Subject: SMML VOL 1279 Date: Thu, 07 Jun 2001 04:56:37 +1000 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Mystery Ship 2: Re: For John Snyder 3: More Liberty ships 4: Polish kit query 5: Libery ship models 6: Mastering 7: B I T - Brit in Training 8: Re: Benson/Livermore 9: Re: Doug G.McAhonic/Parts wanted. 10: Negative Waves? 11: Thanks for the help on CV6 12: One more question 13: Re: Benson/Gleaves Kit 14: Canal boats 15: tips on using eBay 16: Re: Arizona - True/False 17: Re: Rodney (May 41) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Re: Scharnhorst 2: MODEL SHIP JOURNAL SUMMER 2001 UPDATE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: RCClem@aol.com Subject: Mystery Ship My dad was in the Army in New Guinea in June 1944. His landing craft company was temporarily assigned to unload freighters and transports in Oro Bay, which I believe is at the eastern end of the island. One of the the ships he helped unload was a huge converted passenger ship. It was old and unusual in that it had riveted steel hull plates. There was no number or name painted on the hull. He asked one of his buddies which ship it was and was told it was the Mauretania, the sister-ship to the Lusetania. But my searches have indicated that the Mauretania was obsolete and aged by the mid-thirties and was in the breaker's yard by 1935. All of these years my dad, an Iowa farmboy, has thought he was near the great Mauretania. The ship left the bay shortly and my dad went island hopping with MacArthur. Do any of you know which ship that might have been? Roger Clemens Hinsdale, Illinois Hi Roger, It could have been the second Mauretania, which saw service during WW2 as a troopship. She was built by Cammell, Laird & Co and launched for Cunard in 1939. Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: wem Subject: Re: For John Snyder Mike: Yep! You're bloody sharp for a Yank.... Cheers, John snyder -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: cfrieden@calpoly.edu Subject: More Liberty ships Hello everyone, Here are two things I forgot to include in my last post. First of all, I would like to offer assistance to any of you working on Liberty ship models. I am a volunteer aboard the Jeremiah O’Brien, so if I can’t answer a question I can find someone who can. I have a bunch of photos of the ship that I plan on posting in the next few months. Also, I should (hopefully) have some detailed drydock photos in the fall. For those of you interested in the history of the US Maritime Commission construction program during WWII, I just found out that Frederic Lane’s "Ships for Victory" is finally being reprinted. This is the official history commissioned by the USMC after the war. It is not the most exciting read, but if you want any sort of information or statistics about shipbuilding during the war years it is a must have. This book has been out of print for about 35 years, and the prices for used copies were starting to get outrageous. You can order a copy from the Johns Hopkins University Press. Regards, Chris Friedenbach -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Craig R Bennett Subject: Polish kit query Hi Guys Attention to any Polish modelers!! I recently purchased from the Polish model company PLASTYK a 1/72 scale HH-3E Jolly Green Giant and with it came 2 viles. They measure 13/4 long with 1/4 wide. They're a faded vanilla color Each has a different colored cap. One is dark gray and the other a faded gold color. Is this glue ?If so would I have to mix it togather with one being a hardner? Also would how would I apply it? With a paint brush? Well if it is then it's certainly a interesting lesson in cultural difference how things get done. Any reply would be appreciated. Craig -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Doug Marrel" Subject: Libery ship models Dean's Marine has 2 kits, 1 armed, 1 not, in 1/200 scale, R/C or static. try www.deansmarine.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: AJOWENS@aol.com Subject: Mastering A couple of questions for this august group: If you are going to scratch build a ship - with an eye towards possibly using it as a master to cast more - what material would you use? Wood? Plastic? something else? Figure scale to be either 1/700 or 1/350 if that is a consideration. Also on plans, most of these that I find are LARGE scale like 1/192, 1/96 etc. Great for details & reference but too big for templates - where would you get them reduced to the scale you're trying for? (Can you reduce these by 54.86% please? 12 copies?). Best regards, A.J. Owens -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "denis james" Subject: B I T - Brit in Training Does this mean JS will have to barrack for the poms in the Ashes series? All of us in Oz look forward to his brief reports. Rgds..drj Hi Denis, All he can say in regards to the Ashes Test will be that "he bowled a maiden over", to say nothing about a "leg behind" or "caught in slips" ;-þ. The next thing the Aussies will accuse him of being "silly mid-on" ;-) Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Ed Grune" Subject: Re: Benson/Livermore Matt wrote regarding the status of the PitRoad Benson/Livermore destroyer. A few weeks back, an attendee of a toy and hobby show in Japan reported on the PitRoad display. There was not a model of the Livermore on the table. I got the impression from him that the "after May" translated release date on the PitRoad page was part of the imprecision of the language. I got the impression that there is no word for the seaon spring - so "after May" would be sometime after spring - translated into our own imprecise language. Ed Mansfield, TX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: "D.Przezdziecki" Subject: Re: Doug G.McAhonic/Parts wanted. >> I am looking for 1/700 scale IJN Chrysanthemum crests for the bows of several ships (need 5 immediately). Does any one in model building land sell these or have do any of you have some extras they might want to sell? Heck a Japanese ship is not complete until the Emperors seal of approval is on it. << Hi Doug, can't oblige with the parts but maybe this will help: the only 1/700 Chrysantemum crest I know about is included with Seals Models "Mikasa". If you know somebody who owns the kit, borrow it and make 1 piece mould, you can than cram it with miliput (or any other two parts epoxy putty of your choice) and you have as many bow crests as your heart desire. Regards D.P -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "Ned Barnett" Subject: Negative Waves? >> With that statement, you are WAY to bitter. Take it easy man. Life is short enough as it is. Those of use producers who did not do any Pearl Harbor projects to come out at the same time as the movie, may have had other things or commitments that did not allow for any such projects. Try looking at the glass half full. As a ship modeler, you should thank your lucky stars that there has been soooooo much produced in the last 5 to 10 years. Like Oddball from Kelly's Hero's said; "All those negative waves, man" << I hear you, Steve - sometimes I get a bit too tightly wrapped. Thanks for the verbal valium Ned -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "Steven P. Allen" Subject: Thanks for the help on CV6 A big thanks to all who've given me info on Enterprise at the time of the PH attack, especially Jerry and Steve. I'm awed by the interest expressed by the Enterprise vets. I've purchased the carrier kit--I'm starting with the Yorktown version as it lacks all the gallery mounts I'd have to remove anyway. I have enough left of a parts Arizona to do the work, and I've started collecting pics. Now a few more questions: One response noted that Enterprise's decks were stained an expermental blue; another used the word "prussian" to describe the color. Any guidance on what "prussian" blue might look like? Excepting the GMM PE frets, are there any detail parts/sets out there for wither ship? I've been looking in all the places I can think of, but nothing else has turned up. I'm especially concerned over how to build 1/4XX scale .50 cals. It's not that I don't know what the gun looks like; it's that representing it in that scale is going to be tricky. On a previous Arizona, I used bits of PE fret cut down, but I'd like to try something a little more realistic. I wonder if it might be possible to build up from 1/700 or 1/600 20mms or at least their pedastals. My info seems to indicate that all those hull port holes were still unplated on 7 Dec, '41. Does anybody know anything to dispute that? Finally, I don't know whether any of her aircraft were still aboard on the night of 8 Dec, but, if so, does anyone know of any other sources for 1/4XX a/c? Thanks! Steve Allen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: "Steven P. Allen" Subject: One more question Derek mentioned a Tom Freeman painting of Enterprise passing the Arizona wreck: is this painting available on line? I haven't been able to find it. Thanks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "Timothy Dike" Subject: Re: Benson/Gleaves Kit >> A while back I read some where that a model company, I think it was Skywave, was going to produce an injection molded kit of the Benson/Gleaves destroyer class. Has anyone heard of this? << Matt, Pitroad is indeed working on a Benson Gleaves class kit for their Skywave line. There have been a few delays but work is progressing. The kits should cover an early and a late version of each class DD. Their Takao was definitely worth the wait so I'm sure this one will be as well! Timothy Dike Webmaster and Editor ModelWarships.com http://www.modelwarships.com/index1.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: john.baumann@talk21.com Subject: Canal boats Ian, I have also been seeking scale drawings of French Barges (péniches, berrechon, etc) and Dutch Barges (I understand this covers haagenaars, klippers, klipperaak, aak, tjalks and luxemotors) together with any relevant information as regards their 'types' (such as the French 'Freycinet') and the model variations. Personally, the period I am interested in is 1900-1945. Dutch boats are approximately 23 X 4,80m with some smaller 'tjalk' being 15 x 4m. A French Péniche is 38,5 x 5,05m in size. Another member of the SMML Forum was instrumental in helping me obtain some WWII occupation built Péniche plans - though they cost a pretty packet they were worth it, my thanks go to a real gentleman, Jacques Druel, on this score. There is also a dedicated book on French boats which I provide the title of if necessary. A good starting point is two websites. One is a French shipbrokerage site: http://h2ofrance.com where the real thing may be viewed. The other web based source is the French Fluvial site at: http://www.bastille.net/pnich/, once there click on 'vendre' for vessel sales but also have a good look since this is a worthy site worth a visit. Also in the 'small ads' is a gentleman seeking plans for modelling but from my limited grasp of the language I can't get the full meaning i.e., does he wish to build a full 1/1 or scale model vessel. The text reads: Réalisateur de maquettes pendant mes loisirs, je recherche des plans de péniches et des documents pour parfaire mes réalisations. Pouvez vous me communiquer des plans? Merci. gerard.rost@free.fr Many boats have now been converted into living accommodation. The luxemotor perhaps lends itself better since it would retain its sleeker and more attractive boat lines. A more challenging prospect would be to convert an unmodified craft I guess. This is the problem so far as I am concerned, I wish to model an unconverted péniche - and there are fewer of them to discover. You might also like to try the UK based Dutch Barge Association that I recently found on the British Canal site (http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk/links.htm). E-mail: info@barges.org. Web Address: http://www.barges.org/ Also check out the 'links' here. You could also try the Musee de la péniche à Amsterdam but the web link is not working. I understand there are some card boat/ship manufacturers about but haven't progressed this far enough to check whether they provide any European barge plans. Perhaps some other SMMLies can advise here? I recently obtained a 1/87 scale Pola kit which will fit in with my OO-HO scale of modelling, However, I am not exactly sure of what it represents so far as origin or age. If its modern I like to know. Perhaps if you discover more details you would be kind enough to share them with me. Regards, John -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: GrafSpee34@aol.com Subject: tips on using eBay eBay is a swamp, but before totally dismissing it as a resource, try different tactics to locate the odd bargains, which do occur. For example instead of searching by obvious terms such as "USS Arizona" which will get a lot of traffic, try more general searches such as "plastic battleship" or try misspelling Arizona like "Azriona" and see what comes up. Surprising how many dislexic sellers there are, and how few check their spelling. High end valuable items often sell for reasonable or bargain prices, while cheapie stuff often goes for many times its standard retail value. Naturally as the price increases, the pool of bidders who can spare/risk the cash decreases. HTH Dave -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: wem Subject: Re: Arizona - True/False Derek, >> Two questions regarding the Arizona on 12/7/41... A) Were there blast bags on the main guns? << Yes. >> B) Were her decks painted 20B or were they bare teak? << Steel decks were painted Dark Gray 5-D, and teak decks were unpainted. >> I'm getting conflicting information about these two issues. The photo's I've seen of the aft turrets following the attack make it appear as if there were not any blast bags installed. Yet, I've been told there are photos in Stillwell's book showing their presence. << Photos in both the Stillwell book and in the Leeward book clearly show the blast bags in place on the aft turrets after the attack. >> Likewise, I've been told that in Leeward Publications/Ships Data 3 USS Arizona (BB39), by Norman Friedman, Arthur Baker, Arnold Lott, and Robert Sumrall (1978) it's stated the ship's decks were painted 20B prior to the attack. True or False. << False. I've got the book, and they also say that she was in Measure 14, which we know wasn't the case. John Snyder S&S/WEM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: taskforce_58@sympatico.ca Subject: Re: Rodney (May 41) Thanks for the tips. Some further questions. >> 1/ Build the bridge out (see photos and plan) and add the various wind baffle plates << Pardon my ignorance but what are wind baffle plates? >> 4/ A later HACS needs to be added to the top of the bridge tower 5/ Type 279 radar needs to be added to the HACS tower << HACS = ? >> 6/ Remove all saluting guns and add a recess to the starboard side of the bridge behind the coning tower << How many saluting guns are there? From the top and side view supplied with the instructions I counted 12: 4 around the bridge (2 on each side), 4 just aft of the bridge, and 2 on either side of the aft director (although only the 4 around the bridge were modelled with the kit). >> 7/ Rodney carried 2 x 50 ft motor pinnaces and 2 x 45 ft motor launches so most of the boats should be left off. She also carried lots of Carley floats << The kit supplied a number of small life boats, 3 on each side, hanging off the edge of the deck between the X turret and the 6". Should I retain those or were they deleted? What are Carley floats? I assume those are the rubber dinghies? >> 8/ Cut the mainmast down in height << By how much? >> Colour was overall AP507B with AP507A decks (apart from the wood ones) 16 inch Guns were counter shaded. << I assume the counter shading is also 507A? And to clarify as to which deck is wood, I assume that would be the main deck plus the area just aft of the funnel, between the 6" guns where the small boats, mainmast and the aft director is? Also, are there any pictures/drawings that show clearly what the riggings are like? Edmund Hon Out the 100Base-T, through the router, down the T1, over the leased line, off the bridge, past the firewall...nothing but Net. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: wem Subject: Re: Scharnhorst From Heller, Scharnhorst in 1/400 scale. From Revell, Scharnhorst in 1/570 and 1/1200 scales. From Tamiya, Scharnhorst in 1/700 scale. We have them all, and the photoetch details for all but the 1/1200 kit, at White Ensign Models. John Snyder, B.I.T. White Ensign Models http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.models -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Victor M. Baca" Subject: MODEL SHIP JOURNAL SUMMER 2001 UPDATE The Summer 2001 issue of Model Ship Journal is off to the printer. It will be ready to mail on time by mid-June. This is really a nice issue and one of our best, looks very good as only ship modelers deserve. Wait until you see the shots we have of the WWII subchaser SC-772. They're reproduced as large as we could get them for modelers waiting for the Microglass hull coming out this Summer or if you're contemplating making one from Al Ross' or the Musee De La Marine plans. Below is a list of the Table Of Contents for the features: 1/350 scale IRN POLA kit review by Steve Wiper Building the HENRY FORD II by Al Blevins THe SC-772 photo feature NOAA fisheries research ship MILLER FREEMAN plans and photos JAG Collective's 1/700 USS McCloy waterline resin review by Victor Baca Tamiya's 1/350 Fletcher class DD USS Charles Ausburne in both early and late-war versions by Loren Perry Making a mold and fiberglass hull of the 1/192 Flower class corvette by Victor Baca Building the Classic Warships USS ALASKA by Keith Bender USS Epperson FRAM I DD in 1/192 by Don Preul Plus regular features: Page From The Scrapbook, and a new feature on Ships In Color by Kurt Greiner of SeaPhoto, New Products, Lots of book reviews and our regular inside back cover Ship's Fittings Drawings (Imperial German Navy 280mm L/50 main armament turret for the Goeben, Moltke and Seydlitz). I hope you enjoy reading Model Ship Journal--It's our First Anniversary! And, we're already planning the Autumn issue for you. All My Best, Victor Baca Editor & Publisher -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the SMML site for the List Rules, Backissues, Member's models & reference pictures at: http://smmlonline.com 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