Subject: SMML14/08/98VOL240 Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 18:14:28 +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: Siebel Ferries and Bathhurst Minesweepers 2: Resin kit instructions and decals 3: 1/150 Yamato Kit 4: "Scale Wars" 5: USS Oakland 6: Opinion needed! 7: Re: Glencoe Oregon 8: RE: Rigging and Battle Cruisers 9: SAMEK Alaska Class 10: DD 558 U.S.S. LAWS & Krivak 11: Modern Navy colors. 12: Re: Viking USS Texas 13: Potpourri of 'Stuff' 14: Re: Models of Ships from 1880 to 1914 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Plastic Ship Modeler magazine No. 17 now out ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "DAVID CLIFFE" Subject: Siebel Ferries and Bathhurst Minesweepers From: Mike Cooper Work e-mail: reading.ref@dial.pipex.com Dear All Siebel ferries I've just been asked by a tank modelling contact for information on Siebel Ferries. I've got some info, including plans, but does anyone have more? Bathhurst Mineseepers Does any one have colour info. I'm advised that the basic shades are as RN WW2, but some photos suggest a darker range. Any ideas? Mike Cooper Reading, UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Duane Fowler Subject: Resin kit instructions and decals Having just started building resin kits a short while ago, I was somewhat startled to find the dismal state of the instructions that come with the kits. I generally spend quite a bit on books about the subjects I build, but after spending so much for the kit, one shouldn't have to collect a library to build it. I agree that instructions written by a builder rather than a designer are definitely preferable. On a second subject, It would also be nice if the resin kits came with full decal sheets. It is always frustrating once the kit is finished to have to research any markings and manufacture decals. I am fortunate in that I have access to technology to make my own, but many people do not. Why are items that are standard on injection kits for a quarter of the cost not available for resin kits? I personally know several people scared away from resin kits because of the deficiencies in these areas. Regards, Duane Fowler ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Duane Fowler Subject: 1/150 Yamato Kit Just when I thought it was safe to go out again... When will it ever end?!? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Les Dorr Jr." Subject: "Scale Wars" A poster wrote: >> I know people who think (and I think I agree) that photoetch is a lot easier to work with in 1/350 than in 1/700. Any opinions out there on that? << I've used GMM PE on two smaller-scale ships: the 1:700 Perry-class FFG and the 1:542 REvell FDR (CVB-42). Really have had zero problems. GMM PE is easy to work with, provided I use an el cheapo pair of magnifying/reading glasses. I still haven't gotten the courage to try wrapping PR railing around the platform near the top of the Perry's PE mast...but soon, soon. OK, I'm kind of a novice shipbuilder, but I prefer 1:700 for several reasons others have mentioned: space, cost, availability. As one poster pointed out, 1:350 ships do make a bigger impression. I'm getting around that by pairing different types of 1:700 ships when I get 'em built, e.g., Perry FFG with Tarawa LHA, Charles F. Adams DDG with CVN-65 Enterprise. I've seen photos of displays like this, and (IMHO)they look very impressive. Only problem is the research trying to figure out which ships go together! Les ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Mapweasel@aol.com Subject: USS Oakland Help! I'm currently building the Blue Water Navy USS Oakland CL95 and need reference material for it. I want to know how the rigging was arranged and what scheme(s) she was painted during her tour of service. A book would be nice, but any info would be helpful. Thanks. Brian Mowery ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Percy, John" Subject: Opinion needed! Can anyone give a review/opinion of: Testors/Italeri HMS Hood in 1/720 scale. Thanks! John Percy mailto:jpercy@clariion.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: LubenLarry@aol.com Subject: Re: Glencoe Oregon I don't know why Glencoe quit producing this kit. I have two of them. I'm about halway through the first one. I'm building it on commission, so I know I'll finish it, but I will say that it is the worst kit that I have ever finished. Nothing fits. Everything needs major clean up work just to be useable.I'll try and post some pictures when I get the beast finished. Larry B ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Jeffrey Roberts" Subject: Re: Rigging and Battle Cruisers I definately agree with John Sheridan and Steve Rogers' comments in Vol.239: Instruction sheets for ship kits should include rigging details. Even if you collect photographs of a subject prior to building a model, it's often difficult to see tell just how a ship is rigged. In answer to Mr Rogers regarding interest in World War I battle cruisers, I'd