Subject SMML3/11/98VOL352 Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1998 20:47:03 +1100 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: Rawalpindi 2: Q.17 IJN paint ref 3: Yorktown CV-5 & US Navy Questions 4: Japanese Ship Modeling Message Board 5: Dealing with ship decals 6: The 16 Ft Admiralty Trawler Boat - R.N. Corvettes.. 7: USS Salem Kit inquiry 8: QE2 and other liners questions 9: Brass Rod for 5" guns 10: Fuso 1944. 11: Re: LOOSESTRIFE 12: Internet Kit Shopping...... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: White Ensign Models website update -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Foeth" Subject: Re: Rawalpindi I agree with Mark Kwasnycia that the Rawalpinid had little choice, then to engage the German warship, knowing that she could never win. This is the same determination seen with the Glowworm, testifying for the British captain's courage. I never said Capt Kennedy acted 'rashly'. I know what he has done, and why. As for the lucky hit, a 5,9" canon can not disable a Scharnhorst class vessel. Indeed, the arrival of the Newcastle scared the Scharnhorsts away, although I can only assume that they though heavier units were coming, as the Newcastle wasn't a threat to the Scharnhorst. It did damage KM morale. I think the RN was better of if she used smaller ships as AMC, not the large liners. A small freighter could have carried a 150mm canon too. As for the new Rawalpindi : I would have to contact that person again, if I can find him. He told me it was a new P&O Rawalpindi. Evert-Jan Foeth -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Arjun Sarup" Subject: Q.17 IJN paint ref Hello Graham, I believe we have an almost identical problem, as I am replying to you from Mauritius, where modelling paints are not available. I bought a Tamiya 1/350 Yamato at Singapore, and tried to match Humbrol paints to the Tamiya codes. There was some kind of indication available on the Humbrol display stand as to the equivalent Tamiya match, so perhaps you should try that angle, rather than work backwards in trying to match the Tamiya paint to the Humbrol one. Then again, I might be totally wrong, since I wasn't really concentrating on the paints, just the model kits stocked up on the shelves. However, I'd be as interested to get a reply, as I also have a few odd tins of Humbrol paint floating around. I am far from being a habitual modeller, though I thought I'd make mention of a problem concerning the Yamato, wherein the box cover depicts one particular shade of grey for the hull and superstructure, the box side depicts another, the instruction booklet says to use Tamiya Neutral Grey XF53, the booklet itself says "Japanese warships were painted dark grey with a tinge of blue", and another source of reference says IJN ships were painted near-black. By posting a query recently on the problem I received a couple of replies, and if I may, quote Lars Ahlberg (lars.ahlberg@halmstad.mail.postnet.se) and Rob Graham (RGraham111@aol.com) who suggest that the hull colour would be 15% black, 75% white, 6% brown and 4% blue. I guess I'll be using this by mixing commercially available enamel. A further reply indicated that the exact hull shade is still debateable. Being new to this mailing list, I've missed the last 348 volumes and quite likely all the answers, but hope someone can shed light on IJN colours (particularly as percentage mixes), as well as Humbrol equivalents. Thanks. Arjun Sarup -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Dave Pluth Subject: Yorktown CV-5 & US Navy Questions Hi all, I'm getting ready to pick up the Blue Water Navy Yorktown (CV-5) and I'm starting to collect information about it. I've got a couple of books that have some information, but they are not quite complete enough, so I have a couple of questions. First, are there plans or drawings available of the ship? Second, for the Japanese Ships, I got the Grand Prix books from Pacific Front Hobbies. These books have detail drawings of everything aboard a Japanese ship, is there such a reference for US ships? Any help or advice folks could lend on this project would be greatly appreciated. Dave Japanese Aircraft & Ship Modeling Web Page http://www.j-aircraft.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Dave Pluth Subject: Japanese Ship Modeling Message Board Hi all, Just to let all of you Yamatoholics (and Japanese Ship fans) know that I finally have my Japanese Ship Message board up and running. Stop by http://www.j-aircraft.com and click on message boards (and look at the ship section as well). Dave Japanese Aircraft & Ship Modeling Web Page http://www.j-aircraft.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Les Dorr Jr." Subject: Dealing with ship decals OK, aircraft decaling I know; ship decaling I've having trouble deciding what to do. Ready to put the flight deck and island numbers on my Revell Franklin D. Roosevelt. If this were an aircraft, I'd brush on a couple coats of future over the whole thing, then decal. But I really don't want to coat the whole flight deck and island of the Roosevelt for decals that take up maybe 10% of the total area. Does anyone have any innovative techniques for applying ship decals? I'd apply future just to the areas I'm going to decal, but not sure the finish would match after overspraying. So...any ideas? Les -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "lamkeel@email.msn.com" Subject: The 16 Ft Admiralty Trawler Boat - R.N. Corvettes.. Dear Smellies Prompted by Ed Crune's enquiry of 31/10/98. The Admiralty used two types of similar 16ft clinker built dinghies for Flowers and similar sized units. 1) The Trawler dinghy -16' 0" long, 5' 9" beam - to the Board of trade requirement with a life saving capacity of 12 persons. It also has a 12 cubic ft buoyancy tank. The second Admiralty 16' 0" Standard dinghy is very similar, but has a beam of 5' 5" and an authorised life saving capacity of 14 persons. It did not have buoyancy tanks fitted unless swamp tests showed that it did not have 10% reserve of buoyancy. This info comes from the Corvettes 'Ships Cover' held at the N.M.M. Greenwich. I have drawn item 1 at 1" = 1Ft. from drawing No. 28/A/797. Dated 5/6/39. (My L/S/110). The GOOD News is that I have researched so much info on R.N. Flowers, that when I checked the other week, I had managed to produce some 50 large sheets of drawings. These cover their construction, internal layouts, machinery layouts, docking plans, hull lines, shell expansion, rig, Plus "As Fitted" G/A's of individual units, usually at 1/8" = 1 Ft. (Not Agazziz or Bluebell). BUT :- Honeysuckle, Hydrangea and Jasmine. Camellia, Begonia, Genista, Zinnia, Nasturtium, Anchusa, H.M.C.S. Wetaskiwin and 3 Alisma's - as built, and after her 1st and 2nd refits. (As well as all the weapon systems carried by the class). Such is the amount done that I now wish to produce the product in Two parts. Part Two will include the Modified Flowers:- Burnet, Forest Hill and Charlock. Arabis, Potentilla, their machinery and weapons, hull lines and shell expansion and more armament, plus a Castle Class. Brief background, (not a attorney in sight but I've met a few). Sea Scout and Sea cadet. Apprentice Toolmaker/ Draughtsman in a plastics moulding company. London Division R.N.V.R. 1954-6. National Service R.N. 1956. Signed on for nine years 1957. Served on Sluys, Theseus, Albion, Scott and Bulwark. Demobbed as a P.O.M(E). (Stoker Petty Officer for non nautical readers) in Feb. 1965. Joined Met Police Feb. 65. Worked 'Y' division in North London. Retired Aug. 93, and have enjoyed drawing warships since Alan Raven started me off in about 1967. Now quite Mad. Yours "aye". John Lambert. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: James Corley Subject: USS Salem Kit inquiry I purchased a kit from the USS Salem museum people and have lost their email address. I am wondering what the status of this kit is. I paid for this IN FULL back in August, with a deposit earlier. If this kit is not forthcoming, I feel I should be entitled to a refund PLUS INTEREST. The kit was promised as being released in mid-Septemeber (hence, the august pay-off) and is now 6 weeks late. Does anybody here know the source of the delay? Is the museum at fault for not paying the manufacturer, Classic Warships? Is Classic Warships at fault for not delivering a product that has been pre-paid? Is the Post Office at fault for losing it in the mail? Whats the story here?? James -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Jean-Paul Binot" Subject: QE2 and other liners questions Just my two cents on the topic of modelling these magnificent liners, and answering some of your questions. Jean-Paul Binot >>5) How do I get information about the colouring of the decks or details of these liners? 6) Where do I find photos of the QE2 before their reconstruction at the end of the 80s? (The Cunard Archives are no longer available on the net for a long time.) What tone of grey-black did the QE2 have then? Did she really have an anchor directly at the bow as the kit has? I already called Cunard Germany but I don't think they will send material of the ship in its original shape. << I can recommend the following books, but there are many others: 1. QE2, a magnificent millenium, Gary C. BUCHANAN, Past & Present Publishing, ISBN 1 85895 122 4. It is a soft-cover 100 pages of full color pictures of the QE2 from 1969 through present. A lot of the pictures show the interor of the ship, and its many successive decorations. 2. Queen Mary, The World's Favourite Liner, David ELLERY, Waterfront Publications, ISBN 0 946184 84 4. 176 pages of highly instructive text and hundreds of BW pictures. 3. France, un rève de géant, Claude VILLERS, Glénat, ISBN 2 7234 1683 6. 200 pages in French, many pictures in color. A superb book. >> 7) How do I get best results for the white strip between the red and the black hull section? << Paint the white strip first, mask it with masking tape, and paint the other colours over the tape. Then unmask, et voilà... >> 8) Are there helpful hints on the web to make these models more perfect, e.g. for using the GMM sets? << NAVIS magazine, at http://navismagazine.com/, has a few links by Lorren Perry himself. I guess you'll need to register to Navis to access those pages, but that is to be recommended anyway if you model ships and have a web access. >> 9) What's the most promising way to get the other kits (QE, France, Mauretania, United States, Free Enterprise 2)? << You should try the mail order houses, in the UK mainly. They seem to have some kits long out of production. I would suggest you consider the 1/450 Glencoe France. It is much nicer than their United States, and can be found in hobby shops in Eurpoe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Michael Connelley Subject: Brass Rod for 5" guns Hello: I don't know the dimensions of the 5"/38 so I measured from the 5"/51. The end of the barrel ought to be closer to .015" with the barrel slowly increasing in diameter as you get closer to the breech. To get this effect I chucked 1/8" brass rod into my Dremel and filed it down as it was spinning to get a nice 5"/51 gun barrel. Give it a try, it fun and you can make all sorts of round things for your ship in brass. Cheers Mike Connelley -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "Lester Abbey" Subject: Fuso 1944. I am about to assemble the 1/700 Fuso kit by Aoshima. This has always been a favourite subject - it has the most hair raising pagoda superstructure of all the IJN BB's - and I want to do a top notch job on it - even though the Aoshima kit leaves much to be desired. I have some references on the Fuso and a number of Photographs - enough to do the superstructure at any rate. I also understand that Conway Maritime Press is publishing a book on the Fuso but I can wait no longer (plus the fact than when I buy it it may not have the answers that I need anyway). There are two questions that I would like to pose to the collective intelligence of SMML members. 1. Was the foredeck planked all the way back to the X turret in 1944? The Aoshima kit stops its planking abreast the B turret. I have contacted two people that I consider to be eminent authorities and have been given differing answers. SMML Members are invited to add to the confusion or perhaps arrive at a consensus. 2. When (if ever) was the Catapult on the third turret landed? - Yes I know that the catapult was special - it was shorter than normal - but was it on in 1944? Regards Lester Abbey Wellington New Zealand -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Dimi Apostolopoulos Subject: Re: LOOSESTRIFE Ed: The colors of LOOSESTRIFE appear to be G20, G45, and B55. According to Alan Raven's article in PSM the steel decks should be G20. If you use Humbrol enamels, here is what I recommend: G20 - 90% H31 10% H34 (I have also seen a mix of 60% H95 and 40% H155) G45 - 30% H23 70% H64 B55 - 50% H23 50% H90 and a few drops of blue H109 Dimi ps. Jane's recent publication "War at Sea 1897-1997" has a nice illustration of the same camouflage scheme. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: "Morley, James (London)" Subject: Internet Kit Shopping...... Many thanks to everyone that has passed comment on my original post. I would just like to reiterate that I didn't mean my comments as any reflection on those mail order providers in the UK that stock these kits and sometimes send them out free (even at a loss), they provide an excellent service to the rest of us. All I meant was that with a strong Pound, and some good face-value deals in the US, there MIGHT be a point where the price differentials start to make it worth it for the particular category of kits that are under discussion (Tamiya 1/350 ships or possibly 1/32 Jets). I've started this experiment now, buying a 1/350 Enterprise from ModelExpo for $118 about 5 days ago. I'll let you all know how it works out for time and cost....... though I've got a horrible feeling that this is going to blow up in my face!!!!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Caroline Carter" Subject: White Ensign Models website update Hi Guys, My proposed big update was cut short by a ruptured cold water tank... Titanic all over again, I'll tell you! however, if anyone is interested, I have posted pics of Jim Baumann's WEM 1/350 HMS Sheffield build that took 4 IPMS awards... several of his other award winners are featured on NAVIS at http://www.navismagazine.com, where Jim is Modeler of The Month... his 1/350 Hood, 1/700 Dante Alghieri and his Blue Water Navy 1/350 California for example, are featured.. Jim is new to competitions but swept the board at Telford of maritime trophies actually, my digital doesn't really do it justice.. if anyone out there got better shots, please let me know... http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.models/jbhood/jbhood.htm I added a listing of pre-owned kits and books http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.models/shbooks.htm and updated the overall index for WEM kits n brass etc... http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.models/main.htm Askold photoetcehd brass has arrived, and can be seen at: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.models/askold/askold.htm BTW, NAVIS is featuring an extremely nice WEM 1/700 HMS Brilliant build by Paolo Pizzi.... we are doing 15% off the 38.25 pounds price of 1/700 Brilliant, Battleaxe, Brazen or Broadsword (ie 32.51 pounds) exclusively to SMMLlies if a WEM 1/700 Royal Navy Decal set is purchased at 2.77 pounds you MUST mention SMML when you order to get the discount! Cheers Caroline -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume