Subject: SMML09/07/98VOL235 Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 21:43:45 +1000 (EST) shipmodels@wr.com.au --------------------------------- Thanks for having SMML at your home, why not stop by our home at: http://warship.simplenet.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: 1/350 scale colors 2: Tamiya's Yamato 3: Re: Decking 4: Re: Aircraft / ship winners at NATS 5: Another Nats review 6: IPMS Nationals...con't 7: New Yamato PE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Warship Update 2: WTB Airfix Great Western 3: USN Paint Chip Sets ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: mitch fisher Subject: 1/350 scale colors Looking for some help: I am about to to start a Perry and Spruance in 1/350 scale and am looking for some paint suggestions that will render scale colors in 1/350 for modern US warships. Thanks, Mitch Fisher ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Re: SMML8/6/98Vol234 >> We have started a new brass set for the Tamiya's new 1/700 scale Yamato kit, in the $16. price range. Any suggestions? New set for Glenco's "Oregon" next month. << Will your set be different than the Oregon/Olympia set that GMM put out?? How about a set of upgrade parts; resin and brass for Revel PT boats. Regards, Bradford Chaucer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: Re: Decking Ken Durling wrote: >> I'd like to know how you guys deal with flaws in decks with raised plank detail. Sink marks and the like. Something tells me I should just replace the whole deck with sheet styrene, rescribe it, and scratch all the detail that was on the original... << You can fill the sink marks with epoxy putty or a similar material. Sanding will usually erase the raised deck lines, but in most scales they are too prominent anyway. I personally don't worry about trying to depict deck planks in scales under 1:350. If you do decide to replace the deck, you may not have to rescribe it. Evergreen makes a wide range of pre-scribed plastic sheets which look good in scales as small as 1:700. Check your local hobby shop for Evergreen products. Mike ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Burl Burlingame / Pacific Monograph Subject: Re: Aircraft / ship winners at NATS The quality of the two models were breathtaking, and in completely different ways. The vote was very nearly split exactly (I was having "St. Louis" flashbacks there for a second on Saturday morning). Building both aircraft and ship models myself, I was equally torn. Rusty's comments about large scales being easier to build is off the mark - if anything, the subtle effects capable in tiny scales become exponentially harder. Large scales are unforgiving, because they're visible to anyone with regular eyesight! And don't forget Pacific Monograph as a model ship vender! We sold 45 models of Bushnell's Turtle. That's a lot, given the esoteric subject matter. Burl Burlingame Pacific Monograph, 1124 Kahili Street, Kailua HI 96734 A historical interpretation company. Visit our web site at http://www.PacificHistory.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: JGordon262@aol.com Subject: Another Nats review The consensus of modellers I spoke with at the 98 Nats show agreed that it provided plenty of excitement all the way around. The Santa Clara Convention Center is a modern, sprawling complex with a huge vendor/contest room. Plenty of elbow room in the model display area, and the vendor's bazzare was often quite crowded. Unfortunately, I had arrived on Friday and was in the process of registering my models during the ship modelling forums by Raven and Herne so I missed them. THE VENDORS After registering, I did a quick run through of the vendors. Steel Navy was showing their new 1:350 Dreadnaught which was very well received. I needed some photoetch, so I stepped a few feet over to Tom's Modelworks booth for some 1:700 US and IJN railing sets. Tom's show special included free frets of damaged brass with purchase of regular product- Tom told me to help myself to the damaged stuff-which is not bad really- and I now have enough to do a couple years worth of waterline models. You've never seen so much brass in one place. Next I wandered over to Pacific Front Hobbies and met Bill Gruner. Nice guy with lots of products, very unusual 1:700 accessories from Japan. Just down a ways I found the White Ensign camp, and met Dave and Caroline Carter. They had a very nicely done product display featuring their 1:700 aircraft line and their beautiful photoetch, which is not brass but rather a fetching silver substance. (stainless?) Their built up RN photoetched AA gun set had to be