love to model HMS Tiger (with her original rig) and even more SMS Derfflinger. I'd love to model the SMS Mackensen, too. Jeffrey Roberts ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: "Katz, Gene S" Subject: SAMEK Alaska Class Hi Does SAMEK's CB1 Alaska in 1/700th exist? Bill Gruner stated he was having trouble contacting SAMEK and/or receiving the subject models. Are they now in production and obtainable via Pacific Front (or approved equivalent supplier, no favoritism). Thanks and regards, Gene Katz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Baker Subject: DD 558 U.S.S. LAWS & Krivak For Mr. Payne, the LAWS (DD 558) was a late-construction, "square bridge" unit of the FLETCHER class. Photos taken 18 November 1953 show her to have retained the original five 5-in 38-cal. main gun arrangement, while the antiaircraft armament included two quadruple 40-mm mountings mounted abreast between the funnels (with two raised directors just forward of them and Mk 34 radars on the gunmounts), while atop the after deckhouse was the standard twin Mk 1 Mod. 2 40-mm mount with a non-radar-equipped Mk 51 Mod. 2 director just forward of it. The quintuple 21-in. torpedo tube mount was located abaft the after stack, which had on its after face a platform supporting a torpedo fire control director (the TT tube mount had a covered cylindrical position for the local fire control system). Two 24-round Hedgehog ASW spiggot mortars flank the bridge, while abreast were mounted six depth charge mortars and on the stern were two Mk 9 racks for depth charges. The Mk 37 main battery director had a circular Mk 25 fire-control radar, while atop the pole mast was a WW II-era SC-6 air-search radar and below it the antenna for what appears to be a a late-model SG-series surface-search set. As completed in February of 1945, LAWS carried five twin 40-mm mounts, five twin 20-mm mounts, and two quintuple 21-in torpedo tube mounts. It would take a good deal of surgery to transform either of Tamiya's FLETCHERs into LAWS in the 1950s, but the older (and fundamentally less accurate) Skywave FLETCHER in 1/700 at least depicts the correct bridge shape. For the gentleman seeking drawings of the underbody of a KRIVAK, the U.S. Naval Institute's RUSSIAN AND SOVIET WARSHIPS, 1945-95 by Pavlov, as edited by Norman Friedman, has far more accurate drawings than are in Jane's; these also at least show the profile of the underhull shape. Reliable plans for various versions of the class have also appeared in a number of Russian periodicals, including SUDOSTROYENIYE and the English-language RUSSIAN MILITARY PARADE. The KRIVAK series have a complex hull shape, with a knuckle line above water that actually tapers somewhat downward as it nears the stern. The bow-mounted sonar dome is quite small and is not nearly so bulbous as it is in U.S.N. warships. A.D. Baker, III ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Cdamb67491@aol.com Subject: Modern Navy colors. To anybody who would know: I'm building a modern 1/350th US Navy destroyer (DLM's Spruance). Does anybody know what color combination Model Master Paints would work? Better yet, does anybody know if there is an accurate paint made by anyone? Does anyone know what color Tamiya uses for their Enterprise model? PLEASE HELP~!!!! Christian D'Ambra Huntington bch, Ca ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: "Michael Quan" Subject: Re: Viking USS Texas Hello! In reply to Bradford Chaucer, I examined an example of the Viking USS Texas (in the box) just yesterday. The cast resin pieces appear to be of very good quality and consititute the hull, superstructure and turrets. My only criticism would be that like 700th waterline injection-molded plastic battleships, the cage structures supporting platforms are cast as a solid piece. There are sticks of plastic and brass rod provided for scratchbuilding all masts, booms and hull drains. The instructions appear to be of above average quality (for a resin ship kit). This leaves just the white metal for remaining guns and detail parts. In my opinion, these are not up to the quality of the rest of the kit - to the point that many builders will seek alternatives for the provided white metal parts. I have seen two examples of the completed Viking kit, and it does look nice. Price for the kit I inspected was $170-180, so $140 sounds like a good deal. Being a 700th modeler, I await the 700th version they have promised! (Unless Classic Warship acts first!) Regards, Mike Quan ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: DaveRiley1@aol.com Subject: Potpourri of 'Stuff' USS CONSTITUTION CANNONS/GUNS I would like to pass along a belated thanks to those contributors who responded to my query about availability of cannon/gun sets for USS Constitution. Sorry I haven't been able to respond earlier. Thanks to Robert Vancel, Al Ross and Felix Bustelo for their help - it is very much appreciated. Hope I didn't miss anybody - I tried to save the volumes where the contributions were made. CLEVELAND CLASS ARMOR Thanks to Sam Pullig for sending me snail-mail the Cleveland diagrams I needed showing the armor location. BWN USS SOUTH DAKOTA 1/350 Recently acquired this resin kit and was very impressed. With all the backlog, I'm not sure when I'll get around to building. I haven't seen too much write-up - anywhere - about this kit. Hope to see a review of this kit sometime soon. SMML Itself I've been modeling off and on for nearly 50 years (ships, planes, and HO craft trains) and haven't seen anything as useful, informative and thought provoking about ship modeling as this forum. Together with Rob Mackie's warship.simplenet, you guys are great. Wish you were around years ago. The help I have received here on SMML has been terriffic. Hope I can reciprocate at some point. WOOD MODELS (forgive me, its a plane question) Does anyone (here in the US) remember the old wooden Strombecker B-29 of the late 40s early 50s? The scale was not too far from 1/48. This bird had a steel cylinder about 1.5" long by 0.5" dia inserted in the nose for weight. Application of canopy decals over the curved nose was always a problem - I think Strombecker, free of charge, sent me at least a dozen replacement decal sheets. Decal-set would have been a big help - but it didn't exist. The problem I have is that kits have improved so much over the years, I find it hard not to buy all those great new kits I wish were around years ago. As mentioned by many before, storage is a definite problem. The B-29 was my first model, and like my first ship (USS PIEDMONT AD-17) and first girl friend, you never forget. Sorry for the nostalgia trip - it just came over me :-) Dave Riley Portsmouth, RI ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: RCClem@aol.com Subject: Re: Models of Ships from 1880 to 1914 I agree that a wider selection of steam/steel navy models from the time period 1880 to 1914 would be nice. The pace of change in naval design was staggering and a large model (1/192, 1/240 or 1/350) of some of these pre- and post-dreadnoughts is an awesome display. In my opinion, ships from 1930 onwards include all of the anti-aircraft guns and radar & radio mast "clutter". There is a reasonable number now on the market from this era and there have been some interesting recent additions to the group. Does this mean the demand is increasing for these ships or is the technology changing to permit designing and manufacturing kits for smaller market segments? I own several of them (plastic, resin and paper) and it will take quite a while to build them all. I choose the order to build based on the status of my research or picture file on each. Probably like many of you, I'm trying to collect info on several future projects while I am working on my current project. Kit purchases are a personal issue and it would be nice if the market place (supply AND demand) offered a wide selection for any modeler's chosen specialty. Roger Clemens Hinsdale, Illinois ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: dhjonespsm@juno.com (Daniel H. Jones) Subject: Plastic Ship Modeler magazine No. 17 now out Plastic Ship Modeler no. 17 is now available. Contents are : NEWS column (new kit reviews): China- CC Lee (1/150) ZHONG JAIN gunboat, Zengdhefu (1/200) JIANGWEI class frigate, Japan - Arii (1/700 SUNFLOWER TOSA ferry, Skywave ARLEIGH BURKE destroyer, CURTIS WILBUR destroyer, OTORI class DE, HATSUKARI - CHIDORI class DE, I-13 & I-14 subs, RESIN KITS Canada - Armada Scale Models (1/700 pier set, Italy - Regia Marina (1/700) VITTORIO VENETO battleship, ATTILIO REGOLO cruiser, Japan - Hi-Mold (1/700) DORSETSHIRE cruiser, NAGATO battleship, Sea-Line (1/700) minesweepers, U.K. White Ensign (1/700) CHESTER (WW I cruiser), KASHMIR (WW II DD), PENELOPE (revised) cruiser, "Professional" accessory sets, United States - Commander Models (1/350) OLYMPIA cruiser, Jim Shirley (1/700) MIDWAY CV, Arsenal Ship. plus all the latest photo etch releases from WEM and GMM Articles: Keepers of the Sea #3 - HMCS BONAVENTURE converting the Heller ARROMANCHES in 1/400 by Ray Bean (part II - conclusion) with photos. USS PORTER - 1942 by D.H. Jones and Alan Raven with large scale plans (never before published),ship photos, history, and overview of available kits. Bluejacket's GAMBIER BAY kit appraisal by Dr. Kerry Jang. Merchant Ships - 1917-1920 (U.S. war construction with three 1/700 scale plans of freighters) by D. H. Jones. Photo feature - the Dioramas of Chris Drage. Emden Colors by Robert Burgerhout. (pre-war and wartime colors) Plus all our regular features, Navinfotel by Ray Bean (news of the real naval world), One in 100 (1/1200-1/1250 models) by Paul Jacobs, and 3 pages of book reviews of the latest publications useful for ship modelers. Subscriptions: USA,Canada, & S. America $20.00 (4 issues) Overseas $25.00 Sample copy $5.00 (USA) $6.00 (Overseas). Plastic Ship Modeler P.O. Box 2183 Arvada, CO 80001-2183 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume