Subject SMML23/12/99VOL768 Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 00:29:17 +1100 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Modern Iowa 2: Re: State Ships 3: Re: Paint colors in WWII (esp Pearl Harbor) 4: Re: Musashi, PE in 1:250 5: Re: Maritime museum displays 6: Memory error 7: Re: Revell 1/72 Flower Class Corvette 8: New Jersey Faces II 9: LST Plans 10: Otaki Missouri 11: Kaijinsha's new issue 12: German river monitors 13: Re: New Jersey with hangar deck 14: Railings, Stuff etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: International Maritime Modeling December 1999 Update -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Satin, Michael N. (LNG-SHEP)" Subject: Modern Iowa Hey everyone! Here's a probably hypothetical question. Does anyone know how much work would be involved to convert the 1/350 Tamiya New Jersey to a modernized Iowa? I'm doing the work to change the Mo kit to the Iowa in WWII and thought it might be cool to show a "before and after" kind of thing. Man, I must have too much time on my hands! Thanks! Michael -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Ed Grune Subject: Re: State Ships >> There's the Rocky Mountain team which includes Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming. The one with Arizona in it also has Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. << Well, for the Rocky Nountain team you've got: USS Colorado (BB-45) - Commissioned 1923, decommissioned 1947 USS Kansas (BB-21) - scrapped in 1922 USS New Mexico (BB-40) - Neutrality Patrol & shore bombardment force USS Oklahoma (BB-37) - sunk at Pearl Harbor, raised, never repaired USS Utah (BB-31) - Converted to gunnery training ship, sunk at Pearl Harbor USS Wyoming (BB-32) - Converted to gunnery training ship (SSBN- 742) - Ohio [Trident] class submarine. The Western Team is covered by: USS Arizona (BB-39) - You know the story USS Idaho (BB-42) - Neutrality Patrol & shore bombardment force USS Montana (BB-51) - Canceled when 27% complete under 1922 Naval Treaty USS Nevada (BB-36) - Beached at Pearl Harbor, raised, shore bombardment force. (SSBN-733) - Ohio class submarine USS Oregon (BB-03) - Spanish American War USS Washington (BB-56) - Commissioned 1941. Every state mentioned has a battleship, except Montana which has the dubious distinction of having two ships carrying its name to be canceled. Your choice of Iowa versus Arizona is a good one if you want to show the progress of the US battleship from the first world war to the second. The Arizona team may feel antiquated when faced with the Iowa. For similarly matched teams - how 'bout the Colorado and the Nevada. Both are late WWI designs, served with distinction through WWII Don't forget the boomers either. Ed Mansfield, TX It's finally getting cold here. The native Texans are complaining. Merry Christmas to all -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Steven P. Allen" Subject: Re: Paint colors in WWII (esp Pearl Harbor) Can we stand another post or two on the subject? (YUP - Shane) I posted a note about this controversy on the Tanker's Forum, one of the most interesting military discussion groups on the 'net. Here are three responses that I thought might interese various folks here: >> That's [ie, the controversy] actually not all that surprising - very few people at the time really cared about what color/shade of pant was in use. Couple cases in point: Several years ago I asked a fellow (and considerably more mature than myself) modeler about the shade of blue he'd used for the upper surfaces on his 1/72nd "Torch" F4F Wildcat. He replied that he'd done considerable research - and finally settled on the color after speaking with an aircraft maintenance guy who had repainted Wildcats early in WWII. The vet said that they had "mixed" that particular shade in 55 gallon drums using navy blue and light gray (the only colors availble in quantity on the ship) - and hadn't been too particular about the percentages (it was wartime afterall). This modeler did the same exact thing ... and the result was excellent. Also a few years ago I attended a lecture at NASM given by two surviving Doolittle Raiders. Got to speak with them afterward, and asked them whether the B-25s retained their colored cowl rings denoting the individual squadrons. The two raiders kinda rolled their eyes and gave me an "are you serious" look (Quik was there and can vouch for this). One of them responded with "I have no idea, I was more concerned with how I was going to fly that big plane off of that little itty-bitty flight deck than with how my engines were painted" ... << >> There is a very intersting photo in one of my carrier books. It is a B&W of Wildcats and SBDs on a deck sometime in the pre-Midway period. All of the US star emblems on the Wildcats are mis- matched. Some plane have the fusalage stars painted on the wings. Some have the wing stars painted on the fusalage. Some have a big star on one wing and a small one on the other. It appears that it was done completely at random. The caption states that repainting the aircraft from pre-war to wartime colors was done in "a great hurry". I would imagine that every available hand that could swing a brush or point a spray gun was pressed into service for this task. << I know that pic - it was taken on board Enterprise during the Marshall Islands raids. One of the Wildcats had VERY large roundels (taking up the entire width of the wing) painted over the smaller ones - but the new ones didn't quite overlap the originals - which look like they are "peeking" out from under the new ones... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Ernst-Bernhard Kayser Subject: Re: Musashi, PE in 1:250 Duane Fowler wrote: >> I bought the Arii 1/250 Musashi and Yamato kits ... The biggest problem that I have is that no one makes PE for this odd scale... << Dear Duane, Rejoyce, there is someone who makes PE in 1/250 scale. It is the HMV (Hamburger Modellbau Verlag) in Germany. They make 3 generic PE sets that you might be interested in: a sheet with 4-bar railings only, a sheet with 3- and 2-bar railings, and a sheet with ladders, inclined ladders, handwheels etc. I know only two vendors for this stuff: 1. Scheuer & Strüver in Germany: http://www.scheuer-struever.de/ Click on "Shop", then in the white field type "standard" and click "Suchen". In the middle column scroll down to find: "Standardätzsatz Kleinteile", "Standardätzsatz Reling I", "Standardätzsatz Reling II". Advantage: They offer all three sets. Disadvantage: their website is in German, and shipping is expensive or slow (20DM = ~$10 for seafreight, and 40DM = ~$20 express). 2. PMI (Paper Models International) in the U.S.: http://home.att.net/~l.dausse.pmi/ Go to the bottom of the page and click "New Items". The railing sets are somewhere in the middle of the page that popped up. Disadvantage: They seem to sell the railings only. If you are hesitant to order from Scheuer & Strüver because of the language barrier I can help. Contact me off list. Bernhard -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Norman C. Samish" Subject: Re: Maritime museum displays >> I have two questions for those involved with maritime museums. Very shortly the Navy will decide the fate of the USS New Jersey as to what city the ship will be moored. Has there been a situation like these before? Two cities with associations and money behind it that causes such a debate that a third party has to be brought in such as the navy to make the final determination. A for maritime museums that have displays from IPMS chapters, my chapter is considering that we may asked to provide them with one, if the New Jersey is moored in CAMDEN, NJ. What are your policies with IPMS chapters for displays? What type of displays are usually asked for? An information be it positive or negative would be appreciation. << Why should the coast dwellers be favored? I think it's high time one of these museum ships was located INLAND! How about Spokane? Norm Samish (Spokane) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Steve Bolton" Subject: Memory error Hi Just to appologise to Derek Wakefield who I obviously mistook for a famous guitarist named Rick. Sorry. This is what comes with not reading headings correctly. All the best, Steve Hi Steve, For that error, you're banished on A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Just make sure you're Recollection is better in the future ;->> Shane - where it's nice & warm, with the lake a two stroll away ;-þ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Mike Dunn" Subject: Re: Revell 1/72 Flower Class Corvette Hi, Charles wrote :- >> I was interested in this question a few issues ago. I've been told by two UK retailers that this kit is to be re-issued shortly after Christmas Does anyone out there know if these rumours are true? << No promises, Charles, but I could swear I saw this kit a week or so ago in one of the model sections in London. If you're in this area, try looking at Holburn's Beatties, Hamley's or Harrods. Mike -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: Paul O'Reilly Subject: New Jersey Faces II I was in a local hobby shop here in Winnipeg, Manitoba two days ago and they had two New Jersey Faces II kits for sale. I'm not sure what the cost was but if anyone is interested I'll go find out. If you wish you can contact the owner directly at: The Argus Hobby Shop #5 2082 Ness Ave Winnipeg, MB Canada (204) 837-7677 Winterpeg where it's -20 C and sunny, but it was -30 C last night. Paul O'Reilly Winnipeg, MB -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: CA139JOHNF@aol.com Subject: LST Plans Hello Listmembers, Anyone out there know of a source for plans of LST 1156-1170 (Terrebone Parish) Class? Usual sources come up dry. John Frohock USNSM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "Peter & Donna Mispelkamp" Subject: Otaki Missouri Keith what scale is your "dust collecting" Otaki MO? If it 1/400 would you consider parting with it? Otherwise, does anyone out there in SMML land have any 1/400 Iowa class ships they would be willing to part with? I would swear that way back in the 60's I saw one or two put out by UPC in this scale - I remember the series including all three Yamatos, both Bismark's and at least 2 Iowa's - but all I have ever been able to find is the Shinano. Fortunately, I have been able to acquire Nichimo's 1/400 Yamato & Musashi, as well the Heller Bismarck & Tirpitz, but would really love to add all four [yes I know I'm probably dreaming in technocolour :)))] Iowa's to my very large 1/400 scale fleet. Anyway, happy modeling and a 1:1 scale Christmas to one and all. Peter K. H. Mispelkamp -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Mitsuaki Kubota Subject: Kaijinsha's new issue Yesterday I have bought Kaijinsha's new special volume "History of Italian Cruisers". 164pages, 2000 Japanese yen (consumers tax included). Most of photos are large size, and nicely printed. Some Kaijinsha's special volumes are "all-round", only one photo to each ship, because of including many numbers of ships. But this new volume has on average 3 or 4 photos to each ship, especially modern cruisers. Also this volume includes drawing of Zara(as fitted 1941) and Raimodo Montecuccoli(as fitted 1937). I believe this volume is useful when building Tauro's Zara class cruisers. Best regards, Mitsuaki Kubota -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Douglas Bauer Subject: German river monitors Does anyone have any info on German river monitors of World War II? I understand they were developed around 1942 and tested in 1943. Called PiSi-Boot (Pionier-Sicherungsboot) they initially mounted a Panzer III turret, but later switched to a U-boat 3.7cm deck gun due to weight. Apparently the Czech government experimented with the captured craft after the war. Any additional info on this unusual craft would be greatly appreciated. Doug Bauer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: Minadmiral@aol.com Subject: Re: New Jersey with hangar deck >> I saw a model some time back that was designed to depict a theoretical hangar deck with "ski slopes" for Harriers. I know the model was the New Jersey and I believe the scale was 1/900. For that reason alone I didn't buy the kit. << Hi; Somewhere out in the garage I have a wargame model of a flight deck IOWA from one of the 1:3000 manufacturers in the UK. It has the ski-jump at the aft end of the flight deck, POINTED AFT!! What did they expect? Launch Harriers with the ship steaming astern? True!!! If I can figure out this scanner I`ll send a picture. Chuck Duggie -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: Nicolas Protonotarios Subject: Railings, Stuff etc. Dear everybody, I'm new to this ship-building and love horrible, old kits which need tender, loving care. Please recommend comprehensive improvement kit with railings etc. in 1/400 or 1/350 scale for old pre-dreadnought era ships. Also, I plan to start a collection of 1/700 pre-dreadnoughts. Any railings available for this cale as well? Anyone have any idea of a series of Chinese kits of same era battleships (1884...). I cannot read Chinese characters and nothing is in non-Chinese. Thank you Nicolas Protonotarios -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Felix Bustelo" Subject: International Maritime Modeling December 1999 Update Hello SMMLers, I am pleased to announce that the December 1999 update of International Maritime Modeling has been uploaded. http://members.tripod.com/~Febus65/imm.htm The update includes: Photos of Delbert Richardson's 1/96 scale scratchbuilt USS Constitution, David Mullins'1/200 scale IJN Yamato and Dave Flynn's scratchbuilt/kitbashed 1/600 scale USS Atlanta in the Photo Gallery. Reviews of Glencoe's 1/350 scale N.S. Savannah, Revell's 1/232 scale U.S.S. Olympia and Heller's 1/400 scale Charles de Gaulle in Quick Kit Reviews. A review of the Badger Modelflex Marine Color Paints in the Paint List pages. Update of the Kit List page to include ship kits from Dolphin Models and Mirage Models. A chronology of Aurora ships kits courtesy of Dave Flynn in the Resources. Related updates to the Links page. I would also like to wish everyone on the SMML family a Merry, Healthy and Safe Christmas. Felix Bustelo Webmaster -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for having SMML at your home, why not stop by our home at: http://www.smml.org.uk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume