Subject: SMML VOL 1092 Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2000 01:22:24 +1100 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: HP Models 2: HMS Aurora Kit 3: Re: Question 2 - Heroic Self-Sacrificial Scenes? 4: Re: Lacroix IJN cruiser books 5: Re: Question 1 - Russkies Buzzing US Ships off Alaska? 6: Re: heroic self sacrifice 7: Re: PC Patrol Craft subchaser model 8: U-505 armament. An interesting thread 9: Re: watercolors 10: Re: This Vegemite Thing 11: RN colours 12: Re: Question 3 - Stolen Sub Plans? 13: Re: Heroic Self Sacrifice 14: Re: Prince of Wales Colors 15: Re: CVAN 65 Enterprise 16: Torpedo Tube Deck railing 17: heroic self sacrifice (nearly) 18: "USS Indianapolis Sunk - All Aboard Casualties" 19: HP-Models -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation 1: DC Mini-SMML -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: New books from Classic Warships 2: NEW POLISH BOOKS and KITS FROM WHITE ENSIGN MODELS and 1/350 KGV BRASS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "John Rule" Subject: HP Models >> Re HP Model, John where's their web site I've been looking for it for months. Particularly for the modern soviet stuff as NNT only list kit numbers 001, 006, 011, 012, 014 & 015, I really want to know what the rest are. << Sorry but it wasn't their web site. I meant to say NNT. The NNT list, if you select the German language section, lists a phenomenal number of ships. The English language and French language didn't lead me anywhere. I think I'll just have to order a couple of kits to assess them. Thanks Mike Eisenstadt for your review of the L Class destroyer. Thanks Steve Wiper for your opinion on the 1:700 SMS Scharnhorst. John -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: HMS Aurora Kit Nick Rogers asked - >> I can recall a SMML recent posting on a Trumpeter (1/350 ?) scale kit of the 1934 Arethusa Class 6" gunned Light Cruiser HMS Aurora. Basically a truncated or 3/4's Modified Leander Class design with X turret left off. Ended up in the hands of the Chinese Navies, firstly Nationalist then Chairman Mao's. Can anyone provide the website of an Internet Hobby Store which stocks this Trumpeter kit? Have any reviews of this kit been posted yet? << Nick, the kit I have is by Lee Models, 1/300 scale. It can be ordered from a dealer in San Francisco, California: www.gofigures.com. Price is about US$25 plus shipping. A quick and dirty review follows: Hull is one-piece and looks fairly good except for some slightly oversized-looking portholes (were these welded and painted over in wartime, as was common USN practice?). Length is 20-1/4 inches (516mm). Hull interior was intended to hold a motor but fortunately none is provided! The deck comes in five sections and is molded in tan plastic. Faintly raised deck planking is a bit old-fashioned but well done. The parts dry-fit well. Overall level of detail in this kit is comparable to a Heller or Tamiya model. Estimated total number of parts is over 200. Even the chocks (fairleads) and cable reels are separately molded. Instructions are basic but easy to follow. No information is provided on paint schemes. The box art is hideous but on the side there are some photos of what appears to be a museum model from??? Disclaimer: someone knowledgeable of this class of ship might be a lot more critical of this kit. I'm hoping to find a set of plans to do it justice, if anybody knows of a source. Mike Alexandria, VA USA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Chant, Peter" Subject: Re: Question 2 - Heroic Self-Sacrificial Scenes? Ned could not do much better than this: Citation for Victoria Cross "On 14 February 1942 in the Java Sea, off Malaya, HMS Li Wo, a patrol vessel, formerly a passenger steamer, commanded by Lieutenant Wilkinson, sighted two enemy convoys, one escorted by Japanese warships, The lieutenant told his crew he had decided to engage the convoy and fight to the last in the hope of inflicting some damage - this decision drew resolute support from the whole ship's crew. In the action which followed a Japanese transport was set on fire and abandoned, and Li Wo stayed in action against a heavy cruiser for over an hour before being hit at point-blank range and sunk. Lieutenant Wilkinson ordered his crew to abandon ship, but he went down with Li Wo." I have often meant to find out which Japanese cruiser it was, but I am sure one of the IJN experts out there knows off the top of their heads. Peter Chant -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: GrafSpee34@aol.com Subject: Re: Lacroix IJN cruiser books Katherine Reddy writes: >> Eric Lacroix/Linton Wells III terrific book " Japanese Cuisers of the Pacific War" is available at Barnes & Noble. I picked one up last month for $55.00 and they are now listed at $45.00. Try to pick it up at a B&N store << I also highly recommend this book. I am not especially interested in the IJN but I bought a copy anyway because of the overwhelming amount of information in it. A fine reference book with lots of pictures and diagrams and information on details like fire control systems and radar. At $45 it is cheap, but once it becomes unavailable, the used book specialists will be selling it for over $100. Buy now or cry later. Dave -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: sanders_talmadge_fc1 Subject: Re: Question 1 - Russkies Buzzing US Ships off Alaska? >> Anybody got the inside on this news-blip the media's backing off of? << It is just rumor but I heard they sent back photo's via e-mail to the ship! Maybe it was an exercise to see what they would do if they were unopposed?? T.E. "Sandy" Sanders (floatin' off the coast of Carlsbad) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Pieter Cornelissen Subject: Re: heroic self sacrifice >> Your post on the Gloworm incident reminds me of a similar one that took place in the Indian Ocean, between 2 Jap AMC's and a Royal Indian Navy minesweeper escorting a merchant ship- Sorry I have to be vague, but someone else will no doubt put names/dates to it. Briefly a lucky hit from the 'sweepers pop gun set off ammo and blew one of the (large and quite well armed) Amc to bits. Does anyone know what I'm talking about(as I don't!) Sorry but my WW2 reference material has been thinned out in favour of modern stuff. << You are probably referring to an incident (11-11-1942) in which the dutch tanker Ondina (1 4 inch antisubmarine gun, 2 Oerlikons and 6 Lewis machine guns) escorted by the RIN minesweeper Bengal (with only one 3inch gun) were attacked by the AMC's Aikoko Maru and Hokoku Maru (Both with ten 5.5.inch guns and 2 aircraft). Bengal and Ondina were on thier way from Fremantle to Colombo. Bengal may have tried to sacrifce itself but Ondina stayed with her and actually fought back, managed to find the range of Hokoku Maru and hit her near the torpedo tubes (always a weak point on AMC's). Bengal did so at the same time so both ships claimed credit for sinking her, as the crew of Hokoku Maru never could bring the fires under control and she sank about an hour later. Aikoku Maru then quickly put Bengal's only gun out of action and Bengal retreated under a smokesrceen. Aikoku Maru then did the same with Ondina's gun and while the crew (minus the captain who was killed by a direct hit on the bridge) tried to leave the ship she put 2 torpedoes in the tanker (which was sailing empty except for a few holds filled with wheat BTW) and then used her small arms against the suvivors of the action -which were in the only boat left and on some floats-, killing 3 of them and seriously wounding 3 others (one was to die later). After ten minutes she turned away to take on the survivors of her sister ship (278 survivors, 78 were killed in the action), then turned back as Ondina was still afloat. She fired another torpedo, which missed, and used her small arms again on the survivors without 'success' this time. Her commander, Tamatso Oishi, gave up after this and left the scene. HMIS Bengal had meanwhile reported the Ondina as 'probably lost'. But unladen tankers are very hard to sink, the two torpedoes had hit a tank filled with wheat which stopped flooding and at the end of the day the survivors of the crew went aboard again. The ships' engine was still more or less in working order, a fire in the area of the torpedo hits was put out and on the 18th of november 1942 Ondina was back in Fremantle, heavily damaged and with five crewmembers killed. I don't think this was a case of heroic self sacrifice of a ship (maybe of one person, the Ondina's captain W. Horsman) but it is a very interesting story. Pieter Cornelissen Delft, The Netherlands Sources: A. Zuidhoek "Varen voor de vrijheid II" Alkmaar 1995 p.99-105 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: WVeigele@aol.com Subject: Re: PC Patrol Craft subchaser model IRON SHIPWRIGHT a Division of Commander Series Models, Inc. has issued a 1/160 scale resin model of the World War II, 173', steel-hulled, subchaser PC Patrol Craft. The model is of the class leader PC 461. Last year they developed a similar model but of 1/350 scale. That kit, while attractive, was limited in size and detail of instructions. This new 1/160 kit is a vast improvement not only in size, refinement of the hull and topside parts, but especially in the assembly instructions. They are step by step with many photographs and sketches of all parts and how and in what order they should be assembled. This kit is a long overdue addition to the World War II model fleet. Advanced modelers will welcome this excellent ship kit to add an important ship to their collections. Less experienced modelers will find this kit easy to work with and will be able to follow the ! assembly instructions with ease and produce a fine ship model. Bill Veigele www.astralpublishing.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: Cataldo Torelli Subject: U-505 armament. An interesting thread Hi, I'm very interested in this thread. Let's see what we seem to have: 1. Gröner says that all IXc boats were armed this way: 1 x 10.5 cm (¿4.1-inch?) L/45 in the deck in front of the conning tower. 1 x 3.7 cm ¿where? 1 x 2.0 cm ¿where? In a photo of the U-505 commisioning there was an AA gun in the deck behind the conning tower. Was it one of the above ? Or another one ? From 1943/44 armament was altered: 10.5 cm was deleted. When? 1 x 3.7 cm in 1st level plataform. 2 x twin 2.0 cm. Maybe one twin in the 2nd level plataform, and the second twin? U-505 as preserved today (i.e. at the time of capture) has one twin mount with no shields in that plataform. What happens to the deck gun behind the conning tower? Was it lost in the 10 Nov'42 incident with the RAF Hudson? 2. We know the armament fit at the time of capture. Even with photos at the gallery in www.uboat.net 3. What a mess!! If anybody wants to fill in the holes....... Regards, Cataldo Torelli. Madrid, Spain. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: "Ken Goldman" Subject: Re: watercolors To answer Bradford's question in Vol. 1091: yes and no. Though one can use those sold cakes of watercolor sold for children's use, there are better solid cakes of paint with greater color range made by Windsor Newton and others specifically for artists. My personal preference are the tube colors made by Grumbacher. However, some of those tubes are so old that the paint has dried out in them. I just rip open the tubes and use them like cake colors. They can be applied directly after thinning with water and a drop of any wetting agent, such as dishwashing soap, or they can be mixed with an acrylic base such as Microscale Micro Flat or Future Floor Finish, without adding any soap. If you don't use an acrylic base, you will have to spray a clear protective coat over the finished weathering. Ken Goldman THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER unique wood sculpture and fine scale models www.walruscarpenter.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Kcompany@webtv.net (Marvin Reichman) Subject: Re: This Vegemite Thing I was able to obtain Marmite at a Whole Foods store here in Chicago. I find it quite good when spread thinly on buttered crackers or toast. However unpalatable when eaten by spoon as the ads say. I am still on a search for Vegemite and will not stop until I find it. Any idea of where it can be found? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "M & R Brown" Subject: RN colours In Vol. 1061, Mike Cooper posted a RAN document on RN etc. colours in 1943. It referred to an AFO 2106/43. I have now had a look at it (don't ask how I got it). A summary is below. Some interesting points from it: * Paints up until 1943 except the 507s were matt. >From this, AFO they were semi gloss. * It states that G10 is 507A and G45 is 507C. States is the same paint not states equivalent to which it does for other colours. * Has formulae to mix paints. * Paints are either mixed to a formula or supplied by manufacturers. * Chicago Blue and MS3a are not mentioned. * Always refers to MS as M.S. as though it is an abbreviation for something. M......... Shade, Ministry of Supply? A.F.O. 2106/43  External & Camouflage Painting H.M.Ships (T.S.D. 1221/42. 13.5.1943) GENERAL Comments that adverse reports of durability of external paint used partly due to their matt surface. This order consolidates the former A.F.O.s & C.A.F.O.s on the subject including: * Time to allow to dry should be 48 hours but 24 is acceptable. * Red lead in certain ports needs to be toned down to avoid making the ship conspicuous. 6lb of AP110C Black paste or 6lbs of Lamp Black should be added to 1 hundredweight of red lead paint mixed. * Undercoat for camouflage is as follows: Type Undercoat Western Approaches G45 Light Admiralty & similar types G45 Intermediate G20 Dark Admiralty G10 QUALITY OF PAINT * Matt paints are desirable but are not sufficiently durable. * Accordingly, a paint with a small amount of gloss is to be introduced called A.1 type, A.2 type is gloss paint. * A.1 is expected not to be immune to chalking. * The Admiralty is to test A.2 for chalking and also to see if the "flash" from the sun on this level of gloss is acceptable. NOMENCLATURE A) Paint: name of type * If under Admiralty pattern will continue to use that number * Types will be referred to as follows: i) Half gloss type (for use until further notice) A.1 ii) Full gloss type (for trial use only at the present) A.2 B) Paint: name of formula A.1 & A.2 will be available in a number of shades (see below) C) Colour shades: names Shades will be referred to by a letter denoting the colour (B = Blue-Grey, G = Grey) followed by a number denoting the reflection factor or tone of the paint. The higher the number the lighter the tone. D) The shades will be referred to as follows: G.5 Equivalent of former M.S.1 G.10 Equivalent of former M.S.2 and of the shade of AP507A paint G.20 Equivalent of former M.S.3 G.45 Equivalent of the shade of AP507C paint B.15 Equivalent of former B.5 B.30 Equivalent of former B.6 & M.S.4 B.55 Equivalent of former Western Approaches Blue & M.S.4a Where camouflage diagrams refer to the discontinued "M.S." and "B" shades, the new equivalents are to be used. D) Approved Paints From the date of this order, the approved paint is of the A.1 type. A.P.507A & 507C may continue to be used: * on all ships for external parts not visible from outboard * in trawlers & smaller vessels for any external part of the ship * for painting emergency camouflage designs as described in section V of C.I.F. 1112/42 * for external work in ships which do not need camouflage MB comment: Therefore 507A,B & C must be full gloss. Admiralty approval is withdrawn for the matt paints previously in use. Paints of the A.1 &A.2 type have not yet been established under Admiralty Pattern numbers. Since the A.2 type paints have the same gloss as Admiralty Pattern 507 paints, A.2/G.10 & A.2/G45 paints are in fact the same as AP 507A & 507C paints respectively. Shade cards of the B & G series will be enclosed in C.B.(R) 3098/48 (at present in preparation). Meanwhile, the shades of the discontinued paints, shown in C.I.F. 679/42 may be taken as closely approximating the shades of thier new equivalents in the B & G series. In cases of doubt, Naval authorities and H.M. ships may obtain shade cards from the Admiralty (D.T.S.D.) until the C.B. is issued. Paint manufacturing firms should be instructed to obtain any shade cards or liquid samples of paints, which they may require through the Director of Navy Contracts. SHIPS BUILDING IN DOCK ETC Where ships lying in berth for 2 months or more are to be painted in accordance with C.A.F.O.791/41, the paint used is to be the Admiralty formula or specification whether mixed in the shipyard or supplied by a paint manufacturer. BOOT TOPPING & NON SLIP DECK PAINTS These are to continue as before. Camouflage painting in destroyers and smaller ships and in larger ships, where instructed, is to be carried down over the boot topping protective composition in accordance with C.A.F.O.2515/41. PAINT FORMULAE A long list & MB has an Excel file. AMENDMENTS ARE TO BE MADE TO THE FOLLOWING ORDERS * In A.F.O. 3935/40, the following words in para (iii) are to be deleted "for parts visible from outside the ship, the finishing coats are to be matt paint" * In A.F.O. 4074/41, delete the words in para (i) " Except in places where approved proprietary brands of matt paint are used" and insert " Except where otherwise directed in A.F.O. 2106/43" * In C.A.F.O. 679/42, delete para 9 * (A.F.O.s 3935/40  not in annual volume and 4074/41) * (C.A.F.O.s 791/41, 2515/41, 679/42 and 112/42) * (C.A.F.O.s 290/41, 1555/41  not in annual volume are cancelled) * (C.A.F.O. 121/42 and A.F.O.3807/42 are cancelled) Michael Brown PS As a relative newcomer to the site can I ask if anyone has told our American friends what a poof is in the English speaking world? Cheesy poofs may be food in the USA but not many of the rest of us would consider eating a poof, cheesy or otherwise! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Ives100@aol.com Subject: Re: Question 3 - Stolen Sub Plans? A little late getting the answer out to this one (I was travelling). The weapon in question is the 200+ knot "Shkal" (Squal) torpedo. Uses supercaitation to travel through at high speeds (not actually IN the water, as it has a bubble around it) read more about it at: http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/row/shkval.htm and also at: http://srd.yahoo.com/goo/Shkval+torpedo/12/*http://www.newscientist.com/features/features_224813.html Tom Dougherty -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: Sanartjam@aol.com Subject: Re: Heroic Self Sacrifice Hi SMML, Another story of heroic self sacrifice involves the Italian torpedo boat Lupo and her gallant attempt to defend a small convoy of German troops from British cruisers off Crete in May 1941. She was pretty well shot up, but survived. There is also the story of the destroyer USS Johnston attempting to save the escort carriers from Admiral Kurita's battleships and cruisers off Samar during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Art Nicholson -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: Sanartjam@aol.com Subject: Re: Prince of Wales Colors Hi SMML, I too would like to know what the colors were in the Prince of Wales' "Admiralty First Disruptive" camouflage pattern. And I've wanted to know for a long time! There is no pattern or colors for the PoW in Alan Ravens' recent book on Royal Navy warship camouflage of 1939-41, and, according to that book, there seems to have been a variety of colors used in the First Disruptive patterns depicted in that book, including various combinations of MS1, 507A, MS2, MS3, B5, B6, MS4, MS4A, and 507C. If all of the First Disruptive patterns used the same colors, one would simply assume the PoW used those colors, but they don't seem to have used the same colors. There are colors listed for the PoW in the old Robert Dumas articles in Warship on the KGV's, but I don't trust the listing because one of the them, PB10, is clearly incorrect. There are color patterns for the PoW in Raven & Roberts' British Battleships of World War II and in the Ensign book on the KGV's; any thoughts on whether those patterns are correct and, if so, what the colors are? I would bet on at least MS1, B6 and MS3, but after that it's guesswork for me. Speaking of Admiralty First Disruptive patterns, any thoughts on what colors were carried by the battleship Queen Elizabeth in 1941? Thanks, Art Nicholson -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: "Ken P LeMaster" Subject: Re: CVAN 65 Enterprise The Lee 1/400 kit of the Enterprise is a direct copy of the Otaki/Arii kit. The only problem I have seen with the kit is that the airwing parts do not fit correctly, if you can get the Arii set for the navy planes, throw the Lee planes away and replace them with the Arii after-market set. The Arii set has a problem with the Vigilante R5-C planes, ie sink holes, but the rest of the planes are much better moldings that the Lee set. By the way, if you look closely at the trees of the Arii issue of the ship, where the tree is letter identified, one of them has the word Otaki barely showing, looks like someone did not cut far enough into the tool to remove all traces of the name. My take of this is that Arii came into possession of the Otaki tools for the kit. I do like the Arii base much better than the Otaki one, otherwise, both kits are identical except for sink marks in some of the parts. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: "Devin J. Poore" Subject: Torpedo Tube Deck railing I'm at the point on my BWN Farenholt model where the railings are almost done. The instructions show standard deck railings being placed next to the torpedo tube mounts. In my way of thinking they shouldn't be there; if there is anything it should only be bare stanchions with chain or line stretched between them so it can be removed for firing. I also can not detect any standard railing in the one photo of her that shows this general area. I assume this would apply to any WWII DD. Anyone have any input, comments, ideas? If not, I'm leaving them off. Thanks, Devin. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: brian selzler Subject: heroic self sacrifice (nearly) Hi Sean, I believe the sweeper you refer to was the Bengal which was escorting the tanker Ondina somewhere in the Indian Ocean when they were approached by the raiders Hokoko Maru and the Kyosumi Maru. Apparently, after the sixth shot from the Bengal's 12-pounder a magazine on Hokoko blew up starting a fire which ultimately caused a massive explosion totally destroying the ship. They then fought off the Kyosumi which eventually withdrew. A better description of this amazing action is in the book "Lilliput Fleet" by A.C. Hampshire Brian -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: RCClem@aol.com Subject: "USS Indianapolis Sunk - All Aboard Casualties" My mother-in-law showed to me her original issue of the August 15, 1945 Chicago Daily Tribune (3 cents). In 2.4" high headlines: PEACE IS HERE Japs Will Surrender to Gen. M'Arthur Text of Hirohito's radio address: "the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb" MacArthur installed as Supreme Allied Commander of the Occupation. Also on the front page: USS Indianapolis Sunk - All Aboard Casualties Although the article mentions that she had just delivered the parts of the Atom Bombs, the navy gave no details of her final, fatal action. Crew was listed as 1,196 officers and men. (Obviously, no news yet that some men were saved. I don't know what day she was sunk or when some of them were rescued.) Jury Asks Execution of Petain Clemency predicted from General de Gaulle. Navy ship building canceled. Total nine million Americans predicted unemployed within six months. 400,000 in Chicago. On the inside pages: Fear of postwar unrest in India, China and French Indochina. New infection-fighting drug called penicillin may soon be available for civilian use. First peace baby born in Chicago is named Victoria. (Start of Baby Boomers?) British Pacific Fleet Chief Admiral Bruce Fraser: "We of the British Pacific Fleet are naturally delighted at the news.... At the same time we tell ourselves that the future peace of the world will never be assured unless the happy relationship which has grown up between the Royal Navy and the United States navy in the Pacific continues between our two nations in the years which lie ahead." Russian armies plunge into Manchuria. American and British naval planes pound the Home Islands on August 14th. Bedlam of joy in cities around the world. LONDON: Continued shortages of most major foods will continue, even after V-J day. Navy Ace Butch O'Hare: His death in late 1943 finally reported as occurring in a night trial of airborne radar. (Wasn't it friendly fire?) A lot happened on that day. Roger Clemens -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19) From: "Pletscher-Lenz-Schneider" Subject: HP-Models Well, since Daniel Jones thought I should put in my two pence worth, here it is: First off, I fully agree with Dan's comments, and there is nothing left to be added. I have the SMS GNEISENAU kit which is a double of the SCHARNHORST in another box. What you get is, in deed, a nicely detailed and sharply casted hull and a lot of parts for the upperworks with almost no details (not even portholes). There are no markings where these parts have to be sited, and there is not even a 1/700 scale drawing where you could measure it out. So you are free to chose your own deck layout. That will make sure no other model will equal yours. The main turrets are without gun barrels, and there is only one (!) pair of gun barrels casted into the resin layer. The second pair is simply missing, but you won't be able to make any use of those two gun barrels anyway. All the small guns are broken or not fully molded. So all you get are the gun shields - of course not with an open rear but of the closed block type. The funnels show almost no details. There are some boats which were obviously taken from other kits and are mostly not of any kind which was used by the German navy. No need to tell that there are no davits and gunbarrels for the medium guns. But there are some lengths of brass rod for these parts and the masts. However the greatest absurdity are the instructions for building the mast. They earnestly call for cementing a brass rod of 0.5mm in diameter flat to the end of one of 1.0mm in diameter to get the full length of the mast. To make things worse, these brass rods are cut to size, so there is not enough of them to use the 1.0mm rod for the full lenght of the mast. Well, one can argue that you can fit all these drawbacks. But why than pay so much for an incomplete kit? Sorry Steve, but I am afraid you have been fooled (like many others before). The last kit I got me from HP Models (and it probably will be really the last one) was their British WW I monitor LORD CLIVE. I thought there wasn't much one could do wrong with that model, but it was me who was wrong. The hull is - again - nicely detailed. There are - again - almost no details on the upperworks. There are - also again - only a few useable small parts, no davits, and so on. But that was what I already had expected. The greatest disappointment was the main feature of this kit, the big 18in gun on the after main deck. It should be housed in a shield which is some two to three decks high and open at the rear. What you get is, however, a 10mm high solid block with the breech of the gun projecting at the rear. The gun barrel is some 8mm too long and - worst of all - not in line with the breech. I wouldn't mind all this if HP Models were half the price they actually are. But I am sick and tired of paying a price which equals or even surpasses that of a comparable high-quality kit for some loveless and amateurish done incomplete basic kit. Falk Pletscher -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Mike Leonard" To: "SMML" Subject: DC Mini-SMML Mike Eisenstadt wrote - >> Mike Leonard brought a whole lot of kits and books he recently procured (does your wife know about this Mike?) << Are you serious? She doesn't even know we own a PC! : ) >> I apologize if I've left anyone's models out, but I'm working from memory! << Just your own. Those wonderful little GHQ aircraft carriers in 1/2400 scale. MWL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Keith Butterley Subject: New books from Classic Warships Hi, Warship Pictorial's #9 Yorktown Class Carriers and #10 Indianapolis and Portland, are now in stock. Happy modeling Keith Butterley http://www.warshipbooks.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "WEM" Subject: NEW POLISH BOOKS and KITS FROM WHITE ENSIGN MODELS and 1/350 KGV BRASS Hi Guys NEW Books received today at WEM: BS PRESS Profile Morskie # 26 HMS ROYAL OAK 9.99 # 27 HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 9.99 # 28 USS DRAYTON Mahan Class Destroyer 9.99 # 29 TASZKIENT Russian Light Cruiser 9.99 # 30 USS SELFRIDGE, Porter Class Part Two 9.99 # 31 IJN ISE 9.99 All the above are absolutely indispensible to the warship modeller. Colour camouflage and fold-out plans included MONOGRAFIE MORSKIE # 15 Bismarck Class Battleships Part One TIRPITZ 10.99 GBP # 20 LEXINGTON/SARATOGA Part One 10.99 GBP Following in the footsteps of the "HOOD" and the "NELSON/RODNEY" volumes, these are two great books. RESTOCK: WARSHIP COLOURS (BARWY OKRETOW) Part One U.S. NAVY 1941-1945, A4 s/b, 56pp, 22 nicely rendered colour profile drawings 9.99 and finally, we have the first sheets of the WEM 1/350 KGV CLASS brass here for inspection.. Check ouit the links below. http://whiteensignmodels.simplenet.com/wembrass/wempe3519a.jpg http://whiteensignmodels.simplenet.com/wembrass/wempe3519b.jpg The price for these two sheets, to build the Tamiya 1/350 Prince of Wales and the 1/350 King George V is 27.66 Pounds worldwide post free ($40.00). In Europe, the price is 32.50 Pounds. However, a pair of yardarms are missing from one of the trial sheets (which we still have to pay for of course..). First to order one of these four "reject" sets gets ten pounds off the 27.66 (or 32.50) price!!! First come, first served! Orders direct to me, Caroline Carter, at wem@onetel.net.uk or to John Snyder at jsnyder@macnexus.org or go to the online order form at: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.models/wemorder.htm RESTOCK also on LOOSE CANNON PRODUCTIONS and CORSAIR ARMADA .. updating webpages again soon.. Thanks! Caroline Carter White Ensign Models, U.K. Tel : 01432 820403 Fax: 01432 820830 http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.models/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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