Subject: SMML08/06/99VOL570 Date: Wed, 09 Jun 1999 00:13:27 +1000 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: PSM 2: Re: RN Colours 3: What's modeling about 4: 688I subs 5: Re: BSW Models, exposure 6: Re: Lindberg LST kit 7: RN 'H' Class Destroyers 8: Nelson Paint Scheme 9: Re: Potemkin Colors 10: Re: What its all about 11: Blue jacket USS Ward 12: Re: Viking 13: Squadrom/Signal on deck series No1 14: Re: Is there really a 1/8" U.S.S. Ward? 15: Potemkin color scheme 16: Light Sheet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: CBNJBB62@aol.com Subject: Re: PSM I recently got a message from Dan Jones concerning #20, he's working on it over the weekends. I don't know a release date yet but it's under construction. Craig Bennett -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: John Snyder Subject: Re: RN Colours Well, the painting of chips has begun. Nine painted out so far. Still have to get the pages laid out and printed, but that can all happen in one day. Maybe we really WILL make our end-of-June date. John Snyder Snyder & Short Enterprises The Paint Guys -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "foeth" Subject: What's modeling about >> OK, third time lucky. Your beautiful model has turrets that rotate, they even fire puffs of smoke and the toilet works and your next door neighbours model is the same, except he has running lights. << I agree up to a certain extent, and it is perhaps appealing to go "all the way" but we're getting into discussions like "Look, my captain on the bridge has blue eyes, and your captain has brown eyes, while everybody knows" etc. You could go more and more accurate, but I think modeling is also about knowing when to stop. I knowingly let some of the errors in my models, because getting them out won't be noticable, or way too much work, so they are hardly justifiable to correct. If we go into the "most correct model" lane next step, is checking if the model is built out of real face hardened steel on the main belt? Is the model cat on the bridge really female? Hey, did you get the pitch of the riffling inside the barrel correct? Wow, he used the original paints flakes scraped from the wreck when he was diving at Bikini! Sure, one model is more correct than the other, but the basic thing was building the model, representing a real life object. I always call it summarising the real thing, as you just can't get everything right, and if you try, you'll never finish another model again. Forgetting an anchor is, as you wrote, forgetting. But not having rotating turrets is not forgetting, but not applying. I most certainly will not add rotating turrets. I put my models on shelfs, and knowing that there's a $100 drive mechanism inside I never use is not very satisfying. Adding lights might be different, as they can be an integral part of a liner or even a warship. Lights might be borderline issue, but all that rotating stuff, nah. A working catapult is nice, but I'd never put it in, and I most certainly wouldn't do it for a contest (Dutch jurors are even worse than the normal IPMS judge, they don't even recognise a good paint job). Though I do like the idea of scaring your cat or dog, as I found out, a few years ago, that my cat has the exact size to sweep all the fighters from your 1/350 Enterprice with one typical cat stretch while sleeping on the main deck. I also found him sleeping next (next, phew!) to my Titanic, on a bookshelf, which I had deemed 'cat-save' and trespassing-proof, with glass windows and extra protective material at the sides. >> OK, I am ready for the flack. << Don't you spell that F-l-a-k? Ah, never mind EJ Foeth -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Lisa and Bill Wiseman Subject: 688I subs Tom is right. In my haste to compare the hulls, I forgot about the sails. The planes move from the sail to the bow with the 688I. As for the screened ballast vents near the VLS tubes; at 1/700 (1/720) scale they are almost imperceptable. You would have to show them in larger scales. My buddy was an engineering officer aboard the Chicago. I did a 1/350 for him when he retired. I relied on his pictures / stats (liberated from his files by his wife; my confederate in crime) for the information. He also served aboard the Cavalla a Sturgeon class boat. I did a 1/350 of that one as well. Thanks for the correction, Tom. I prostrate myself before the court and beg your forgvieness. I go forth to flog myself soundly about the head and ears. Doc Wiseman -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Burl Burlingame / Pacific Monograph Subject: Re: BSW Models, exposure aloha I noted with interest several comments about BSW Models passing and many not knowing the company existed. A partial reason is that small modelling companies need a trade organization and a codified way of tracking models and hobby items. That exists with the Federation of Small Scale Industries. The tracking system is particularly important for web sales, and the FSSI system is an improvement of the book industries' ISBN system. Small model companies should seriously consider joining. It doesn't cost anything at the moment and at least they get a basic web page out of it. Many questions are answered at the FSSI web site: http://scalemodels.org mahalo kakou! Burl Burlingame Pacific Monograph, 1124 Kahili Street, Kailua HI 96734 A historical interpretation company. Visit our web site at http://www.PacificHistory.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Jean-Cyrille WAAG" Subject: Re: Lindberg LST kit Hello, Thre's a Lindberg LST kit currently being sold on ebay ( item 112538727 ) Hope this helps. Jean-Cyrille -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Felix Bustelo Subject: RN 'H' Class Destroyers Hello all, I am looking for information - plans, line drawings, photos - of 'H' class Royal Navy destroyers. I managed to get my hands on an Airfix (what else?!) HMS Hotspur kit and would like some good references and sources for info to help build it. I understand that the Hardy was the flotilla leader, therefore slightly larger and different, so I would like info on the other ships in the class (preferrably Hotspur herself). Any help would be appreciated. Felix Bustelo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: Joe Costanzo Subject: Nelson Paint Scheme What color was Nelson's deck (other than the wood areas) painted in the scheme she appeared in following her final refit (light gray vertical surfaces, dark gray band for most of the length of the waterline) B-15 was suggested, which appears to be a very dark blue. Any suggestions? (remember this is a 1:700 SCALE SHIP) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: Re: Potemkin Colors The following came from an article that appeared in Military Modeling many years ago, written by one Harry Woodman. I quote: >> When first commissioned and up to some time in 1908/9, Potemkin was painted in a scheme which was common for most navies of the period. The boot topping was red with a fine white dividing line between it and the hull colour proper. "From the boot topping up to and including the main turrets and boat deck the colour was black." The super-structure up to the fighting tops on the masts, cranes, boats and gear was white. The funnels including the bases, the ventilators, and the masts were painted an amber yellow or something very close to this. The mouths of the ventilators were painted red and the funnel tops were black. Shortly after commissioning, the upper parts of the masts (from searchlight platform to top and including the gaff on the main mast) were painted black. << Mike Alexandria, VA USA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Growlrr@aol.com Subject: Re: What its all about Hi John, For what its worth, I tend to agree with your synopsis...BUT I'm more interested in someone publishing an article on making a working head (NOT toilet - shame on you!) in 1/700 scale - I nominate Rusty White - c'mon - if that's not a plumbers name, I don't know what is..... And you think you'll get flak! Glenn -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Jay Schantzen Subject: Blue jacket USS Ward Regarding The Blue Jacket 4 piper destroyer (Ward). 1 It's really a question of detail. The 1/96 scale allows for alot of it, the kit does not supply much, eg the 4 "pipes" are dowels, and the castings in mine range from good to fair/poor. The instructions are not much help if you have never done a kit like this, as they say things like "now make the deckhouses". 2. The hull is good, and would be a great place to start. 3. You need to pick a ship and a time period (many of them were around for 25 years!) - there was great variation in the various 4 pipers - to include three or more stern shapes! The plans in the kit are generic, but do show the stern shape options, and some details. Settle on one ship and get plans or other documentation. Final thoughts - the kit will allow a builder to take the model as far as they wish, and the size, 40", allows for lots of detail. What you get is a bit crude, but I think it could be the basis for a unique beauty! This group of ships started out with open bridges and guns(lots of places for detail), and ended up as Attack Transports, Mine layers, Mine sweepers, Seaplane tenders, and lots of other great types. You could spend a modeling career, and never do them all. Jay Schantzen Tropical Hastings, MN -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Marc Flake Subject: Re: Viking Thought I'd pick this thread back up. It was going on while I was considering purchasing a waterline USS Texas from Viking. With all the problems, I felt a little apprehensive, but I went ahead and placed an order from Pacific Front. Said ship arrived today with the following results. Almost all the parts are there -- certainly all the major parts. I seem to be missing the wing floats for the aircraft. Also missing are all 10 3-inch guns. About the aircraft -- doesn't look like anything carried by US Navy. About the photoetching -- superb. About the hull -- it has a warp, 'midships is about 1/8" off the table. It will also require some sanding around the waterline to smooth out some rough edges. About the casting of the parts -- fair. Two barrels of a bofors set were miscast. I'll check the spares box. But, hey, it's the only 1/700 waterline USS Texas on the market. Marc in Mansfield (Where it's hot, muggy and described-accurately-as "unbearable" in a recent excite.com weather report.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "Michael C. Smith" Subject: Squadrom/Signal on deck series No1 "On Deck" is supposed to be the ship counterpart to the "Walk Around" series - heavy on the current detail photos, a lot of color (much more than the "in action" books), and lighter on the text and history. Al Adcock, (who did the Alabama) is doing the USS Lexington next, but has the heavy cruisers "in action" book due out this fall first. He may do the North Carolina next, or I may get the Texas to press before him! Hope you like the series, and if you have any suggestions on how the next installments can be better, please speak up. Michael Smith Marshall, Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: RCClem@aol.com Subject: Re: Is there really a 1/8" U.S.S. Ward? Alp stated the following: >> I guess you thought of BlueJacket Shipcrafters' kit. I am intending to purchase Gambier Bay as well and like to know its pros and contras. The same goes for their 1/16" Liberty Ship and 1/8" U.S.S. Ward << QUESTION: Is there really a 1/8" U.S.S. Ward kit out there? Does this mean 1/96th scale? My clumsy fingers and newly earned bifocals love the large scale. If so, is it made by BlueJacket Shipcrafters? Do they have an address, web page or phone number? Roger Clemens Hinsdale, Illinois -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: "Pletscher-Lenz-Schneider" Subject: Potemkin color scheme The instruction shet of the original Heller kit called for the following painting: Hull : Black (above waterline), red (below waterline) Main turrets and superstructure up to boat deck level : Black Superstructure up from boat deck level (including bulwarks of boat deck) : White Funnels and their bases : Copper with black funnel tops Vents : Copper with red interior Gun ports : Silver Decks : Light brown-gray Masts : Light brown Boats : Light brown (inside), white (outside) Steamboats : White with red underwater hull, funnels - copper But I doubt if this is all correct. An article by Harry Woodman which was published in the Military Modelling magazine in 1973 gives the following colors for the standard paint until 1908/09: Boot topping: Red with a fine white dividing line between it and the hull color Hull and upperworks from the boot topping up and including the main turrets and boat deck: Black Superstructure up to the fighting tops on the masts, cranes, boats and gear: White Funnels including their bases, ventilators and masts: An umber yellow or something very close to this Mouths of the ventilators: Red Funneltops: Black This color scheme is in accordance with what I saw from photos. According to this article, shortly after commissioning the upper parts of the masts (from search light platform to top including the gaff on main mast) were painted black. Later in his carreer (from about 1910), POTEMKIN was painted a medium gray over all. Falk Pletscher -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: Greg Lee Subject: Light Sheet Hi All, First of all - Is anybody out there selling light sheet at the moment? Or does anybody know where I can get some? And secondly, Has anybody used it, how does it work, and Is it the solution to lighting Hangers? (I am up to my 4th attempt at Big E now) TIA Greg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume