Subject: SMML VOL 1214 Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 22:27:59 +1000 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: JKN Lunacy 2: Scharnhorst not Graf Spee 3: uss chicago 4: KLMN Destroyers 5: Trumpet Brand "Palo" kit 6: Gulfstream IV kits in 1:72nd 7: I Agree with Shane 8: Re: CV9 Essex 40mm layout 9: Re: Classic Warships Books 10: Re: Pearl Harbor Memorial 11: Polish-Made Destroyer Kit 12: Hobby Shop in Tokyo 13: 1:700 F-14 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation 1: Re: SMML Con -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Plans for sale 2: Update to Classic Warships Book Print Schedule -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Andy Airlie" Subject: JKN Lunacy Quite frankly I'm astonished at the tone and content of some of the posts over the last few days. I'd always thought the list to be a forum for sharing Information for the common good, to criticise so personally for what I expect amount to minor inaccuracies in the overall book, committed in all good faith no doubt, is outrageous! Surely these points could have been made in a constructive manner to allow everyone to appreciate both points of view and obtain as accurate a picture as possible. We've all got specialist areas, but I'm sure most of us appreciate we don't know 100% about any given subject. Shane is right, give it up guys and get back into the spirit of the hobby ! Andy Airlie -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "J. London" Subject: Scharnhorst not Graf Spee Re my posting in 1212 for Graf Spee read Scharnhorst. Sorry about that! The paper model when loaded is (only just) too big for 8.5in x 11in card. Michael London -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Mithrand@aol.com Subject: uss chicago hi list ive just picked up a model of USS Chicago by monogram on the cheap and have found that the instructions are missing. i am glad to say that after a bit of trial and error ive managed to dry fit all the parts together. she was part of the usn modernisation program back in the sixties and looks like a good subject to model with her 1944 hull and newer superstructure but ive only the box art to go by and would appreciate any help at all with the colours and any info on the ship. thanks in advance roy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Malcolm N. Waite" Subject: KLMN Destroyers Shane I only have one question, was Alan Raven advised of these "errors" in his publication before the posting went in to SMML? Malcolm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Ray Mehlberger" Subject: Trumpet Brand "Palo" kit I was in the hobby shop today and saw a kit of the Italian Cruiser "Palo" by a Chinese company called Trumpet. Is this the Tauro kit reboxed? Just curious if anybody knows anything about this one or this new company from Red China. Ray Mehlberger -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Jens H. Brandal" Subject: Gulfstream IV kits in 1:72nd Models of the Gulfstream IV don't abound, but you do have the luxury of choice! Broplan makes two variants - one with the various lumps and bumps for the EW/ELINT role and one without, and the other one is from Welsh Models. Both kits are vacform, the Broplan kit includes landing gear and some smaller bits in injection plastic that have a "limited run" feel to it. Welsh Models include resin and white metal castings. I have just looked at the Welsh Models kit, at their stand at the UK IPMS Nationals, but not studied it in detail, but it has to be better than the Broplan one. To cut costs, Broplan makes all kits fit a standard sized bag regardless of the size of the aircraft. On the GIV, this means the fuselage is broken down in forward and aft parts as well as left and right halves. The wing has the upper surface for both sides, the lower surface being in three parts. This wouldn't be much of a problem if the plastic was thick enough to withstand handling and the fit of parts is good. Neither applies. The plastic is thin and the moudlings have a soft edge - the only thick area are the trailing edges of the wings! The engines are naturally in two halves, but you don't get an intake liner, and the fan is a heavily scribed disc with a "bullet" in the centre. The cockpit is basic, there is some internal main structures to help stiffen the fuselage which will desperately need it. The canopy is very clear and extremely thin. Panel lines are uneven, but generally shallow and wide. There are no decals, and I got mine from Ted Burnett, leadin the IPMS UK Swedish Air Force Special Interest Group - costing £20. Welsh Models moulds its kits in thicker plastic that tolerates much more handling, fit is usually quite good even though Milliput is needed here and there due to the limitations of the process. The undercarriage is white metal, and the intakes are resin castings. Surface details are nicely scribed, and you get decals for Saudia. Shapewise, Welsh Models tend to be pretty good, and this kit will be far easier to build than the Broplan kit (which I ulitmately gave away - knowing that I'd never complete it). If you need a Korpen, then buy the Welsh Models kit and add the fairings from plastic and Milliput - this will be far easier than finishing the Broplan kit to the same standard as thw Welsh kit - the other alternative being to purchase both kits and use only the antenna fairings from the Broplan kit. Decals can be obtained from Specialtryck and Flying Colours - I think Rebell Hobby in Stockholm hold stocks. Jens -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "FCR" Subject: I Agree with Shane Hello list I strongly support the comment from Shane. PLEASE let us just speak of ships and models. My graduation is of History and Foreign Affairs and I have to deal with all these situations every single day. Don't let it also involve our precious hobby!!! Happy Modeling and Good Ships. Regards Filipe C. Ramires Lisboa, PORTUGAL P.S.: Packing things now to go back to the UK!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: ALROSS2@aol.com Subject: Re: CV9 Essex 40mm layout If you can find a copy of Raven's Essex Class Carriers, this may help. Alan has a drawing of the bridge circa August 1944 that shows only two quads; the forward-most mount had been removed. Faltum (The Essex Aircraft Carriers, p. 164) states that "...during her only wartime refit in San Francisco in Apr 44, Essex received the later style bridge, two 40mm quad mounts on the port side on the former hangar catapult sponson, and two 40mm quad mounts on the hangar deck level on the starboard side aft." So, it appears that ESSEX mounted seven quads during the period you wish to model. Faltum, Andrew. The Essex Aircraft Carriers. Baltimore, MD: The Nautical & Aviation Publishing Company of America. 1996. Raven, Alan. Essex-Class Carriers. Annapolis, MD: U.S. Naval Institute Press. 1988. Al Ross -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: Re: Classic Warships Books Steve wrote - >> After dealing with the bureaucracy at the ISBN Agency (USA), I now have all I need to go to the printers on books #11 Lexington Class Carriers, and #13 IJN Kongo Class Battleships. << Hey Steve - How about the book on the Sims class destroyers -- to help build that wonderful 1:192nd scale kit of yours? v/r, Mike -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: Re: Pearl Harbor Memorial Another book on the subject: "Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial: A Pictorial History" by Richard A. Wisniewski and Herbert Goeas, from Pacific Basin Enterprises. Published in several revisions between 1977 and 1986. (No idea if it is still in print.) Mike Alexandria, VA USA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "Mike Leonard" Subject: Polish-Made Destroyer Kit I don't know the lineage of this particular kit, but I recently acquired a Royal Navy "I" class destroyer from a Polish company called "ZTS Plastyk", in 1:500 scale. Full hull, about 60 parts molded in gray polystyrene, a bit crude by today's standards but definitely with some potential. It comes with decals for three ships: HMS Ivanhoe, HMS Hesperus, and HMS Harvester. Instructions are entirely in Polish but easy enough to follow. Mike Alexandria, VA USA Hi Mike, This sounds like it could be the old FROG RN H class DD kit. Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: "VanBuren, Peter M" Subject: Hobby Shop in Tokyo >> A while back there was a posting about a hobby shop in Tokyo that was good. Well, I am here TDY for a few weeks and wondered if anyone had the address. I can endure the subway for this. << I just got back from Tokyo, so first of all a huge THANK YOU to the SMML'ers who pointed me toward some excellent hobby shops in Tokyo. I had a great and owe you all a debt of thanks. Now for Bob: If you can read Japanese or have someone with you who can, the best thing would be to buy a copy of MODEL ART magazine. This is a major monthly Japanese hobby magazine (all in Japanese). There are ads for hobby shops all over Japan in each issue, most with maps and directions. This is very much the best way to approach this. Also, if you're going soon, the May issue has pre-war/WWII crusiers as its cover story, with some excellent photos of the new Tamiya Indianapolis as well as some other PitRoad kits. If you like those ships, the mag is worth the price. Larger book stores sell this mag-- you won't find it in hotel book racks or the venders near subway and train stations (unless it is a very cool train station...) Also, look for (again only in Japanese) a magazine called Seikai Hune (I think... the title translates to "World's Navies" or, "World's Ships"). It is about 100 pages of photos and text about modern ships. This month's theme is amphibious ships, with some nice photos of USN vessels. The two best shops I visited are called Yellow Submarine and Leonardo's. Both are chains with branches in Akihabara, Shinjuku and other places. I suggest if you don't speak Japanese to go to Yellow Submarine (YS). Leonardo's was hard for me to locate even speaking Japanese. FOR YS: Go to the JR Akihabara station and exit out and head west, toward the main strip with all the electronic stores. You want to find a multi-storied building called the "Radio Kaikan". I did not see any ENglish signage and darn little street side Japanese signange identifying the building. It is only about 3-5 minutes walk from the station, due west and you'll get to the building before you reach the main strip (if you head east you'll hit Showa-dori, a huge road with an elevated highway over it, wrong way. If you go south you'll hit the river; wrong way. North, you'll just wander parallelt to your destination. The building is south of the construction site you'll see if you go west but too far NW...). WHen you reach 'radio kaikan" take the elevator up to the 7th floor for YS. They have no shop holidays at this location and are open to I think at least 20:00, but go earlier to allow time to get lost. The shop is literally jammed with everything model-like. They have a nice ship section, with just about the whole of Tamiya's waterline series, most all PitRoad/Skywave, lots of other makers' waterline stuff and a medium-sized resin section. You can buy high-end stuff, including a limited number of Solid Castings (mostly JPN Imperial destroyers when I was there). You'll see shrinck-wrapped Photoetch, and neat little turned brass ship's cannon barrells. There are also a huge supply of PitRoad white metal cast aircraft in 1/700. Most things are 1/700-- few Japanese houses are big enough for an extensive 1/350 collection I guess. The shop also has extensive sets of tools, glues, paints, air brush stuff, books, etc. Prices are all marked, and are about 10-20% off Japanese retail. If you're thinking in US dollars, you'll find the prices on Japanese stuff cheaper than US, especially since you don't pay postage). Anything from outside of Japan will most likely be more expensive than mail order in the US. YS also has a handout with maps to all their other stores. Ask for it at the counter. My guess is a taxi driver will know radio kaikan if you ask close to Akihabara but if not, taxis are very expensive. FOR LEONARDO's: Go to the JR Akihabara station and exit out and head EAST. You'll hit Showa-dori, a huge road with an elevated highway over it. Cross this road and be sure to stay on the same side of the river you are now on. After you cross the street, look for a subway station exit to your right. That marks the small street you'll want to walk down, walking east, with your back to the JR station. You'll walk about 10 minutes through an area that is mostly small factories and warehouses. Its not dangerous, just a strange place to find a hobby shop. You'll eventually get to a major road crossing your path E-W. Across the street is a Japanese police box (koban). To your left, on your side of the street is a Family Mart convenience store. Go there. On a building to the left of the Family Mart, on the second floor, is Leonardo's. The only sign I noticed was in the window on the second floor, in Japanese (the name in katakana). Look for a door on the north side of the side street. There was no sign, but you'll see a row of apartment-style mailboxes and, your most important clue, a poster stuck up of a IJN ship at sea. You've arrived. The store has everything YS has, plus a huge mass of odd-ball ships kits, to include-- 1/1200 Revell ships, odd, old PitRoad stuff in the old green boxes, an ancient Hasegawa Heianmaru with a goofy plastic "sea" base and I believe but am not sure of, 1/400 old Tamiya ship kits. Prices are all marked, and are about the same as YS. For my own interests, YS was more than enough. If you like odd stuff, Leonardos's is worth the walk. It could just have been a bad day, but I found the staff at Leonardo's unhelpful and unfriendly, while the staff at YS seemed to go out of their way to be helpful and chatted. Neither place seemed to have any English speakers around, but everything is marked and you can certainly ask by ship name (or bring a catalog with you). Leonardo's also offers a frequent buyer's card, where after you spend Y30,000 (US$280) you get a Y2000 discount on your next purchase. Both stores have other branches. Watch out for YS, however-- some branches sell only "game" stuff like Warhammer figures and anime figures. Have fun. For me, with no decent hobby store nearby and thus almost all my purchaes are by mail, the chance to nose around all those kits in person was great. Did I mention that most Japanese kits are not sealed boxes? You can actually open the boxes and look at the sprues in the store, a huge help. Best, Peter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "Baumbach, Werner" Subject: 1:700 F-14 As I have currently a couple of carriers on my workbench, and there never seem to be enough aircraft, I was searching for additional ones. I have gotten Pitroads Set, which looks pretty good to me, but there are only a couple of each in there. Is any of the manufacturers offering these as well. Like, if I was trying to get 20 F14s, preferably with the wings in the back position, where would I look for those. Or is the only option to get 5 pitroad sets and cut the wings in the right position. Same question for F18s and A7s. Happy and peaceful modelling Werner -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Re: SMML Con OK, just plunked down hard earned cash for tickets and a hotel, See you all there. Do we have a preliminary list of attendees If John Rule is coming. I'm bringing my video camera - you have to do a reprise of the joke you told at SMML Con 1 in Keith's hotel room that night after dinner. BTW I will be staying at the Day's Inn Alameda on Western. If any of you are staying there, please look me up. I'll be arriving late Thurs afternoon 4-19-01 I'm looking forward to a great event. Regards, Bradford Chaucer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: CokerRE@aol.com Subject: Plans for sale SHIP PLANS FOR SALE---US NAVY South Carolina (BB-26) 1906 1/4 scale USN set $80.00 obo Nevada (BB-36) blueprints 1/16 $25.00 Oklahoma (BB-37) 1/16 30.00 Indianapolis (CA-35) 1930s 1/16 35.00 Ranger (CV-4) 1/16 USN set 30.00 Saratoga (CV-2) 1944 1/16 USN set 30.00 Lexington (CV-2) 1940 1/16 50.00 Miami (CL-89) 1944 1/16 30.00 Vincennes (CA-44) 1930s 1/16 35.00 Charleston (AKA-113) 1975 USN general arrangement 30.00 Spruance (DD968) 1978 1/16 40.00 Glennon (DD-840) 1945-47 1/16 by Chesley 20.00 contact PC Coker off list at cokerre@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Update to Classic Warships Book Print Schedule I will be printing the covers to Warship Pictorial #12 Benson/Gleaves Class Destroyers &14 USS Wichita CA-45 with the two books I just dropped off at the printers this morning. I will post the covers for #12 &14 on my web site ASAP. These books are to be printed in July/August, this year. I should be shipping books #11 & 13 to dealers before the end of this month. WP #12 Benson/Gleaves Class Destroyers will contain 72 to 80 pages, with 140+ photos and a few copies of original USN "Blue Prints" on various ships of the class. Retail price will be $15.95. WP #14 USS Wichita CA-45 will contain 56 to 64 pages, with 75+ photos, copies of the original USN "General Booklet of Plans" from 1939 and 1945, and various drawings of the ships weaponry. Retail price will be $11.95. Printing this fall (September/October): WP #15 KM Schnellboote, and WP #16 USS New Jersey BB-62. Thanks, Steve Wiper www.classicwarships.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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