Subject: SMML VOL 1500 Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 00:22:43 +1100 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: WWII USS Tracy - DM-19 2: Bureau of Construction and Repair - and varnish 3: Re: WWII USS Tracy - DM-19 4: Re: USS TRACY (DM-19) 5: Re: Shinano 6: Re: SCORPION 7: Carrier Deck Markings 8: Naval Base and Other Small Businesses 9: US Navy Slang 1941 - Part 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Re: Combat Models PC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: ALROSS2@aol.com Subject: Re: WWII USS Tracy - DM-19 >> I am trying to locate some information on the USS Tracy (DM-19) << TRACY (DM 19) was the former DD 214, a four stacker. Photos of several sister ships can be found in Alden's Flush Decks and Four Pipes. Al Ross -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Ed Grune Subject: Bureau of Construction and Repair - and varnish Craig asked about "C&R" and spar varnish. C&R in this context means the Bureau of Construction and Repair -- the folks responsible (at that time) for just about all naval hardware; ships, aircraft, docks, buildings, etc. This is opposed to the Bureau of Personnel (PuPers) which owned the bodies on the ships. Originally, varnish was made from the sap of the Varnish Tree (Rhus verniciflua and relatives). The sap was desolved in a vehicle such as alcohol or linseed oil. Spar varnish was a heavy waterproof coating applied outdoors and marine surfaces (like yardarm spars). Polyurethane varnishes are relatively modern (mid- to late-40s) and a product of better living through chemistry. Ed Mansfield, TX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: JAGURNUT@aol.com Subject: Re: WWII USS Tracy - DM-19 Ref. USS Tracy, NavSource at www. navsource.org, has pictures of Dm-17, 18, and 20. Some are the same class as the Tracy, a good sight for photos. Don -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Matthew Prager" Subject: Re: USS TRACY (DM-19) USS TRACY (DD-214) was a four-stack destroyer commission in 1920 and converted to a destoyer minelayer (DM) in 1937. Check the "Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships" (you can find it online) for the ship's history. A good book for details is Friedman's U.S. Detstroyers: A Design History". As for models, there are the old Revell four stacker kits (such as the Campbelltown) in 1/240, and there was a resin kit in 1/700. I've been putting together info to do this conversion myself, contact me off-list and I'll see what I can do to help. Matt Prager -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "PLOTT, III HERBERT" Subject: Re: Shinano The best overall Shinano model according to my Japanese friends is the Ultra-rare 1/300 Nichimo kit with the 1/700 Tamiya a close second. I have been looking for the nichimo kit for years now with no luck as apparently it was only sold in Japan and has not be re-issued since it's originalissue. If anybody knows of one Please let me know. Hub -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "roy knight" Subject: Re: SCORPION Tom; Thanks ofr the information about the Scorpion. I was able to collect more information from your reply, than I was able to find in resource books at the public library(living in a land locked state I am not surprised!) I would be very interested in getting with you on those line drawings. If you wouldn't mind talking to me off list my E-mail is knight_roy@hotmail.com . I would be willing to pay for the copies and postage. I had already figured that the kit prop was not going to cut it, but I didn't know how many blades I was going to have to make, thanks for that bit of info. The biggest problem that I have is that I grew up in a Navy family, but my dad hunted subs from the air and not the water, so most of his knowledge is classified and he won't talk about it. About the THRESHER-PERMIT class question( forgot it on the last entry) What if any cosmetic changes were made to the class (THRESHER/PERMIT) after the THRESHER's loss? I am considering purchasing a PERMIT class kit from Blue Water Navy. It looks like an excelant starter resin kit. Does anybody have any firsthand info on this kit they would like to share with me? Feel free to E-mail me if you think this string is taking up to much time and space. Roy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Peter Subject: Carrier Deck Markings If assembly of your carrier allows for you to paint the deck separate from the rest of the ship, then consider dry rub on transfers for deck markings. At a large office supply store I can find stripes in a variety of widths, usually only in white but sometimes yellow as well. They are cheap. To use them, cut the strip to the desired length, line it up on the deck carefully (perhaps with a ruler and/or light pencil marks) and then burnish it down. You can use anything to burnish the stripes, though experiment. I have a ball point pen whose cap is just right for me. The stripes are pretty sturdy, but I usually spray a flat overcoat on them anyway. If you look at any of my carrier models at http://www.steelnavy.com's gallery, you can see the dry transfers mixed with decaled lines on almost all of my carrier decks. Hope this helps you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: Peter Subject: Naval Base and Other Small Businesses At the risk over over doing this topic, perhaps what is most important is openness on the part of the mail order operation. We all benefit from the robust cottage industries making PE, resin kits, obscure decal sets and the like. Nobody wants to go back to having their choice of any ship, as long as it is another box scale version of the Missouri whose molds date from 1965! My suggestion is this: if you are doing mail order by yourself in your spare time, just tell us. Tell us on your web site the realistic shipping dates, or about how long it will take for you to get the item you'd like to sell to us. Most folks are reasonable, but with the web it is very possible for a very small business to look like a huge one. I'd like to know if it will take you four weeks to get the item from the maker, and I'll factor that in to my decision to buy. Tell us your policy on charging credit cards-- the general standard on the web is to charge upon shipping, not upon ordering. If your's is different and represents a business practice you need to stay in business, tell us and let us make up our minds. My own unhappiness with Naval Base Hobbies, and what seems to be others' concerns, could have been easily solved by more openness. If you don't have a real time, online inventory system, just tell us that items from such-and-such a maker take three weeks to ship. That way I don't have to bug you by email sooner than that, or, as a first time customer I don't have to wonder if my credit card number left with you to Rio and no models will ever appear. The web has changed everything, as we all have model shops around the world available to us. That makes it all too easy for consumers to take their business elsewhere if unhappy. Assume we are reasonable people and tell us fully and accurately what will happen once we place an order and I think both sides will be happier with the transaction. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Subject: US Navy Slang 1941 - Part 2 "Baffle Painting: ship camouflage; also known as dazzle daubed." "Baluke: a dopey gob." [Gob = sailor, for our non-Yank members.] "Bare Navy: canned food only." "Bar of B.O.: soap." "Beeno: There will beeno movie tonight; there will beeno liberty." "Belay: knock off whatever you are doing." "Big Ticket: an honorable discharge." "Binnacle List: the sick list." "Blow the Grampus: to accidentally spill a bucket of water on a fellow you don't like." "On the Books: on the paymaster's records." "Brick: a muscular girl who won't stand any friendly fooling." "Broken Striper: a Chief Warrant Officer." "Bumwad: home town newpaper." "Buzzard: eagle insignia on sleeve." [NOTE: by the time I was in the USN in the 1960s, this was called a "crow"; I never heard it called a "buzzard".] Cheers, John Snyder USS BAINBRIDGE (DLGN-25), 1966-70 White Ensign Models http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.mo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: WVeigele@aol.com Subject: Re: Combat Models PC Stephen Allen, Another company makes a nice PC model. It is Commander Series (www.commanderseries.com). You should also check the photographs, engineering drawings, and plan and elevation views of PCs in the book "PC Patrol Craft of WWII" (www.astralpublishing.com/pcraft.htm). Good luck with your modeling. Bill Veigele -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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://apma.org.au/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume