Subject: SMML VOL 1939 Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 13:00:41 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: Apollo 12 2: Availability of aftermarket barrels for 8"/203mm and bigger guns? 3: Re: Preserving old ships 4: Musashi fantail color 5: Re: USS Albacore 6: Re: Displaying waterline models, Lindberg HMS Hood 7: Albacore 8: Destroyer destined for Navy's mothball fleet 9: Re: Dry land "docking" of museum ships 10: Apollo 12 11: OOPS Aust $ 12: Re: DUKW 13: USS Batfish 14: Re: 1/400 IJN kits 15: Re: Strips of brass 16: Re: Lindberg HMS Hood 17: Re: preservation... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information 1: SMML site update -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Seawaves 2003 Calendars ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Re: Apollo 12 >> This isn't exactly about ships but it does come close. Back in 1969 Apollo 12 was launched into space to go to the moon. Since the Apollo rocket used 3 stages to gain speed and leave earth orbit. The 3rd stage used to take the command module and Lunar lander to the half way point and the lunar lander was pulled out by the command module. This rocket booster continued on leaving the earth and moon and then orbited the sun taking 31 yrs. According to the news it's now returning close to the earth. Since the sun is 93 million miles away from earth how many miles would this thing traveled.? << You know, I really hatted these trick questions in High School! This cannot be answered with the lack of information you have provided. Steve Wiper ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Hyun Yu" Subject: Availability of aftermarket barrels for 8"/203mm and bigger guns? Folks, I was wondering if there are aftermarket makers of replacement guns? Say 8" guns and bigger... If they are available, do they make generic ones (i.e., "Royal Navy 8" gun Mk. so-and-so"), or are they kit-specific? Thanks in advance, Hyun Yu ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Ken Goldman" Subject: Re: Preserving old ships I seem to recall that the Cutty Sark sits high and dry in a drydock. The hull is protected and you can walk around and marvel at her bottom too. NOTE: this is not meant to be taken as a straight line for you wags out there. Ken Goldman THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER unique wood sculpture and fine scale models www.walruscarpenter.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Reynaga, Tim@EDD" Subject: Musashi fantail color >> Ok. I picked up the Tamiya new tool Musashi and am hooked... I've settled on WEM Sasebo gray for the hull and superstructure and WEM IJN deck tan for the majority of the deck. What is the color used on the deck where the fantail catapults are used? It doesn't look like the hull color... Suggestions? Any other colors I should be aware of? I've got the underwater red and gold for the crysanthemum. << There is continuing debate as to the exact material composition and color of Musashi's aircraft handling deck aft, but it seems to have been asphalt over steel, much like the helo decks on the fantails of the modernized IOWAs. Ensign Yoshida in his "Requiem for Battleship Yamato" describes the color of that deck on sister Yamato as "jet black", so the asphalt may have been left unpainted. Straight black in 1/700 would look a little stark, though; I'd probably go with dark gray. In addition to this, there were panels of linoleum alongside the aircraft trolley tracks. These linoleum sections are depicted in the Tamiya kit with medium gray decals, which may or may not be accurate. The deck linoleum used everywhere else in the IJN was a chocolate brown or ochre, but maybe Tamiya knows something we don't. The 1/50 (17 foot long!) Yamato at the Tokyo Maritime Technology Museum built by the Nihon Kaigun Kantei Mokei Hozon-kai ("Scale Modeling Association for the Preservation of the Imperial Japanese Navy Heritage")shows a hull gray deck with lighter gray linoleum strips, like Tamiya... Regards, Tim ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: louellet@uism.bu.edu Subject: Re: USS Albacore The USS Albacore is not buried in any way. She rests high and dry on a concrete cradle about 1/4 mile inland from the Piscataqua River and 27 feet above sea/river level. This is a nice page I found through a web search that has photographs of the process: http://www.seacoastnh.com/navyyard/ussalbacore1.html It wasn't easy and they did run into some problems, but they got it done! Larry Ouellette Volunteer, USS Salem (CA 139) United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum Quincy, Massachusetts, USA http://www.uss-salem.org/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Poutre, Joseph A" Subject: Re: Displaying waterline models, Lindberg HMS Hood In the water, by themselves or in groups. That's how I prefer my waterline models. I have a few that sit right on the shelf, and they don't look right to my eye. My bases are wood, stained, sealed and painted on top with acrylics mixed into artists' gel medium. I'm experimenting with different color combinations to see what looks like deep ocean, shallow water, and river water. So far my water has been calm, but I'm going to experiment with waves. The problem with waves is that you have to add those parts of the hull that become exposed in a trough, so it's easier to start with a full-hull model. As for the Lindberg Hood, you can buy it, build it and sink it with a BB gun. A block of wood the same size would be as accurate and easier to make look like the prototype. Some models are just not worth the effort. Joe Poutre ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Richard Sweeney Subject: Albacore Unless they've changed her in the last few months Albacore is not back filled with dirt. She is sitting in a rock filled pit but the walls of the pit are about 5 feet away from her. It's the end of the channel that they dragged her out of the Pisqataqua river into when they beached her. As you don't go that far down, I'm not sure if she is actually sitting on the ground or up on short supports. I lean toward supports, but will try to see next time I'm up that way. Rich Sweeney ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: JRKutina@webtv.net (John Kutina) Subject: Destroyer destined for Navy's mothball fleet http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20020919-9999_7m19decom.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject: Re: Dry land "docking" of museum ships The U.S.S. ALBACORE, a small experimental submarine designed for the field testing of state-of-the-art hull, propulsion, and other concepts for nuclear-age submarines, is on display near (but not in) the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (U.S.A.). A large elongated soup-bowl shaped depression was dug to accomodate the ship, which rests on keel blocks. Thus one can get a good appreciation of the cigar-shaped hull, the contra-rotating propellers, etc. Two holes were cut into the hull for doorways, and they are connected to the land by short bridges, one for visitor entry and one for exit. There seem to be few, if any, serious maintenance problems with such an arrangement. TV producers love to show ALBACORE spectacularly breaking through the surface at almost 45 degrees, with at least one third of the forward part of the hull poised in the air and then splashing down with a grand wave, whenever nuclear submarines become an item of news or documentary interest. Now that must have been quite a ride !!! And the camera work was indeed serendipitous as well. Franklyn ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "John Rule" Subject: Apollo 12 >> There is less than a 1 percent chance that J002E3 will hit either Earth or the moon before its departure from Earth orbit, the statement said. Even if it did, its relatively small size -- about 60 feet long -- means it would not be considered hazardous. << ....................But then again if it hit you on the back of the head I think it would be more than a little hazardous. John ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "Bob McDonald" Subject: OOPS Aust $ Yep! Dead right fellers. The figure should have been $33. But as I had just arrived home from spending 2 days on a bus with 72 twelve year olds and had consumed the obligatory amount of single malt upon arrival I beg your forgiveness on this error. At least it shows somebody is actually reading my messages. Yours A very frazzled Bob Mac ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: M Brown Subject: Re: DUKW An English company actually have a radio controlled kit for a fully amphibious DUKW. Dave Metcalf, might be the company. Will have to have a read through my old Model Boats. Michael Brown ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "Robert Salmon" Subject: USS Batfish Hi Everyone, An article ran in 18 March 2002 issue of The Daily Oklahoman regarding the efforts of a number of volunteers to maintain and restore the Batfish. I don't know what level of funding that they have received (indeed the article states that in some cases the volunteers are using their own money), but the article describes refurbishing the conning tower, yoeman's office and radio room. The article describes efforts to replace artifacts such as dishes and bunks. All of this is described as an ongoing activity. In past visits, there were signs posted in the forward torpedo room stating that naval reservists had worked on the submarine. So, while Batfish is a long way from any facility that could drydock her, she is getting some long-term care from people who care about her. Thanks, Robert Salmon Norman, OK ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: "Peter K. H. Mispelkamp" Subject: Re: 1/400 IJN kits Hi: Well, the good news is that a large number of IJN ships have been released in 1/400: Yamato - UPC, Doyosha (the same?) and Nichimo (not the same ) Musashi - UPC, Doyosha (the same?) and Nichimo (not the same ) Shinano - UPC, Doyosha (the same) Nagato - Otaki Mutsu - Otaki Mogami (as a aviation hybrid) - Paramount, Nippon Hobby (probably the same kit) and maybe Tamiya* Suzaya - Nippon Hobby, maybe Tamiya* Mikuma (or maybe a pre-conversion Mogami) - Nippon Hobby, maybe Tamiya* Kumano - Nippon Hobby, maybe Tamiya* Tone - Paramount, maybe Tamiya* Myoko - maybe Tamiya* Haguro - maybe Tamiya* Maya - maybe Tamiya* I-400 - Doyosha * I have seen Tamiya 1/400 scale instruction sheets which listed a ten ship strong collection of Japanese Cruisers - with more coming. I have seen a Tamiya 1/400 scale Suzaya, Myoko, Haguro and Maya on Ebay - so I am inclined to believe that most of these ships were also released by Tamiya - or at least molded by Tamiya for other companies. Now for the bad news - all of these kits are OOP and have been for a very long time. I am one ship away from completing both the Mogami and Tone classes, so until I get them you will not get them for nothing:))). All of the big ship kits can easily reach bidding prices in the range of $100.00 to $400.00 US - especially the Tamiya boxed ones. A Tamiya Haguro went for $500.00 US once! In all, I own 9 of these kits, and I conservatively estimate this collection to be worth about at least $1,200.00 US. Sometimes I think I should sell my collection and move into 1/350 but it seems like no one is, as of yet, willing to release or re-release these IJN cruisers - never mind BB's from other classes than the Yamato - in that scale. Besides, where am I going to find 1/350 plastic injected models of all the WWII cruisers, pocket battleships, subs and KM escort vessels, French ships, as well as Italian heavy cruisers that I already own? Not to mention all the ships released by Mirage (Polish and French DD's, or about to be released RN CL's and possibly DD's)? Now if anyone out there wants to divest himself/herself of a 1/400 scale Mogami, Mikuma or Tone - please contact me off the list. Regards Peter K. H. Mispelkamp ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: Joel Labow Subject: Re: Strips of brass Point your web browser to . I have dealt with Special Shapes for many years and they are a very reputable company which carries all manner of brass strips, special shapes such as L and Z bars, small nuts and bolts, sheet stock and much else. Joel Labow ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Re: Lindberg HMS Hood >> I would not worry to much about getting the Lindberg if you want a model of quality. If you have kids and want to break them into modeling the Lindberg version I think is great. If you want something to build for yourself but is still cheap then get the 1/400 Heller kit. I just got the Heller kit myself and while it may not be as good as gold it is at least as good as silver. Counting the Lindberg as good as copper in value that is. While none of the local stores in the US that I know of has gotten the Hood in stock, I can say thank you to WEM for getting me mine. Ray if you are reading this remember I got mine first and I promise to bring it by first chance. << The Military Model Distributors (this is the parent company to Squadron Mail Order) hobby shop flyer had an announcement for the Heller hood, due in about 30 days or less and will retail for $45. Steve Wiper ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: Doug Wilde Subject: Re: preservation... Dennis, Doesn't S.S. Badger have a triple expansion engine? Pretty much the last of her kind. Well I remember crossing the Lake on the Milwaukee Clipper in the 1950s. Could that have been the germ of this grand obsession? Doug Wilde ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Mistress Lorna Subject: SMML site update Just a quick note to let you all know that the SMML site has got the following additions. I've had to split the Carrier Update into two parts so if you're still working on something for the site there is now still time to send it in. Added New Mainbrace Galleries for the following: Jaime Campbell, Joe Poutre, Shane Weier, Rui Matos Updated the following Mainbrace Galleries: Chris Rogers, Darren Scannel Added the following to Shows: QHME 2002, IPMS (USA) 2002 Nats Updated the Club Techno page Archives 1870-1938 added Carrier Update Part One Updated The following Mainbrace page: Mark Krumrey HMS Invincible & USS Wasp added to Articles IJN Unyo added to Reviews HMS Illustrious (1986 & 2001) added to RN Reference page USS Oriskany added to USN Reference page Updated the USS Kittyhawk page Cheers Lorna ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Seawaves Magazine" Subject: Seawaves 2003 Calendars Seawaves Magazine Special Offers Seawaves is pleased to offer our beautiful calendars for 2003. Each month a different vessel is featured. For more and information and to order, make a selection from the buttons on the left side of this page. Calendar Description Price 2003 Canadian Navy $17.95 2003 Royal Navy $17.95 2003 Royal Australian Navy $17.95 2003 US Coast Guard Cutters $17.95 2003 US Navy Aircraft Carriers $17.95 2003 US Navy Amphibious Ship $17.95 2003 US Navy DDGs $17.95 2003 US Navy Knox Class Frigates $17.95 2003 US Navy Diesel Submarines $17.95 2003 US Navy Nuclear Submarines $17.95 2003 US Navy SSBNs $17.95 We are happy to accept custom orders. Have your organization featured with a calendar! Calendars promote your business every day of the year. For more information or wholesaling opportunities, please contact us. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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