Subject: SMML VOL 1073 Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 23:42:48 +1100 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: CVN - Hangar Deck Question - lights 2: Colours and equipment RMS Queen Elizabeth during WW 2 3: Re: U-boat 4: My late Fathers part in the War! 5: Efficency 6: Re: What a Blast from WAY Down Under 7: After-Market Deck Guns for an E-Boat? 8: Re: Korean War Medals 9: Question..... Zhong Shan 10: Fox NFL Sunday to Broadcast from CVN-75 11: CAG Aircraft -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation 1: Washington, DC area SMMLcon 2000! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: David Sepos Subject: Re: CVN - Hangar Deck Question - lights Hi, As a modeler, my only concern in this matter would be possible heat buildup from a battery powered incandescent type bulb, if not properly ventilated. If using an incandescent bulb to light through fiber optics, be careful where you place it or it could generate enough heat to warp some plastics if left "ON" for any period of time beyond a couple of minutes. While not as bright, a few strategicaly placed LED's may be a better choice as they will not generate heat, and will prolong battery life, due to their low power requirements. Dave -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Michiel Woort" Subject: Colours and equipment RMS Queen Elizabeth during WW 2 After recieving the WEM photo-etch for the RMS Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, I would like to know more about the colours and equipment (guns, boats, etc) of the RMS Queen Elizabeth. Greetings Michiel Woort -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Craig R Bennett Subject: Re: U-boat Hi Guys Concerning the U-Boat hull in Cheaspeake Bay near Norfolk. After searching my books I found no U-boat sunk listed there but I did find in the book Iron Coffins by Herbert Werner that U-230 on July 27-28,1943 entered Cheaspeake bay and in front of the navy base at Norfolk planted 24 mines at night and escaped. Perhaps it the remains of a merchant ship sunk by one of those mines and that's how the story got started. Craig -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "lamkeel" Subject: My late Fathers part in the War! Hi fellow smellies. Continuing the saga of what our parents did in the war! My father Hugh Frederick Lambert born 17/8/1914 enlisted 10/1/1941 at Plymouth in the Royal Marines (under the NS Act 1939). After initial training he was allotted to 'E' Company. (Ply/X 108933). Demobbed (Released) 2/1/1946. Dad died Saturday 13/10/1990. His service documents reveal very little. My Dad was a good amateur boxer. I have two of his cups - "9 stone J. Lambert 1939" and "Winner" HFLambert - welterweight". He was always known as Jack, even by his family. He boxed for 'E' Company and had been a ABA runner up before the war. He spoke very little about his war service. I know that he was based at HMS Proserpine, a shore base for Christmas 1942 as I have a Christmas Day Menu signed by some of his mates. He mentioned HMS Iron Duke and Scapa Flow, and the Thurso drifters. I gather that he did one or more Russian Convoys on I believe the KGV. He was present at a landing, I think Salerno but as say, he never spoke about it. He could not swim and had a fear of drowning in full kit. My parents married on 13/4/1936 and I had an elder brother who died after 3 days. I was born in August 1937 and I have one younger brother, born in February 1940. I saw very little of my Father during the war years. My Mother brought us up on her own, she had no choice. I do recall my dad was due to come home on leave, about 1944/5. My Mother had made me a sailor suit (in light green). I was got ready whilst so prepared my brother. Don't get dirty. I went out and sat in the road. (Busy bursting tar bubbles). I can recall having my legs smacked and my Mother using all our margarine ration to remove the tar. I collected shrapnel, and used to stand in my parents bedroom and watch the guns going off over London. (13 miles away). We had two bombs fall on Potters Bar. The first I recall. When the air raid alarm (siren) went off we would go round to Mrs Hill a couple of doors away. We were all under the stairs when there was a huge crash. A bomb had landed in the village (as it was then). I can recall seeing DC3's and Gliders flying over for the assaults Market Garden. They seemed to go on for hours. Later in the war we had an Anderson shelter in our living room - A metal table with wire sides.(We also had a Morrison shelter out in the garden, one that filled with water when it rained) The idea being when the siren sounded, we would leave our beds and go downstairs. I was late getting up. As I looked out of the front bedroom I could hear and see the light from the buzz bomb. The engine stopped and I was down the stairs in two and threw myself under the shelter. The V1 landed on a block of flats in Southgate Road. In the 50's when I was in the Sea Cadets, one of the cadets had a scar on his face from being dug out of the flats. I believe Brian lost his family in those flats. We had a set of iron railings in our front garden. We came back from the cinema, and there they was - gone. My Mother kept rabbits and 19 chickens in the back garden, which she fed on scraps and potato peelings.(I can still smell them). These are just some of my memories. My Dad received his War Medals in 1964, I had to send off for them! Changing the subject now! You may note that we have (yet again) changed our e-mail. It has now (I hope) been ironed out, and I can introduce my fellow SMELLIES to my www Plans Lists. www.john-lambert-plans.com This task was a voluntary undertaking, by my good friend Herr Eberhard Witte in Germany. To him must go the credit in both English and German. Hi John, Congrats to you & Eberhard on an excellant site. Long may it prosper ;-). Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Jim Johnson" Subject: Efficency When I was onboard the America CVA-66 off of Viet Nam in 1968, I often wondered about what we were doing. The ship cost, at that time about $250 million to build. There were about 5000 men onboard, so you had their pay, food, medical, etc. The air wing cost say $100 million for the planes. Add fuel for the ship and planes, ordinance, spare parts and misc. and you can see, having us off shore was very expensive. This does not count the DD's with us as plane guards/escort, the supply ships that would be along side 5 days out of 6, or all the support activities around the globe. Makes you wonder how much it cost to drop a 500 pounder. Every so often there would be a report on how our efforts were doing. There were numbers of trucks thought to be demolished, petrochem depots bombed etc. We figured the trucks were worth a few hundred bucks each, and the depots were a couple of 55 gal drums. My favorite was the "water born logistics craft" that we destroyed. My guess is that these were 3 or 4 logs lashed together and floated down the river. Lets see, a $1.98 "water born logistics craft" times how many equals a billion dollar expenditure. I don't think there were enough logs in all of S.E.Asia to make the equation work. We used to load up an A-6a Intruder with flares and send it on its way with 2 F-4J Phantoms late at night. The A-6 would skim the jungle until it found something. It would pull up and drop a flare. The F-4s would roll in and demolish what ever was there. I heard stories about startled bicycle riders. Lets see, $7 million worth of airplanes against a $20 bicycle? Hardly efficient. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Ken Hoolihan Subject: Re: What a Blast from WAY Down Under I am an eyewitness to Steve Wiper's recent encounter with the dreaded Marmite (it happened in my house). Marmite is a close relative to Vegemite, much loved across the Tasman in Australia and so the Aussies should also appreciate this tale. It is indeed a sad comment on the plight of the "red-blooded American male" to see a grown man from Arizona brought to his knees by the taste of a foodstuff we bring babies up on. It is normal practice to spread a small amount of marmite on bread or toast. Steve did not observe this custom and had his straight out of the jar. His subsequent speed to the tap for a glass of water to wash it down was truly impressive for a big man. He recovered his composure after a few minutes and proceeded to describe the taste in graphic but unprintable terms. It was a good laugh for all present, even Steve, I think? I hope he forgives me for this expose - we did enjoy spending time with Steve and Tammi and hope they come back to visit "The Land of the Long White Cloud" again soon. Ken Hoolihan Wellington New Zealand -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) To: 'SMML' Subject: After-Market Deck Guns for an E-Boat? Does anybody have a source for deck weapons for an E-Boat? I'm looking for 1/72 sources for MG34s or MG15s, and a more suitable 2.0 cm anti-aircraft gun. I suspect there's a market for these among small-scale armor modelers, but it's been a long time since I built tanks in that scale and I'm out of the loop. Any suggestions? Thanks Ned PS - please reply to the list; there are several of us looking for the same answers for this piece-of-crap Airfix E-Boat kit. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Craig Brown" Subject: Re: Korean War Medals Hi Shane, A few days ago someone was asking about an address to write to to obtain the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. The place to write is as follows: HQ AFPC/DPPPRK, 550 C Street W, Ste 12, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4714 They will need to send a copy of the discharge paper DD-215 Craig Brown St. Louis, MO -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Watrtrck@aol.com Subject: Question..... Zhong Shan Howdy all, Hope all our American members had a great Thanksgiving. I am looking for some information on a ship portrayed in a Trumpeter kit, ITEM#03503. "Zhong Shan Gunship". This kit looks like an escort or gunboat type vessel and inspite of cheesy boxart it looks like a great little kit. Does anyone out there know anything about the Zhong Shan, or have a lead where I might try and look for information? I was specificly wondering if this gunboat(?) was British built or built somewhere else than China and if so what country and did the country of origin use this class of vessel? Thanks you all ahead of time and happy holidays to all. Mike Upton -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "Timothy J. Barron" Subject: Fox NFL Sunday to Broadcast from CVN-75 Set those VCRs - This afternoon I saw a commercial that the Fox NFL Sunday show will broadcast from the Truman in December, I believe the 17th. I checked the Fox Sports, Navy, and Truman website, but didn't find any announcement/details. I'll watch again during Sunday's games/broadcast. Also, I have been browsing recent pictures and noticed that the Licoln and the Washington have their Tilly crane painted white (pictures dated 2000). Timothy J. Barron mailto:tjbarro@worldnet.att.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "Timothy J. Barron" Subject: CAG Aircraft From my previous notes, you can tell that I've probably been spending too much time studying carrier Nimitz carriers. A friend recommended a non-fiction book from Tom Clancy called "Carrier." I just picked it up. Not too many photos, but tons of information on what happens day to day. While studying Nimitz class photos, I am starting to notice the CAG's aircraft from each squadron. Like most, I thought that all aircraft had "washed out" black tail markings. But if you look closely, the CAG's aircraft for each squadron can be extremely colorful. They generally have the red, white and blue star and stripes on both sides of the cockpit and full color tail with the squadron's emblem. The CAG's plane is usally numbered x00. In today's airwings, the squadron composition is generally 1 x F14, 3 x F18, S3, EA6, etc. So on the decks there will be one F14, three F18s, etc. with "colorful" tails. The following is helpful in understanding markings: http://www.webcom.com/amraam/vr3.html#Side Number I am planning on making my own tail decals for the 1/700 Skywave planes to match Airwing 14 which is currently deployed on the Lincoln. These colorful tails would be even more fun to implement on a larger sclae carrier model. For examples of colorul CAG tails (1998) from CVW-14, see the following: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/3900/cvn72/tomcat-1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/3900/cvn72/shadow-1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/3900/cvn72/hornet-2.jpg http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/3900/cvn72/hornet-3.jpg http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/3900/cvn72/tcatters.jpg http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/3900/cvn72/fist1.jpg http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/3900/cvn72/stingers.jpg Timothy J. Barron mailto:tjbarro@worldnet.att.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: maeisen@erols.com Subject: Washington, DC area SMMLcon 2000! Folks: So far the response to my efforts to organize an informal Washington, DC area SMMLcon on 10 December, 2000, has been encouraging. It looks to be a fun event! I am rerunning the announcement, however, for anyone who missed the orginal. Announcement follows: I would like to organize an informal Washington DC area SMMLcon 2000 for the afternoon of Sunday, 10 December, 2000 (that's early next month), and would like to find out how many of you folks from the DC area would attend. Basically, we're talking about an informal get-together of SMMLies living in the DC area, to get to know one another and show off some finished ship models, or something currently under construction. You would get to meet other illustrious SMMLies such as Mike Leonard and John Burch, and basically have a good time. I figure, the whole thing would last maybe 2-3 hours. Contact me directly by e-mail if you are interested in attending (please do not clog up the SMML list!), and I will fill you in on the time and place as the event approaches. Looking forward to meeting some of you then! Yours truly, Mike Eisenstadt In chilly Silver Spring, Maryland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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