Subject: SMML VOL 1739 Date: Wed, 05 Jun 2002 00:49:58 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: steel helmet 2: Combat Subs 1/350 Japanese I-400??????? 3: Welcome back 4: modernized New Jersey 5: plans jecobin 6: Jim Baumann's model - USS Panay PR 5 7: VACUUM FORMING 8: Re: Pearl Harbor Paints 9: Plans Source in 1/144th 10: Roma Class BB -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Andrew Jones" Subject: Re: steel helmet Art Well at least just going for a steel helmet doesn't mean that it will be that bad! if you have to go for a flack-jacket as well as the steel helmet then you know there will be some real "good" responses....i always have my steel helmet & flak-jacket each time I put in something..just in case, lol Andrew -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Pwesty" Subject: Combat Subs 1/350 Japanese I-400??????? >> I just received the Combat Subs 1/350 Japanese I-400. Very nice kit but the instructions are in Japanese. The box art shows with gray topsides, teak deck and red below the waterline. Does anyone know the correct color scheme for the I-400s? I have the S&S color chips, if the gray is correct which ship would be the correct gray? << Hi Can somebody please tell me about this kit. I have never heard of a 1/350 scale I-400. Does anybody have a link or anything? Thanks Paul -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Welcome back >> First of all a Hi every one, I am back after 2 years, I moved from Venezuela S.A. to Miami Florida USA and its hard to get settle and every thing running, << Aha you've become a Yankis. :-) Good to see you back on board. Regards, Bradford Chaucer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Gernot Hassenpflug Subject: modernized New Jersey Both Pitroad/Skywave and Tamiya do modernized Iowa class ships by now. The Pitroad kits are sold only inside Japan, but after a couple of weeks the Tamiya ones should be available worldwide. Pitroad produces the individual ships, with their differences (how much detail I cannot say), price is 3800yen in Japan. Tamiya price I did not remember, but it will be around the same mark. Cheers, Gernot -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: chris rogers Subject: plans jecobin Try Jerry himself he is at 31 Romans way pyford woking surrey gu22 8tr if you contact me off list I have his cat of drawings chris OZ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Art Herrick" Subject: Jim Baumann's model - USS Panay PR 5 Jim. Noticed your model of the Yangtze River gunboat, USS Panay, pictured in the May 2002 issue of Fine Scale Modeler, on page 47. I am the one who wrote the USS Panay Fact Sheet, that came with your Iron Shipwright kit. I would like to discuss the model with you. Have been researching the Yangtze River, "six new" (1927/1928) gunboats, for the past 17 years, especialy the Panay. Do you happen to know anything about Panay's British gunboat counterparts on the Yangtze ... HMS Ladybird and HMS Bee, in particular?? Both these British gunboats were involved in the rescue of Panay's crew, after Japanese Naval aircraft, bombed, strafed, and sunk her, on Sunday, 12 December 1937, 28 miles up-river from Nanking, China, on the Yangtze River. The "Panay Incident" ... a prelude to Pearl Harbor !! Please contact me off List. Art Herrick Westmoreland, New Hampshire, USA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Michael London" Subject: VACUUM FORMING I have had a Mattel Vac-u-form for many years but do not recall if I ever had an instruction sheet. It is, however, very simple to operate provided you have the material packs of plastic sheets that come with it. These sheets have a series of holes around the perimeter that fit onto the upraised lugs of the lower hinged flap of the cradle. Once in place the upper flap comes down and clips in place to hold the plastic firmly over the heat chamber. Plug in the Vac-u-form and allow the heat to soften the plastic, a process that takes a few minutes. The master should be mounted centrally on the perforated plate and, if there is any danger of it shifting, held in place with double-stick tape. Test the plastic periodically with a blunt tool to see how far the softening process has advanced and, once satified that it is soft enough, immediately swing it over the master and operate the vacuum handle. The plastic should immediately conform to the shape of the master. If this does not happen because the plastic is not soft enough simply swing the cradle back over the heat chamber and reheat. If you do not have the special Vac-u-form plastic sheets your only recourse would be to cut a sheet to fit the lower half of the cradle and soften the edges by heating gently. Plug in the Vac-u-form. Place the plastic card in the cradle and bring the upper half down to grip the plastic, maintain pressure on the upper half until the plastic has softened sufficiently to allow the two halves to clip together. I was fortunate that, when Mattel discontinued the product, I wrote to them to find a source of the plastic sheets. They sent me a parcel of sheets without charge. Michael London -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: wem Subject: Re: Pearl Harbor Paints Hi Art, >> In addition to the already-quoted letter to the editor from Don Montgomery in the latest issue of Warship International, there was also a long letter to the editor from Christopher Wright (who happens to be the editor) in connection with the career of USS Oglala. On pages 217-18, Mr. Wright quotes a December 1941 Navy memorandum that refers to a trend toward using a darker color than 5-S, and gave as examples the use of 5-N by the Atlantic Fleet and - this is what caught my interest - a preference by the Pacific Fleet for a color midway between 5-N and 5-D. Although the letter may refer to post-Pearl Harbor practice, I would suspect that what some have taken for 5-N in the painting of the battleships at Pearl Harbor and what others maintain was 5-D was really a mixture of the two. Yes, I know this will be anathema to some, but I still offer it as a possible explanation. Now for the incoming.... << No incoming, mate, but just remember to reach for the correct steel helmet for the period: the WW1-style lid and not the later Mk.1 pot. The Pacific Fleet was still conducting specific experiments with paint at the time, on specific ships of specific squadrons. The Battle Line was not involved in these experiments. As for mixing 5-D and 5-N, the former came pre-mixed from the manufacturers while the latter had to be mixed by yards and forces afloat using 5-U White and 5-TM blue tinting paste. I doubt--and there's no documentary evidence for--that there was any mixing of 5-D and 5-N. Best, John Snyder White Ensign Models http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.models/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Lou Meszaros Subject: Plans Source in 1/144th http://lonestar.texas.net/~glover/george.html Not really developed for the scale modeler, these are "stand-off" scale with little detail (because it all gets shot off anyway!) HTH, Lou -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Lou Meszaros Subject: Roma Class BB Does anyone have pictures of completed models of this class, I am looking for good detail shots. Also, was the main deck covered in steel or wood, I have conflicting photos that show both. Lastly, there was a thread concerning green anti-fouling paint used in the IJN and possibly the Italian navy, anyone know if it was ever used on the BB's? Thanks, Lou -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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