Subject: SMML VOL 1859 Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 01:22:18 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: who is towing the Notingham 2: Re: Nottingham towing 3: Eugen von Savoy 4: Re: 2003 Nats 5: Re: Mirage Models 6: 2003 Nats 7: USS Constitution at Nats 8: For Dennis Campbell 9: Re: Japanese modeler's web site ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information 1: Wooden Ships at US Nationals -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: New Essex book from WRPress ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Andrew Jones" Subject: Re: who is towing the Notingham They are using 3 tugs..1 Aussie 1 Kiwi oops New Zealander & I cant remember the 3rd ..singaporean?? 1 on the bow, 1 on the stern & the 3rd is just sitting off in case it is needed. It will go to Newcastle, where a detail inspection will take place & then after about a month a floating drydock will come & collect her/he/it (depending on how you wanna be correct) Andrew ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Evenden Chris" Subject: Re: Nottingham towing >> Who's towing? RN? Or did they hire the Dutch? << Hi Robert, I think the Nottingham is being towed by Australian and New Zealand merchant tugs. Thanks, Chris ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Terry Wiltshire Subject: Eugen von Savoy Dear All From an article about the battleship Szent Istvan, in this month's air and sea models dot com. It is very interesting to note how warships of three navies (Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy) were named after the same individual (the only such example in history), an Italian (actually a member of the Savoy family) who fought on the side of Austria-Hungary and Germany in the XVIII century. Terry Budapest ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Erhardtsen" Subject: Re: 2003 Nats >> Finally, a category where I'm good enough to compete! I hearby claim, copywrite, trademark, and patent the following two model ideas: 1. An open-sided box painted black inside with a star field image in the background. Title: "Cloaked Klingon Bird-of-Prey" 2. A flat base with blue acrylic gel medium to simulate an ocean surface. Title: "Submerged SSBN" << That will leave you with corners in outer space, and what ocean might it be, with a one color blue surface deep enough fore a submarine not to be seen from the surface ;-) Erik Erhardtsen ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Ed Grune Subject: Re: Mirage Models David Miller asked about the Mirage Models line of kits and photoetch. I bought the Mirage Type VIIc 41/T4 and the etch to accompany it. The etched fret contains a complete replacement for the deck. The relief etching improves on the engraved styrene deck which is a little soft. I assembled the hull halves and the styrene deck, then sanded the deck to recieve the brass decking. IMO the brass deck is just a tad wider than the plastic deck & hull casing. Its jomething that can be remedied with some judicious filling and sanding of the deck turn-down. Perhaps adding a shim to widen the hull might help. Other PE details include the upper and lower wintergarten decks (also relief etched), railings, gun details, anchor, ladders, radar & RDF loops, and aft antenna standoffs. A great detail is the decks are bored to recieve the legs on the railings and antenna fittings. This can be made into a very nice model with only minimal work. The Mirage product line doesn't include anything for their Type IX subs yet. I'd imagine that they are on the way. The Mirage brass sets are designed to only fit the associated kit. There is no generic brass set, although nothing is to stop you from doing parts swapping. I also picked up one of the torpedo boats, but the local hobby shop didn't have the associated brass set. This weekend is the open house at Squadron Mail Order. Its just up the road from me and I intend to go and check their offerings of Mirage etched detail sets. I hope to get the brass for the torpedo boat as well as pick up one of the Revell 1:125 scale U-Boats to accompany the new replacement resin & brass conning tower from James Corley (Nautilus Models/AAA Hobbies). More on that later. If anyone wants me to look for something specific contact me off-list. Ed Grune Mansfield, TX ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Kelvin Mok Subject: 2003 Nats >> Ever hear of a Klingon Bird of Prey, or Romulan battle cruiser? It's a stretch, but they do have cloaking devices and would be eligible. And of course ships are included in the mix as well. << The original model idea that really impressed me was a small irregular pyramid of white styrofoam stuck on a cocktail stick mounted on a wood coaster. That was titled as a 1:10,000 scale model of the iceberg that sank the Titanic. He explained he modelled only the tip of the iceberg as he wouldn't have room on his display shelf for the other 9/10 ths. Nobody saw what was underwater that fateful night anyway so the details would have been pure conjecture. Throw in the science on how icebergs are formed, how they float down from the Arctic, etc. and it was one helleva of a model with a history. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Jeff Herne, NJAHOF" Subject: USS Constitution at Nats While I didn't attend the Nats this year, too busy preparing for my own event next week, the comments made here have brought another question to the forefront which I believe has yet to be addressed. Rusty mentions this Constitution was made of wood...how does that fit into International PLASTIC Modelers Society?? (If it was the big Revell kit with wooden decking etc., then forgive me) Mr. LaPadura and I had a situation while judging at the Regionals in CT this year that clearly emphasizes this point... We were teamed to judge 1/72 soft-skinned vehicles...and a gent had a scratchbuilt 'armored jeep', a British subject which basically consisted of a jeep-sized vehicle with an armored body on top. In the builder's comments, he noted that he used brass, white metal and some small resin parts. While we could not find any flaws to the piece, the head armor judge argued up and down with us that this model, although perfect (the 2nd and 3rd place models were not) it could not win because it lacked the required amount of plastic in the construction. I'm playing devil's advocate here, because plastic has long since been supplemented by photoetched brass, resin and white metal parts...has IPMS changed the rulings on the primary materials in construction? I've always noticed that larger models often use the 'wow' factor to their advantage, which IMO, is not right. Oftentimes, the larger scale models are not as well constructed as smaller subjects, yet, they are given a break because of the size and scope of the project. I know modelers who will spend thousands of hours on a project, folks such as Bob Steinbrunn and Gary Kingzett. And while they are obviously the top of the game and rarely lose at a competition, there are others who build projects who lose to some modeler who spends 100 hours fiberglassing a hull and adding HR Products to a project that requires a semi-truck to bring to the show....thank heavens Bob and Gary only finish 1 project every 2-4 years! :-) The only solution in my opinion is the addition of an award or category that focuses on the overall scope of a project...the sheer size...a large diorama, a scratcbuilt model with 6000 parts, etc....It's a major quandry when a small 1/385 ironclad is perfect, yet competes against a giant that's not... Jeff Herne Director, NJAHOF PS: Top Gun 02, next Friday and Saturday, Teterboro NJ, all ship categories included. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "shaya" Subject: For Dennis Campbell http://www.oshipy.com/users/omami/e-frame-hint.htm Dennis this is the link you are looking for which can be found on various places on our site. Shaya Novak Naval Base Hobbies www.modelshipbuilding.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Mitsuaki Kubota Subject: Re: Japanese modeler's web site Hi Denis, I think the web site you are finding is OMAMI's "J-Model Works". Please go to http://www.oshipy.com/users/omami/ and click the button of "English edition". Hope this help! Best regards, Mitsuaki Kubota http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/hmdock/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Jean-Pierre Coddron" Subject: Wooden Ships at US Nationals I have a question. If I understand Rusty White's comments on the US Nationals, IPMS USA allows non plastic models for their annual contest. I was not able to find a full version of the US contest rules. Could anyone tell me where I can find them on the web and also on what ground it was decided to allow non plastic items to a 'Plastic' Modeling Society's contest. No criticism in this question, but I am the organiser of Belgium's National Contest and up to now, all models have to be made of at least 70% plastic, except for figures where traditionally metal is allowed. I would like to have my club mates allow other materials than plastic too, as for ships, it seems to me very difficult to know how to calculate these 70%: is it on volume, on weight or on the number of pieces? In the 1st case (volume) a GRP hull and deck would be enough and most modern ship kits could compete. In the 2nd case these kits might be excluded because of the weight of white metal components and/or steering gear, while in the 3d case, even normal, static plastic kits could be excluded because of the large number of small PE parts. Thanks for your comments ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: SANDLE Hobbies Subject: New Essex book from WRPress Hi all, Just a quick note to say that we've recieved our first shipment of the new book from WRPress: Essex Class carriers in WW2 by Glenn Arnold. It retails for Australian customers at AUD$60.50 and for overseas customers at AUD$55.00 After a quick squiz through the book, I'll go out on a limb and recommend it for anyone doing a WW2 Essex model. All the best, Shane SANDLE Hobbies http://sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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