Subject: SMML VOL 1162 Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2001 00:26:21 -0800 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: NS SAVANNAH 2: Benson/Gleaves, NS Savannah, and bases 3: miniature ensigns 4: Re: Porthole problems 5: Re: Clearcoat 6: Re: Miniature Ensigns 7: Re: Resin blobs 8: Re: Resin Blobs 9: Re: Anoraks 10: Re: Tamiya 1/350 Enterprise kit 11: Re: LST to Hospital Ship conversions 12: Re: US Navy Warship Series 13: IJN Akagi 14: Letter to Rusty --- FSM 15: Re: Resin Blobs 16: Re: US Navy Warship Series 17: Light Sea Grey 18: Re: TTY, Resin blobs 19: Unbuilt Kits 20: Unbuilt Kits thread -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Blue Water Navy USS Massechusetts BB 59 2: ebay stuff 3: FS: Italian navy refs 4: Model Ship Journal -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: AandMBlevins@gateway.net Subject: Re: NS SAVANNAH I have always wondered, given the success of nuclear propulsion in Navy ships, why was the SAVANNAH never a commercial success? Cost of refueling? Al Blevins -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Poutre, Joseph A" Subject: Benson/Gleaves, NS Savannah, and bases Pitroad has announced a Benson/Livermore/Gleaves class in 1/700 for later this year, after May, according to their website. NS Savannah sits in the James River basin, with the mothball fleet. As for bases, I am trying an experiment. I'm taking an old hollow-core door and cutting it in half as a base for my BB SAG. I plan to replace part of the "top" side next to the open edge with thin plexiglass, cover up most of the open side except for one section which will also have plexiglass, and mount the sub model in a small compartment to look like she's under water. If it works, I'll post photos somewhere, and use the other half of the door for a Soviet Kirov-centered SAG, with an Echo underwater, or maybe surfaced? Joe Poutre -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Shirley Sachsen Subject: miniature ensigns Mike leonard wrote: >> Seeking a source for miniature (approx 12" x 8" or smaller) naval ensigns to dress up a display of WW1 warship models. Specifically, a Royal Navy white ensign and Imperial German naval standard. << I've had success in finding tiny signal flags among the yachting set. perhaps a well stocked chandlery would yield such things for when folks wish to dress their boats for opening day parades and such. just an idea... s -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: Re: Porthole problems Devin, Yeah those resin blobs in the portholes can be a pain. I've run into that myself. I don't drill them out. I could, but it would be a pain to do so. I just put a drop of flat black in the porthole and carefully touch up around it. At that scale no can see it anyway. The flat black hides the resin blob and it doesn't attract attention to a feature that small anyway. Rusty White Flagship Models Inc. http://okclive.com/flagship/ You can now pay using your Visa / MasterCard -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: Re: Clearcoat >> Do you put a clearcoat over your finished model or not? << Absolutely! It's a must to hide any stray superglue shiny spots and to give the model an even appearance. I always spray a final flat coat over every model I build. Rusty White Flagship Models Inc. http://okclive.com/flagship/ You can now pay using your Visa / MasterCard -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Torgeson Roger A KPWA" Subject: Re: Miniature Ensigns >> You'll never find one. The Navy requires anybody to be at least 5' in height before they can be commissioned as an ensign. I imagine the Royal Navy and Imperial German Navy had similar standards. Best regards anyway, << Rick, Having known you for around 25 years, I now find out how sick your mind works. You need help my friend, lots of professional help. Roger Torgeson -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Les Pickstock Subject: Re: Resin blobs From: "Devin J. Poore" >> I'm starting on the ISW San Francisco kit. There are a lot of portholes in this kit, and about 1/3 of them have tiny "blobs" of resin in them - little balls of resin in the portholes and in some of the corners of the structures. Attempting to drill these out is either successful, or the ball of resin within kicks the drill bit (in a pin vise, doing this by hand)off center and I end up with an oblong porthole. << What you have here is the little balls of resin that are formed in air bubbles in the silicon rubber moulds that the model was cast in. I often found that if you use a really sharp scalpel blade and get it in along side the offending ball by giving them a little "tweak" they will often just break away leaving a easily disguised mark. Les Pickstock -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: Pieter Cornelissen Subject: Re: Resin Blobs >> this kit, and about 1/3 of them have tiny "blobs" of resin in them - little balls of resin in the portholes and in some of the corners of the structures. Attempting to drill these out is either successful, or the ball of resin within kicks the drill bit (in a pin vise, doing this by hand)off center and I end up with an oblong porthole. << I've had the same problem on a number of Kombrig kits. By trial and a lot of error I found out that only thing that more or less works is to use a tip of a very sharp scalpel to cut a small hole in the top of the blob and use this to guide the drill. For drilling I use a dremel fixed with clamps to my workbench and move the model, not the drill. This gives far better control of the drilling as the model does not have moving parts like a dremel (or a hand vise) but I doubt if this possible with a large 1/350 model. Pieter Cornelissen Delft, The Netherlands Who keeps getting reminded of that other use of the word trainspotters....-:) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject: Re: Anoraks An anorak is a person who parks your car in a parking garage, and is otherwise known as a parka. Franklyn (from Boston, Mass.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "Nuno Andresen Portela" Subject: Re: Tamiya 1/350 Enterprise kit Phil Smith wrote: >> Can anybody tell me what era this kit represents without any modifications as I want to build it straight from the box, also what aircraft would have been aboard at the time and does anybody do a better decal set for the aircraft than the kit supplied ones and where can I find color schemes for these aircraft. Will Lo-viz/HiViz schemes be suitable. << It represents the big E just after the major update, as already wrote here, from 1982-1986. The best advise I can give is to find a copy of "Seventh Fleet Super Carriers", by Tony Holmes; Osprey publications. It is a book, similar in format and content to Verlinden Lock On USS Forrestal. But with 96 high quality color pages about life aboard the decks of USS Ranger, USS Carl Vinson, and the USS Enterprise. The best aid you will get from this book are two large pictures of the Big E island showing clearly full stencil and insignia, one looking at the front the other looking at the back/port side, and the Enterprise Carrier air wing during the transition from high-viz to low-viz. The shots demonstrate that it is correct to display the Enterprise Squadrons in a mix of both schemes. One of the best images in this book shows a row of A7 Corsair composed of two squadrons where the birds are randomly in high-viz and low-viz schemes. Another shot shows Hi-viz Vikings around elevator nš 3 (and how good they look). Many of these shots are clearly dated by the author as taken in 1983. This book although out of print is easily found at abebooks.com or bookfinder.com and it is very cheep (around $10.00). Honestly recomended to anyone who wants to build an 80' Enterprise. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Roland Mar Subject: Re: LST to Hospital Ship conversions This turned out to be more complex to chase down than I thought it would, but I think I found something. From what I can gather, they weren't actual hospital ships (AH), but were actually reclassified as LSTH ( Landing Ship Tank Evacuation Transport) from LST. There were 7 of them. I was only able to find 2 of them LSTH 652 and LSTH 731. 652 was stricken post war. 731 was reclassified as an LST. She was involved (as an LST) in rescue operations off Hawaii on 1 April 1946 after a tsunami. She ended up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, but I haven't chased down when she was stricken from there. With these leads, you probably can get more info on the modifications. Hope this helps, Roland Mar -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Roland Mar Subject: Re: US Navy Warship Series Does vol. 1 (Sailing Navy) cover the "Washington Schooners" commissioned by Gen. Washington before the Navy was created? They were crewed by volunteers from Col. John Glover's 21st Mass. "Marbleheaders" Rgmt. I am especially interested in the schooner HANNAH, which took the British supply brig NANCY, full of arms and powder. Is there enough information to assist in making a model? I normally do ships that move without wind or oars, but I might be more than willing to make an exception in this case. Roland Mar -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "John Rule" Subject: IJN Akagi There is a drawing of the Amagi Class as a battlecruiser in Breyer's Battleships and Battlecruisers. The Akagi was part of this class and was completed as an aircraft carrier. The Amagi was also being completed as a carrier but was a constructive loss on the slipway as a result of an earthquake on 1st September 1923. John -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: "Shaya Novak" Subject: Letter to Rusty --- FSM That was a very nice article you had in the new FSM. It's great to see articles like that there. It's good for the hobby. Shaya Novak Naval Base Hobbies The Store for The Model Ship Builder www.modelshipbuilding.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Re: Resin Blobs >> I'm starting on the ISW San Francisco kit. There are a lot of portholes in this kit, and about 1/3 of them have tiny "blobs" of resin in them - little balls of resin in the portholes and in some of the corners of the structures. Attempting to drill these out is either successful, or the ball of resin within kicks the drill bit (in a pin vise, doing this by hand)off center and I end up with an oblong porthole. I'm entertaining filling all of the portholes, sanding flush, and then << Yes, get a solder pick, basically a pointed stiff wire pick and use it to try to break out the blobs. They are probably only very weakly joined to the casting and a bit of prying action with the point of the pick (or the point of a #11 exacto blade) will pop it out. Regards, Bradford Chaucer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Re: US Navy Warship Series >> I just received my copies of USNI's new US Navy Warship series: vol. 1 The Sailing Navy 1775-1854 and vol. 2 Civil War Navies 1855-1883. These are outstanding! They're produced in a format similar to the Ships & Aircraft of the US Fleet series. I haven't really had a chance to scan these << Are there many decent photos or ironclads in Vol 2?? any plans?? Also what is the cost?? I have Caney's Am Steel navy books which include material on the monitors and other ironclads does this series include anything new?? Regards, Bradford Chaucer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: "M & R Brown" Subject: Light Sea Grey Has anyone ever come across the colour Light Sea Grey as opposed to Medium Sea Grey, Dark Sea Grey & Extra Dark Sea Grey which are/were Humbrol colours? Michael Brown -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: "Mike C" Subject: Re: TTY, Resin blobs Hi Group, For John Snyder: TTY- The Token Yank? My first guess. I suppose it could also be "Ta Ta Y'all." ;-) On Devin's resin blobs: What you have there are resin copies of air bubbles trapped in the masters when the RTV molds were poured. That's why I advocate de-airing RTV in the molds. My suggestion would be to poke them with a sharp push pin at about the center of the porthole and use the indentation as a pilot dimple for starting your hand drill. If the problem is really severe, you may have to inlay a strip of sheet plastic, sand it flush, and redrill your portholes through that. Good luck with one of the more annoying pitfalls of resin casting. Mike Czibovic (Hoping the officers keep the deck wenches away from the shaft alley.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19) From: "Ned Barnett" Subject: Unbuilt Kits I have a long history of unbuilt kits. After my mid-80s divorce, I had to get an apartment with a basement (they have them in Nashville) to hold my stash; for three years, I went to IPMS Nationals with a car-load (literally) of kits and sold the batch to pay for my trips (and other things - not THAT - but some mistakes are better left forgotten or unspoken ). Still had literally hundreds of model kits. After remarrying (this one's the keeper), I started rebuilding my collection - got it up to probably a couple of thousand. Then I hit hard times (unemployment, self-unemployment, nasty ex-wife, etc.) and had to sell off the kits (again) - this time, I made a clean sweep, selling everything except the partially built kits (damn) ... but it was for a good cause - rent. Got back on my feet, and started about 18 months ago to seriously restock. Each kit I buy is with the intention of building - then, with a couple hundred kits in the garage, I start scratch-building Noah's Ark (go figure). This, remarkably, brought me back to ship modeling - since then, 90% of the kits I buy (intending to build) are ships - I've got about a half-dozen in various stages of semi-built right now - but we're thinking of moving, and just the thought has kept me from finishing my garage workshop ... so I get to a point then go on to the next, waiting for the day when my gear's ready to do the painting and finishing. I'm guessing that I have about 20 sub kits; about 15-20 armored ships (pre-1919); about 30 post-Great War kits; lots of landing craft and riverine/littoral craft - and maybe a dozen civilian ships of all kinds. Lots of navy planes (and a few non-Navy planes, but those no longer count, right), as well as some armor (heavily favoring amphibs now). I like the old kits - I like the challenge of ugly-duckling-into-swan (though some of Lindbergh's are near-terminal challenges) - but I'm starting to get very interested in resin kits ... plus the after-market accessories that cost more than the kits, but look SO DAMN NICE! I am a collector. Stamps, coins, books and magazines - so collecting kits comes natural to me. I can get pleasure out of looking at a box of parts and visualizing the building process - hell, I love to just browse hobby shops and dream - but I do like to build, too, and am working at rebuilding my finished-kit collection. Thanks for asking. Ned -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20) From: "Ian MacCorquodale" Subject: Unbuilt Kits thread >> I wonder which other listmembers have collections of unbuilt models, and what the numbers are. << Hi Gang, Good thread idea Rod. My Closet currently contains: Lee 1/400 USS Enterprise 1/300 Bremen Class FFG 1/700 USS Nassau Type 021 Chinese FAC (Zhengi) 1/600 Airfix Moskva USCGC Eastwind (To become HMCS Labrador) 1/700 Udaloy by Fuinan 1/350 Flower by LArsenal 1/700 Arleigh Burke 1/400 Jeanne D'arc and 1/350 HMCS Halifax, which I am not as impressed with as Ray is! (But I am new to resin, and I see (usually) a half dozen Halifax Class ships a day, so innacuracies tend to stand out a wee bit more.) I just get depressed when I look at the parts! No flames please... just my opinion. ( Has plastic spoiled me?) Has anyone actually finished the IS 1/350 Halifax? Love to see pictures! Cheers, Ian http://www.geocities.com/macrachael/ Naval Photography...So much to Sea! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Keith Bender" Subject: Blue Water Navy USS Massechusetts BB 59 Hi SMMLies, Anyone out there have a Blue Water Navy USS Massechusetts BB 59 1:350 in the box unbuilt they would like to sell? Please let me know off list. Thanx, Keith -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Mark McKellar Subject: ebay stuff Hi, I've got some nautical books 'n stuff on ebay if anyone is interested..... Blind Man's Bluff Operation Drumbeat USS Massachusetts Data Book Flight Deck video You can find all my stuff if you seach under my ebay seller name - Markfiat thanks Mark -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: CokerRE@aol.com Subject: FS: Italian navy refs The following items on the Italian Navy are for sale Curti, Navi ed Aerei, guide to Milan Gay, The Cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni science museum 1973 $5.00 (Anatomy of Ship series) $25.00 Staccioli, Trieste E La Cultura Marinara Gay, Luigi di Savoia Class Light history of port of Trieste, Italy 20.00 Cruiser, Vol. I includes modernized Gay, Luigi di Savoia Class Light Cruisers post war Garibaldi, Vol. I, in Italian but Vol. II in Italian but well illustrated 30.00 well illustrated $30 Eugenio di Savoia, copies of official plans 1/100 scale 1936 includes profiles, decks, but no lines $50 reply off list to PC Coker at cokerre@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Victor M. Baca" Subject: Model Ship Journal As soon as I drop off the printer's disk for the Spring 2001 issue of Model Ship Journal, we are heading for Albuquerque, New Mexico on a family emergency. Please leave messages on our answering machine or e-mail as I expect we'll be away from the office for about three weeks. Thanks very much, Victor Baca Model Ship Journal -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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