Subject: SMML25/07/99VOL617 Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 00:51:50 +1000 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Zhuiho, Kitty Hawk 2: WWII Merchant Ships 3: New books. 4: Re: First Ship Model 5: Tamiya 1/700 USS Enterprise CV-6 6: Re: My First model 7: Hurricane decks 8: Re: First Model 9: Classic Warships USS Alaska 10: Re: WARSPITE Camouflage 11: HMS Warspite 12: First ship model 13: First models -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS Hi everyone, Just wanted to comment (again) on how much fun I'm having reading all your posts. Funny how we all remember how much fun we had on our first model and how enthusiastic about the hobby we became from there - much better word than obsessive :-). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Robert Weilacher Subject: Zhuiho, Kitty Hawk Has anyone seen the new 1/700 Fujimi Kitty Hawk and/or the new Hasegawa 1/700 Zhuiho and can give a review ? Rob -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Alvin Sniff Subject: WWII Merchant Ships Where can I locate models of a WWII T-2 Tanker and Liberty Ship. Your help would be appreciated. Former Armed Guard Sailor who sailed those type ships in WWII. TKS, Al Sniff -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Damian Pliszka Subject: New books. Hi all, Yesterday I bought new Polish monograph from Profile Morskie series. There are Italian heavy cruiser "Zara" and US battleship USS "Alabama". As usual many photos, very detailed drawings and of course Polish text. Damian Pliszka from cloudy Slupsk, Poland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Pieter Cornelissen Subject: Re: First Ship Model Gee, I think I'm of a different generation than most SMML-ies. My first shipmodel was a Tamiya 1/700 Suzuya built and 'detailed' in 1979 (when I as ten years old). The usual 'break' occured only when I was 19 and moved from the backwater province of Zeeland to a bigger smalltown. I really restarted modelling seriously (with photoetch etc.) about three years ago when I started to convert an Hasegawa Essex to a SCB-125 Essex and almost simultaneously discovered a shop where they sell Skywave kits. The Essex, BTW, is not finished yet ; still painting up an airgroup consisting of S2F's. Pieter Cornelissen Delft, The Netherlands -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Michael C. Smith" Subject: Tamiya 1/700 USS Enterprise CV-6 I accurized the model as of June 1942 a number of years ago, and my recollection is that the model is not accurate as to any particular period in the ship's history. The armament includes some late-war additions, while the 1.1" mounts, lack of hull blister, bridge & Mk 33 gun directors on the island demand pre-1943 refit. As I recall, the major changes that will make it more recognizable 1942 Enterprise (other than redoing most of the flight deck catwalks to get the AA fit right - cut out sections & replace w/strip plastic) is to replace the single searchlight on the island with a double (this makes a huge difference in the carrier's appearance), swap out the bow AA mount for two 20mms (the Hornet kit has this), and close up the stern flight deck AA mounts. The flight deck is very good as molded, but need some extremely fine dashes (three rows). I haven't seen an article on what needs to be done, but I'd sure like to. BTW I still have the model I changed up - I messed up the paint job so I quit trying to salvage it, but the "refit" was complete. I can take some digital photos of it or go check some details if you have a particular question. Michael Smith Marshall, Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: b29@ix.netcom.com Subject: Re: My First model I have really enjoyed reading about folk's first models. Great idea, Lorna! I was struck by how many of us as kids blew up these models with firecrackers, shot them up with BB guns etc. If we did that today, they'd probably think we were practicing to be terrorists. Someday archeologists are going to find these hulks at the bottoms of dried out ponds and wonder at the world we lived in. Anyway, after I switched to 1200 scale, I decided to get rid of my plastic models. After storing them in the attic for awhile I decided that they'd be good cannon fodder. So I floated them in ponds and even puddles and blew them up with firecrackers. I'd light a little paper on fire on the model, and get the hell out of the way. The paper would start the plastic on fire thus emitting clouds of toxic black smoke-this was before environmentalism). When the fire reached the firecracker ...BAM*&#! After more than 40 years, I can still see the one that didn't go right. I lit the paper and the model started to burn. And it burned. But nothing happened. So I moved from my place of cover and reached for the model to check it out... Just then, I saw a puff of white smoke! Yes folks. Light really does travel faster than sound. Despite being only a couple of feet away, I actually had time to realize (and be scared) that the firecracker was exploding BEFORE I heard the sound. I can still see that silent puff of smoke as clear in my mind today as it was then. The next thing I knew there was the loudest bang I'd ever heard. My ears were still ringing a half hour later. After that, whenever I blew up models, I made sure that the job got done, or the ship sank without exploding, but I never made that mistake again. Paul Jacobs Editor, THE 1250 PAGE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Hurricane decks I am looking for some info and pictures or drawings of hurricane decks. They appear to be some sort of flat deck suspended off the main deck of a ship on a scaffold like affair. They were often seen and used on Union Monitors late in and after the Civil war. I would like to add some to my Monitor models. Any help would be appreciated. Regards, Bradford Chaucer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: NAVYDAZE@aol.com Subject: Re: First Model Wow, Daniel Jones' letter made remember how Revell always labeled things like the guns silver or worse the anchors black, no boot toppings on the waterlines and all those stupid flags from stem to stern. BUT I do owe Revell a lot in that they used the wonderful art of John Steele on their boxes - without his inspiring work - which still appears on a lot of the boxes to this day - I would never have become and Naval & Aviation Artist - no lessons I just learned by copying his style and then developed my own. Many thanks for the memories Michael Donegan NAVYDAZE Naval & Aviation Art. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: "Wally B" Subject: Classic Warships USS Alaska Hi gang, For anyone who is wondering where the Classic Warships USS Alaska is, Steve Wiper is selling the first run at the IPMS US Nationals. I think some are also available from Pacific Front Hobbies. I hope we as modelers can all unerstand that companies like Classic Warships, Iron ShipWright, Gold Medal Model, etc. etc, are all small companies, sometimes even one man operations and they are providing us with great ship models and accessories. The logistics alone to operate a company like these must be near mind boggling and stressful. The time, effort, and cost to put out a quality kit must Immense too. With this in mind, please understand that the IPMS Nationals are the biggest venue that companies like this get to sell their kits and make the capital required to stay in business and continue to provide us with great models. The Classic Warships Alaska was not scheduled for release until the IPMS US Nationals and anyone who has any pre-ordered should expect delivery in a prompt manner soon afterwards. I have seen photo copies of some of the instuctions for the Alaska, and I can tell you right now the kit will be worth the wait. Thanks to all the little companies for making modelling more pleasurable Wally Bigelow Wally World of Hobbies -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Tim Stoneman Subject: Re: WARSPITE Camouflage No original source material, I'm afraid. As usual for the 'Silent Service', few photographs exist of WARSPITE in the so-called 'Phoney War' or the Mediterranean campaign. RA Burt, 'British Battleships 1919-1939', states that she was in 'Dark Home Fleet Grey' (507A?) until the winter of 1941, then painted in two-tone grey... whilst Raven and Roberts 'British Battleships of World War Two' say '1940: No information available, Late 1941: Unofficial design.....'. Not too helpful, and the only photos I can find prior to the Bremerton repair are the blurred Narvik ones from IWM (dark grey?) and one taken by her Swordfish the afternoon after the 2nd battle of Narvik (also dark grey). Whilst I haven't got Thomas's book to hand, I would treat the date in the caption therein with caution - I seem to recall the photo showing her with radar, which was not fitted until the USA repair. Tim Stoneman -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "chenyangzhang" Subject: HMS Warspite Hi Art Raven and Roberts (British Battleships of World War 2) date Warspite's first camouflage scheme to late 1941. According to my information she wasn't camouflaged at Matapan and I think it unlikely that this had happened by the time of Crete. Ross Watton (The Battleship Warspite) includes good representations of her first camouflage scheme. Chris Langtree -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Steve Singlar Subject: First ship model My very first ship model was the Nautalis back in the 50's. My father built it for me. It had a green water line (how do I know why). The first ship I built was Revell's "The Sullivans" DD-537. From then on I washooked. My first carrier was the Enterpirse CV-6. I think it was an Aurora kit when I was 10 or 11. I've done planes (especially the Monogram 1/48th scale navy WWII planes), cars (only a couple), armor (a big "bull Dog" tank and the big Leopard tank), but always back to ships. I will admit however the one of my prized models is my aurora B-25 model with the 5th Air Force logo on it. This was my father's old outfit. When I joined the navy I had little time or space for modeling. (Also, if someone were building ship models, they would be tagged as a lifer. No one wanted to be called a lifer.) I did pick up two Japanese kits in Sasebo at Christmas 1968. Dispite it's flaws, I enjoyed the Blue Devil kit. Kids had fun with it in the pool. Now it looks like a kamakazie hit it. As a kid I tried to convert my Pennsy kit to a modernized Pennsylvania. For $1.00 I got a airal photo of the Pennsy in San Francisco from the navy. Using pieces from other kits, I managed to get a ship that somewhat resembled the modernized Pennsy. It was fun for sure. Regards from beautiful down town Pelham, NH Steve -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "J. Lamontagne" Subject: First models Hi Lorna: I started modeling balsa wood airplanes and gliders during WWII, then went into "solid" models that were more realistic. My first model boat was an Ohlsen (sp?) .60 powered hydroplane in bakelite. I never made it race as I joined the navy in 1947 and had to move West. First plastic ship was the Cutty Sark (Revel?) which did not last long. I now have the Constitution, Golden Hind and Bluenose all in wood. Thinking of doing a plastic model of the USS Sablefish which I sailed in in the mid-sixties. Good luck with your project! John Lamontagne -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume