors were already installed in the cobbler shop, tailor shop, tool supply, and medical labs, so the lower halves were secured and the uppers halves left open. The rooms with plexiglas barriers are mostly areas with artifacts to protect from 'souvenier hunters'. >> Also most of the hatchways below decks are also open with just a "No admittance" running across it and completely dark down there also. So hopefully one day you can go everywhere, with no bolted/welded/locked hatchways like the others. << It is nice to keep the hatches open during the heating season, and for ventilation during the summer. Unfortunately, too many people choose not to read the signs, or say "I didn't think it meant me!" so we are going to have to do something to make access to the off limits spaces "idiot proof". Most people don't realize that spaces have to cleared by the EPA as 'clean' and the majority of the ship below the 2nd deck has not been tested (big $$$). Also, if they get hurt down in the bowels, we'll only find them from the smell a few weeks later! Every museum ship has strengths and weaknesses. The Salem's hull looks terrible, but the interiors spaces are some of the best in the museum fleet. Larry Ouellette Volunteer, USS Salem (CA 139) U.S. Naval & Shipbuilding Museum http://www.uss-salem.org/ USS Salem model information available at the web site. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: USS San Francisco I'm not adding to the requested sources of information on this historic ship, but if anyone in this group should ever find themselves in downtown Oakland, California, check out the memorial park which includes portions of the bridge wings (complete with shell damage from Guadalcanal), mast, and possibly other artifacts. Mike ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: KDur597268 Subject: Thanks for info Thanks to all who responded about the Soveremmy destroyer. I am now on the research trail! Ken Durling ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume