Subject: SMML VOL 812 Date: Sun, 06 Feb 2000 03:51:45 +1100 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: FYI -Ebay 2: Re: U.S.S. Brooke 3: Re: British computers 4: HMS Vampire what's with this name? 5: Re: Navis 6: Re: ship modelers 7: Re: "Boxscale Kits" and USS Brooke 8: Re: new U-Boat movie! 9: Re: Somerville. 10: Re: U571 11: Re: Bismarck Planes Camouflage 12: Re: Gunnery 13: Navis vs. FSM 14: Re: new U-Boat movie! 15: Blacken-It 16: Ship Colours 17: Night attacks 18: Re: USS BROOKE FFG-1 19: Re: Search for 1/160 Ship Models 20: Re: new U-Boat movie! 21: Recruiting Younger Modelers 22: N Gauge Ship Models 23: USS Brooke FFG-1 24: Re: new U-Boat movie! 25: HMS Discovery -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: US NAVY SHIP PLANS FOR SALE 2: Flower class corvettes 3: News from Gold Medal Models 4: Books for Sale 5: Warship Books in business -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Percy, John" Subject: FYI -Ebay FYI - Noticed today that EBAY (www.ebay.com) has modified their plastic model categories (under Toys, Bean bag plush). The sub-category Ships,Boats has been added, and the Military sub-category has been sub-divided even more, and includes a sea category. Hopefully user will now list ship kits for sale under the Ships,boats or the Military->sea so we can find them easier! John Percy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Keith Bender" Subject: Re: U.S.S. Brooke This was a monagram kit also named U.S.S. Ramesy. The full size ship did have a 5 bladed prop as the kit gives you a 4 bladed. They were also 15ft dia. I have the machining plan for the prop on this class. If anyone needs a custom made one please contact me Regards, Keith -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Pieter Cornelissen Subject: Re: British computers >> Mike - you were obviously taken in by a Turing test! It had to be the computer itself introducing such erroneous information. << British mathematician Alan Turing was of course one of the people who invented the "modern" (elecronic, programmable) computer. He also devised the Turing test. After doing all this his fellow britons drove him into suicide because he happened to be a homosexual. If the British have a less then efficient computer industry today .... I think they asked for it. Pieter Cornelissen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: HMS Vampire what's with this name? >> VAMPIRE I have a photo from the the RAN Historical Section, dated 4 March 1942, that shows the starboard side of Vampire in a three colour disruptive scheme. << Can someone educate me why the Brits. named a ship Vampire? The only definition of vampire I know of is Lon Chaney hiding behind his cape. There has to be a reason for this name I'm not aware of. Help me out. Rusty White Flagship Models Inc. http://www.okclive.com/flagship/ "Yeah I want Cheesy Poofs" Hi Rusty, While not sure of the first time Vampire was used. This Vampire is part of the V & W class destroyers & as such, used names beinning with V or W. BTW, sounds a very reasonable name for a warship to me ;-). This Vampire was brought by the RAN & later on a Daring class DD was also called Vampire in it's honour. It's now situated at the Australian Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour. Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: BECJPARKER@aol.com Subject: Re: Navis Navis is an excellent site. Like everyone that has done anything in the business knows be successful and others will hate you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: Re: ship modelers >> Fortunately, my father took me to a hobby store, and I was willing to give ship modelling one last chance. The kit a picked was the Tamiya 1/700 Hornet. It completely changed my perspective, and I've been a ship modeller ever since. << I agree with what you said about the pitiful detail included on American ship models by Monogram, Revell, etc. I built my first serious ship model using the same Hornet kit for club build. We decided that everyone should build a model out of their general field of interest. After I built the Hornet I was so impressed by the incredible detail, I was hooked as a ship modeler. While I still venture into a/c and figures, I'll always be a ship modeler. Another perk to being a ship modeler is that I am the one in my club. Everyone really looks forward to see what I bring to the meetings because they see ship models nowhere else. I have several guys in the club actually taking a shot at building ship models! Enough rambling. Rusty White Flagship Models Inc. http://www.okclive.com/flagship/ "Yeah I want Cheesy Poofs" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Steven P. Allen" Subject: Re: "Boxscale Kits" and USS Brooke From: "john fiebke" Subject: Recruiting younger modelers >> So what do we need to do? I don't know. . . I think having kits like that available as the only introduction to ship modelling does more harm than good to this hobby. Kids will buy it once, and never buy another ship model again.. thinking that they are all like that. Good kits have to be available at mass retail outlets to bring younger people into this hobby. << John, I'm about half again your age, and, when I began building ships, there just wasn't much else available. The lack of detail and accuracy did not turn me off; it DID instill a desire to learn how to fix the problems. That desire, of course, led to the modest collection of tools and skills that I use today in my scratchbuilding, kit-bashing, and accurizing. In fine, I don't believe that the conditions you cite are necessarily going to turn kids off modelling. I do whole-heartedly agree with you concerning the interest in history, however. I really don't know which came first for me, but these two interests have complemented and spurred each other for as long as I can remember. From: "Ralph & Karen Batykefer" Subject: USS Brooke >> I bought a combination of old, built models and one was the USS Brooke. I checked and discovered that this is FFG-1. 1. Who manufactured the kit? 2. What is inaccurate and needs changed (ie. photoetch additions)? 3. What scale is the kit? 4. Are there any other aftermarket options for the Brooke? 5. What years did the ship operate and where? << Ralph, 1. Monogram 2. It's fairly good out of the box (if plain) as the ships were originally built. However, the kit comes with the LAMPS I Seasprite, but the hanger is still in its earlier, smaller DASH configuration. The fix--enlarging the hanger with sheet plastic--is fairly easy and straight forward. Other details to be added might include the transom doors for towed torpedo decoys and/or VDS sonar-towed sonar array. IIRC, the gun director can be built slaved to the 5" mount, and the missile director/illuminator can be slaved to the Mk 22 launch rail; both of the connections are made via plastic bars connected to the bases of the parts. The system is clumsy, but it doesn't detract much from the kit. 3. If memory serves, it's in the 1/300 - 1/350 scale range. Therefore, 4. Many 1/350 scale PE sets have usable parts. One of the air search radars is not a common one; I do not know if it exists in PE form (the others do), but railings, ladders, and the like enhance the kit a great deal. 5. These ships--Brooke-class: 6 variants of the Garcia class, and originally classified as DEGs (Guided Missile Ocean Escorts)--were the second generation of "prototype mobilization (i.e., what was later called "low-end") escorts" for escorting of convoys when, in the '50s, it became obvious that there would be insufficient "high-end" ASW ships for hunter-killer groups to provide sea control vs. Warsaw Pact Naval forces (read: Soviet submarines). At that time, Soviet Naval Aviation was also becoming a potential threat; therefore, the 6 Brookes were fitted with a Mk 22 Tartar (later SM-1 MR) launcher with a (reported) magazine capacity of 16 missiles. This battery is somewhat limited by the provision of only one director illuminator, though the GFCS could provide another channel for illumination. There primary ASW battery was to be the SQS-26/DASH/Asroc suite supplemented by both long and short ASW torpedoes (the long tubes providing some residual anti-surface punch, the Battle off Samar still being relatively fresh in the minds of the USN). One 5"/38 Mk 30 mount was provided for surface fights and NGFS (for use when the ships were escorting the 'phibs). Beginning in the '60s, these ships (and their Garcia half-sisters--an additional [cheaper] 5" vice the Mk 22) formed a large portion of USN escort capability. They were increasingly vital as, during the '70s, the FRAM conversions started wearing out, and the USN has never really felt it had enough like them. The Knox design is a refinement of the Garcia/Brooke design (all share the same SCB number: 199); the Perries, of course, are "the same but different," as they say. These ships started decommissioning in the late '80s IIRC, most ending up being transferred to other navies, like Brazil's. Stats: 3600 tons light/5400 full. 390' LOA, 44.2' beam, 24.3' draft (under the sonar dome). 2 Foster/Wheeler 1200 psi boilers (reputed to be trouble makers; the Knox's retreated to the standard 600 psi system) provide steam for 1 GE turbine for 35,000 shp (single shaft) and 27 knots with an endurance of 4,000 nm @ 12 kts. Pics and more info @ http://www.warships1.com/USffg001_Brooke.htm Info taken form this site and Friedman: USN Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Fernando, Yohan" Subject: Re: new U-Boat movie! I saw a trailer for it during the Super Bowl halftime last Sunday, and visually, it looked awesome. I didn't catch anything about what the premise of the story was, or how historically accurate it is, but is has enough eye candy to warrant a theater viewing. Yohan Fernando -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: "J. London" Subject: Re: Somerville. All this talk about the famous admiral brings to mind a signal sent to him, while he was commanding Force 'H', by Admiral A.B. Cunningham then C-in-C Mediterranean. Somerville, already awarded a K.B.E. (Knight of the British Empire), was subsequently awarded a K.C.B. (Knight Commander of the Bath) a higher honor. The signal read FANCY, TWICE A KNIGHT AND AT YOUR AGE. CONGRATULATIONS. Quoted by Jack Broome in his book "Make another Signal". Michael London -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "Fernando, Yohan" Subject: Re: U571 Here's a link to a site with online trailers - http://www.u-571.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Mark Shannon Subject: Re: Bismarck Planes Camouflage Officially, and in this they tended to follow that, the camouflage colors for sea planes were Green 72 and Green 73 splinter camouflage over Light Blue 65 (Gruen 72/Gruen 73/Hellblau 65). These colors were available in the Floquil Military Classics series, and are available in PolyScale. I think they may be available in the AeroMaster and newer Testors Model Master II paint ranges, but obviously I have no information on their authenticity. The Floquil versions had too little contrast, I think the Green 72 is too light. Even so, the contrast should be just a bit less than the tones in the land plane 70/71/65 scheme on freshly painted aircraft, but the lighter green seems to fade a little faster than the darker. Mark -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: "Erhardtsen" Subject: Re: Gunnery >> You need to be able to hit the target (Italy and Japan had problems with the longer ranges). The context of the discussion is that of a night engagement where the British advantage in radar would have equalled out any difference in ranges. << How should the R-class come close to the Japanese Battleships at night? and how should they get away again in the morning? - They will have to know where the Japanese are, without the Japanese knowing where the British are - . Radar did not work by on the horizon, and it was the Japanese who commanded the sky. It would have been the Japanese who choose time and place fore the battle, and why should they give the British a chance? - You don´t need to shoot well, if the other part cant shoot back, and the British could only shoot back if the Japanese let them get within range. Erik Erhardtsen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "Ralph & Karen Batykefer" Subject: Navis vs. FSM I know it may be a difficult question, but if given an option of Navis vs. Fine Scale Modeler, which would you choose? Ralph -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: "Kenneth H. Goldman" Subject: Re: new U-Boat movie! The film is a Universal release scheduled for April. It is a Hollywood action/adventure about a group of USN submariners sent to take over a disabled U-boat in order to seize their Enigma and capture their code books. Naturally, the Germans figure out what has happened, and the now American U-boat must survive storms and the Kriegsmarine. Supposedly a full-scale U-boat was built for the movie (though I'm not sure wich type). The story has nothing to do with the real U-571(Type VIIC under Gustav Lüssow), which was sunk by a Sunderland of RAAF Squadron 461on 28 January 1944. There were no survivors. Ken Goldman THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER http://www.wman.com/~khgold/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: "Kenneth H. Goldman" Subject: Blacken-It This is to follow up my previous question about a problem with Blacken-It's discoloring from black to rust on some PE parts. Though I had planned to run some tests on scrap brass to see if I could repeat and ultimately control what happened, I now plan to refrain from using this product. Not only had the PE parts discolored, they had been thoroughly eaten away to the point that they disintegrated under the insignificant pressure of a small paintbrush when I tried to paint over the rust spots. I would be keeping my fingers crossed that the painted PE parts don't disintegrate inside their paint covering, but it's too hard to hold a #11 knife with one's fingers tied in knots. Ken Goldman THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER http://www.wman.com/~khgold/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: "chenyangzhang" Subject: Ship Colours Hi WRPRESS There's not a lot of information available on the Eastern fleet (certainly not photos). I can second Clifford's statements on Nestor and Nizam. I have seen a photo of Codrington dated 4.6.40 in which she is in overall light grey with 3 black or blue bands on her rear funnel. Fortune's colour scheme appears to have been the same as Nestor and Nizam and I didn't see the false bow wave. Arrow was in what looks to be a western approaches scheme during the capture of Madagascar (extremely light and the same both sides). Chris Langtree -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: "chenyangzhang" Subject: Night attacks Hi Ian Not necessarily. Sommerville's plans involved either a night torpedo attack by aircraft or a night fleet action. Both could have been combined but it is likely that being the kind of Admiral he was either attack would only be the start. This would mean the torpedo attack would be followed up by the battleships with as little interval between attacks as possible. Same for the fleet gunnery action. If he had disabled the carriers he would only have to worry about catching rest of the Japanese fleet as it retired and if they stood, his superior gunnery should have finished them off. Getting out would not have been the problem, getting into position was. Given the capability of the RN in night actions (both air and surface) the Japanese would have been in trouble BUT the RN had to get into postion first. They were not able to. On the matter of reconnaissance I came across in interesting paragraph in Fuchida and Okumiya (Midway: The Battle That Doomed Japan) in which they claim that Japanese air reconnaissance was poor. They say the Japanese could not locate the Eastern fleet due to poor air-search and reconnaissance training and that Nagumo was reluctant to send out search aircraft because they kept getting lost and needed radio signals from the carriers to get home (which gave away their position). Chris Langtree -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: CBNJBB62@aol.com Subject: Re: USS BROOKE FFG-1 The USS BROOKE FFG-1 was produced by Monogram originally in the 1960s. As the ship is concerned it was built by Lockheed in Seattle Washington and entered service in 1966 and was operational until 1989 and given to Pakistan and was returned in 1993 to the US. I guess the scale is between 1/400 to 1/500. Craig -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19) From: Alan Simon Subject: Re: Search for 1/160 Ship Models As former "N-Scaler," seached for same in early '80s. Found Lindberg's Bobtail Crusier (USS Caronnade IFS1) and Cousteau's Calypso (Revell?). Not sure if either still in production, but may be abe to find on ebay or at swap meets. Alan Simon Atlanta, Ga. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20) From: "Reynaga, Tim@EDD" Subject: Re: new U-Boat movie! >> Anybody know anything about a war movie to be released this summer called "U-571"? << According to the film press release: "From the creators of the hit thriller "Breakdown" comes Universal Pictures' "U-571", a white-knuckle World War II suspense drama about a American submarine crew's battle against time-and their own fears-while carrying out a daring mission to capture a top-secret encrypting device from a Nazi U-boat. The stellar cast for "U-571" includes Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel and Jon Bon Jovi. A Dino and Martha De Laurentiis production, the film was co-written and directed by Jonathan Mostow. The film opens nationwide on April 21." I saw a rough-cut prerelease of "U-571" a few months ago. It is a fictionalized account loosely based upon the boarding of a U-boat by HMS Bulldog in May, 1941. As history, it is no "Tora! Tora! Tora!" or "Das Boot" - it was written for a younger, more popular audience, so the emphasis is less on historical correctness than on dramatic impact. The Royal Navy were not amused; they have called it "distorted history." If you look at it as an adventure movie, though, it is stunning. Lots of intense action, some excellent performances, and superb production values throughout. The marine coordinator was the guy from James Cameron's "Titanic", and one of the production designers had worked on "Das Boot". Scriptwriter David Ayer is a former U.S. Navy sonar operator who served on a nuclear attack submarine. The producers attention to detail is impressive; the interior scenes in both the US and German subs are absolutely convincing, on par with "Das Boot." They even used an original Enigma cipher machine borrowed from a German museum. The exterior views are equally impressive. The submarines look very accurate-they actually built five life sized subs just for this movie. Wow! In short, this one is a real treat for ship freaks...as long as you don't let that historical accuracy thing bother you! Tim Reynaga -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21) From: Derek Wakefield Subject: Recruiting Younger Modelers Ironically I started to write a message about this several months ago, but deleted it because...well, it seemed too far fetched. A bud took his daughter to the regional IPMS squadron fest a few years back and they had a youth clinic in which Testors I believe contributed a number of simple 1/72 scale plane models and all the materials to build them. I thought this was an interesting way to promote modeling (and his daughter sure seemed to get a kick out of it). Something tells me this would be harder to achieve with ship models. The only "low buck" kit's I've seen in recent years were the Revell-Germany 1:1200 "Miniship" line -- and based on their Missouri kit, the quality of these is at best questionalble. Still, if a sponsor could be found, along with enough volunteers, this might be a way to introduce younger modelers to ship building. Dasvidanya! _|_o_|_ Derek "Tiger" (/\)akefield /---(.](o)[.)---\ iscandar@chatter.com o oo O oo o http://www.iscandar-66.org http://www.onelist.com/community/iscandar-66 http://www.onelist.com/community/USS_Oriskany Hi Derek, Regarding the availibility of ship kits: I don't really think kids would really care how accurate or well fitting the kits are. The main thing here would be to make it fun. Afterall, it's how most of us "old farts" started out ;-). As for "low buck" kits, well there are plenty around under the $20.00 mark to choose from - Airfix, Revell, Tamiya etc. Regards, Shane - basking in 35 degree heat, just a few minutes stroll from the lake ;-ş -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: N Gauge Ship Models John Kutina asked - >> I am searching for 1/160 scale - ["N" gauge] ship models - either resin or regular plastic injected. Please advise if you know where I can find these. Commercial and/or military from World War II to present. << Try the Walther's catalog or website (www.walthers.com) for leads. I've seen a few tugs, barges, and fishing boats in model railroad shops that were N gauge. Somebody is also doing a WW2 LST if I'm not mistaken. No YAMATO, though! Mike Alexandria, VA USA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: USS Brooke FFG-1 Ralph asked - >> I bought a combination of old, built models and one was the USS Brooke. I checked and discovered that this is FFG-1. 1. Who manufactured the kit? << Monogram. Also sold as USS Ramsay (DEG-2). >> 2. What is inaccurate and needs changed (ie. photoetch additions)? << Not bad for a 1970s era plastic model ship, but some superdetailing would be normal today, especially some photoetch radar screens and ladders. The ASROC launcher does need reshaping to get rid of that "oval" appearance. >> 3. What scale is the kit? << Box scale -- about 1/310, so you could get away with using some 1/350 railings and ladders, etc. >> 4. Are there any other aftermarket options for the Brooke? << No: it's an older OOP model. Shows up quite often on eBay. >> 5. What years did the ship operate and where? << Brooke was in USN service from 1966-c.1988 with the Pacific Fleet. Some of the similar GARCIA FFs (class of 10) were leased to Pakistan for a while in the early 1990s. (Corsair Armada does an awesome 1/700 GARCIA.) Mike Alexandria, VA USA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24) From: "Bill & Kaja Michaels" Subject: Re: new U-Boat movie! >> Anybody know anything about a war movie to be released this summer called "U-571"? << Try: http://www.u-571.com for info about the film.... Bill and Kaja Michaels -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25) From: Chas Leo Subject: HMS Discovery Shane, Last week, I wrote and posed a question about hull lines for Vancouver's HMS Discovery. After a lot of searching and help from a long-time librarian, I found the book and copied the plans (fortunately, the plan's paper had fallen off at the crease and they were loose - the librarian agreed to leave them loose, as long as I promised to return them with the book). The book that the lines are in is "Vancouver: A Life, 1757-1798," published in 1931 by D. Appleton and Company, between pp. 188-189. The lines are in 1/96 scale. Another book, "Joseph Baker: Lieutenant on the Vancouver Expedition, ..." has paintings and rigging information about both HMS Discovery and HMS Chatham, as well as charts and other information about the voyage. The book was written by Robert C. Wing, published in 1992 by Gray Beard Publishing, ISBN 0-933686-02-1. Anyone else interested in this voyage and its vessels (which located, charted and named such notable northwestern North American features as Puget Sound, Vancouver Island, The Queen Charlotte Islands, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, Mt. Hood and Cook Inlet) will find these and other books on the subject of interest. It beats trying to communicate across the Atlantic with various museums in London which might have the plans. Perhaps Taubman's or one of the other plan services might be interested in the lines, since the copyright has long since run on the biography of Vancouver, and it is a vessel of interest to people living in Hawaii, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. Thanks for running an informative, interesting list. Perhaps this information will help someone else. At least, this way, I won't experience another "senior moment" as I try to build a model of this vessel. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: CokerRE@aol.com Subject: US NAVY SHIP PLANS FOR SALE Yorktown (CV-5) 1940 1/16" USN general arrangement set $40 Lexington (CV-3) 1940 w 8"guns 1/16 " " $40 Saratoga (CV-2) 1944 1/16" " " $30 Ranger (CV-4) 1/16" " " " $30 Indianapolis (CA-35) 1930s 1/16" " " $25 Pensacola (CA-45) 1940 1/16" " " $25 Vincennes (CA-44) 1930s 1/16" USN gen. arrangement $35 Quincy (CA-39) June 1942 1/8" by T. Walkowiak $40 Brooklyn (CL-40) 1930s 1/16" USN gen. arrangement set $30 Miami (CL-89) 1944 1/16" USN gen. arrangement $30 Glennon (DD-840) 1945-47 by Chesley 1/16" $15 Albemarle (AV-5) 1943 USN general arrangement set $20 Charleston (AKA-113) 1975 1/16" " " $30 please reply off list to PC Coker at cokerre@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Growlrr@aol.com Subject: Flower class corvettes Hi Gang I am pleased beyond belief (!) to report that the WR Press book "Warship Perspectives #3 - Flower Class Corvettes" will be going to press within the next 10-12 days...Final "galleys" were approved this week, the cover (after much aggravation) is complete and approved and we expect a press date sometime next week. Give us another week or so for binding work and I would expect it to be available and on the shelves no later then 25 Feb. We'll be following the Corvette book with WP #4....the eagerly anticiapted "Royal Navy Camouflage in WWII - Vol #1" by none other than "HRH" Mr. Alan Raven himself. I have seen the artwork (that I am expected to sort through, edit and layout!) and I can tell you that you wont believe the diversity of subjects covered and some of the early camp patterns uncovered.....You will be able to spend years building RN ships just to paint them.... WP #5 is now officially being worked on seriously as well - "Cleveland Class Cruisers in WWII" by yours truly. Again - a LOT of this book will be from contributions received and information gleaned from private sources...most of this stuff you will never have seen....Stay tuned... Glenn -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Loren Perry Subject: News from Gold Medal Models The popular Gold Medal Models handbook "Photoetching For The Plastic Ship Modeler" is currently sold out after going through four printings and almost 9,000 copies sold over the years. None are available today. However, an enhanced version with many added photos is now being prepared for printing and should be available around April or May of this year. Price will be $12.00 plus $1.00 postage (North America) or $4.00 for air mail to all other countries. This 32-page soft cover handbook will now feature nearly 90 photos (three in color) with plenty of useful tips for first time users of photoetched metal fittings as they apply to plastic scale model ship kits. Several new and/or upgraded GMM detail sets are now being prepared for release this Spring. They are: Upgraded Anchor and Chain set in 1/700 scale. Relief-etched in 3-D stainless steel, the improved anchor set now includes seventy-two (72) highly detailed ans accurately shaped anchors in six styles (USN, RN, IJN, and KM), with four each of three sizes each. Over 1,000 scale feet of etched simulated stud-link anchor chain in three sizes is also furnished. Price is unchanged: $5 plus postage. Upgraded Carrier Aircraft Detail set in 1/700 scale. Provides highly detailed and accurately profiled propellers, landing gear with wheel covers, and tailhooks for up to 124 aircraft of twelve (12) different types (six USN types and six IJN types.) Includes detailed landing gear struts and integral wheel hubs relief-etched in 3-D stainless steel. New price for this much larger and improved set is $6 plus postage. Upgraded Watertight Door set in 1/700 scale. Provides highly detailed watertight doors (closed and open), deck hatches, fire hose racks, and life rings for USN, IJN, and RN warships. Numerous door styles and shapes included, all relief-etched in 3-D stainless steel. New price is $5 plus postage. These three sets are now in the prototype stage and due for release this Spring - please do not order them until their availability has been officially announced. The original sets are available today at the original prices. To all you cheapskate scam artists lurking out there - be advised that after the new sets have been released, any orders sent with payment for original, lower prices will be filled with the original versions. We'll be keeping some on hand just for you. SMALL PRICE INCREASE COMING: Over the years, our paper costs (packaging, instructions, etc.) have been rising steadily, probably due to new environmental and anti-logging legislation. We've aborbed these increases as much as we can but now the inevitable is about to happen - we're going to raise some prices. Sorry. But the increases will be limited only to all GMM items now priced at $36.00. These sets will be increased to $38.00, an increase of $2.00 per set. The increase will mostly concern the larger 1/350 scale and 1/400 scale shipsets. No increases are contemplated at present for the smaller scales (1/700, 1/600, 1/500, etc.) nor for most of the classic kit series (with one or two exceptions.) The date of the price change is not yet set but will likely be around this summer (year 2000) or so. Until the official announcement is made and until the changes appear on our online and printed order forms, you may continue to order at the current prices. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Duane Fowler Subject: Books for Sale Hello all, I just returned from Japan again and have brought back a few extra books. All About Super Battleship Yamato, 500+ pages, hardbound with hard box cover, US$70 Over 300 pages of blueprints of the Yamato, 2 sections of foldout deck plans, some of the highest resolution photographs I have ever seen. All in Japanese except two sections in the rear from the US Navy reports on the sinking of the Yamato and evaluations of the 18" guns. Most of the images of the blue prints, plans with redline markups, sections from engineer's notebooks, etc. are in color. Many of the blueprints have black English translations from the US Navy on them. Although this book is not really helpful for the modeler, it is a must for the true Yamatoholic! The Battleship Yamato 1/100 Super Scale Model, WWII Series DX Volume 2, Gakken, hardbound, 144 pages, US$50 This large (9.625X10.25 inch) book has over sixty pages of color photographs of a 1/100 scale model of the Yamato. This is not the same model as in the soft cover Gakken books. There are two fold out pages with the model reproduced in accurate 1/350 scale. In the rear is a section with photographs of the actual ship including many I had never seen before (and I am a TRUE Yamatoholic!). There is a section detailing the damage to the face of the #1 turret received at Leyete. The foldouts have a little bit of wrinkling from the printer, but this was the only copy that was in the store. This book is great for the modeler and has many details not visible anywhere else including the emergency rudder. Text is mostly in Japanese with some English captions. The Aircraft Carrier Zuikaku 1/100 Super Scale Model, WWII Series DX Volume 3, Gakken, hardbound, 144 pages, US$50 This book is similar to the one above including the 1/350 scale foldouts. However, it also has a section detailing the building of the model and an interesting foldout comparing the model to an actual photograph of the ship at the same angle and size. Text is mostly in Japanese with some English captions. The prices quoted on these are the US equivalent of the Japanese price plus 5% Japanese consumer tax and so I am not making any mark up. I will send the books out to the first people to send me their shipping address and they can send the payment (plus shipping) back when the books arrive. I will ask only the actual shipping price so please let me know how you would like them shipped (Priority, standard book, etc.). Due to the cost and the rarity, I will insure them, too. I travel to Japan from time to time and if there is interest, I will pick up more copies if and when I can. Best regards, Duane Fowler -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Keith Butterley Subject: Warship Books in business Hi group, With the imminent release of the Warship Perspectives book by John Lambert, I would like to announce that Warship Books is in business and would be happy to take your order. I think you will find that our prices are very competitive and we will offer you first class service all the way. Please check us out at: http://www3.telus.net/warshipbooks/ If you have any questions or wish to place an order please email me. US customers will note that your price is in US funds and you don't have to convert to Canadian dollars. I hope to expand my business in time and be your online source for the books and reference resources that the ship modeler needs. Thanks Keith Butterley -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for having SMML at your home, why not stop by our home at: http://www.smml.org.uk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume