Subject: SMML VOL 1905 Date: Thu, 05 Sep 2002 00:35:54 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: Texas and USS Gettysburg 2: Road trip though Atlanta 3: Speaking of TEXAS... 4: Re: Oldest commissioned ship in the U.S.Navy 5: Re: battleships 6: Re: Fish tank Diorama 7: SS Canberra 8: The Very Model of a Modern North Carolina 9: Re: The Last Voyage 10: Re: Texas 11: Re: Warship vol XII 12: LST Hull Number 13: Re: Question about old ocean liner in movie 14: Re: "fish tank" diorama 15: Japanese transport set 16: Re: Question about old ocean liner in movie 17: PH Tribute - Opinions Welcome 18: Question about old ocean liner in movie 19: Re: Question about old ocean liner in movie 20: DD HMS Shikari 21: The Last Voyage 22: Re: The Last Voyage 23: Re: Need hull number 24: Best place to live 25: best place to live 26: Claridon 27: Re: old ocean liner in movie/IJN Aoba 28: U-Boats lost 29: Re: Question about old ocean liner in movie 30: Almirante Latorre 31: BWN 1/350 USN Decal Set 32: Re: Best Place to Live - A Climatological Reflection 33: Re: Heller Hood Mods 34: Old Liner... 35: USS Constitution 36: Re: THE LAST VOYAGE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: FS PSM 1-24 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: ken.p.lemaster@exxonmobil.com Subject: Re: Texas and USS Gettysburg I've lived in Texas from far south, Brownsville area, to north, Dallas, and west, Alpine. The coldest and hottest were both in Dallas, 5 degrees F, and 113 degrees F, although not in the same year. As an aside, the Gettysburg from Italarie looks to be the Mobile Bay kit from DML. I had a chance to look at for a very short time, the instruction sheet is new, but everything else looks like the standard DML. I am also building the Ingersol kit from Trumpeter. I would like to say the there are a lot of parts in the exact same location as the DML kit, however, not all are the same. Also, the molding is not as crisp. It is an interesting kit to experiment with before I build the DML kit, yes I have both and I hope the DML kit will fit together better. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: NEVENGER@aol.com Subject: Road trip though Atlanta I plan on this weekend to pass though Atlanta, GA on a business trip that came up. Are there any hobby shops of note worth stoping by and if so could I get an address or phone number to such. Rich ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Mike Bartel Subject: Speaking of TEXAS... Speaking of Texas, can anyone tell me the differences, if any, between the BBs TEXAS and NEW YORK in the WW2 years until their retirement? By the way, I've been to Texas and found the natives to be friendly, welcoming, and mostly decent folks. Don't let George W. Bush cloud your impression of folks from Texas. He's from New England, originally, anyway! Mike Bartel ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject: Re: Oldest commissioned ship in the U.S.Navy To Al Blevins Although this may sound like a belligerent response, believe me it is not meant so to be. Can you please give us an official Navy definition of the term "in active service" in this context? I do not recall ever seeing this phrase, and withold further comment until enlightened, other than a paraphrasing of Benjamin Franklin's admonition "Eternal vigilance is the price of (Liberty, in that other Franklin's case) Truth". Franklyn (No relation, I was simply named after him, way after,) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Andrew Jones" Subject: Re: battleships >> I suspect that there are more than a few troops who went ashore in Normandy, on June 6th, 1944, who could tell similar stories, as the average "grunt" has absolutely no idea regarding either the accuracy, or the destructive potential of heavy naval guns. Battleships may be obsolete, but are those heavy weapons also to be discarded?? Maybe we need a new type of vessel?? << well I bet the Rangers @ Point Du Hoc (or was it the invasion of Sicily?) would disagree & only appreciate the destroyers, cuz wasn't it a BB that sent a shot, landed short & I think killed one person but covered the HQ squad in yellow marker dye as the BB had fired a marker round ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Re: Fish tank Diorama >> Try a glass company, looking for a textured (one side) sheet of glass for the sea surface. Properly painted it makes a great (relatively) calm surface. Cutting it for the hull to project through could be difficult. It might be better to cut the hull and epoxy it to each side of the glass. You might be able to find some at a building wrecking yard, it used to be quite popular in office doors, to provide a degree of privacy. It might be worth while to buy the entire door if you have to, and sell of that which you don't need. << "rippled" plastic panels used to be available, though the only thing I found at Home Depot and Lowes was "crackle" plastic which has a sharper diamond like pattern. It is used as diffuser stock in drop ceiling lamps. Try a plastic supplier who carries plastic "privacy" paneling. Regards, Bradford Chaucer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Andrew Jones" Subject: SS Canberra Lorna you are going to build something.... Falls off my chair! so SS Canberra for End of year comp Lorna?? Can't wait Andrew now working on my end of year comp stuff... hopefuly 3 ships..2 or 3 tanks.. 3 figures, 2 aircraft & maybe 3 sci-fi, 2 diorama & a surprise looking car ..but see if time & sanity will beat me ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Michael Worrell" Subject: The Very Model of a Modern North Carolina After some rather disjointed posts of mine on the issue of battleships, I've finally gotten back 'round to the topic of the list, namely model ships. All the talk of modern battleships made me look wistfully at my newly-opened NORTH CAROLINA, and dream of building her the way I wanted to when I bought this particular variant. Basically, I was going to operate on the premise of, "What if John Lehman and Company had reactivated NORTH CAROLINA along with IOWA and the rest?" I got so far as to planning the 'obvious' modifications to the ship, but I've a few questions, plus a general request for suggestions. On with the show of modifications, according to the rough draft of an outline that I made: 01. AAA -Do not install any of the AAA; fill all mounting holes. -Cut down the fore/aft 40mm mounts port/starboard, flush with deck. -Replace forward and aft superstructure 40mm mounts with Phalanx CIWS port/starboard. -Cut down the aft railings for the 20mm mounts, port/starboard. -Maintain stern 40mm emplacements, filling the "holes" and painting them gray per a photo of IOWA. -Modify "C" turret to remove 40mm gun well, or get another "A" turret from the company. 02. Aviation -Remove catapults and aft crane. -Mark the stern for a helo deck per IOWA. 03. Secondary Battery -Remove #3 & #5 five-inch turrets port and starboard. -Replace with 8x Tomahawk ABL. 04. Masts, Antenna, Etc. -NTDS aerial at the bow. -The two aerials that project from the bridge of an IOWA. -Um, whatever else a modernized NORTH CAROLINA would have. That's kind of where I ran out of ideas, mostly because I've never done anything like this before. But, if I don't fiddle around and experiment, I won't learn anything. I don't have any scratchbuilding skills, so that's obviously out. I'm not that good at most of the skills required to do this job, but I figure I can wing it. Therefore, I'm curious if anybody knows of a "details" kit that would allow me to install a pre-fab CIWS, ABL, NTDS aerial, what have you. I've got a nice overhead shot of an IOWA that gives a lot of "large" detail, which is about all I can hope to install at this point in my career, but hope springs eternal. Any criticism, advice, suggestions, or otherwise is appreciated. Thanks for continuing to give me hope that some day my HMS HOOD will be finished and looking better than my other battleship models---which wouldn't be hard. Of course, if I pull this off, perhaps there might be a modernized HOOD in the future. Or that VANGUARD I've recently gotten interested in. Yay. Michael Worrell "You think you know what I'm doing, so obviously you don't."---Aeon Flux ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: royrichey@att.net Subject: Re: The Last Voyage Axel, The ocean liner was the French ILE DE FRANCE, built in 1927. The movie was filmed in the Inland Sea. Rent $4000.00 a day. The damage in movie was real, what, no special effects? Roy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: NAVYDAZE@aol.com Subject: Re: Texas OK enough about Texas I agree with Steve Wiper. We here in the USA have a special place in our hearts for Texans. They can be difficult, braggers, tall stories and all that but they are the first to volunteer when there is trouble. And I believe that they are the only state in the Union that can leave the USA if they choose, I think that was part of the deal of becoming a state. So no more jokes - you noticed I said nothing about being from Oklahoma, as we are right above Texas and when we flush our toilets it goes down to . . . ah never mind :-) Michael Donegan NAVYDAZE Naval & Aviation Artist http://www.navydaze.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: royrichey@att.net Subject: Re: Warship vol XII David, Contact me off list, I have the book and a scanner. Roy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Rick Heinbaugh Subject: LST Hull Number Michael Donegan wanted info about the LST that blew up at Pearl Harbor. Source: "The West Loch Story" by William L.C. Johnson, published by Westloch Publications, Seattle, WA, 1986 Just before departure for Operation Forager to attack Guan and Saipan, 34 LSTs were nested in the West Loch. On 21 May 1944, shortly after 1500, LST 353 exploded along with five others. LST 353 had as deck cargo an LCT full of mortars and 2,500 rounds of 4.2" ammunition. Other LSTs nearby in the West Loch carried 5" ammo or 4.5" rockets or 40mm and 20mm ammo. Others carried gasoline drums for their embarked LVTs. The explosions began as the LCT on LST 353 was being unloaded of mortar ammo due to a change in plans. As the ammunition exploded, it sent flames and fragments over the other LSTs, resulting in the loss of LST 179, LST 43, LST 480, LST 39 and LST 69, a Coast Guard manned LST, which was also carrying an LCT on deck. Casualties were 169 dead and 396 injured. The LSTs were anchored in the West Loch, at the mouth to Walker Bay, between Intrepid Point and Hanaloa Point. Rick Heinbaugh Seattle, Washington ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "Ken Goldman" Subject: Re: Question about old ocean liner in movie According to a fascinating history on the enclosed URL, the Claridon was played by a rebuilt Ile de France and was partly sunk - down by the bow anyway - in the filming. http://www.schuminweb.com/ocean-liners/ships/ile-de-france.htm Ken Goldman THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER unique wood sculpture and fine scale models www.walruscarpenter.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: "David T. Okamura" Subject: Re: "fish tank" diorama One consideration when tinting the sides of a "fish tank" diorama is that unless the interior is lighted, you should make the coloring only about half as dark as you desire. The reason is that light has to pass through twice before it reaches your eyes -- once through the top and sides to illuminate the subject, and then through the side wall again sending the image to the viewer. Tamiya makes some transparent colors, but you might try an experiment with airbrushing colored inks. I know of one diorama where the modeler used green food coloring thinned to suit! He also designed this diorama to be viewed from the front, top and sides only -- the rear wall was sprayed much darker than the sides and front, giving the illusion of depth. Take care when spraying the interior walls of the "fish tank" (you shouldn't spray the exterior as the color will rub off during handling), as it is very awkward. It's also difficult to achieve a consistent coat in the corners without ruining the effect with spray pattern lines and drip marks. Good luck! David T. Okamura ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: "Andrew Jones" Subject: Japanese transport set Ok 2 of the kit I will be working on for end of year will be the 2 transports 1/700 from Tamiya ok my question is mainly about the sub transporter.. would the mothership be moving as the mini sub gets dumped off the back of the ship or would it be moving very very slowly or would it be at a complete stop????? my thinking would be ...moving very very slowly as for colour scheme I will just look at the book of surving ship at the end of the war & see the bases or where they were built & get the WEM colour from there ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: "David T. Okamura" Subject: Re: Question about old ocean liner in movie Axel Wolters wrote: >> Does anybody know, which ship played the role of the "Claridon"? << While her "official" name was Furansu Maru, this liner was actually the former French Line flagship Ile de France, launched in 1926 and retired in 1958. The Japanese shipbreakers actually held a Shinto ceremony laying the "spirit" of the beloved liner to rest, before they renamed her and sailed off to Japan. This was in accordance with the French Line's desire to have as dignified an end for their old ship as the circumstances allowed. However, a funny thing happened on the way to the scrapyard... For $4,000/day, the ship was leased to film "The Final Voyage". The French Line was outraged at this "sacrilege" and went to court. While unable to block the movie production, they did succeed in somewhat disguising the ship's former identity. After the ship was partially sunk, once-grand interiors blown up and the forward funnel sent crashing down, the mutilated remains of the ravaged Ile de France was towed off to merciful oblivion. See http://www.schuminweb.com/ocean-liners/ships/ile-de-france.htm