Subject: SMML VOL 1014 Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 00:33:24 +1000 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: OT: Intercontinental Dating? 2: Regia Marina WWII Colours & Renown Camuflage 3: Re: Tre Kronor Class and other swedish vessels 4: Small Warships SIG 5: Re: Pantograhs 6: Squiddies and Middies and Biddies (oh my) 7: Re: Lindberg Bismarck 8: FriedrichFiles 9: CVE-1 USS Long Island 10: Swedish Ships 11: crummy war movies 12: Pearl Harbor, other movies of real events 13: Skytrex 14: IJN Fuji class Battleship 15: Re: Pasted up Plans Booklets 16: Re: Benson Class kit 17: Re: Tamiya 1/350 USS Essex?? 18: Re: Pearl Harbor movie 19: Re: Benson Class Kit 20: Re: Lindberg Bismarck 21: Ships Models from Russia 22: Re: Chinese Cruiser 23: Waterline resin models to full hull 24: Re: Revell USS Forrest Sherman(H-463) 25: Re: Tamiya 1/350 USS Essex?? 26: Re: 1942 Warspite Colo(u)rs 27: Re: tonnes of paint 28: Re: CV-6 and PH 29: Re: Ship Movies 30: Re: 1:550 PE and copying 31: Re: sea shadow 32: Re: Submarine for drug running 33: Re: Tons of Paint 34: Re: 1/600 HMAS Sydney conversion 35: New books from Poland 36: Re: 1/550 photo etch and copying model kits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Think Tank off the air 2: 1/700 KOMBRIG Battleships 3: Alan Raven In Model Ship Journal 4: Re: 1/72 kits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Tom Detweiler Subject: OT: Intercontinental Dating? >> Dave's new girlfriend is over from Michigan for 9 days so he's otherwise occupied :^) And I am back off to Sacramento for another visit with John Snyder on Tuesday.. YES!! << I'm wondering why the folks in the UK are going all the way to the States to find a date - aren't there any eligible opposite sex potentials over in the UK? Is this the beginning of a new trend, followed by a massive immigration of UK expatriates? Curiouser and curiouser! :-) Tom D -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "mcosta" Subject: Regia Marina WWII Colours & Renown Camuflage Hello friends: Does anybody knows a good web or book with good references of the Regia Marina Ships camuflages in the WWII and what camuflage wears the HMS Renown apart fron the one in brown and clear brown? Thanks for all friends Miguel Costa Mallorca, Spain -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "philip knell" Subject: Re: Tre Kronor Class and other swedish vessels >> like some others on the list, I would be interested in swedish navy vessels. Especially models of the newer swedish vessels like there Coastal Corvettes and the Visby Class Corvettes but also the good old Gotland. If we can find someone to produce them.... << our club treasurer has built a model of the modern visby stealth corvette from his own moulds. it is pretty big at 1/48th scale and r/c if any one is interest i can ask him if it is okay to contact him. phil -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Leslie Brown" Subject: Small Warships SIG Many thanks for expressing interest in a possible new SIG. It appears I missed the recent issue of the IPMS Magazine so there was no general appeal to see how much interest there may be. In the meantime, I thought I would E-mail the first newsletter - I hope it is readable. Regards Les Brown Hi Les, Great first issue. It looks like this will become another excellant SIG publication. Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Ned Barnett Subject: Re: Pantograhs >> One a similar note, has anyone got a good look at the Trumpeter kits? I saw one at the Nationals and it looked just like a panagraphed kit. Panagraphing kits is copying a kit line for line to a larger or smaller scale using what is called a Paragraph (I think that's what they call it). << Pantograph - it's a tool used by tool-and-die makers, drawers of architectural or construction plans, and people who terrorize overly-modest fraternities (very subtle humor - or maybe not). I've used one and it's damned effective. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Ned Barnett Subject: Squiddies and Middies and Biddies (oh my) >> I happen to be playing with the same concept...DD21. I based mine on an OH Perry hull since it's supposed to be replacing the Perry and Spruance class when they arrive. I opted for the conventional hull with stealth characteristic superstructure just because no self respecting Squidie would want to put to see on a surf board. I'm just going to use a Crashhawk -60 figuring that they'll probably still be in service in another 10 years. One question...Are you going with PE? I think putting it on will destroy the clean lines of the ship so I haven't decided. << Chris, Why it's more noble to model an non-stealthy stealth model (in deference to know-nothing antediluvian squiddies) than it is to get the damned boat "right" is beyond me. As for PE - I would only use what my research tells me the actual prototype ship will use (as best I can guess). In several books I've read, there is a suggestion that stancheons will be retractable, and horizontal rialings will be nylon web-belt type material. Surfboard or not, I think the ship is rakishly-beautiful and subtly powerful ... not to mention really distinctive (I have to go with distinctive to make up for my lack of modeling abilities ). Ned -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Ned Barnett Subject: Re: Lindburgh Bismarck >> Three - Saw a 350 Lindbergh Bismarck today, for $24 Cdn. I didn't know they made one, any comments on this kit? Or do I even have to ask? << I built it when I was twelve - sometime in the 17th Century, I think. It wasn't very good even in it's day; by today's standard, I think if you take the basic hull form and throw everything else out - then junk the hull in favor of scratchbuilding - you'll have a much more accurate kit and a much easier time of modeling it. Even if all you use for plastic stock is discarded transparent sprue and cut-up old credit cards. HOWEVER, the box did have an interesting (but inaccurate - at least for the sortie) color scheme - kind of like Hitler after three days in the bunker without ventilation (or burial). Jeesh! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: Friedrich Kappes Subject: FriedrichFiles Hi Group! I search for "some" ships as you might know. The full list contains 56 now. I decided not to send parts of her every few weeks, if you in turn visit my homepage and see a) if you can help b) if you like my links c) if you have other links d) if you know some of the books I search e) ... Bye Friedrich The FriedrichFiles http://sites.netscape.net/friedkappes/homepage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Kurt Van Dahm Subject: CVE-1 USS Long Island I have a non-internet accessible friend who has agreed to build a 2' or so model of the USS Long Island CVE-1 for a vet who served on the ship. He has a half-way decent plan of the flight deck and elevations of the ship, but is lacking any details of the areas under the elevated flight deck. He figures at the scale this is being built, some detail in these areas will be necessary. Can anybody help out here? He needs information soon as there is a close deadline due to an upcoming reunion of vets. Any help will be forwarded to him and will be greatly appreciated. Thanks and take care, Kurt Van Dahm Westmont, IL NRG member -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "chenyangzhang" Subject: Swedish Ships Hi All I would be interested in Swedish warships as well - particularly Gotland (note the resemblance to Mogami). For those who can't wait the Swedish Navy bought 2 destroyers from Italy (ex Sella class) which might be available in model form. Chris Langtree -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: GrafSpee34@aol.com Subject: crummy war movies >> I want to turn off my brain, watch some action, and lots of stuff blowing up in THX surround sound and enjoy the hell out of myself. << Yep the producers only sell the schlock that the public asks for... As for me, I will avoid that movie like the Life-Like Y*mato kit. Dave -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Burl Burlingame / Pacific Monograph Subject: Pearl Harbor, other movies of real events I don't think many people mind when the film makers make an effort to get it right, and are frustrated by budget or availability of the real artifacts. It's when they know better and don't care that drives us up the wall. For a discussion on this go to: http://starbulletin.com/2000/04/10/features/story1.html and http://starbulletin.com/2000/04/29/editorial/special.html Burl Pacific Monograph, 1124 Kahili Street, Kailua HI 96734 808-263-6087 buzz@aloha.net A historical interpretation company. Visit our web sites at http://www.PacificHistory.com/ and http://www.PacificHistory.net "He's supposed to be dead. This is vexing. I am terribly vexed." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "Chris Drage" Subject: Skytrex Hi Art >> Does anyone have an opinion of the Skytrex Black Prince? It seems like someone (a competitor perchance?) had once suggested that it was not very good and was more like 1/660 than 1/700, but I would like to know if others have an opinion of it << The Black Prince casting is what I used to create HMS Diadem on my Channel Sweep 1944 dio (it's still on the model gallery on the Warship site). Although certain items like masts, pompoms bollards etc need to be replaced by resin/PE brass the basic casting a quite good enough to accept these. I haven't scaled it out in any detail as the casting match the dimensions of the WEM Dido so closely. I have kept in close contact with Skytrex and am impressed with what they ar eproducing. The standards of the Black Prince is being current surpassed by their latest 1:700 castings of a type 42 and Ton Class minesweeper. I eagerly await their castings of further Dido Class ships and the proposed range of County Class cruisers. With modification using WEM detailing parts these should build into lovely models. See what you think of my Diadem. On another tack....I have received Shytrex's latest model in their 1:700 Napoleonic Wars series in which they are going to produce all the major ship types at Trafalgar. I never thought I would use the term 'awesome' for a metal cast model but this one is! It comes with a full PE set of sails, ratlines etc. Buy it! I am tempted to purchase their Victory to put in a Skywaves Fletch drydock in a dio of Portsmouth harbour in WWII. Mmmmmmmm. Regards Chris He tao rakau e taea te karo kupu kaore e taea te karo (Te reo Maori) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: "katzcom" Subject: IJN Fuji class Battleship Hi I was wondering if anybody out there could help? I am looking for a deck plan of IJN Yashima of Fuji around 1900. I have a side plan but need a deck plan as the instructions of the kit(modeltrak) are poor to say the least. thanks graham -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: "J. London" Subject: Re: Pasted up Plans Booklets One method of restoring books and documents that are stuck together by water-based glues is to put them through a blast freezer, the type used in large bakeries to fast freeze products. I know this has been used to restore valuable books that suffered water damage in a fire and, depending on what it is that is holding the plans together, it might just work if, of course, you have access to such a machine. I recommend, of course, that you try a small sample first. Michael London -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Re: Benson Class kit Actually, the correct designation for this type of destroyer is "Benson/Gleaves". Some time ago the Livermore was named as the round funneled variant to the Bensons, which were the flat side funnel variant. Gleaves hull # was 423, whereas Livermore was 429. Gleaves was commissioned first also. In the back of Reilly's book the designation is also listed as Bensons and Gleaves classes. According to A. D. Baker, the Benson/Gleaves designation is the correct one. Friedman says the same in his U. S. Destroyers book. I believe they would know, better than most. Steve Wiper -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Re: Tamiya 1/350 USS Essex?? >> AFAIK, the 1/350 Essex is just that - a rumour. But having said that, with Tamiya you never know what they may do. << Actually, it is more than just a rumor. A friend, who unfortunately, works with computers all day, so refuses to have one at home, therefor not a "SMML'y, talked to Mr. Tamiya way back when, about mid 1980s at the Chicago "Toy and Hobby" trade show. Mr. Tamiya told him that they were considering a Fletcher, an Arizona, and an Essex class carrier, all in 1/350 scale. My friend is a VERY RELIABLE person and does not exaggerate. So if he told me this, it was true. Steve Wiper Hi Steve, Thanks for the clarification. Here's hoping that one comes out soon for the 1/350 builders. Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Re: Pearl Harbor movie >> I have to agree with what I've been reading here. If I want technical and historical accuracy, I'll tune in to the Discovery, Learning, or History channel. I go to a movie to be entertained, not informed. I want to turn off my brain, watch some action, and lots of stuff blowing up in THX surround sound and enjoy the hell out of myself. << Rusty and All...... I have seen some photos of some of the ship models being used in this upcoming movie. There not bad. Yea, there were a couple of mistakes, possibly short cuts, but they were pretty cool! I was hoping they would be pretty correct, as I provided ILM with drawings of the ships in question and detail drawings of all the weapons and fittings on the same ships. I also provided them with quite a few photos. So cross your fingers and hope for the best. Also, I always go to the matinee shows. Steve Wiper -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Re: Benson Class Kit Dennis, I am working on a Benson/Gleaves book, which I hope to publish early next year. If you dont know about my pictorial books, then please check them out on my web site @ www.classicwarships.simlenet.com Steve Wiper -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Re: Lindberg Bismarck >> Three - Saw a 350 Lindbergh Bismarck today, for $24 Cdn. I didn't know they made one, any comments on this kit? Or do I even have to ask? << Ah....., Lindbergh, the Yugo of ship models! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: Ships Models from Russia Don wrote- >> On the ships front there are 3 companies listed. Kombrig. Ogonek, who are listed as manufacturing 1/400 scale ships with no further details and Polar Bear Productions with a list of about 60 1/400 subs. << Kombrig makes a large line of resin 1/700 ships of the Imperial Russian and Soviet navies. These are good quality but not for novice modelers. I believe Ogonek was marketing the old ex-Heller AURORA and POTEMKIN kits, icebreaker LENIN, and a few sailing ships. Polar Bear I hadn't heard of. Mike -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22) From: Jeffon10@cs.com Subject: Re: Chinese Cruiser For Ned Bennet If you live near Hampton Roads/Williamsburg VA, Denbeigh Hobbies has those Chinese cruisers. Otherwise, try Pacific Front Hobbies. Jeff F. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23) From: joseph muise Subject: Waterline resin models to full hull I recently bought an Ultracast Tribal(Huron) 1/700 which I am going to build as the Haida,60's configeration. It is a waterline model and I would like to make it into a full hull. How can this be done? What should be used to make the lower hull? resin ,wood,styrene? Also how should it be attached to the upper hull? Any and all help will be welcomed. rolie in Nova Scotia, home of HMCS Sackville -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24) From: Jeffon10@cs.com Subject: Re: Revell USS Forrest Sherman(H-463) For Harold Kosier: FORREST SHERMAN Class destroyers were generally 418 feet overall, with the notable exception of USS BARRY with a clipper bow and bow sonar at 433 feet. Hence, Revell's "fit the 16 inch box scale" model works out to about 1/320. Unfortunately, I'm unaware of any fittings in this scale. Jeff F. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25) From: NEVENGER@aol.com Subject: Re: Tamiya 1/350 USS Essex?? Hey if Tamiya would make a 1/350 Essex class carrier you can bet I would buy it. Given that what we have to pick from is Resin (at real big bucks) and 1/525 Lindberg it would be a real easy sell. If anyone wants proof that a new model type on the market can sell just take a look at ICM's Konig. It is killing me to have to wait for release of the IJN Chokai and HMS hood from ICM which I already have pre approval from the wife to buy. There are a great many ships that the BIG companies have not done that would sell and I think that ICM has taken the first big steps to meet some of that demand. So I hope Tamiya is listening and reading these emails, because if they do not do it some else will... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26) From: NEVENGER@aol.com Subject: Re: 1942 Warspite Colo(u)rs A site that I think I found sometime ago on SMML is: http://www.northnet.net/~crofoot/ They seem very dedicated to the Warsprite and the site showed natural wood deck. The site also lists it references which may also be of help to you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27) From: RhinoBones@aol.com Subject: Re: tonnes of paint >> The basic rule of thumb for weight estimation used by Naval Architects is as follows: Paint = 5% structural weight. << 5% . . . I'm a bit surprised to hear a number that high. This means that one pound in 20 is paint. Incredible! Just imagine, the Carl Vinson weighs in at 91,000 tons . . . 5% of this is paint, or 4550 tons on paint.Convert to pounds and we have 9.1 million pounds of paint. I wonder if that is estimated in lead based paint. Appreciate the information. Regards, RhinoBones -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28) From: "Steven P. Allen" Subject: Re: CV-6 and PH >> And we should all point fingers at our parents for not saving the "Enterprise" so the movie makers would at least have the correct CV type for the movies. << AMEN! The scrapping of that ship was a historical crime, and America's leaders from that era have much to answer for. No other ship contributed as much toward the winning of WWII in the PTO, maybe even everywhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 29) From: WRPRESSINC@aol.com Subject: Re: Ship Movies It is a great pity that the Hollywood machine did not make the Cruel Sea. Errol Flynn would have been the Captain, (Capt'n Jack K) and just as he won the war in Burma, would have won the war in the North Atlantic, would have sunk Seven U Boats in one outing, one more than Walker's 2nd Support Group. As for the love interest, Capt'n Jack K's girlfriend would be a german spy who plants a bomb on his ship which the second in command learns of just in time to tell Flynn who manages to throw it overboard where it lodges in the conning tower of a U Boat that is just about to fire a torpedo that would have sunk Flynn's ship which is named USS W C Crapper named after the man who brought much relief to the Western World. The U Boat is forced to the surface as a result of the bomb exploding on the conning tower, The Great Jack leads the boarding party and finds not only the German codes but also the plans for the Japanese invasion of the Falklands Islands planned for May of that year (1942) which prompts the bombing of the Japanese mainland by Doolittle in April so that the Japs think that this is a prelude to invasion of the mainland and as a consequence call off the Falklands operation and instead focus ALL their efforts on-------BURMA where once again The Great Jack swings into action having being promoted to general for his actions in the SouthAtlantic and the North Atlantic and the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific and for shooting down ten thousand ballons that would have set the Pacific North West on fire. And so you see dear readers, instead of the very very boring old film that we actually have we could have had something so much better, couldn't we? AN OLIVER (I am actually a closet conservative) STONE ACCURATE DEPICTION PRODUCTION THAT IS REALLY LIKE THE REAL THING IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT OF PLANET HOLLYWOOD (it's a filthy rumor that they are bankrupt) WITH HELP FROM THE WORLD LESBIAN SOCIETY (Capt'n Jack was really one of us) DIRECTED BY KEVIN (I know what the West was like) COSTNER. WORDS BY WILLIAM (It depends what the word is is) CLINTON CHECKED FOR ACCURACY BY AL (I invented the internet) GORE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30) From: GKingzett@aol.com Subject: Re: 1:550 PE and copying Rusty, If the difference between 1:550 and 1:600 PE railings is substantial in your modeling, I hope you hold us to a somewhat more relaxed standard when judging at the IPMS Nationals. A 48" railing is .0799" high in 1:600, .0873" high in 1:600. If my calculator hasn't slipped a gear, that is a difference of .0074". I can see that difference in a micrometer, but I challenge any one to see it when the rails are in place on a ship unless they are actually butted end to end. The instrument to which you refer in copying is a pantograph. Before electronics and CAD, it had a long history of copying, enlarging and ensmalling(?) of drawings as well as 3D objects. It had the same problems as all machines, lost motion, which resulted in the kinds mushy detail you mention. Your old drafting textbooks probably show one. Gary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31) From: VONJERSEY@aol.com Subject: Re: sea shadow >> Do you think the ship bears a strange resemblance to the CSS Virginia? << maybe it is because i live in new york...but to me the sea shadow looks more like a roach. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32) From: "Kelvin Mok" Subject: Re: Submarine for drug running >> About 3 weeks ago I read in my local newspaper that in South America drug smugglers were caught building a 100 ft long sub for drug hauling. It was being built in the Andes Mts. and was going to be put together in 3 sections along the coast. << I saw a picture of the hull, the rear section I believe, with the mounting for the diesel engine. Actually the real alarm here is that the drug lords were confident enough to put up the money that such a vessel would be able to penetrate the underwater defences of the US Navy. This vessel would be big enough to carry several nuclear warheads. And the powers that be in the US defence community are still pushing so hard for that multi-billion dollar ABM system? Kelvin Mok -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33) From: "Peter Chant" Subject: Re: Tons of Paint Hello there, In SMML 1013 Fritz Koopman gives a rule of thumb for the weight of paint as 5% of structural weight. Interestingly DK Brown in his new "Nelson to Vanguard" quotes 17.5 tons of paint on a pre-war destroyer, and 45 tons removed from Leander class frigates on modernisation (up to 80 coats!) So that is very roughly 1 - 1.5% of displacement or 800 odd tons on a CV. Regards Peter Chant Plymouth UK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34) From: Mark Subject: Re: 1/600 HMAS Sydney conversion I wish to subscribe my interest in conversion of the Airfix HMS Ajax to the Australian Cruiser HMAS Sydney, or more correctly her sister ship HMAS Perth (ex HMS Amphion). Regards. Mark Brayshaw -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35) From: Damian Pliszka Subject: New books from Poland Hi, Nice to hear you again. New books from Profile Morskie series: No. 28 HMS Queen Elizabeth No. 29 Taskent (Soviet destroyer WW2) No. 30 USS Selfridge (US destroyer). Soon to be released from AJ Press 1. part of Tirpitz and announced 1. part of USS Saratoga/Lexington carriers. From coooold Poland Damian Pliszka -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36) From: drwells@hogpb.mt.att.com (David R Wells) Subject: Re: 1/550 photo etch and copying model kits Rusty wrote of the Trumpeter Minsk >> You have a real problem here. The differences between 1/550 and 1/600 are substantial and the difference would be noticed by anyone with an eye for scale. One a similar note, has anyone got a good look at the Trumpeter kits? I saw one at the Nationals and it looked just like a panagraphed kit. Panagraphing kits is copying a kit line for line to a larger or smaller scale using what is called a Paragraph (I think that's what they call it). Panagraphing kits has the same problems a blowing up photo too large. Larger details come out looking just fine while very small details tend to blur. The kit I saw at the Nats looked just like that. The overall details of the hull and superstructure looked okay but small items such as the aircraft looked like crap! << I wonder if it's a copy of the Lindberg kit, which was 1/542 scale on paper.... OTOH, it's possible that Lindberg might have sold the mold. Lindberg seems to be concentrating on cars these days. Does anybody know if the Trumpeter kit is full hull? If it's full hull, with a really weird 3-piece hull that fits together really badly, it may be the Lindberg kit or a copy thereof. As bad as the Lindberg Kiev-class is, with considerable effort, you can force it to look decent in spite of itself. In my opinion, its biggest problem is the really atrocious fit. Effort, modeling skill, and brute force can overcome that. With some photoetch, (and some replacements for the 30mm gatling guns....) it could almost look like a real model. David R. Wells "There seems to be something wrong | David R. Wells with our bloody ships today" | AT&T Middletown, NJ Adm. D. Beatty, May 31, 1916 | http://home.att.net/~WellsBrothers/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Robert Lockie" Subject: Think Tank off the air I know that many of the SMMLies also admit to dabbling in the tankie world, so hopefully this will pick up some of the subscribers to Think Tank, into which I allowed myself to be talked into running a year or so ago. You may have detected that there has been a noticeable absence of issues since 51 (2nd September), but this is due to a glitch (a technical term for the incomprehensible error message it threw up) with the modem on the PC from which I send it. Unfortunately I have not been at home enough since to engineer a fix as yet but I am hopeful that it will be cured this week, in which case I will get 52 out before the weekend. Apologies for the interruption to service (I knew you should have appointed a better listmaster) but if any of the recent subscribers to SMML are not aware of it and wish to be added to the list when it resumes, please email to think.tank@tesco.net with the word 'Subscribe' in the subject box and I will add you to it. The format is very much like SMML (not smart enough to think of anything different.....) and the digest is posted out weekly, usually at weekends. Robert Lockie Cambridge UK "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, you probably just don't understand the situation." Hi, You can also check out the Think Tank back issues at: http://www.tac.com.au/~sljenkins/thinktank/thinktank.htm I have still to upload the past few issues, but there will be enough there to get your teeth into. Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Bill Gruner Subject: 1/700 KOMBRIG Battleships We now have a few of each of the following Kombrig 1/700 resin kits of Russian battleships. (Only a few of each in stock). $45 each + shipping. ADMIRAL YUSHAKOV, ADMIRAL APRAXIN, ADMIRAL SUNYAVIN, POBIEDA, OREL, OSLYABYA and OREL..also Armored Cruiser OCHAKOV. We have had a difficult time getting good stocks of Kombrig kits, and hope to get more Moskvas and Leningrads within a month. Thanks, Bill Gruner Pacific Front Hobbies http://www.pacificfront.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Victor M. Baca" Subject: Alan Raven In Model Ship Journal When you stop by our website, modelshipjournal.com, take a look at the "Next Issue" section. The December 2000 Model Ship Journal will feature an article by Alan Raven on Royal Navy destroyer camouflage in WWII. Mr. Raven has drawn up detailed camo patterns and has also provided many photos from his collection. As a bonus, we've placed a representative photo on the site showing the type of illustrations you can expect. We will also extensively review his new book "Camouflage Volume One: Royal Navy 1939-1941." I'll tell you right now, if this Warship Perspectives volume isn't in your collection, call your hobby shop right away and get a copy. It's great! Victor Baca Model Ship Journal -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Lars Zander" Subject: Re: 1/72 kits Greetings to all big scale modeller`s ! Here are some other kits in 1/72 scale produced in Germany: SS Sovremenny destroyer SS Peter the Great Kirov Class Missile Cruiser F123 Brandenburg german frigate class USS Spruance destroyer USS Hue City Aegis Class Cruiser USS Arleigh Burke destroyer All kits come with carbone fibre glass hull and full metal superstructures (made out of lasercutted sheet metal in 0.15mm). Prefabricated masts and fittings, mostly made out of metal or casted resine. A complete photoset of nearly 200 pictures. Many photoetched parts, flags, decals etc. The kits are strictly limited to 10 pieces ! The modelfactory is named BAYMO GbR and you may visit our website under http://www.baymo.de If you need any further information, do not hesitate to contact us ! Always happy modelling, Lars Zander -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the SMML site for backissues, Member's models & reference pictures at: http://www.smml.org.uk Check out the APMA site for an index of ship articles in the Reference section at: http://www.tac.com.au/~sljenkins/apma.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume