Subject: SMML2/6/98Vol198 shipmodels@wr.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Harry S Truman CVN-75 2: F9F-6 on FDR 3: D&S Big E 4: 1:2400 carriers 5: Re:Tamiya Fletcher D/Cs 6: Glazing Windows 7: Re Yamato 1/200 8: Museum Ships 9: Battle Stations 10: Looking for Old IPMS Quarterly Article ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Les Dorr Jr." Subject: Harry S Truman CVN-75 Gang, Some traffic on rec.models.scale suggests that Italeri has actually updated the 1:720 Harry S Truman so that it looks like the real thing and not just another old Nimitz. Anybody examined this new kit? Comments?? Les ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Les Dorr Jr." Subject: F9F-6 on FDR Real long shot: Does anyone in the group know whether/when USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42) operated F9F Cougars? The old Revell kit has a pretty good airwing of Cougars, but I can't find any info that the FDR squadrons operated Cougars in its axial-deck config. Les (ldorr@capaccess.org) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: BEN8800@aol.com Subject: D&S Big E >> Also am still looking for a copy of the Detail and Scale book on the Enterprise. << If you find a supply of the book let us all know. I am looking for a copy also. Squadron says it is out of print. Ben Lankord ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: 1:2400 carriers >> Hello. Do anyone knows if there is any 1:2400 models of USS. Enterprise CV6 and CVN65 << Call Bill Gruner at Pacific Front Hobbies. I understand he carries pretty much a full line of the small scale stuff. I believe he also puts out a newsletter just for this scale. Rusty White Flagship Models ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: Re:Tamiya Fletcher D/Cs >> From what I could see the D/Cs moulded in the kit are either too long and narrow ('K' gun and ready use racks) or oversized (stern racks). If you are building an early Fletcher you would have to replace the charges on the ready use stand as they are way too long. Using the "quick" loading racks from the photoetch set you can get away with short lengths of an appropriatly sized rod as you can with the stern racks. For the 'K' guns a fine tube of the same diameter with the ends filled with thick paint will> give a nice dished end. As for the "teardrop" shaped depth charge the outside dimensions of the framework were about the same as a normal "ashcan" but you'd have to be insane or a card-carrying masochist to attempt to model these in 1/350th scale. << I have Alan Ravens book on the Fletcher class destroyers. It has tons of great drawings covering all weapons that the Fetchers carried. This is a great investment to aid in building any Fletcher. I rate it right up there with the Anatomy of the Ship series. The K-guns used a teardrop MK-9 depth charge. It was a faster sinking depth charge and was added to the fleet in 1944. The teardrop replaced the ashcans by 1944 on all Naval vessels (according to Raven) I would assume the Fletchers (depending on the era depicted) could carry both. On the next page Raven shows an ashcan depthcharge on the same K-gun but with the loading rack added. The drawing also shows the newer teardrop DCs in the same storage racks. Hope this helps. Rusty White Flagship Models ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Ritchie_deutag, Colin" Subject: Glazing Windows >> Regarding Bridge windows, (Greg Lee) I have drilled out my FLETCHER bridge windows and will fill them with a drop of clear varnish when all the painting is done. White glue (Elmers?) might do as well, provided it forms a skin and dries clear. I am sure Microscale did something for this purpose, as do Humbrol, although their product is a bit thick for such fine work. I realise this isn't so simple if the windows are rectangular, and you have to put something inside the bridge to busy it up a bit! << May I point you and others contemplating glazing small areas to the Protec range of Varnish's. these are acrylic varnish's and the gloss one in particular has a dual use as a glazing product. Simply wet the area, and "drag" the varnish across the gap. It dries pretty quickly, is very, very thin when dry, and extremely clear, with no fogging as can occur with PVA type products. I've used this Protec to glaze the windows of a 1/48th scale Land Rover, and 1/35th Jeep windscreen, so they cover very well indeed. Have a word with White ensign, I know they do the range, and if you search, Protec do have a web page. Oh they also work very well as varnish's as well! Colin Ritchie ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Fredrik T" Subject: Re Yamato 1/200 Hi Greg, I've just made my first sea tests with my Yamato this weekend. The model is well suited to convert to RC, compared with most other plastic models that are available. Like the previous answers indicate the model needs quite some job to look good and it definitely needs the GMM set. I bought my models through Hobbylink and it worked out fine. I had my model within 3-4 weeks from ordering. I would like to conclude with large THANK YOU for doing such a great job with the SMML. Keep it up and good luck with your Yamato! Fredrik Tholander, Sweden ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: Museum Ships Tom Dougherty wrote: >> My understanding is that the Balao class submarine, USS Lionfish (SS 298), is in desperate need of repairs also....we should try to preserve them as long possible. Are there plans that anyone is aware of to address this deterioration? << If you're interested in staying current with what is going on with the museum ships in North America, write to: Historic Naval Ships Association c/o US Naval Academy Museum 118 Maryland Avenue Annapolis, MD 21402-5034 They publish a quarterly newsletter for members. Annual fee is US$ 25 per year. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: "Bill & Kaja Michaels" Subject: Battle Stations I just finished reading "Little Ship, Big War", the story of a WW2 USN Destroyer Escort- the USS Abercrombie. This DE served in the pacific during the Philipine and Okinawa campaigns. There's lots of descriptions about GQ throughout the book. The descriptions in the book match my experience aboard a USCG Cutter in the 80s. At GQ, as few people as possible are above decks. Only the bridge/signal gang, lookouts, talkers, and the weapons crews are topside. Repair party personnel are definitely not topside-- they are waiting in their repair lockers, at oppposite ends of the ship. All topside doors and hatches are shut. On a small ship, anyways, there is no ready boat crew-- if you need to launch a boat, you get the people from one of the repair lockers. The gun crew in a 5" 38 are all inside the mount. Anyone topside would be wearing a standard Navy (kapok) lifejacket and a steel helmet. Phone talkers wear oversize helmets that fit over their headphones. Inflatable life jackets are worn by crewmen stationed inside the ship, where the big life jackets are too bulky to wear. As I read the book, I was intereseted in how little some things had changed. A lot of basic shipboard procedures have not changed all that much since WW2. HTH, Bill Michaels ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Michael Eisenstadt Subject: Looking for Old IPMS Quarterly Article Folks: I've been looking for a while for the following article without success. Could anyone help? I'm willing to pay for photocopying and postage. "Scratchbuilding in 1/700 Scale" by Mike Czibovic, published in IPMS Quarterly (USA), issue # 17Q1. Thanks! Yours truly, Mike Eisenstadt ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume