Subject: SMML VOL 855 Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2000 00:37:41 +1100 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Ships names 2: Re: HO/OO and Airfix 3: Movie Props 4: War of 1812 5: Yangtse Incident 6: War of 1812 7: Re: USN Flower Class Corvette Photos 8: Re: War of 1812 9: Re: flag decals 10: Re: Decal Flags 11: Airship in "Here Comes The Navy" film 12: Ships in the Movies 13: Re: Ships/Movies/Flowers 14: Here Comes The Navy 15: Bismarck 16: Resin ships 17: Flowers to America 18: Re: Korean WAr ships 19: Re: Korean War Ships 20: Tora Tora Tora 21: 1/72 USS John F. Kennedy, CV 67 22: Flower class corvettes 23: IJN Destroyers 24: Ship vs ship in war of 1812 25: WR Press Flower Class Corvettes 26: USS Mohawk 27: Re: Tora, Tora, Tora 28: Re: USN Minesweeper in St. Louis 29: Thanks 30: Flags and Decals 31: Canadian Jack 32: HO/OO Gauge -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: FS: Scale Ship Modeller 2: Re: Tora Tora Tora 3: SMML Convention 4: Forgotten Fleet - for sale -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Alan Roots Alanroots@aroots.freeserve.co.uk Subject: Ships names I have been watching this thread with a great deal of interest and amusement. But I think as strange and funny some of these names first appear they do have a more serious side. Mark Said >> I am jumping in a little late, but when it comes to names that are a little off, how about the HMS Glow worm? << Quite right it does sound strange taken out of context, but, when you consider that HMS Glow-worm was one of Insect class of river gun boat along with Aphis, Bee, Cockchafer, Gnat, Ladybird, Mantis, Moth, Scarab all very small insects but most with a sting and the rest irritants to say the least. The names have a different and deeper significance. All these craft were built in 1915-16 ton help guard the Empire out posts. The second Glow-worm was a G class destroyer built in 1935 with Gallant, Garland (how about that one?), Gypsy and so on. I think Hms Incontinent Joe refereed to was the *ex-Turkish* navy destroyer Inconstant a similar class to the Gs *(Built for but never delivered)* Artful was a member of the A class Subs of W.W.II Small but successful. As for new names for ships I suppose when you have had a navy floating around the oceans for nigh on a thousand years you do tend to run out of ideas. Keep the names coming. Alan Roots In sunny Surrey UK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "brian lawrence fawcett" Subject: Re: HO/OO and Airfix Hi Guys, The Airfix military HO/00 range are 1/76 scale. The confusion is caused by the early model railway manufacturers in the UK. In the early days of model railways, HO gauge became the standard small scale across Europe (1/87th scale). I believe it was either Hornby or Triang that started to manufacture British loco's but because British loco's didn't look as large or as impressive as the European loco's, they decided to increase the size to 1/76 scale (00 gauge) Unfortunately lots of people had H0 gauge track, so undeterred the British manufacturers put 1/76 scale bodywork on top of 1/87 scale running gear. When Airfix started manufacturing plastic kits they used some of the old Kitmaster railway moulds in HO/OO gauge. It would seem that, as very few if any armour kits had been made at this time and 1/72 scale had not yet become established as the main small aircraft scale. By the time Airfix started producing armour they already had a range of railway accessories it would have been logical for them to work in 1/76 scale so that railway and armour kits could be used side by side. So to sum up HO and OO = 1/76 and HO/OO = 1/76. I hope this helps Brian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Kelvin Mok" Subject: Movie Props >> The shots taken aboard the Nagato were done on a set 600', it was the biggest ship set at the time and I think until Titanic. The Nevada was a set too but I don't think they made the full ship, just the aft half. But they did manage to screw that up. << I remember a photo coverage by Popular Mechanics of the Tora Tora movie production props. I believe the ships were more like over a 100 feet and were constructed on stilts on a tidal flat. There was no hull just below the water-line, just the stilt scaffold. At high tide it would appear as if the ship was afloat in an open sea. Kelvin Mok -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Kelvin Mok" Subject: War of 1812 >> The war of 1812 was pretty stupid anyway (America declared war after the offending orders that lead to war had been rescinded and the major battle was fought after the peace treaty had been signed). << >> The only reason the battle was fought approx 2 months after the treaty was because that's how long it took for the news to reach this side of the "pond". << And this was one of the compelling reasons for the decision to lay an undersea telegraph cable between the Europe and America. After several (2?) failures which bankrupted their backers success was finally achieved in 1866 with the Great Eastern as the cable laying ship. Kelvin Mok -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "chenyangzhang" Subject: Yangtse Incident Hi John For the Yangtse Incident, Amethyst herself was used. I believe she received a reprieve from the srapyard to take part in the film. Chris Langtree -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "chenyangzhang" Subject: War of 1812 Hi John No dispute here, ship for ship the American ships were superior but irrelevant. The privateers were a different matter, and actually led to the introduction of convoys. Once these were introduced losses dropped drastically. The problem for the American government was they were taking on the world superpower at the time and as a result suffered for it. In Britian, apart from the merchant classes (and their losses have been exagerated) the war was a sideshow, apart from the fact the British did not really want to fight people they considered their kin. Even New Orleans was not considered significant, the target was chosen because the generals thought they had to do something to justify their existence. Chris Langtree -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Rob Mackie Subject: Re: USN Flower Class Corvette Photos There are many USN/USCG Flower class corvette photos on the Warship site at: http://warship.simplenet.com/USCGcorvettes.htm Sven Dorsey did an excellent job culling these pics from the US National Archives, and I am about to add even more. These are large, clear photos showing the camo schemes, guns and other fittings that distinguished US Corvettes from the better known Royal and Canadian Navy Flowers. The Measure 12 modified scheme carried by Tenacity is particularly eye-catching. Rob Mackie Warship http://warship.simplenet.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: Allan and Crystal Plumb Subject: Re: War of 1812 From: John_Impenna@hyperion.com >> Yeah, but who WON it?????? << Actually, the Brits did, by most rational measures. The books I've read said that the US won at the conference table with the peace treaty. -- Which side burned the other's capital? -- Which side occupied much of Maine, and gave it up because of the peace treaty not because they were forced out? -- Which navy was cruising along the American coast, and which was bottled up in harbor? >> The fact still remains, no matter how much you want to attempt to minimize it, the flegling USN WAS BETTER than the RN in single ship to ship combat. << Only if you consider the Constitutions, which displaced about as much as a Common 74, and the British considered 60's after they captured USS President, to be a fair fight against much smaller British frigates with immensely lighter broadsides. Then there was USS Chesapeake vs HMS Shannon, both rated 38. Who won? Even if we _were_ better in single-ship combat, which may be true, that's not how you fight wars. You get points for winning, not for style. Roland Mar said: >> Thus the war ended by a combination of mutual exhaustion tempered with a mild outbreak of common sense. << That seems to fit better with what I've read. Allan Plumb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: "Kenneth H. Goldman" Subject: Re: flag decals Hi Rusty, I have had reasonable success with a couple of different methods. One is to immediately sandwich the wet, folded decal between two corrugated surfaces, such as vinyl floor mat and let it dry. This will apply a permanent wave to the flag, and the decal easily comes up from the vinyl. I have also used a similar technique that involves holding the wet, folded decal in the position I want while it dries. In either case, a coating of future helps protect the shaped flag, which you can then matte down. The other method involves sandwiching a piece of aluminum foil or the lead foil that caps a wine bottle between the decal halves. When dry, it can be carefully shaped. This is a bit thicker but doesn't look too bad. Ken Goldman THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER http://www.wman.com/~khgold/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "John Snyder" Subject: Re: Decal Flags Rusty: Put down your Cheesy Poofs and go make a sandwich! Instead of merely folding the halves of the decal flag over on each other, fold them over on a piece of the thinnest aluminum foil you can find. Keep everything square and then trim the edges when done. Add fluttering folds to the flag and the foil will hold the shape. Glue flag to halyard. Go back to Cheesy Poofs. John Snyder Snyder & Short Enterprises The Paint Guys http://www.shipcamouflage.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Loren Perry Subject: Airship in "Here Comes The Navy" film The airship featured in the final 15 minutes of the film Here Comes The Navy was neither the Shenandoah nor the Los Angeles, but actually the then-spanking new USS Akron, one of the USN's two "flying aircraft carriers" built by Goodyear (Macon being the other.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: WVeigele@aol.com Subject: Ships in the Movies A less well known movie of US Navy ships of WWII is "You're in the Navy Now" starring Gary Cooper and other actors who eventually gained fame. In 1951 it was made by 20th Century Fox using PC 1168. It was about the aborted attempt to use steam engines in PC 452, nicknamed The Flying Teakettle. It is discussed in the book "PC Patrol Craft of World War II" that is reviewed on the Warship website. Bill Veigele -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: Andy Hampa Subject: Re: Ships/Movies/Flowers Hi All, What was the ship used in 'The Bedford Incident'? How about 'Father Goose', What was the Brittish vessel used in that movie, a minelayer? Has anyone ever seen the movie 'Stand By For Action'? It was on TCM the other night and I forgot to set the VCR. Is it any good. Does anyone know where one might find all these older movies that have been on the list the last few days? Speaking of Canadian vessels in US service, didn't they also lend the US some frigates. I thought I read somewhere that the US had Canadian built frigates as well as corvettes. Thanks, Andy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: "Keith Bender" Subject: Here Comes The Navy Ok, Can anyone tell me / us if "Here Comes The Navy" is available on video yet? Last time I checked, three years ago it was not released for video. It would be nice, come on film companies, cough it up. Keith -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: Robert Weilacher Subject: Bismarck Can anyone give me a recommendation of paints to use for the Bismarck? I need a overall gray, dark (bow) gray, teak deck color, and a hull red color. Thanks, Rob -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: DUCISFAST@aol.com Subject: Resin ships Hello and greetings to all shipmodelbuilders (boys and girls) around the world. At first, I´m new at SMML and i must say - it is great - good article and verry helpful people. I will build my first RESIN-Modell and i have no practical with this material. Have somebody a good tip for my. - What is the best adhesive for this material ? - Can I take the same colour as for plastikmodels ? - What can i take for repair an correction ? And more helpful tips. Thanks and best wishes to all. Wolfgang Hi Wolfgang, Check out the SMML site at: http://www.smml.org.uk/ Under the Hints n Tips page, you'll find a nice "primer" on resin kits by Joe Poutre. Regards, Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: "Lambert and Keel" Subject: Flowers to America The question of the British Government supplying aid the U.S.A. in the shape of R.N. escort vessels and their crews. Page 91 Vol III of "The Second World War" The Hinge of Fate by Winston S Churchill. I quote" Meanwhile havoc continued to reign along the Atlantic coast of the United States. A U-boat commander reported to Doenitz that ten times as many U-boats could find ample targets. Resting on the bottom during daylight, the U-boats used their high surface speed at night to select the richest prey. Nearly every torpedo they carried claimed its victim, and when torpedoes were expended the gun was almost equally effective. The towns of the Atlantic shore, where for a while the waterfronts remained fully lighted, heard nightly the sounds of battle near the coast, and the burning, sinking ships off-shore, and rescued the survivors and wounded. There was bitter anger against the Administration, which was much embarrassed. It is however easier to infuriate Americans than to cow them. In London we had marked these misfortunes with anxiety and grief. As early as February 6th I sent a private warning to Hopkins: It would be well to make sure that the President's attention has been drawn to the very heavy sinkings by U-boats in the Western North Atlantic. Since January 12 confirmed losses are 158,208, and probable losses 83,740 and possible losses 17,363, a total of 259,311 tons. On February 10th (1942) we offered unasked twenty-four of our best-equipped anti-submarine trawlers and ten corvettes with their trained crews to the American Navy. These were welcomed by our Ally, and the first arrived in New York early in March. It was little enough. but the utmost we could spare. "Twas all she gave - 'twas all she had to give." See also "Hitler's U-Boat War" by Clay Blair, a highly detailed account of the U-Boat war. It will be remembered that in 1940 a desperate Britain had bartered base rights throughout the Empire for 50 old American destroyers and other war material. (Lease-Lend). The U.S Navy's lack of convoy escorts and the required convoy organisation did not exist in December 1941. That period was the so-called 'Happy Hunting Ground' by U-Boat command. 24 A/S trawlers and ten Flowers with their crews were loaned and a further 15 building for the RN in Canadian shipyards were made available to the USN. In fact only eight were taken with the remainder revering to the RN. The ten units were as below, with their US names and designations as gunboats shown in brackets. ex-Veronica became USS Temptress (PG 62) ex-Heliotrope became USS Surprise (PG 63) ex-Hibiscus became USS Spry (PG 64) ex-Arabis became USS Saucy (PG 65) ex-Periwinkle became USS Restless (PG 66) ex-Calendula became USS Ready (PG 67) ex-Begonia became USS Impulse (PG 68) ex-Larkspur became USS Fury (PG 69) ex-Heartsease became USS Courage (PG 70) ex-Candytuft became USS Tenacity (PG 71) The American corvettes differed considerably in armament from the Canadian and British "Flowers", although the ex-RN units were handed over with normal RN armament. They were soon refitted with American pattern 4" and 3" mountings. This solved the problem of ammunition supply. As they were normally used as coastal escorts the US PG's reverted to the original Corvette design function, and in that roll the additional topweight including surface search radar, did not cause undue stability problems. I hope this answers Rod's query in SMML 853. I too must look at White Ensigns home page! Yours "Aye" John Lambert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: CBNJBB62@aol.com Subject: Re: Korean WAr ships Hi Guys For the gent looking for information on the ships in the Korean War. The Naval Institute Press has released a book called The Sea War in Korea by Malcolm Cagle&Frank Manson copyright 1957 this year. It's library of Congress number is 57-11294 and costs $45.00. It has 40 pages of Appendix that's lists ships involved from the US and UN members, that's how were many involved. As for the mistake involving the Caine Mutiny, OK it is wrong, actually it involved the USS Doyle and Thompson both Destroyer minesweepers. Craig Bennett -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19) From: Marc Flake Subject: Re: Korean War Ships This list would be TREMENDOUS! For an example of how many US ships served in this confilict, go to: http://www.history.navy.mil/ Click on Wars and Conflicts of the US Navy, Click on the Korean Conflict box and select two links -- "Order of Battle for Carriers and Carrier-based Squadrons" AND "Ships, U.S. Navy, Sunk and Damages in Action During the Korean Conflict" At one time I found a site that listed all USN ships that served in the Korean Conflict. I'll keep trying. One ship not listed is APD 124 "Horace A. Bass," my father-in-law's ship. Can be converted using the Classic Warships APD and a Rudderrow-class DE. Marc PS: Just found a note that 320 warships participated in the Inchon invasion alone. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20) From: "Kelvin Mok" Subject: Tora Tora Tora Quote from Loren Perry: [For the IJN scenes which were shot by a Japanese film crew in Japan, a full-size Nagato mock-up was constructed of steel and plywood and sited on a slope along the Japanese coast with the bow overlooking the sea.] Quote from John Heasel: [The producers built full scale replicas of all of the ships in question, at least parts of them, for the scenes necessary. The Japanese CVs were, in fact, a platform built out over a bay and long enough to allow the a/c to have enough "runway" to take off.] My memory isn't that good but I would support John's version that full scale replicas were used only for certain scenes as backdrops with actors in them. It would have been very costly and quite impractical to build full sized ship replicas as that would have required the structures to survive the vagaries of bad weather. The Nagato replica was a fixed non floating structure in Tokyo Bay. One good sea breeze and .......... Further to shoot a scene of a full sized Nagato would have required the camera crew to back off far enough to take in the whole ship or a large section of it at which distance all that detailing would have been pointless. And oops typo. Sentence should have read >> Caroline Piper, a spokesman for Powell, said that she could not confirm that the general accepted a commission from NOAHS ARC. Said Piper: “He’s a pretty busy man these days.” << Kelvin Mok -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21) From: Subject: 1/72 USS John F. Kennedy, CV 67 I am interested in constructing a 1:72 scale model of the USS John F. Kennedy, CV 67. I will probably want this to be an actual floating RC model. Can anyone help in the design and construction of the hull. I served on the Kennedy from 69-72 and would like to equip it in that era. I saw pictures one time of the Nimitz done on this scale by someone in Dallas, TX however I do not know how to get in touch with him. Would appreciate any help in "how to's" on this size model. John F. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22) From: "Melea/Mike Maynard" Subject: Flower class corvettes Wow, great responses regarding the Flower Class serving in the U S Navy. As a sidenote, the American Coast Guard manned 8 of the Corvettes, PG's 86,87,89,92,93, 94,95,96. A book published in 1979 entitled "TO SEA IN HASTE" was written by a C.G. officer that put the "HASTE" in commission. My interest in this class goes back to the early 1970's when I was fortunate to purchase the ship's bell from the HMS HONESTY, boy what a find! The bell appears to be cast from some type of naval bronze, weighs about 50 pounds and is nicely engraved. It has a nice "ring" to it and almost every visitor wants to sound "action stations" when they view it. Best of all, can there be a better ship's name than "THE HONESTY"? I too remember seeing the cutter MOHAWK (from a train)in Delaware in the early 1980's. It wore a gray comoflouge paint scheme and looked like a ship out of the old "Twilight Zone" T.V. series, quite unexpected to this writer. I believe it was owned by a historical organization that rented it out for cruises and parties as a means to raise monies for it's upkeep. There was an article in a newspaper on how the ATF and FBI forced the owners of the ship to "spike " the 3' guns after they found out that some former retired gunnersmates had restored them to firing condition! As to the cutters fate, I've lost track. Lastly, as to the proper color of "buff". If you send me an address, I'll send you a small Pactra size bottle of genuine CG buff(also called "Spar", the closest thing to the "Great White Fleet" color one can find. The Navy reverted to gray after the "Great White fleet" paint scheme, (white and buff) but the CG(Revenue Marine before 1915) kept the color, using it today. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23) From: "FCR" Subject: IJN Destroyers Hello group I am currently going to work again on my IJN destroyer/escorts collection at 1/700. I left it for almost 3 years and only now I wanted to continue it. Well for start it again I already made a Ukuru class "kaibokan" or costal defense ship, whatever, and now I am beginning to work on Skywave Yunagi and Hatsuharu destroyers. Yunagi in late war configuration and Hatsuharu in early war configuration. Unfortunately there are some parts of the structures that missed some details like doors, hatches, ladders and small other things that we have in photo-etch to add on it. Now I don't know if this is a silly question or not but there is someone who have close-in photos of this ships. For the Hatsuharu I have some that already solved a few problems (stern and mid structures) but for Yunagi I only have a photo of 1920' of her and sister ship's squadron (Destroyer Division 29). If someone have better photos or information of position of the wanted details please tell me. Thanks in advance. Filipe C. Ramires -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24) From: "Bob Pearson" Subject: Ship vs ship in war of 1812 >> The fact still remains, no matter how much you want to attempt to minimize it, the flegling USN WAS BETTER than the RN in single ship to ship combat. << Hmmm, tell that to the crew of the Chesapeake (36) who lost to the Shannon (38). The main difference between the two.. . Shannon had a highly trained crew who had been together for seven years. . Chesapeake was a newly formed crew. In most other cases the US frigates were the much larger 44s manned by picked crews, while the British were 38s manned by whomever could be found. Regards, Bob Pearson -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25) From: Michael Eisenstadt Subject: WR Press Flower Class Corvettes Folks: Got my WR Press Warship Perspectives book on the Flower Class Corvettes and all I can say is if you are planning to build a model of a Flower, you need this. It's got numerous line drawings -- several portraying Flowers in various configurations -- and some really great camouflage schemes and stack art on the front and back covers and inside (I think 24 camo schemes in all). It made me go out and buy another WEM HMS Bluebell kit (I already had one)! I'm planning to do HMS Jonquil and perhaps Mayflower or Fennel. So here's a question: would any of the decal manufacturers out there (Duane Fowler or John Sheridan maybe?) be willing to produce a decal sheet in 1/700 scale of stack art and hull numbers for the various Flowers based on the info derived from the WR Press book and elsewhere? Well, we've had some great kits for some time, and now the definitive reference book on Flowers... and just in time for spring! Does it get any better? Hoping for decals soon.... Yours truly, Mike Eisenstadt -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26) From: Michael Eisenstadt Subject: USS Mohawk Folks: Thanks to all who responded to my query concerning the whereabouts of the USS Mohawk! Yours truly, Mike Eisenstadt -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27) From: SSACHSEN@aol.com Subject: Re: Tora, Tora, Tora >> I believe that it was the USS Oriskany (CV-34) that played a Japanese carrier in "Tora, Tora, Tora", not the Ticonderoga (CV-14). Those mock up Zeros also hold the distincitonof being the only civilian aircraft to take off from US carrier. << Do you mean aircraft owned by civilians or aircraft that have never been in military service? If the former, not so: privately owned B25s launched off the Ranger, in commemoration of a Doolittle Raid Anniv, and the Carl Vinson, in commemoration of VJ Day (I think) during San Francisco Fleet Week in 95. s -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28) From: "Steven P. Allen" Subject: Re: USN Minesweeper in St. Louis Unfortunately, the St. Louis minesweeper--USS Inaugural, AM 242--was lost in the flood of '93. Because of incompetence on the part of the caretakers--the National Park Service, IIRC--she was sunk at her moorings. A few years later, there was a salvage operation; some plans were made to display some recovered pieces, but I do not know what came of that. Steve Allen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 29) From: iscandar2@chatter.com (Derek A.C. Wakefield) Subject: Thanks My apologies for the brevity of this, but my ISP is down due to technical problems and I'm only able to access my email via an old fashioned BBS VT-100 (ANSI) terminal program interface. Thanks for the feedback on the Nagato from Tora Tora Tora. That answers many questions, and is extremely facinating. Same for the feedback on the Lindberg Minesweeper. I'm discussing the possibility of trading it for something more along my lines of interest with someone at the moment. Shall have to see how that goes. If you don't hear from me for a while, BTW, at least you know why. Although I can get my mail, it's a PITA to reply via this method. Derek Wakefield -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30) From: Duane Fowler Subject: Flags and Decals Hello Rusty, I usually apply the flags decals to a piece of foil. That way they are not too thick and can be bent in a more natural "fluttering" position. Regards, Duane Fowler -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31) From: Duane Fowler Subject: Canadian Jack Hello, I am finishing up sets of ensigns and jacks and have another question (Many thanks to all those who assisted with my other querries!): Does Canada use their national flag for the jack? I have seen two different sources give two different answers. I know that the national flag is used for the ensign, but one source says that it is also used for the jack while the other shows a white flag with the national flag in the canton and a blue anchor with an eagle perched on it in the fly. Thanks in advance, Duane Fowler -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32) From: Dave Swindell Subject: HO/OO Gauge This may be a little off topic, but there seems to be a bit of confusion with the relationships between HO/OO Gauge and Scale. As previously stated by other SMMLies HO = 1:87 scale and OO = 1:76 scale, but HO is the same Gauge as OO. The origins of this are in railways and railway modelling. The UK railway system was standardised to a gauge (ie the distance between the two rails) of 4ft 11 1/2 inches (I think!) whilst the continental rail system settled on a slightly wider gauge. Railway modellers, however, chose either by design or accident to use the same gauge for model railway lines. Hence a model of a continental train (HO) would have to be to a smaller scale (1:87) than a model of a UK train (OO, 1:76 scale) if the wheel spacing is to be the same. When Airfix started producing model railway related kits, they chose the common British scale of 1:76 for use on OO gauge, but as they were also selling on the continent and they would also run on the same sized HO rails they were marketed as HO/OO. This also crept into other 1:76 scale kits (Armour etc). Tenuous ships link here:- one of the Locomotives Airfix produced was of a Merchant Navy class engine. One interesting point as we have Antipodean readers, the Australian railways build their rolling stock to the same scale, but change the gauge from east to west! Special rolling stock runs on these rails at slow speed (10 Mph or so) over a special length of track somewhere in the middle of Austalia, and each set of wheels is lifted and moved in or out depending which way its going, before being put down on the other gauge track. Nearly back on topic, anybody know how this was acheived on the cross channel rail ferries? Dave Swindell Hi Dave, Sorry to burst your first "tenuous ships link", but the "Airfix" engine was actually a "Battle of Britain class" (I'm looking at the kit now ;-) ), in this case decals were provided for the "Biggin Hill". They were very similiar to the "Merchant class". Also, Kitmaster did the train moulds first, Airfix then brought them & later sold them to Dapol, where they're available today. Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: CokerRE@aol.com Subject: FS: Scale Ship Modeller I have the following issues of Scale Model Warships available. This is the old Challenge Publication edited by Loren Perry circa 1985 and I believe the only issues ever published. Spring cutaway USS Monitor, USS Oliver Hazard Perry, RC Gneisenau, R. Arthurs large models (USS Louisville, etc), US Navy models, Seawolf (SSN-575) Summer USS Oregon, Schnellboote, Knox Class frigates, SMS Scharnhorst, PT 145, US Navy models Fall Navajo Class fleet tug, Bushnell's Turtle, RC escort carrier, US Navy models, Elco PT, USS Wickes (DD-75), Revell's Long Beach, US LST, Sumrall's USS Augusta (CA-31), RC battleship New Jersey The above three issues are rare and becoming more so and are in mint condition. Make me an offer off line PC Coker at cokerre@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Rod Dauteuil" Subject: Re: Tora Tora Tora If anybody is interested I have "Air Classics" volume 6 no. 1 from October 1969, which has a 21 page spread on the making of Tora Tora Tora. I am not selling the magazine itself, but I will make copies of the pages for anybody who's interested. The article features numerous pictures of the sets, such as the fiberglass P40's, the aft portion of the Arizona, the Nevada's mast, the Kate's that were made form BT13's, some pictures of the Japanese planes on board the USS Yorktown, and a host of information about the movie. I'm asking $5.00 for the set, which includes postage (cost based on the commercial rate for photocopying.) Please contact me off-list if interested. Thank you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: CA139JOHNF@aol.com Subject: SMML Convention Hello Model Shipmates, We held a brief planning session today aboard the Salem. Things are comming together for the first SMML convention this May. If you are planning to attend we need to know! A head count is most necessary for the planning of the various functions. Even if you have e-mailed your intentions of attending before, please do so again and let us know if you are comming on Friday for the tours or Saturday for the seminars or both. If comming on Saturday only are you planning to attend the dinner? We need this information for the caterer and to set up transportation for the tours. If you are planning to come but haven't made your plans yet, please do so. The hotel will only hold the block of rooms until April 6. The more that come to the convention the better it will be. As it is we don't have enough to be able to run the tours without asking for some extra charges to cover transportation and admission. I know of several smmlies that live close by that we haven't heard from, how about it guys. Here's your chance to meet some really knowledgeable modelers, historians and authors and pick up some first hand information. Come and meet Al ross, John Lambert, Allen Raven, Steve Wiper, Caroline Carter, Glenn Arnold, Duane Fowler, Don Pruel and many oithers. I almost forgot, bring a model. Show off your work to those that can really appreciate it. The guest speaker for the dinner is confirmed and will be Cdr. Bill Foster, CO of the USS Constitution. He will give a presentation on the recent reconstruction and sail of "Old Ironsides" as well as what is planned for the future of the USN's oldest commisioned warship. John Sheridan will be posting the list of seminar speakers shortly if he has not already done so. Thats all for now. Contact me with any questions, further information is on the SMML website. John Frohock USNSM USS Salem Model Dept. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Mark McKellar Subject: Forgotten Fleet - for sale I have an extra copy of "Forgotten Fleet - The Mothball Navy" by Daniel Madsen. My wife paid $36.00 for it at Barnes & Nobel - It's in perfect condition. If anyone wants it for that price email me at Mark@thealliance.com. I'll cover shipping in USA. Otherwise it goes on Ebay next week. Thanks Mark -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for having SMML at your home, why not stop by our home at: http://www.smml.org.uk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume