Subject: SMML14/09/98VOL302 Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 18:50:28 +1000 (EST) shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: Akitsushima camouflage 2: Floaternet baskets 3: 1:700 Iowa class conversion? 4: Re: Floater Net Baskets 5: Re: Russian Warship Plans 6: Re: Tamiya Fletcher 7: Carpathia. 8: HMS Javelin 9: Resin casting 10: Re: Tamiya's Fletcher and floater nets -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Warship Update -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: dhjonespsm@juno.com (Daniel H. Jones) Subject: Re: Akitsushima camouflage Greg Ogilvie writes: >> Fletcher>and put together the beautiful little 1/700 scale Naval Works IJN Flying >Boat Tender Akitsushima. As I started to assemble the parts and paint them I wasn't as happy with the gray I had chosen as I thought I would be. I pulled out an old reference on IJN colors and received a shock. There was a drawing of the Akitsushima, surprising as there aren't many >references on her and only two murky photos that I know of. She isn't in a shade of wartime gray, but in a camouflage scheme of light green and black. The scheme was designed by the Constructor LCDR Shizuo and the ships CO. The basic color was light green with the area from aprox half way between the hawse hole and the capstan to the rear of the second gun mount black. also the 1/4th of the ship had black spots. for >a drawing of this see "Warships International vol. 1 1982.the drawing is on page 32. << Actually this drawing is not very accurate, having probably been drawn before the photo from Shuzio Fukui's collection was published. The photo referred to shows the camouflage to be composed of at least four colors. My personal guess (and that is all it is- a guess) is a combination of a very light green, medium gray-green, and a very dark gray (may be black). The fourth color is probably an off-white that is used for the false bow and stern wake. For a view of this photo, I suggest the following sources: Warships Illustrated No. 8 - The World's Aircraft Carriers 1914-1945 by Roger Chesneau. Page 56. (Arms & Armor Press - 1986 ISBN 0-85368-768-4 Ships of the World Special - 1994 - No. 481 History Of Japanese Aircraft Carriers. page 126. ISBN 4-905551-48-X. This one is still in print - available from Pacific Front Hobbies. It is an excellent photo book for IJN carriers. Both of these sources publish the same photo. It is a sharp and clear image showing the port side camouflage pattern in detail. In SWS 481 are also two views taken on board that show the foremast and part of the crane and boom were painted in the two greens in a dot pattern. This was also applied to the directors on top of the bridge, the upper section of the funnel, and a segment of the hull, which can be seen on the port side portrait view. If you cannot get a look at this photo, contact me directly and I will make a copy for you. Dan Jones Plastic Ship Modeler magazine -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: John Sheridan Subject: Floaternet baskets >> Does anyone have any suggestions about scratchbuilding floaternet baskets in 1/700? Does any PE manufacturer make these? It would seem like a logical item to include on a PE ship set. << Or in 1/350th for that matter. John Sheridan @ Microscale Decals http://www.microscale.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Les Dorr Jr." Subject: 1:700 Iowa class conversion? Rusty White wrote: >> On another note, it was suggested to me that conversion kits with brass details would be welcome to convert the new 1/700 Iowa class kits to modern Iowa class versions. What about it? << As long as the price was reasonable, I'd sure buy one. Sad lack of the modern Iowa class in 1:700. I *think* there was a 1:700 modern N.J. at one time by Revell, but haven't seen it offered by anyone. Les -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: Re: Floater Net Baskets >> Floater net Baskets. What navy are you talking about? << Floater net storage bins were used on virtually every warship during WW2. They are U shaped bins (like three or four 50 gal drums put together and sliced from side to side leaving half. They were made of thin strips of metal to allow for drainage of sea water and were placed in different areas of the ship. Some ships had many, while some ships carried none. The bins, I assume were created for smaller vessels that lacked sufficient storage for the nets. Sometimes they were located on the stacks (rear stack on the Fletcher), the side and top of the capital guns on battleships, the bulkheads or just about anywhere they could cram them. The floater net was just that. A large net with cork floaters attached to make the net float in the water. These nets were used to rescue large numbers of sailors in the water. When a ship was sunk for example. The huge floating net meant for those in the water to merely grab the net and wait to be pulled in rather than the ship picking up each sailor seperately. They had to have someplace to put these nets, so the floater net storage bin was born. If you look for them they are easily seen in many of the photos I have seen. If I am wrong, someone please let me know. Rusty White Flagship Models Inc. http://www.okclive.com/flagship/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: SeaPhoto@aol.com Subject: Re: Russian Warship Plans I know that Abe Taubman at Taubaman Plans Service has a number of modern Soviet warships - a Slava class, a couple of DDG's, etc. You might want to get his catalog if you are interested in these. http://www.seaways.com/mall/abe.html Kurt Greiner SeaPhoto Maritime Photography -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: Re: Tamiya Fletcher >> What's up with this kit - what's wrong what's on the PE set (gonna order that next week). << Mark, I stated in an earlier vol. of SMML that the 1/350 Tamiya Fletcher was the best beginners ship kit out there. I won't go into the reasons again but rest assured it's quite accurate, goes together easily and there are three nice detail sets available for it. Toms' Modelworks, Flagship Models and GMM make really nice sets for this kit. If you want me to go further into the kit e-mail me and I'll be happy to. No need to bore anyone by repeating the same stuff. Rusty White Flagship Models Inc. http://www.okclive.com/flagship/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Greg Lee (Listmaster - SMML) Subject: Carpathia. Hi, Just been watching the IMAX Titanica video, and I was wondering whatever happened to Carpathia? Was there ever a kit of her made? She makes an interesting subject in my opinion. Greg (Listmaster - SMML) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: CHRIS DRAGE Subject: HMS Javelin Hi All, Firstly, I just want to put my two ha'peny worth and reiterate what so many have said in this listing recently: a big WELL DONE to Greg for making SMML such a successful and interesting forum. Keep up the good work - it's bonza mate! Here's a general plea for assistance as I have reached the end of all my references to no avail: I want to create a dioramam depicting HMS Javelin and HMAS Nestor in the Med in mid-1942 when Nestor was badly near-missed and later sank. Nestor represents little problem but Javelin is a different matter. Does anyone know what colour scheme she wore at this time or alternatively, suggest a good pictorial reference??? I have one poor photo copied picture of her in late '41 but nothing later. Anyone help? Dan, Poalo, Mike Eisenstadt, Tim Stoneman, Graham Holmes - I am sure one of you guys must know...! Regards, Chris Drage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Douglas Bauer Subject: Resin casting In my limited experience with resin casting, I've found that a small, home-made pressure vessel will ensure a perfect casting nearly every time. I searched the thrift stores for a medium-sized pressure cooker...the one I use is something like 6 - 8 quarts. I found a wholesaler who sold me some relatively thick sheet rubber (an inner tube is a bit too thin for a good seal) from which I cut a new lid gasket; then I drilled two holes in the lid - into one I threaded a pressure gauge, and into the other I screwed a threaded nipple. A third hole may be drilled to accomodate a pressure relief valve, but I found this unnecessary. Since I use a CO2 bottle for my airbrush, it also serves as the pressure source for my vessel. When I'm ready to do some casting I hook the flex line from the airbrush into the fitting on the pressure vessel's lid, and adjust the compressed gas bottle's regulator down to about 5 psi. Once the resin is thoroughly mixed and poured into the RTV mold, place it into the pressure vessel and carefully seat and tighten the lid. Then turn the CO2 bottle on (if you forgot to lower the outlet pressure earlier, you may end up with resin splattered all over the inside of the pressure pot), and gradually increase the pressure regulator to around 60psi to ensure all the undercuts (if any) are filled with resin. Hold the pressure for a few minutes then secure the gas...unless you've got a primo seal, the pressure should drain off by itself in a few minutes. Remove the lid and mold and let cure. The use of a pressure vessel is usually only warranted if you're making a difficult cast with overhangs/undercuts. I've found that complex castings can be more easily removed before they've completely hardened...they'll be more flexible and can be bent back into shape once removed from the mold.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Les Pickstock (Les Pickstock) Subject: Re: Tamiya's Fletcher and floater nets There is very little wrong with the Fletcher as rendered by Tamiya. What faults it does have are easily rectified or ignored. There are 2 P/E sets available for this model and both are excellent although I, personally,only have experience of the GMM set. The biggest stumbling block with kit and P/E is that some of the kit fairleads (chocks) and the gaps for them in the railing sections don't match. The remedy is simple. Cut the fairleads off the deck and keep them carefully until they can be re-attached to the deck after the railings are fitted. The Gold Medal set has parts that are suitable for a mid or late war Fletcher which would involve some small modification to the early war version in the kit. Examination of a good reference work or examination of photos of a particular ship should show what needed to be changed or added. Floater net stowage was fitted to most Fletchers and is not given in the P/E set so I made my own from 1/600 P/E helideck netting rolled into a half cylinder and filled with epoxy putty to represent nets. the same technique could be used in smaller scales. The heli netting has a square "weave" but the net 'bins' were also fashioned from slats, so P/E railings would work as well. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Rob Mackie" Subject: Warship Update I have updated the Warship (http://warship.simplenet.com) site with the following new items: Photo tour of USS Kidd (DD 661) Fletcher Class Destroyer at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Peter Gunter Huff's remarkable scratch built 1/100 scale SMS Emden. Pic-of-the-week: US Carriers Under Attack: a remarkable series of US Navy WW2 photos Tom's Modelworks 1:350 Essex Class Carrier in-the-box review by Ken Summa In-the-Box review of the W-S-W (aka Doc Modell) 1/700 SMS Baden WW1 battleship In-the-Box review of the Corsair Armada 1/700 carrier USS Ranger CV-4 Updated New Releases and Developments in 1250 Scale Added new sources for 1250 scale models to the 1250 History page Added five models to the 1250 scale gallery, including Titanic, Imperator, Carpathia, and BB Valiant Book review by Evert-Jan Foeth of Breyer's Battleship Bismarck: The Technical Aspects New Release Announcements from WR Press, Classic Warships, Iron Shipwright, White Ensign Models, and Tom's Modelworks Additions to Photo Gallery: Frank Allen's DKM 1/700 Scharnhorst and HMS Hood Ian Ruscoe's 1/700 Flower Class Corvette HMS Bluebell Dave Judy's 1/350 USS Missouri and 1/350 Buckley class destroyer escort Rob Mackie Warship http://warship.simplenet.com A Seriously Cool Site -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume