Subject: SMML VOL 1146 Date: Thu, 08 Feb 2001 00:16:40 -0800 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Plans needed 2: Interesting book 3: Re: Seehund question 4: Re: Wooden planked decks 5: 1/350th Trainable Hedgehog 6: Hedgehog plans 7: Re: Soviet Deck... 8: Airfix S-boot torpedo 9: British M-Class Submarines 10: Re: FURIOUS DECK PATTERN 1943 11: KGV May 4th 1942 12: Re: Seehund 13: U Boat and Soviet vessel questions 14: HMS Fearless 15: German Naval Airships 16: Used Books 17: Re: old books/lacquer thinner 18: Re: Seehund Sub 19: Re: HMS Fearless 20: Dutch plastic or resin ships models 21: Landing craft -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation 1: APMA meeting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: ModelWarships.com February -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: john.baumann@talk21.com Subject: Plans needed Wanted - particularly drawings and details of:- 1: Rhino Ferry (a model appeared at one of the Telford IPMS Shows). 2: Japanese Landing Craft (all types) 3: German Herbert Ferry 4: German Siebel Ferry 5: German MFP 6: Z Lighters. Thanks go to various SMML'ers for their past help. Regards, John -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Matthew Prager" Subject: Interesting book Hello fellow SMMLIES, I received an interesting book from my inter-library loan service yesterday. It is "U.S. Navy Waterline Models" by John Philips Cranwell and Samuel A. Smiley (1947). It covers building 1/1200 scale waterline models and has 1/1200 scale drawing (similar to the Fighting Fleets in Miniature drawings) of the following ships: USS MISSOURI (BB-63), Iowa Class USS WASHINGTON (BB-56), North Carolina Class USS SARATOGA (CV-3), Lexington Class USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), Yorktown Class USS PRINCETON (CVL-23), Independence Class USS GAMBIER BAY (CVE-73), Casablanca Class USS ALASKA (CB-1), Alaska Class USS BALTIMORE (CA-68), Baltimore Class USS SALT LAKE CITY (CA-25), Pensacola Class USS BIRMINGHAM (CL-62), Cleveland Class USS ATLANTA (CL-51), Atlanta Class USS ALLEN M. SUMNER (DD-692), Allen M. Sumner Class USS WARRINGTON (DD-383), Somers Class USS PORTER (DD-356), Porter Class USS DALLAS (DD-199), Clemson Class USS BUCKLEY (DE-51), Buckley Class USS TACOMA (PF-3), Tacoma Class USS CURTISS (AV-4), Curtiss Class USS NEOSHO (AO-23), Cimarron Class USS WEST POINT (AP-23), West Piont Class (ex-SS AMERICA) The Modeling descriptions are basic, and most of these subjects are offered in various scales as kits, but there are a few that are worth looking at. Matt Prager Ingleside, TX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Pieter Cornelissen Subject: Re: Seehund question >> Model content: Anyone know if there is a model of the Seehund class? In any scale or medium? Thanks. << Artitec models - www.artitec.nl - makes an 1/87 Seehund - resin and photo-etch- in both a waterline and a full hull version. I've seen them around at Dutch hobby shops for about 100 guilders ($50). This is a bit expensive for me as I only build 1/700 and 1/600 so I cannot comment on it's quality. The 1/700 minesweepers and destroyer were very good quality resin castings with a photo-etch set that was a bit thick for the scale (shouldn't be a problem in 1/87). The website is now linked to some online hobby shops. If you are not able to contact them please contacte me off-list and I can try to help you out. Pieter Cornelissen Delft, The Netherlands -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject: Re: Wooden planked decks About the reddish-brown decks discussed recently in SMML. Although this recollection is of a term I heard some forty years ago, I vaugely remember a kind of steel called "maraging steel". It was supposed to develop a surface rust, but similar to copper-based alloys, the corrosion stopped there. It didn't continue to rust and be eaten away. Perhaps some old timer metallusgist will be able to expand on this, and/or correct my recall and give us more information. There was an office building constructed of this steel somewhere along the right side of Route 128N, west of Boston, Mass. and it weathered to a sort of mahogany color. I haven't seen it for years, so I don't know how it worked out in long term exposure to the weather. I must take a ride out there some time, now that you have piqued my curiosity. Franklyn -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Ralph Batykefer" Subject: 1/350th Trainable Hedgehog Hello all, I've been asking around about any available 1/350th Trainable Hedgehog Launchers. Does anyone produce these or have the adequate drawings to scratchbuild one? I too have the Squadron USS Fletcher book, but I need something more substantial with dimensions and such. Thanks... IHS, Ralph -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Edward F Grune" Subject: Hedgehog plans I'll speak up in John Lambert's behalf. John has a series of drawings of [mostly Royal Navy] ships, weapons and equipment. Included in John's list of plans is a set of drawings for the Hedgehog. See John's site at: http://www.john-lambert-plans.com/english_version/start_eng.htm Ed Mansfield, TX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: tom Subject: Re: Soviet Deck... >> Back when I was in the Navy, and assigned to the Saratoga as ship's company, I used to hob-nob with the spooks, and the question of the red-brown decks came up. Just what was the stuff? Well the story goes that early on, during a ship board tour held in some port, a US Navy intel type was told to grind his heel into the deck, and retreive whatever the substance was, and bring it back inside the groves of his shoe. Upon inspection back at spook-ville, it turns out to be a rust like compound. While I find it hard to believe, the general consensus is that the redish brown surface is actually rust. It did make a nice non-skid surface. << That makes a certain amount of sense and may in fact have been a deliberate design feature... there are some steel alloys that are designed to surface corrode, then the corrosion layer actually protects the underlying steel (unlike normal steel alloys where corrosion leads to more corrosion!) much like the corrosion layer on some aluminum and bronze alloys acts. Apparently it works, though I wouldn't want it on any my boats. Perhaps Russian ship designers are an unromantic bunch, totally focused on functionality and assuming the ships are throw-aways after 20 years anyway so anything built to last longer is wasted. I know for sure that at different times commercial builders in the US have looked at it that way... if a ship is designed for a 20 year life they would consider it perfect design success if every single component was built just cheaply enough that they all functioned well for 20 years and all wore out simultaneously at 20 years and one second! Tom K -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: Douglas Subject: Airfix S-boot torpedo Does anyone have a spare torpedo from the Airfix S-boat that they'd be willing to loan me to make an RTV mold from? I'll return it when I'm finished...about two days. Thanks, Doug Bauer Poway, CA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject: British M-Class Submarines One of our British SMML people on the U.K., a gentleman named Dave, sent me a great website address dealing with British submarines in general. One option was the M Class, including the ill-fated M-1, she of 12" gun fame. It turns out there were 4 M Class keels laid down, three of which were completed. If any one is interested in visiting the site and viewing photos, drawing, and a newspaper clipping (and making copies for yourself), go to: www.charabanc.demon.co.uk click on "submarine types" click on"M Class" click on "M-1" You can take it from there (and I hope you do). Thanks Dave (sounds like a Wendy's commercial). Franklyn -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Dimi Apostolopoulos Subject: Re: FURIOUS DECK PATTERN 1943 Alan, My search at US' NARA and IWM have yielded no aerial or on-deck views of HMS Furious in 1943. From various photographs one can infer that Furious' 1943 scheme is a simplified version of the scheme that was applied to her sometime in late spring 1942. Two aerial photos of her dating July 10, 1942 show a camouflaged deck whose pattern is similar to the one from 1941. My best guess is that the 1942 scheme consisted of G10, B15, B30, G45 and white and that the simplified 1943 version had G10, B30 and G45. Any thoughts? Dimi -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "Chris Drage" Subject: KGV May 4th 1942 Hi gang, Many thanks to SMMLies Chris Langtree and John Currie for getting me all the info on KGV. This is what what SMML is really about - a magnificent database of expertise, knowledge and friendship! Next problem........ ......it appears that in my anxiety to get Suffolk into the frame, she appears to be in refit during May '42! ...just when I thought I had my chance to detail up one of the rather good looking Skytrex metal castings. So, was there a County Class in Iceland during the first week of May 1942? Let's just hope Norfolk was around! Back to the drawing board. Regards Chris He tao rakau e taea te karo kupu kaore e taea te karo (Te reo Maori) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: Re: Seehund Pretty sure Verlinden made a 1/35th scale kit. Look at www.vls-vp.com... MWL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "Steven Sliwka" Subject: U Boat and Soviet vessel questions First to my U Boat question. Is anyone aware of any U Boat plans sufficient enough to make a model from? I viewed some plans at the Amazon.de site but, with me living in the states, I am leery of ordering from Germany. Are these any good? Does anyone have any better suggestions? Obviously something with pictures would be helpful... Now, to my Soviet questions. What are the best models out there of Soviet naval vessels? I have been looking at two in particular, the Skywave 1/700 Krivak I/II (are these two ships in one box?) and the other is the Italeri Admiral Kutznetsov carrier. What are your opinions on these kits? What is the level of detail? More than likely I will be adding 'extras' (ie-photoetch railings, etc.) and suggestions on those are appreciated as well. Does anyone know of a source of plans for these ships suitable for scratchbuilding? Hull lines would be essential as with the U Boat plans I've mentioned above. Thanks for the help! Steve -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: "John Rule" Subject: HMS Fearless >> I decided to try a 1/350 scale Falklands War HMS Fearless after I got a book "La Guerre des Malouines" an amazing inspiration source just published for anyone with interest with this conflict. There is a primary reference, the venerable Airfix kit and the very good box art of it. However this is very little. Does anyone knows sources (books, links, plans, personel shots, veterans testimonies...whatever... ) about this almost forgoten assault ship (my references talk about 4000 missions made throught her during the Falklands conflict).<< A plan of the ship can be obtained through White Ensign Models. John -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: Sean Obrien Subject: German Naval Airships I know this isn't ships, but it is Naval airSHIPS. I was browsing through the military history section at Borders Bookstore and found a wonderful book on the German Naval Airships. Does anyone know of any plans for WW I Zeppelins? Tubman plans has postwar Shanendoah and Los Angeles, Graf Zeppelin, Hindenburg, Akron and Macon, but no wartime Zeps. Sorry to bring this up here, but any ideas? Thanks for any help, Sean O'Brien -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: Sam Pullig Subject: Used Books I do not want to start a flame war, but lets look at the used book market for what it is. For every $100.00 book there are 10,000 $1.00 books. Sure I would love to find Burts Battleships of WW II or Naval Weapons or many others for $5.00, but I probably won't. If I had to build a Library on Beaumont's public Library sale I would be waiting a long time, but I still go to their sales. In reguards to e-bay there are some good deals and some not so good deals. There was a copy of Terzibaschitsch's AIRCRAFT CARRIERS that went off Saturday for over $40.00. That was more than I wanted to spend. I got one Sunday for $11.01 I thought that was a bargin. The Jap Cruiser book was up last week, it had about 6-8 bids and was at $20+ and I am sure it would go higher but it still might have been a bargin. There was the Jap. Warship book last week that went for about $40.00. I got it from a dealer on abebooks.com for about $30.00 and for what its worth its from Clark Reynolds library, and that was a plus for me. For most of us the internet has made it where we can find stuff [and info] that we never could have hoped to find. The other side of books at least is that its probably raised the value of the truely good out of print ones as ther is so much larger a market to access. Who knows in a few years we will probably find them all online or at least on CD. I got a CD the other day Of USMC Historical Publications. Didn't know you could put that much data on a CD. The only problem is we aren't quite to reading books on a computer screen. Will be one day though. When all is said and done, watch e-bay and the other auction sites, use your online used book sites to search and "prove" the value of the books for you, each time you go to a new town hit the used book stores, and have your local bookdealer call you when they get new titles in. Good hunting Sam Pullig -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: raisingirl@mindspring.com Subject: Re: old books/lacquer thinner hello all.... John wrote, regarding rare books: >> The trick is to be patient and attend the sales. I am amazed at how many OT books I have been able to find over the last couple of years doing this. There is a website that lists these, but check your local library. I was able to buy an ot book right off of the shelf!! It was an out-of print WWI a/c profile book that had last been checked out in 1996!! << I've had great luck, and sometimes just plain outright dumb luck, checking in antique/old book shops, consignment shops, and even a couple of online sources. As an example, this last weekend I was at the Atlanta show (hi Jon, James and everyone else!) and a guy was there with a whole lot of old aviation/maritime books for sale. I scored an old library copy of "The Magnificent Mitscher" for $10 and a copy of a book called "From The Captain to the Colonel" (about Eastern Airlines) for $5. When I got home, I was riffling through the EAL book and found that it was a first printing. And then something fell out from between the pages: an adhesive bookplate signed by the author, Bob Serling (yes, he's the brother of Rod Serling of "Twilight Zone" fame). If I were to detail all the just dumb luck I've had at sales and such, it would take forever. You can help yourself by being willing to negotiate on condition (sure, a signed, tight first edition is great, but an old library copy that's generally in good shape reads exactly the same way -- after all, books are made to read, not to collect) and by not leaping on the first copy you find, unless it's an extremely rare book. I've had good luck with two online sources: the "Out of Print" section of Barnes & Noble.com and a site called alibris.com. In fact, I just got a long-out-of-print airline book from alibris -- in fantastic shape -- for $20. Shipping takes a while, but it's well worth it considering that this book is hard to find. Shop around and be a savvy shopper, and there's no end of the fun you'll have.... :) Mike Settle wrote: >> It doesn't waste the expensive stuff on general cleaning duties. However, many modelers, including myself, have experimented with lacquer thinners or mineral spirits with excellent results. I have successfully airbrushed using lacquer thinner with Testors enamels. Due to the "hotter" nature of the lacquer thinner, the paint dries and cures on the model a bit quicker, especially with gloss colors. << Agreed; I used to use lacquer thinner as well, and it does amazing things with enamels. It's also cheap and very plentiful. HOWEVER -- and I hate to be like a schoolmarm here, even though that's what I do for a living -- be VERY careful with this stuff! As a cancer survivor, I can tell you that you don't want to get this stuff on your hands, because it goes straight into you. I used to wash my hands with this stuff after painting, and used to use it without a respirator, and as a result grew a really nice tumor in one of my reproductive bits, which had to be removed. Ralph knew a guy -- the emphasis is on "knew" -- who used to wash his hands in MEK after painting, and that guy is now washing his hands in the great beyond. I've since switched to acrylics, which although aren't absolutely 100% safe either, are a lot more user-friendly (I like being able to wash my hands with soap and water during clean-up). Still, if you use lacquer thinner, be careful. Have lots of ventilation, wear gloves (i.e. nitrile gloves) and wear a respirator. That's good advice for using ANY type of paint (including acrylics), but especially when you're using enamels, petroleum distillates, stuff containing MEKs, etc. Sorry to be a nag about safety, but there you are.... jodie http://www.mindspring.com/~raisingirl/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Re: Seehund Sub >> Model content: Anyone know if there is a model of the Seehund class? In any scale or medium? Thanks. << Verlinden made one in 1/35 scale it is probably oop but frequently shows up on Ebay. Regards, Bradford Chaucer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: Re: HMS Fearless There is some good information in "Firepower: Sea Warfare" by Chris Bishop (Chartwell 1999). Includes color photo from Falklands and a nice starboard side profile of the ship. Mike -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20) From: "Fernando Espinoza" Subject: Dutch plastic or resin ships models helo fellow smmlies: Does anybody knows if is there any Dutch Company who makes plastic or resin Dutch ships? If the answer is yes. would you let me know about their web site address or just the way to get in touch with them. Any help will be very appreciate. FEED -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21) From: FrederKappes@netscape.net (Friedrich Kappes) Subject: Landing craft Could somebody tell me the dates of delivery of: LCI(L) LCS(L)2 LCS(M)1 LCS(M)2 LCT(R)3 LCP(M) LCA with forward coxwain position? Sincerely Friedrich The FriedrichFiles http://sites.netscape.net/friedkappes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Shane Subject: APMA meeting Hi all, Yup, it's that time of the month again ;-) Visitors are more than welcome to attend the monthly APMA meeting this Saturday in Sydney. Check out the url below for more details. Regards, Shane APMA VP http://www.tac.com.au/~sljenkins/apma.htm Having FUN making models -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Timothy Dike Subject: ModelWarships.com February New reviews for February include; Tamiya's 1/350 Fletcher Class Destroyer Revell's 1/350 SMS Dresden WWI Light Cruiser Skywave/PitRoad 1/700 Allen M. Summer Class DD White Ensign Models 1/700 Airstrike 700 Series AEW Tracer White Ensign Models 1/700 Airstrike 700 Series Sikorsky S-55 Tom's Modelworks 1/700 Light Cruiser photo etch set. Tom's Modelworks 1/700 Indianapolis photo etch set Gold Medal Models 1/350 SMS Emden/Dresden Photo Etch set Classic Warships Warships Pictorial #10 Indianapolis and Portland Squadron Signal US Light Cruisers in Action Warship #12 A preview of Warship Perspectives Camouflage Volume 2 Royal Navy 1942 A full buildup of the Tamiya Indianapolis by Len Roberto Also since the last announcement we have added images to the Gallery of; 1/350 USS California by Ron Dickenson (Blue Water Navy resin kit) 1/350 USS Missouri BB-63 (Tamiya) by Len Roberto 1/350 USS Enterprise CVN-65 (Tamiya Plastic kit) by Len Roberto 1/350 USS Ticonderoga CG-47 (Dragon Kit) by Len Roberto 1/350 IJN Musashi and Yugumo Diorama by Mark-Allen Horn 1/150 scale Type IX-B U-Boat (Academy/Minicraft) by Wm. (Bill) Burns 1/600 DKM Bismarck (Airfix) by Wm. Burns 1/350 USS Fletcher (Tamiya plastic kit) by Ron Smith 1/16" Scale HMS Hood (scratchbuilt) by David Fisher And the following features; Building the Blue Water Navy 1/350 DDG81 USS Winston Churchill by Len Roberto Building Aoshima's 1/700 DKM Bismarck by Len Roberto (full buildup review) Building Hellers 1/400 DKM Bismarck by Len Roberto (full buildup review) Building Tamiya's 1/350 USS Fletcher Part 1 of a new multi part feature by Hague AKA Steven Spach Stay tuned I have allot more to add in the coming weeks. Timothy Dike Webmaster and Editor ModelWarships.com http://www.modelwarships.com/index1.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the SMML site for the List Rules, 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