for a brief history of the Ile de France in her glory years and final degradation. I don't know if there are models of the Ile de France in her later appearance (her original three-funnel profile was reduced to two after WWII), but that would be the perfect start. The funnels were still French Line red and black, but with a hastily-superimposed white diamond and letter "M". Also, from stills of the opening credits it appears there's significant rust streaks and most of the lifeboats are missing -- but you might want to build the "Claridon" as in her better days. I have a Revell kit of the RMS Queen Mary, and every so often I wonder about replacing the plastic foremast with a wire replacement sturdy enough to anchor upside-down on a base, giving the ship the appropriate inverted list for "The Poseidon Adventure". Since I live in Southern California, I can't claim I lack research material -- the actual Queen Mary is in Long Beach, while the huge 1:48 scale, 20th Century Fox studio model of the S.S. Poseidon is in the Los Angeles Maritime Museum. David T. Okamura ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: Derek Wakefield Subject: PH Tribute - Opinions Welcome I worked up this webpage last December as an experiment to see if I could manually code an idea I had for a Pearl Harbor-BB Row tribute page. I got a lot of good feedback from friends, but then it got stuffed away and forgotten about. Recently I found the files again, and decided to put it up in a corner of my website. The URL is... http://www.iscandar-66.org/ph/bbrow.html I'd appreciate any feedback you might have to offer. Since I don't have any cool models to show off, I figure this at least gives me something to contribute. Understand, I'm not a pro webpage artist. Also, I already know some of the graphics don't line up properly. This is one of the reasons why I chose not to put it up in the first place (ie, it doesn't look exactly like I'd like it to look). It's called I work with an old Amiga with a relatively low res screen, and what how my browser interprets code isn't necessarily how PC browsers interprets code. This really limits how much I can debug my code. Derek Wakefield ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: "david harris" Subject: Question about old ocean liner in movie >> last weekend I saw an old movie in the TV. "The last voyage" or "The last voyage of the CLARIDON". Its an american movie from 1959 starring Robert Stack andd Dorothy Malone. It tells the story of an ocean liner "Claridon", a two funnel-ship, whose engine blows up and the ship later sinks. Most of the scenery deals about a dramatic rescue-action of Dorothy Malone, who is trapped in her cabin due to the explosion. I like old passenger ships (besides my other field: IJN ships in 1:700 scale) and so my question is: Does anybody know, which ship played the role of the "Claridon"? Maybe a ship of the at that time very famous "Presidents Line". I have an old PYRO Kit of a Presidents lineer which looks similar to the Claridon. I am sure, they didnt sinke the ship in reality, although the scenes with the ship down with the bow looks very realistic for a movie from that time. But there is no real sinking scene. Maybe some of you american guys out there konws more about that film. << TNT in the UK show this movie from time to time & I read in a review of the film that the producers obtained an old liner and actually sank it at the climax. Maybe that explains why the film got an Academy Award Nomination for special effects. Had a trawl through a search engine or two & found out that the ship was originally called the Ille De France. Upon retirement from service she was renamed to the Farunsu Maru in preparation for scrapping & then finally to the Claridon for the film. Acccording to the information on the links, after the filming they raised & scrapped her. Please see these two links for more information on her: http://www.greatships.net/iledefrance.html http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsI-J.html Regards. David. England ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19) From: Kenneth Ng Subject: Re: Question about old ocean liner in movie The movie which Axel Wolters mentioned was called "The Last Voyage". The liner used in the movie was the "Ile De France", just before she was scrapped by the scrapyard in the 1950s. For the production they actually flooded some of her compartments for real, so that the sinking which we see in the movie is very realistic. A lot of people, however, think that the movie was a very sad last chapter for a majestic liner which was once a vanguard in the design of liners in the 1920s. Kenneth ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20) From: "Erhardtsen" Subject: DD HMS Shikari >> I am sure that the Royal Navalists on the list will provide more information, but the Shikari was a 1919 Admiralty "S" class Destroyer, a class which by WW2 had been refitted as minelayers. The were built with either 1- 3" gun & 2- 4" guns or 3- 4" guns as well as 2 double 21" TT. As for models, I do not think this has been done in 1/700 or 1/350 yet - but there might be something close. << I did make the old S-class in scale 1/700 some years ago, and I can make another cast fore you, if you need one. Erik Erhardtsen ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21) From: Subject: The Last Voyage The sinking ship is indeed real, the Ile de France in fact. I understand this this was the vessel which rescued those aboard the Andrea Doria. It was obtained from the Japanese company which had purchased the ship after the original owners disposed of her. One imagines that an above average amount of planning would have been required as retakes might have been a challenge. Robert Lockie Swindon UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22) From: raisingirl@mindspring.com Subject: Re: The Last Voyage hello all.... Axel Wolters wrote: >> last weekend I saw an old movie in the TV. "The last voyage" or "The last voyage of the CLARIDON". Does anybody know, which ship played the role of the "Claridon"? << The ship was actually the Ile de France (which was converted from three-funnel to two-funnel postwar), right after she had been sold for scrapping by the French Line to Japanese shipbreakers. The ship actually was partially flooded to make it appear to sink, and there was actual damage inflicted (i.e. the funnel actually did collapse, that kind of thing). Reportedly the French Line was quite irate that its former flagship was used in such a scandalous way, especially when it was with the understanding that she'd be scrapped more or less in peace, and made doubly sure that no such affairs happened when the Liberte (ex-Europa) was sold a year or two later. "Life" magazine did a photo essay on this part of the making of "The Last Voyage" when the movie was being filmed. In addition, John Malcolm Brinnin's "The Sway of the Grand Saloon" has a rather sardonic passage on the Ile's rather undignified exit.... jodie ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23) From: LARYEH Subject: Re: Need hull number >> Does anyone know the hull number of the LST the caught fire or blew up at Pearl Harbor during the war. I understand part of her is still there. Appreciate any info or details anyone can give me in my research for this ship. << Michael Donegan asked about LST lost in Pearl Harbor. Well, there were 6 of them. Hull numbers 39, 480, 179, 43, 69, and 353 The whole story can be found in my response to a question in the INFOSER column of WARSHIP INTERNATIONAL (vol 2- 1980) (pages 193-193) Some sources omit LST-39, but read the item for details. On page 193 there is a picture of the bow of one of the vessels in Pearl Harbor taken in 1967. It was still there then. For those who never heard of the incident, there was an explosion on board some nested LSTs (some with embarked LCTs as deck cargo) on 21 May 1944. The blast was apparently caused by mishandling ammunition. Over 450 men were killed or wounded and other ships damaged. The vessels involved were preparing for the invasion of the Marianas. The 6 LSTs were total losses, along with 3 LCTs. (I'd send the article, but I do not have a scanner, and don't think I kept a separate copy after it was published. If there are specific items you want to know, I'd be happy to try to answer) Aryeh Wetherhorn ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24) From: Bendinggrass@roadrunner.nf.net Subject: Best place to live With respect, and I mean respect, I think you good folks should know that my homeland, Newfoundland, is probably a "contender", with great natural beauty, the ocean, generous and peaceful people, and an even tempered climate. A great place for children and adults. Come and have a look. Regards. Randy Nugent ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25) From: "Denis J" Subject: best place to live Aw gee Steve, just when I wanted to throw my 2c worth in you spoil sport it! So I'll do it any way. I'm surprised you guys are still arguing 'cause its already decided. Adelaide in South Oz. The driest State in the driest continent etc. Had to laugh about the Texan comments. Roughly corrosponds to how the rest of Australia feel about Victorians. Those of you unaware of the divisions between the States in Australia are I think about to be educated. lol. I am a battleship fan. I am quite sure that they could be made efficient both in personel and financial terms if that good old yankee inginuity were brought to bear. 13 inch sabot rounds going 100 miles.. Hmm, thats fair coverage. And what ever you may say about their protection against modern munitions its still a" little" better than anything else that is floating. Leaving aside the bombardment issue, how about a 'goal keeper' role for the Carriers. The value you put on something is often best expressed by how far you go to protect it. In those terms given the importance to the USN of the CV's I'd expect all 4 BB's being inbetween the bad guys and the Carriers when ever they enter hostile waters. I've watched the procurement battles here and in the States and come to the conclusion that in a lot of cases its "boys and their toys" Every one wants the latest and flashiest. BB's are just not "in" Just my 2 bobs worth( and strictly "imho" & underline the 'h' word.) Cheers Denis James ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26) From: "Robert Morris" Subject: Claridon Axel: The ship was the Ile de France. Yes ,they did sink her. The ship had been sold to a japanese scrap company. The movie people sank her in shallow water ,then raised and scrapped. Robert Morris North Benton OH USA ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27) From: John Snyder Subject: Re: old ocean liner in movie/IJN Aoba IIRC, the ocean liner in the cited movie was the S.S. ILE DE FRANCE, and they did indeed sink her. As for AOBA, according to Lacroix & Wells, she was built with a single rudder and there is no mention of rudder modifications in her modernizations. Best, John Snyder White Ensign Models http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.models/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28) From: Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject: U-Boats lost Can any SMML suscriber please refer to the book "U-Boats Destroyed: German Submarine Losses in the World Wars" by Paul Kemp and give me the full entry (if any) concerning U-103 of W W 1? I returned the copy I had borrowed from the Inter Library Loan system, but recently acquired a original snapshot of this rather large boat in a harbor setting. She must be a later boat, as she carries two deck guns, one forward and one aft of the sail. Franklyn ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 29) From: FBustelo@aol.com Subject: Re: Question about old ocean liner in movie Hello Alex, The liner in the movie was the Ile de France. The French Line and the French Government were mortified to find out what happened to their flagship in the making of this movie. Apparently, she was sold to a scrap yard in the Far East and the new owners decided to lend it to the movie studio for this film. I forget exactly what they did to her in the movie, but I the caused one of the funnels to explode and collapse and I think that they may mave partially sunk her. In any case, there was nothing that the French Line could do but from then on, the were careful to stipulate in all future contracts with scrappers that the ship in question would only be scrapped and used for no other purposes. Felix Bustelo ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30) From: Lou Meszaros Subject: Almirante Latorre Can anyone steer me to a set of plans for the Almirante Latorre? I need to see the bulges. Thanks in advance, Lou ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31) From: FBustelo@aol.com Subject: BWN 1/350 USN Decal Set Hi Folks, Mike Bishop informed me that his USN Decal set is long out of production. Anybody out there know of one for sale or are willing to part with one? I am specifically looking for the top half of the sheet, the aircraft markings. Thanks in advance, Felix Bustelo ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32) From: "Edward F Grune" Subject: Re: Best Place to Live - A Climatological Reflection I've lived both in Upstate New York and in Texas. I have to say that I have not yet had to shovel 18 inches of 98 degrees off my driveway in order to get to work Ed Mansfield, TX I wasn't born here - but I got here as fast as I could ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33) From: Frank Allen Subject: Re: Heller Hood Mods The primary problem with the Shelter Deck (aka "Boat Deck") is that it is not wide enough. If used as is, the small screens to each side (the enclosed fo'c's'le deck) sit too far inboard instead. They should be flush with the hull sides. If left as is, they will create narrow walkways on each side amidships that simply did not exist. Because the Shelter Deck is too narrow, it also means that the various extensions for the 4" and UP anti-aircraft armament are too far inboard as well (well, some are). Some of the outermost edges should also be roughly flush (some are flush, some slightly outboard, some slightly inboard) with the edges of the hull below, when viewed from above. 1. Extend the existing piece of plastic. You'll need to remove the splinter shield and add plastic stock onto the outer edges of the deck, in effect widening it. Afterwards, you can build new splinter shields, etc. or 2. Using an accurate set of drawings (NOT Norman Ough, but Sambrook Marine or the excellent book by "John Roberts"), you can (after copying/scaling them down) cut out a new Shelter Deck. You'd still have to add all the splinter shields and fashion various Ready Use lockers, ladderways, etc. It would also need to be planked (though I imagine you could use slimmed down grooved styrene. You will DEFINITELY need to fix the enclosed focsle deck structures...Heller left this area devoid of all detail (as have nearly all injection moulded model makers with the exception of Italeri). This was not one continuous straight wall (on each side), but a two large structures which varied in shape. See said plans for details. Of course, if you go through the trouble of fixing the Shelter Deck and the enclosed focsle deck beneath it, why not replace all the wooden decking while you're at it? It would be a good chance to get all the planking to match and to replace much of the weak detailing on these decks. Ah, once you fix the Shelter Deck et al, then comes the superstructure(s). A total lack of windows, slits, etc. A bevvy of detailing options. Then there are the funnel bases...they need roofs (not sure why Heller and Airfix left them open...they were most certainly topped off. At least painting it is going to be easy- just make sure you get a number of tins of WEM's paints- lots of AP507B (lots of it), a couple of AP507A and maybe a tin of corticene (Hood still had some corticene covered decks). The rest of the paints you need you probably already have (black, white, a "teakish" colour, etc). See http://hmshood.com/models/tips/HoodPaint.html for the right paint scheme. Speaking of painting, whatever you do, don't paint the 15" gun blastbags white!!! Nearly everyone does that and as a result gets it wrong (they were medium grey- more or less hull coloured when she fought Bismarck). Frank http://hmshood.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34) From: Richard Sweeney Subject: Old Liner... Axel, I think you'll find that was the Liner "Ile de France" she was converted to two stacks later in her career. And yes she was partially sunk for the movie, then Raised and scrapped. Sad end to a great ship. Richard Sweeney ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35) From: Richard Sweeney Subject: USS Constitution Don't be so sure of yourself Alan, I was down at the U.S.S. Constitution last night and the Crew was running Gun Drills, Just because she doesn't have motors, doesn't mean she's not active... ;^) Rich Sweeney ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36) From: HGYL@aol.com Subject: Re: THE LAST VOYAGE The ship used in the making of the film "The Last Voyage" was the French Line ship "Ile de France" (my apologies to French speaking members of this list; my keyboard does not have a circumflex). After withdrawal from service in 1958 she had been sold by the French Line to a Japanese scrap firm who sailed her to Osaka, ostensibly for scrapping. The scrap merchants, however, then chartered her to a Holywood film company at $4000 per day for the making of the film. Whilst she was not actually completely sunk she was more than somewhat abused by the film makers and there was a great deal of outrage at the undignified treatment of the "Ile de France". French Line took the film makers and the scrap merchants to court and succeeded in having the identity of the ship disguised in the film, e.g. the red and black funnels were obscured. In the early 1960s I was sailing as a junior engineer in a ship in which Ron Rowntree was chief officer. Ron had sailed as second officer in "Ile de France" during WW II when she had been a troop ship and he was particularly upset by what had been done to her. I never saw the film but I understand it was not very good, to say the least. Best wishes to all, Harold Lincoln ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Simpson, Leo" Subject: FS PSM 1-24 For sale, Issues 1-24 of Plastic Ship Modeller. They are sold as a set and not as individual issues. Offers to me at my e-mail address. Best Regards, Leo Simpson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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