Subject: SMML VOL 1239 Date: Sun, 06 May 2001 20:40:57 +1000 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: My first model 2: Re: mixing gloss and flat colors 3: Camouflage Review 4: FIRST KIT 5: styrene cost cutting 6: steel plate 7: First Model 8: Modeler's wives 9: Re: Deminsions of .....Plates 10: The Workbench(s) & First Model(s) 11: Re: First plastic model 12: Re: first model 13: Walrus Help Thank you 14: Gearing Class Fram Fans -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation 1: Washington DC SMMLcon 2001, May 20 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Copperfields Display Cases Has Added New Products -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Norman C. Samish" Subject: Re: My first model >> I remember it very well. My dad bought me the old Monogram P-51 Black Widow kit and I worked on that thing a LONG time. At least 5 hours. Okay, not that long, but it sure seemed like a long time to a 10 year old kid. Crap, I'm suddenly feeling very old. << Rusty, I'm probably even older than you are! We had P51's when I joined the Air National Guard in 1946, but they were called Mustangs, not Black Widows. Norm Samish -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject: Re: mixing gloss and flat colors A suggestion for Joe Sims' query about mixing gloss and flat paints. I strongly recommend that you do not so do. Try experimenting with spraying the glossy (or semi-glossy) area with Testor's No. 1260 clear Dull Cote to "kill" the shine. It is a clear flat laquer overcoat, and is one of the products I mentioned on SMML a few weeks ago to eliminate the shiny area which remained after applying decals (especially bow numbers, etc.) to flay paint used on naval models. I have absolutely no vested interest in the Testor Corporation. Franklyn -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "chenyangzhang" Subject: Camouflage Review Hi Miles Your review is very interesting - however it shows the danger of matching schemes from books and websites. These need to be used only as guidance and prints from the original negatives purchased. This is an expensive business as I know to my cost (having gone this route) and I don't blame people for taking short cuts. I am afraid prints taken from the original negatives do not back up your statements about the N class. The scheme on page 28 appears only as a two colour scheme from commissioning photos to the later AWM shot. The Nepal scheme shown on page 35 is either two colour with some kind of oil mark or four coloured and very complex and unusual. Like Alan I would not like to hazard a guess as to what those colours are. However, it is not a three colour scheme and I believe Alan shows it as four colour as well. I would be delighted to see the photo of the three colour version of the P.28 scheme as I would find that very interesting. The trend was normally to simplify a colour scheme rather than complicate it so this would be an interesting development. Chris Langtree -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Larry Evans" Subject: FIRST KIT Well, my first kit was really a Fathers Day gift. I guess it was 1966, I was around 8. I went to the local Sears with my Uncle Nicky, and saw a Revell, USS New Jersey. My dad had done two tours on the Jersey in WW2 and Korea, so I thought it would be a nice gift. I had a dollar and my Uncle sprang for the rest. My mom almost had a heart attack, but she thought it would be nice too, (she was a Wave, they got married in 1942, after a whirlwind 4 day romance, but thats another story). After a few weeks of hiding in my room, I was ready to present my "gift". I had more Testor fingerprints on that thing than I care to remember. But my dad couldn't belive I did it myself. We actually cleaned it up a bit and painted it together. We built a few more ships together, but then I moved on to Armor and Air, and he kind of lost interest in helping me. It was on his desk until the day he died. When dad passed away I converted an 1/350 Mo to a New Jersey, for my mom. Both kits still sit side by side in her house, under my dads photos, and wartime momentos. Thanks for the memories, Larry -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Kurt Van Dahm Subject: styrene cost cutting If you are anywhere near a large city check plastic wholesalers or plastic fabricators. I buy 4' x 8' sheets of styrene and the cost is very modest. The sheet styrene I buy is identical to that sold by Evergreen in many hobby shops. A 4' x 8' sheet from the wholesaler is approximately equal to the cost of a 1' x 2' piece of the same thickness from the hobby shop if you can buy wholesale. Even if they charge you as retail at the supply house it will still be 1/2 or less of the hobby shop price. I have supplied some fellow modelers who are in the boonies but have UPS service. Take care, Kurt Van Dahm Westmont, IL NRG member -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "lcp9" Subject: steel plate I looked at a couple of plans I have that show plating expansions for US warships. It looks like most plating was 8 feet wide and cut into either 10, 20, or 30 foot sections. Length varied quite a lot depending on where the plate was, but MOST of it was 8 feet wide. Thickness are given in pounds per square foot, 12 lbs = 1/4" , 25 lbs = 1/2" etc The plating expansion in ATOS WARSPITE shows her built of mainly 6 X 30 foot plates. HOOD appears to be built of 5 X 30 foot plates. I guess it depends on where the shipyard bought it's plateshop machinery.......... I also remember reading somewhere that plate would be formed into compound curves by heating the plate and then selectively quenching certain areas. Somewhere here I have the chapter by Norman Ough from MAKING MODEL WARSHIPS that talks about making models out of tin plate (soup cans). He used concave wooden forms and various shaped dowels to rub the necessary compound curves into the plates for his models. These were then soldered together over a multipiece wooden hull plug. I'm sure I can find it if someone is really interested.................... David -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Rod Dauteuil" Subject: First Model As I recall, my first model was the Revell USS Constitution. I remember it being big, but can't determine whether it was 1/96 or 1/192. My dad and I built it together, but since I was new to the hobby I suspect he built most of it to teach me. I even recall him rigging it somewhat. I really don't recall what was next, but I do remember building a Monogram USS Ramsey, USS JFK (when they marketed it as the JFK) and USS Missouri, an Aurora B58 Hustler and DC10 (wish I had those now), and an MPC Vought Kingfisher. Rod -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Paul and Renee Jacobs" <1250man@home.com> Subject: Modeler's wives >> On several occasion we have driven by the hobby shop and she will actually say "you have not bought a model in a long time, let's go in and get something. << Mike, Maybe the next time you and your wife drive by the jewelry store you should say, "I haven't bought you jewelry in a long time, let's go in and get something." Paul Jacobs (Divorce lawyer for 24 years and happily married for 29). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: royrichey@att.net Subject: Re: Deminsions of .....Plates Kelvin, If by S-Boote you are referring to the German Schnellboote, they were not plated in steel. They were planked diagnoally in 12mm white cedar, layered in muslin, and then planked in 21mm mahogany. E-Boat Alert, James Foster Tent, USNI Press has a good chapter (3) on the origin and developement of these craft. Contact me direct if you would like a rundown of what is covered in that section. Roy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "DJMartin56" Subject: The Workbench(s) & First Model(s) The 'Workbench' is a dining table inherited from my parents house in 1994, which I had previously used from around the late 60s (as evidenced by a B&W pic of me and an Airfix Sdkfz Half-track &88) to 1982 when I moved 'out'. It is covered, if that's the right way to put it, with 2 computers, 3 mice, a phone, a cup, salt cellar, spare box of floppies, stack of coins, pens, notes, mini disk labels, TV remotes, assorted junk, but alas nothing has gone down the slipway since its arrival. The aforementioned PCs in their many guises killed off the last 'in-hand and incomplete' ships (Aoshima Nagato and Tamiya Yahagi, both covered with a batch of Skywave extras), the last completions must have been around 1991 (ish), (Aoshima Atago, Tamiya - Suzuya, Ushio, Umikaze (posing per the well known AJ Watts photo) a Hayanami modified as Hamakaze (at least with extra AA, and mods like the Yukikaze Profile book) and a Teruzuki (by name and minor mods from a Akizuki). The spare room, allegedly a bedroom, has rack and rack of 1/700 IJN & Allied warships from the Big 4, hidden from view in a cupboard is the remainder of a once great Airfix 1/600 range, a couple of Suffolk, Ajax, Belfast and a sample of the many Cossack 'conversions' I did (my idea of a conversion does not meet what the experts on the list use that term for!), and the remaining 1/600 DDs from this UK company. I always wondered why Airfix never released conversion packs for their models, so many possibilities from the same basic kit were possible, something the Japanese companies recognised in part. Back to the 'workbench', within cat throwing distance reside the last great ships built on its surface, the 5 KGVs resplendent in the camo patterns (or my interpretation thereof) from the Warship journals, a stack of Essex/Franklin's, and a Matchbox San Diego. Nearby is my Dec 1972 Revell Boston, and Hasegawa Missouri, plus a batch of IJN 1/700s in their menacing overall 'Neutral Grey' from Humbrol, and decks in Ocean Grey......a damn site better colour combination than wood, and so much easier to apply.....! Strangely enough the 'workbench' those 1/700s were built on was a folding camping table, which also launched in part a Frog Fairy Barracuda (as seen in another B&W) in a lay-by on the Tyndrum to Dalmally road (vintage 1965). And what started this career of plastic, well, back in '65 my father went out to buy me a box of Lego, and came back with a Revell Me 109e........ The first ship model was a Revell 1/720 Arizona, not that long afterwards followed by the Airfix Bismarck for Xmas, then I think Airfix Victorious, and so it gathered apace. Most early construction was consigned to the Great Naval Scrapyard around 1978, in part to make space for the increasing numbers of IJN 1/700s. A few of those 1/700 also hit the bucket due to 'bendy-endy' disease, where for some reason, glued on red plastic bottoms bent the ships ends upwards, and the bottom downwards. My specially painted South Dakotas and KGVs also suffered from the disease and most 'glued on' bottoms were cut off, and no new construction had the red bits stuck on thereafter. Last weekend, we had the first ever 'Scottish Nat Mod Championship' in Perth, moved up from Stirling, my sole contribution to the event was to hand over the odd £20 note for books, where at least I have a possibility to 'read' rather than 'construct'. I got 4 of the Warship Data series, Iowa/Missouri/Yorktown/Intrepid, and Myron Smiths 'Tennessee', all of which have been 'scan' read since purchase. I did get a chance to browse the models on display, the ships were few and far between, but there was a display of a Tamiya Shokaku, Shoho and a sub, a Matchbox Indianapolis converted to a Portland, an Airfix Ark Royal (maybe also a Queen Elizabeth passenger ship?). I overheard a couple of judges discussing the merits of what appeared to be an early Holland sub, with figures, fairly large scale and set in a 'sea' display. Maybe when 'retirement' beckons, and I've cleared some space, ensured the PC is 'OFF', I'll get back to construction myself, who knows? (Please don't ask how many kits are in storage.......it'll make a grown man weep.....) Douglas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "Ray Mehlberger" Subject: Re: First plastic model I know that this is gonna show my age....but my first models were not plastic...but wood..with a little plastic thrown in for good measure. I vividly remember the Monogram SPEED-E-BUILT kits of aircraft. I cut my modeling teeth on these. They had fuselages already pretty much formed out of balsa...die cut balsa sheet for the wings....plastic cowls, canopy, and wheels that fitted onto bent wire landing gear. The propellor...also plastic....was rubber band powered. I flew these puppys to death...and after they got old and tired...and covered with masking tape to hold the breakage together again....I lit them on fire for a last trip to Valhala. The next couple of kits I remember were a T-34 Russian tank....out of wood...with some metal track links. There was also a 1911 Maxwell touring car I assembled about then too...it was mostly wood too. The earliest plastic kits I remember were the AURORA 1/48th scale stuff (now defunct) and the kits by Frog/Airlines (also now kaput) of aircraft in 1/72nd scale...and early Airfix stuff after that with melon sized rivets all over them (detail....yeah....right...ha ha). And that...boys and girls....like Paul Harvey says on the radio...is the rest of the story. Ray Mehlberger Contributing Armor Editor for Internet Modeler Magazine www.internetmodeler.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Re: first model >> I remember it very well. My dad bought me the old Monogram P-51 Black Widow kit and I worked on that thing a LONG time. At least 5 hours. Okay, not that long, but it sure seemed like a long time to a 10 year old kid. Crap, I'm suddenly feeling very old. << If you were still a kid when the Monogram P61 (not P51 if it was the Black Widow!!) came out then you are hardly old!!!!! Regards, Bradford Chaucer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: JVT7532@aol.com Subject: Walrus Help Thank you Thanks everyone for the tips on where to find material on the Walrus. I will check it all out tonight. Best regards, Jon -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: Paul Reyes Subject: Gearing Class Fram Fans Hi all, I just received some info from Gene at Jag and thought that I would share it with everyone. >> Paul, Thanks for the inquiry. Yes indeed we do intend on releasing a 1/350 Gearing FRAM as well as a Sumner FRAM. The plan is to release them both hopefully by early summer if not sooner. Currently we are doing a lot of catching up with previously announced releases such as our Gator Navy series, and our Coast Guard cutters in both 1/700 and 1/350. Once a couple of these kits are released, we can begin the Gearing/Sumner patterns. That process should go rather quickly since we kinda figured out the ins and outs with the 1/700 series. Hopes this helps and we'll keep everyone updated as to their progress on Steelnavy.com. Thanks again, Gene Largado << Paul Reyes (Sigs) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: maeisen@erols.com Subject: Washington DC SMMLcon 2001, May 20 Folks: As previously announced, the next Washington, DC area SMMLcon will be held on Sunday, 20 May 2001, 1-3 PM, at Nostalgic Plastic Hobbies in Silver Spring, Maryland. This event will coincide with the Joint Services open house weekend at Andrews Air Force Base, in Washington, DC, so those SMMLies planning to come up to DC to attend the open house can also now attend the SMMLcon, and vice versa! If you have not already done so, please let me know if you think you might attend, so I know how many people to expect. (Please contact me privately by e-mail.) The proprietor of Nostalgic Plastic, Chris Mikesh, is kindly offering a special discount to those attending the SMMLcon, and is willing to take your order if you are looking for something he normally doesn't carry. Call him at the store at (301) 565-0565 to place your order now, so it arrives in time for the SMMLcon. Store hours are M-F: 5-9pm; Sat: 10-6pm; Sun: Noon-5pm. Their web address is . Nostalgic Plastic is located at 2425 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland.It is about 5 minutes south of the DC beltway. To get there, take the DC Beltway (I-495) to Silver Spring, and exit at Georgia Avenue SOUTH. Merge onto Georgia Avenue, continue south for less than a minute, pass the stop light at Seminary Place, continue straigh another hundred feet or so, then turn right at the second light (i.e. the next light) onto Seminary Road (do not be confused by the sign for Columbia Blvd; the right turn at the second light is indeed Seminary Road). Go down Seminary Road a minute or so, and continue straight onto Linden Lane when Seminary Road veers off to the left at the elementary school. Continue down Linden Lane a minute or so more until you get to the strip mall on the right, and pull into the parking lot there. Nostalgic Plastic is located at 2425 Linden Lane, and Nostalgic Plastic Automotive, where we will be meeting, is located at 2417 Linden Lane. If you find yourself going over an overpass and at the Walter Reade Army Medical Clinic Annex, you've gone too far by a few hundred feet. If you get lost, you can call the store at (301)565-0565, and they should be able to help you with directions. Hope to see you on May 20! Mike E -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Copfields@aol.com Subject: Copperfields Display Cases Has Added New Products Copperfields Customer Service 800-311-4946 www.CopperfieldsCo.com 4597 Lakemont Blvd., SE, # 323, Bellevue, Washington 98006 Phone 425-746-4335 Fax 425-746-1185 CopFields@aol.com Copperfields Display Cases, Has Added New Products Dear Friends: Copperfields has added Custom Display Case Bases and Display Tables to its product line. These two products now provide the perfect solution as to where to display that new ship model. (The Custom Display Case Bases can be ordered at a later date to fit custom Copperfields Cases.) Additionally Copperfields has added cherry so that now customers can choose hand selected and matched; oak, mahogany or cherry. For more information and photos, we have updated our web site and now you can order online. To take a look goto www.CopperfieldsCo.com Please let us know what we can do to be of service. Thank you. Web Barth Copperfields PS-We really appreciate your photos for our web site sent by any means; mail, email. Let us know if we can use your name under your photo. Thanks again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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