Subject: SMML VOL 1168 Date: Sat, 03 Mar 2001 00:07:15 -0800 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: CAM ship catapults 2: Re: Hanger Deck Catapults 3: Hangar deck catapults/Model Collections 4: WWI 110 Foot wooden Subchasers 5: Re: hanger deck catapaults 6: Don Ameche film, WASP kit 7: Re: Hanger deck catapults 8: Bargain Enterprise 9: Re: collections 10: Re: Model Insulation 11: Re: Hanger Deck Catapults 12: WEM Adams class kit 13: Hangar-deck catapults 14: Re: Gneisenau 15: Re: Trumpeter Pola 16: Models in the "Collection" 17: Re: SoDak Props 18: Re: Civil War Navies Book 19: Advanced Japanese Destroyers of World War II 20: Tin Can Sailors Destroyer Site! 21: Unbuilt kits 22: Battleships on the History Channel 23: Re: 1000 kits and a divorce? 24: Models of USS Niagara, 1857 Steam Sloop? 24: L'Arsenal first 1/700 kit 25) From: Cataldo Torelli Subject: L'Arsenal first 1/700 kit Hi SMMLiers, I've just received my 1/700 Regia Marina Audace kit and I would like to share with you what a beauty kit. Perfect casting with no air bubbles, excelent detail, intelligent kit and instructions design and a very good service from Mr. Druel. And she's so beatiful ......... (well, just for me! 8-)). I have not connection with L'Arsenal, but when something is good I think it's important to tell it. Regards, Cataldo Torelli. Madrid, Spain -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: In the March issue of ModelWarships.com 2: Specials Update at commanderseries.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "*Anderson, D, Doug (MSc)" Subject: CAM ship catapults I was wondering if any one has pictures or drawings of the catapults mounted on merchant navy ships by the British during WW2. The reason for this is that I recently aquired a partialy built model of a Liberty ship and would like to alter it. Also, does any one have pictures or drawings of the floating docks and harbours used at Normandy? Douglas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: AandMBlevins@gateway.net Subject: Re: Hanger Deck Catapults Guess I owe an apology. The letter I quoted yesterday related to one specific carrier, not a class or all carriers. Sorry, Al Blevins -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Rod Dauteuil Subject: Hangar deck catapults/Model Collections The movie with Don Ameche was "Wing and a Prayer" from 1944, and also starred Dana Andrews. It was based on the battle of Midway, and shows some interesting shots of an Essex class carrier running astern and retrieving planes. Also the aforementioned hangar deck cat shot. As far as the model collection, I like to tell my friends that I kept the collection and got rid of the fiancée! (As of yesterday 1,044 and counting.) Rod -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Kcompany@webtv.net (Marvin Reichman) Subject: WWI 110 Foot wooden Subchasers I noticed a trailer on Turner Classic Movies about a movie called "Thunder Afloat" which was made in 1939 and starred the above mentioned type ships as well as Wallace Beery and Chester Morris. I will give a VCR alert when it is shown. There were some very good shots of the ships in the small segment I saw. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: art pagsuyoin Subject: Re: hanger deck catapaults Since we are on the subject of Hangar Deck cats, I recall an old war movie featuring a hangar deck launch (I believe it was a Wildcat) the shot was from inside the hangar. Anyone know which movie I'm talking about? Art Pagsuyoin -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Mike C" Subject: Don Ameche film, WASP kit For those still scratching their heads on this one, the film was "A Wing and a Prayer" (a personal favorite). A film crew went along during YORKTOWN's (CV-10) East coast shakedown cruise and shot scenes for the movie; one was the hangar deck launch of a TBF. From what I understand, the catapults were lightweight models that had the tracks bolted to the deck and ramps on either side (like a railroad crossing), for ease of plane handling. WASP and, I believe, the YORKTOWN class also had them early on. You can tell when they're installed if the folding catapult extensions are visible outside. Update on WASP: I'm still working on instructions (when my regular job doesn't get in the way), with about a dozen figures yet to draw and label. In the mean time, (start of shameless plug) 20mm guns from the kit are now available in sets of 24 photoetch guns with resin pedestals. They offer a higher level of detail in this scale and even have the "V" bracing on the backs of the shields (end of shameless plug). Have fun, Mike Czibovic Corsair Armada Productions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: louellet@uism.bu.edu Subject: Re: Hanger deck catapults Mike Donegan - NAVYDAZE@aol.com wrote: >> I remember there is some old black and white movie staring Don Ameche who was the air officer of a essex class carrier - anyway they show the hanger deck catapult and a plane being launched. Don't remember if it was real or a "special effects" << and John Snyder >> Actually, they were capable of handling pretty heavy launches. One of the wartime carrier movies (I've forgotten which, but seem to remember Don Ameche in one of the starring roles) included a USN clip of a TBF or TBM being launched from the hangar deck cat. Shot from inside the hangar deck, it's a pretty impressive sight! << I checked out the Internet Movie DataBase site and found the Don Ameche movie "Wing and a Prayer" from 1944: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0037466 It is a carrier based movie, so it sounds like the one both of you remember. I've never seen it, but I bet it shows up on some of the old movie channels or on independent television stations. It is also available on VHS here in the USA. Larry Ouellette louellet@uism.bu.edu Volunteer, USS Salem (CA 139) United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum Quincy, Massachusetts, USA http://www.uss-salem.org/ or .com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Nuno Andresen Portela" Subject: Bargain Enterprise There is a Tamiya 1/350 CVN 65 Enterprise at E-bay for just $25.00. Look for item 565451038. The price will rise, but... one never knows... Nuno Andresen Portela Porto PORTUGAL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Mike Settle Subject: Re: collections >> After seeing these fellows with 1000+ kits... I've got just one question.... How many of you have 1000 kits and a divorce?! << Not me. My wife of 29 years is happy with my modeling addiction, especially after formerly expensive hobbies like hot rodding and gun collecting. Approximately 760 unbuilt models and still adding to the pile. Mike Settle I am not agent #1908 of the non-existent Lumber Cartel (tinlc)tm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: Re: Model Insulation >> 1000 kits and a divorce? Why risk it? Store all your kits in the loft, then tell your wife about the new roof insulation and the projected heating cost savings. I guarantee she will be so delighted with your brilliant creativity that she will fund your next resin ship kit purchase - I wish. << Be sure to put up the chemical warning sign outside the house in case of fire. Tell the wife it's for the "plastic" insulation. Rusty White Flagship Models Inc. http://okclive.com/flagship/ You can now pay using your Visa / MasterCard -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Richa5011@aol.com Subject: Re: Hanger Deck Catapults >> One of the wartime carrier movies (I've forgotten which, but seem to remember Don Ameche in one of the starring roles) included a USN clip of a TBF or TBM being launched from the hangar deck cat. Shot from inside the hangar deck, it's a pretty impressive sight! << Yes, that is "On a Wing and a Prayer". Don Ameche and a very young Harry Morgan (latter of Dragnet and MASH). A rather melodramatic movie that is redeamed by some really neat carrier footage. It was shot aboard on of the early Essex ships while she was on trials in 1943. Nat Richards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: WEM Adams class kit I just wanted to make a quick mention of my WEM Benjamin Stoddart kit. Any time I lay out over $100.00 for a kit, I am dubious of what I get in return. We have all been there. Pay out big buck for a resin kit, and you just don't think you got your moneys worth. Let me assure anyone buying one of these kits, that you will get your moneys worth and then some. The Stoddart is without a doubt the best fitting, best detailed resin kit I have ever built. The hull is split at the waterline and has locator pins for an exact fit. The fit is PRECISE. No mismatch anywhere. The superstructure, hull and lower hull come wrapped together in the box with plastic wrap. Before I unwrapped it, the fit of the parts was so good I thought it was a solid piece! When it fell into three parts I was impressed. The casting is almost flawless. Just a few small air bubbles on the bottom of some of the smaller parts which are very easy to fix. The model is just covered with (accurate) bulkhead details that really make the model into an impressive looking piece. The huge photo etch sheets are wonderfully accurate and delicate. The ONLY down side to this kit is the decals. It comes with beautiful decals for the ships markings, but does not include any of the deck markings such as warning stripes and replenishment deck markings. I realize this would make the decal sheet about double the size that's currently in the kit, but I would happily pay another $5.00 for it. These markings are very difficult to make (since most of the hazard stripes are circular) so they a real must to be included with the kit. I have spoken to Duane Fouler about making up a hazard stripes decal set for all the these modern vessels from IS and WEM. He said he would produce the decals if he had some measurements to guide him. I sent the measurements to him, so hopefully we will have these markings in the near future. Rusty White Flagship Models Inc. http://okclive.com/flagship/ You can now pay using your Visa / MasterCard -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: raisingirl@mindspring.com Subject: Hangar-deck catapults hello all.... Mike Donegan and John Snyder mentioned an old black and white movie starring Don Ameche as the air officer of an Essex-class carrier. That film is called "Wing and a Prayer" and it also features Dana Andrews (as a squadron commander, if I remember correctly), Cedric Hardwicke and a very young Harry Morgan. Much of the action/carrier-ops stuff was filmed on the Yorktown (which had a hangar-deck catapult, which I believe was removed during her big 1944 refit at Bremerton) during her shakedown passage to Panama for her canal transit. In his book "The Fighting Lady," Clark Reynolds has some great stories about the filming. The director, Henry Hathaway, had a bad leg and thus had trouble getting up and down through decks and up on the island to direct the filming. They came up with a rather inventive solution to that, as I recall, but I forget the specifics of how (it's been about a dozen years since I've read the book, and it's not in Florida with me). The film is interesting because it's a loosely based (and much-cloaked) wartime (1943) version of what kind of happened at Coral Sea and Midway. From the historian's standpoint, it's also interesting because the air operations filming was done while Yorktown still had her original SB2Cs, which during shakedown were so plagued with problems that Jocko Clark refused to take the ship to war unless they were replaced with SBDs (which they were, at Panama). Also, if memory serves, regarding the footage at the very end, showing a quarter-bow view of the carrier: if you look closely, you'll see that the Yorktown is actually running *astern*! This was no doubt shot during some of her trials; the Essexes were more or less optimized for running astern in the event of damage to the flight deck. (In fact, if you look closely at the stern of any Essex-class carrier, you'll notice a blunt prow shape.) All in all, not a bad movie, especially when you consider that it was a wartime effort. Mike Donegan asked: >> Now you got me thinking - I wonder if there are any tell-tale weld marks on the HORNET's hanger bay just aft of the forward elevator where the catapult used to be? << Shirley can speak more authoritatively on this than I can, but I recall looking in those locations on both the Hornet and the Yorktown and can find no trace of them. I've been able to find the welds where the old aft centerline elevator was on the Yorktown (those are fairly prominent, for obvious reasons), but couldn't find any signs of mending on either ship where the hangar cat used to be. Shirley? jodie http://www.mindspring.com/~raisingirl/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Re: Gneisenau >> Need some references for the battleship Gneisenau. Doing a 1/96 model of her with the 38.0cm refit. Hull almost finished and superstructure roughed out. Stuck on the hanger installed at Brest in 1942. Desperately need a decent photo of the hanger area. I saw in the archives that I'm not the first on this subject. << Roy, If thats your name, forgot to post that at the end of your request, send me a #10 SASE and I will send you a photo copy of an article on how the convert the Gneisenau hangar to the 1942 configuration. The article has no photos, but does have great drawings of the hangar. Please look up my mailing address on my web site. Steve Wiper @ www.classicwarships.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: Ken Hoolihan Subject: Re: Trumpeter Pola Hi All, I have this kit. According to my references it scales out at nearer to 1/320 and so is a little too big to fit in nicely with a 1/350 collection. In terms of quality it is OK but pretty basic. A lot of work would be required to build a good model from this kit but a skilled and patient modeller could do it. I doubt if I will attempt it as I have lost that masochistic streak for dodgy plastic kits. Ken Hoolihan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: " Loren A. Pike" Subject: Models in the "Collection" It appears that some of us are collectors/builders while others are builders/collectors. I fully intend to build each and every one of my kits to contest quality standards. So taking an average of 50 hours per kit time, which usually is about a month of work for me, I will only have to live another 208 years to complete my current "back-log" of 2497 kits. Now, granted only 560 are of ships, the majority of which are 1/700th or 1/720th waterline, with a few 1/72nd thrown in as well as an occasional "odd" scale, so I can maybe cut down on the time necessary per individual model. As for the aircraft (mainly 1/72nd), armor (1/72n & 1/76th), airliners (1/200th) and auto/truck/etc. (mainly 1/24th & 1/25th), I can probably "bash" them together fairly quickly once I get "in the mood". Guess I'll have to look for early retirement so I'll have time to work on them. Have fun and build/collect or collect/build them YOUR way!!! Loren Spring, TX USA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: Re: SoDak Props Steve Wiper noted - >> The USN had this problem with both the South Dakota and North Carolina class battleships. They were swapping propellers during trials on the first ships of these classes as much as, possibly more than, once a month, trying to solve the vibration problem. Propellers were trimmed down, and tried three, four, and five blade designs. << One of SOUTH DAKOTA's props is displayed at the entrance to the Mariners Museum in Newport News, VA. The museum is always worth checking out for anybody who visits the area. Mike Alexandria, VA USA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: Dizzydismal@cs.com Subject: Re: Civil War Navies Book Civil War Navies by Paul Silverstone is the latest in a long line of books. He did have a previous edition on the Civil War "Warships of the Civil War Navies" Dennis Disbrow -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19) From: JRKutina@webtv.net (John Kutina) Subject: Advanced Japanese Destroyers of World War II http://www.friesian.com/destroy.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20) From: JRKutina@webtv.net (John Kutina) Subject: Tin Can Sailors Destroyer Site! http://www.destroyers.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21) From: Kurt Van Dahm Subject: Unbuilt kits I recently completed my new office/workshop, the second floor of my new garage, 26' x 40' with a nice storage area for kits and such. The work commenced and everything got moved in and the kits got settled onto the shelves. They had previously been stored in various places about the house. Some in my former small workshop, some in a basement closet, some in boxes in the garage, some in a closet in the spare bedroom and some on shelves in the basement. Well, my wife got a look at all of them in one place at one time. Her question was something to the effect of what was I doing with so many kits? Were some for sale or was I planning to build all of them? I told her I was planning on building every one of them and had figured out I only had to live to about 352 years old! Also told her that each morning I wake up and say so far so good! (only 299 to go!) Take care, Kurt Van Dahm Westmont, IL NRG member -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22) From: Henry Blecha Subject: Battleships on the History Channel Hi While watching the Channel Dash as part of the Military Blunders Show on the History Channel a couple of nights ago, there was a notice that the Show Battleships was due up next week. It is scheduled for Monday at 9pm PST. Didn't catch if it was as series or just one show. If interested check your TV listing. v/r HBlecha from the Calif Upper Mojave Desert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23) From: dlfowler@apple.com Subject: Re: 1000 kits and a divorce? Been there, done that. I now have 10 ships (resin and injection), all 1/350 scale, on permanent display somewhere in the Santa Cruz County landfill. fortunately none of my boxed kits sailed away, only the ones that were on the display shelves. Just as fortunately, those boxed assets were deemed to have "negligible monetary value." Regards, Duane Fowler -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24) From: Edwparent@aol.com Subject: Models of USS Niagara, 1857 Steam Sloop? I am looking worldwide to see if there are any models anywhere of this historic ship. It was the largest wooden ship in existence at the time of its commissioning. Niagara sailed internationally and was involved in the first Atlantic cable laying as well as active duty during the American Civil War. If any of you SMMLies have any good leads on this, please let me know. I am currently building a model of her and would like to see what someone else came up with. Ed Parent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Timothy Dike Subject: In the March issue of ModelWarships.com New reviews for March include: Pitroad/Skywave New 1/700 IJN Heavy Cruiser Takao Shanghai Dragon 1/700 USS Normandy CG-60 Corsair Armada's 1/700 Resin USS Detroit Light Cruiser Tom's Modelworks 1/350 Square bridge fletcher conversion set White Ensign Models 1/350 Photo Etched SMS Konig Torpedo nets (deployed) Classic Warships Warships Pictorial #9 Yorktown Class Carriers. Classic Warships Warships Pictorial #6 Omaha Class Light Cruisers Squadron Signal Publications US Heavy Cruisers in Action Part 1 A look inside Model Ship Journal's Winter 2000-2001 issue New Features added since our last announcement include: A full buildup of the Blue Water Navy 1/350 USS Farenholt by Devin Poore A full buildup of the Tamiya Indianapolis by Len Roberto Ships of the Atlanta Expo 2001 by Kelly Quirk Two new "Walk around" features of the USS Laws and the USS Kidd by Dale Haskin The Guadalcanal feature has been expanded to include another history feature: "Commence Firing Counter Illuminate" New Gallery additions include: Harry McQuitty's scratch built Flak Barge to the Small Craft section The Stealth ship Sea Shadow in the Small Craft section Mark-Allen Horn's 1/350 IJN Musashi and Yugumo Diorama Much more to come, stay tuned. Timothy Dike Webmaster and Editor ModelWarships.com http://www.modelwarships.com/index1.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: ironship@usit.net (Jon Warneke) Subject: Specials Update at commanderseries.com Hi Everyone, We've done a little revamping at the site, and have seperated the armor and ship specials to their own pages. As for the ship specials, we still have the USS New Mexico BB40 on sale, as well as the limited re-release of the HMS Hood. Also, we've put the USS Ainsworth back onto the sale list, and it's in stock. We've corrected the problems with the decals (thanks to John Sheridan for being the up-front guy he is, quickly correcting the decals when he became aware of the problem), and have replaced all of those decals which went out previously. If you haven't received yours yet, they'll either be there in a few days, or give us a call and we'll get a set out to you. Also, we've added some new listings to the kits and the other stuff, so take a look around. Here's the address: http://www.commanderseries.com Jon Warneke Commander Series Models, Inc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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