seen to be believed. I wanted their IJN equivalents, but they are not in production yet. Caroline was very apologetic about this, but it didn't matter at that moment because just talking with an attractive woman who knows more about AA guns than I do and who can wax eloquently about the most minute photoetched bits, well, gave me a special tingling feeling... Over at Gold Medal Models, I picked up the new relief etched 1:700 figure fret. This is such an improvement over past figures in this scale. These must be seen to be appreciated. The figures have clothing lines etched in and the overall anatomy is excellent. I also picked up some other needed photoetch items there. Classic Warships was there, as was Jon Warneke with his line, and perhaps a few others- I didn't take notes and my mind was in a bit of a euphoric haze most of the time. Also, the paint chip guys and Raven and Herne selling their books rounded out the ship shopping. Friday evening I had dinner with Dave Runkel of Steel Navy, and we had a good discussion about the high and low points of recreating the Dreadnaught master, and the subsequent molding and casting of the production model. This sort of work is only for the very highest caliber model artisan, and Dave is certainly one of the best- a true perfectionist. THE CONTEST 1:700 ships had by far the largest turnout in two categories, one being Battleships, Carriers, and Battlecruisers, the other being All Other Types. Entries in the first group included the RN Battleship Rodney, IJN Battleships Yamato and Mutsu, four US carriers, and a US battleship. All Others group was the largest with 3 US Destroyer Escorts, a couple IJN destroyers, a Flower class corvette, three US cruisers, the IJN cruiser Tone, and a few others. (This is all from memory and now I realise I should have taken notes.) My first impression of all this on the table was one of awe- the bar has been raised very high, indeed. The level of detail being incorporated into this scale, and the high standard of finish, is just awesome. The only word for it. In fact, the 1:700 models in general *seem* more detailed than their 1:350 counterparts- basically because so much is crammed into a smaller viewing area. In 350 ships there was a very nice Yamato, rumor was that it features a real wood deck. It sure looked like it- but how did he do it?? Special award for Best Ship went to the mind-boggling 1:350 scratchbuilt USS Texas in navy blue scheme. You have to see it to believe it. Also in this category was the 100% scratchbuilt USS California modern missile frigate(?). The buzz at the show was how the builder used NO PHOTOETCH on this model- every single bit was crafted from stretched sprue. It was magnificient, as was Paul Eisenberg's 1/200 scale Nagato as seen in Warship. Paul also showed his 1/200 I-400 IJN submarine. There was a beautifully done U-boat diorama, showing the boat cresting the frozen arctic waves. Other boats included a 1:350 USS Enterprise diorama, a fantastic 1:700 US cruiser dockside scene complete with tiny trucks and other vehicles, and a giant Lindberg PT boat diorama scene that is so over the top it puts a big smile on your face! Also in competition were some fantastic sailing ships in various scales, and various sub models as well. There was so much to see at this show that two days was not quite enough to see it all in depth. I had a great time meeting the big names in the industry, as well as the big wheels in the modelling realm as well. Kudos to the Semicon group for producing a very good show! JG PS: I just read Jeff Herne's post Wed, and would like to add that Sami Arim took 3rd in larger 1/700 ships with his excellent Yamato. I would like to know what went on during the dinner awards- I was in the contest room during this time helping out with awards goings-on. Could someone give us a brief report of what went on in the dinner room? I overheard one guy say it was pretty quiet in there- I'm just curious. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: James Corley Subject: Re: IPMS(USA) Nationals...con't >> The Best Ship was Derek Brown's USS Texas, an exquisite scratchbuild in 1/350. Phil Toy was a close second with his USS California CGN...there were alot of other fine looking vessels, including Dave Shirley's USS Northampton, Bill Cianci's USS Intrepid (which should have taken 1st in 1/700 carriers), a couple of real large scratchbuilt subs, a 1921 Arizona by yours truly, and a nice 1/350 Yamato.... << As a judge, I was assigned to judge 1/700 capital ships, but that got changed at the last moment! While talking to the guys who did the 1/700 CVs, I was educated as to their rulings (and later tried to explain these to Bill) about the INTREPID. The rules for basic construction (for ships anyway) now includes a section on photo-etch. One of the rules is that all p/e must be painted.....Bill had problems with most of the cross-deck pendants showing more than half of the lengths with bare brass/copper which kicked him out. I do agree that the YORKTOWN was not the best carrier there and the INTREPID was better, but the YPRK didnt have a large amount of metal and none of it was raw. If I was voting on the category (with INTREPID knocked out) the 1st would have gone to Macks SHAMROCK BAY or Glens SAN JACINTO. BTW, who was the guy next to Toms with the resin Kaiten and figures? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Stanley Stephen S. Suarez" Subject: New Yamato PE >> We have started a new brass set for the Tamiya's new 1/700 scale Yamato kit, in the $16. price range. Any suggestions? << As a NEWBIE to PE enhancements, I would personally like to see a continuation or improvement on the splendid instructions you include in each kit. I like the way you guys give really detailed instructions and illustrations on where each and every PE part should go to. As I have yet to receive my NEW Yamato, I am not sure which parts would be needed to be provided in a PE set. I would guess that more bulkhead detail like hatches, ladders, (hoses and fire axes if the Japanese navy had them) and AA gun enhancements would be desirable. I don't mind the higher price for this particular PE set as long as it contains all the PE parts I'll ever need for this model(I wouldn't have to buy anchors, anchor chains, extra ladders, etc.). I might be able to give you more suggestions as soon as my YAMATO arrives. Stanley Stephen S. Suarez p.s. I got the US FLEET CARRIERS set I ordered from you about a week ago, I might have some small questions later regarding the installation of the set if you don't mind. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Rob Mackie" Subject: Warship Update Warship has a photo montage of ship models entered at the US IPMS Nationals. Many of the trophy winners are included. Check them out at Warship http://warship.simplenet.com ) Rob Mackie Warship http://warship.simplenet.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Luis Verissimo" Subject: WTB Airfix Great Western I all, Do you know anyone who's selling the Great Western ship kit by Airfix? Of course, other tips (reviews, etc) are gold to me. Really thank you! Luis V ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: John Snyder Subject: USN Paint Chip Sets OK folks, without setting off another round of controversy over publications, etc., I want to announce that: Our first set of USN WW2 paint chips is available (released at the IPMS/USA Nationals). It is a set of 20 paint chips directly--and accurately--matched to USN WW2 ship paints. We worked directly from official Navy Yard-issue chips where available (supplied by Alan Raven, Tom Walkowiak, and others), and from the USN-spec 1929 Munsell Book of Color where no chips were available. The set covers the pre-war grays through the grays and purple-blues (including flight deck stains) in use through the end of 1944. Retail price is $12, plus tax (for California residents) and postage; dealer price is $8 plus postage. These chips are designed to allow the modeler to mix available model paints (Randy Short published formulas in Plastic Ship Modeler, and these were repeated by Rusty White in the IPMS/USA Journal) to accurately duplicate USN ship colors; they are full-intensity, so the modeler can then lighten for "scale effect" according to personal preference. Our second set should be out in about three months, and will cover the 1945 neutral grays, and the greens and browns used by amphibious forces. Our third set is scheduled for release around the end of the year, and will consist of 27 Royal Navy WW2 colors, based on actual paint chips supplied by Alan Raven. This set will be timed to coincide with the publication of the first of a series on RN WW2 camouflage by Alan Raven. Beyond that, we are working with German contacts to produce a Kreigsmarine set, and will begin research shortly on Italian and Japanese paint colors. Sets may be ordered directly, or from Pacific Front Hobbies in the U.S. or White Ensign Models in the UK. Other dealer inquiries are welcome. If you are interested in these products, or want a list of the specific colors in the set, please contact us. John Snyder IPMS #26045 Snyder & Short Enterprises 9175 Kiefer Blvd, #224 Sacramento CA 95826 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume