Subject: SMML31/8/98Vol288 Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 18:52:47 +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: Re: 350th Pegasus kit 2: Airfix Inputs: Quit pushing Invincible on us...Put it to a fair vote! 3: Tom's Essex 4: Monogram 1:600 Kitty Hawk 5: WHICH KIT 6: Re: WHICH KIT 7: Richelieu: color scheme and misc details ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: USS Yorktown CV ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Michael Quan" Subject: Re: 350th Pegasus kit Jim McCormick wrote: >> I personally would like to see some manner of a PHM-1 Pegasus kit(I know about that little 700th blob, but I think a 1/350th resin kit would be rather neat, the bigger the better. What about it? << Count me in for another yes vote for a PHM-1 kit! I think this would be a marvelous undertaking for a resin manufacturer. These were quite unique vessels for their time, and it's too bad they don't fit in with the current Navy philosphy. There is also a sentimental value to me, as I was employed by Boeing at the time and was part of the design team of these waterjet-powered vessels. Being an "airplane" designer, it was a novelty for me to draw the nose/bow towards the left instead of the right, as well as using metric units instead of the usual inches. What a shame that from a multi-national start of orders for hundreds of vesslls, the end saw only five hulls completed for the US Navy! Jon Warnecke mentions that it is economically feasible for a Pegasus to see the light of day in 350th - what about it Jon????????? How about you other SMML readers? Mike Quan ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: AllenFW2@aol.com Subject: Airfix Inputs: Quit pushing Invincible on us...Put it to a fair vote! I appreciate Mr Reyna's efforts in regards to petitioning Airfix. I do not agree with his choices though. From what I've seen, it sounds like a lot of folks want other kits...NOT the Invincible. No offense intended Joe, I'm just stating facts. Let's be even more honest- It is highly unlikely that Airfix will produce any new ships. They may consider retooling and re-releasing an old kit though. So I suggest we go BOTH routes. First things first. We need a fair vote. This means we need someone to volunteer to receive said votes. Next, we'll need to conduct an accurate census by having everyone decide: What "new" ship kit would you like to see Airfix produce? AND What "old" kit would you like to see brought up to date and re-released? Let's allow 1-2 weeks for votes to be turned in. Whatever ship comes out on top will get submitted. If we have a draw, we can have a run-off between the various nominations. So, any volunteers for collector? We need someone fair/impartial & not already swept up in this (sorry Joe, to be truly impartial someone else now needs to collect the votes). Please bear in mind that Airfix is more likely to release RN, Commonweath or DKM vessels, so please don't waste all of our time by submitting Nimitz requests (seriously though, we'll have better luck hitting up Tamiya or one of the resin guys for that one). PS: My vote for "New" would by RENOWN. My vote for retool/re-release is HOOD (of course) Frank Allen ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Mark Knowlton Subject: Tom's Essex >> Just received the 1/350 Yorktown CV10 from Toms Modelworks. The resin is a little rougher than his other kits, but overall everything looks good. It appears to be very accurate for the 1943 version of CV10. The flight deck is all one piece so there is no piecing it together and the trouble that that can bring to some. The price of the kit is: waterline $360.00 and full hull $410.00. Not a very bad price considering other 1/350 scale aircraft carriers. Thought everyone might be interested in knowing that Tom is starting to mail out this new release. (first 25 now and others on the waiting list in Mid Sept.) << I too, just recieved my Essex in the mail. I ordered it at the US Nats. I am too excited about building this kit. I just hope to find room to display it when it is done. I usually like to do a full deckload of aircraft when I build 1/700 and would like to do the same with this kit. It seems the aircraft with the kit (TBF's, F6F's, SBD's) are all extended wings. Since the aircraft are in white metal I think it would be almost impossible to cut the wings for folding. Does anyone know of resin aircraft, F6F's and TBF's especially, that are available with the wings seperated? Now that I have this kit Tamiya will announce it's long awaited Essex.:) Mark Knowlton ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Denis G. Campbell" Subject: Monogram 1:600 Kitty Hawk I am still fairly new to ship modeling although I have been modeling most of my life (aircraft, model railroads, miniature furniture etc.). I picked up on the same day about a year ago, Revell's 1:720 uss enterprise CV65 and, a book called 'USS John F. Kennedy in detail and Scale' by Bert Kinzey. I have held off building the enterprise while trying to find Kinzey's detail and scale book on that ship, I had heard that Monogram's kitty hawk is actually the JFK and was apparently issued under several names although the JFK was a one ship class and it really cannot be used to represent other ships. About a week ago, I came across one of the Monogram kitty hawks (kit no. 3007) and picked it up for $10 and have been studying it since, referring to Kinzey's book and it seems to be a fair representation of JFK (will need some correction and scratch-building, but all seems do-able) However, the box bills it as 1:600 scale and my measurements show it to actually be 1:800. I am really surprised at Monogram first, claiming it to be kitty hawk and second, misrepresenting the scale. I spent hours poring over catalogs and searching web sites looking for 1:600 accessories (aircraft, railings, radars etc) and thankfully, picked up a tape measure before I ordered anything (not that there is that much available in 1:600!). Now, answer me this all of you out there. If I use 1:700 accessories will they be glaringly oversize? I think railings and radars will be OK but how about aircraft? And does anyone know of a scource of modern (Gulf War era) naval aircraft in 1:700 scale? All comments and help appreciated Denis Campbell ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Mark Krywienko Subject: WHICH KIT Dear SMML and modelers. I am a (very) new modeler and I have enjoyed reading this forum over the past six weeks. My interest lies in WW1 and WW2 ships. One thing I have read within the lines here is that the kits available to a recruit like me in my local hobby shop, i.e. the Revilles, Airfix, Tamiya etc...from what I hear are not terribly authentic at all times. Now, as much as I like the picture on the box, does this mean that the ship within is terribly accurate? According to a lot of the correspondents to this list, not very. I wish to model ships with accuracy, I would hate to go out to buy a 1/350 Tirpitz (for e.g.), only to find that the brand I have chosen is a 'dud', i.e. it is not a true and accurate representation of the real ship. Would it be possible to use the expertise that resides here to put together a list of kits that are accurate, thereby ensuring that we beginners can get a good start in modeling and feel pride with the authenticity of our choice. Thanks for taking the time to read. REGARDS MARK KRYWIENKO (Sydney Australia) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Greg Lee (Listmaster - SMML) Subject: Re: WHICH KIT Hi Mark, As a fellow Sydney sider I know where you are coming from. To get a truly superior kit ie; Resin, you have to order O.S, and with todays exchange rate (.55US), a US$200 kit will cost roughly $400-$450 once you include freight/exchange fee's. This leaves buying kits off the shelf, you cant really go wrong with Tamiya, If your a beginner, you will find them very challenging straight out of the box. By and Large they are reasonably accurate and well detailed. If you want a little more detail, Stop by Gold Medal Model web site, you can order a sheet of photo-etched brass add-ons like railing, water tight doors, life rings, etc..etc.. which turn an already good kit, into a truly impressive, and in this country, show winning masterpiece. The Brass sheet costs about $36US which works out to about $75 Aus, Hobbyco in the mid city centre has Tripitz for $79, so for Roughly $150, you got yourself a Top Quality kit, which I guarantee you will be very impressed with, and I also promise, you will get plenty of help from everyone here, before you know it, you will have a list of things you can "upgrade" on the kit a mile long. HTH Greg (Listmaster - SMML) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: rmorin1@banet.net Subject: Richelieu: color scheme and misc details I just receieved the new Hi-Mold Richelieu and am in need of some information to supplement my meager references on this vessel. Does anyone have any reasonably definitive information on the color schemes applied to this ship during and immediately after WW II? The first was applied during her refit at New York during 1943 and is rather unique. Logic would suggest that the colors used were USN. Can anyone confirm? The second scheme (the one shown in the kit instructions), which was worn through the late '40's, was a graded scheme similar in appearance to USN Ms. 22. Again, the colors employed may have been USN or, if the scheme wasn't applied until after Richelieu returned to France, they would likely be different. I also have a question concerning the fit represented in the kit. It would appear to be immediately post-war as about half of the 20mm AA originally fitted have been removed. In order to represent the ship as during her WWII service with the Allies would it be necessary merely to replace the missing 20mm, or would additional changes be required? Any help on these questions would be much appreciated as this kit is a beauty and I'm anxious to begin working on it. Jim Chambers ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: James Corley Subject: Re: USS Yorktown CV On a very related note, a new book (to me at least) has just been reprinted and released. That Gallant Ship, USS Yorktown (CV-5),Robert Cressman, 1985, Pictorial History Publishing Co, Missoula, MT LOC 84-62874. ISBN 0-933126-57-3 price:$10.95 The book is 184 pages, with 7 maps and an average of 1 photo per page or so. There are many very good pre-war detail photos of the ship and a few dozen taken on the day she sank (7JUN42) INCLUDING 3 OF HER (oops) bottom as she rolled over (which I'd never seen before). I would strongly reccomend this book to anybody wanting to build the old YORK. If you cant get these thru either the local hobby shop or bookstore, AAA Hobbies has them and is willing to do mail order either by phone at 770-933-0768 or by net thru me. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume