Subject: SMML VOL 2123 Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 04:02:13 +1100 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: German grammar 2: World's Worst Warships book writer 3: My first airbrush? 4: Specifications for triple screw propellers 5: World's Worst Warships 6: Re: The World's Worst warships 7: Re: World's Worst Warships or Is Mr. Anthony Preston Talking Throu His Arse??? 8: Hornblower - what a good yarn 9: PSM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information 1: SMML site update 2: TF 72 REGATTA ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: joe.sus Subject: Re: German grammar Sideshow Bob explained his "Die Bart Die" tatoo as being German for' "The Bart, The". Presumably he's referring to the Jean Bart. Is his grammar correct? Joe Suszynski ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Robert Hernandez" Subject: World's Worst Warships book writer >> The Naval Institute Press has finally published Antony Preston's "The World's Worst Warships", 30 case studies of a ship or class of ships(dating from the 1860s) that the author deemed failures of naval construction. << Hello Leonard, Thanks for the information. My vote for World's Worst Warships book writer! Anthony Preston. I stop buying his lousy and poorly informed books long ago! A waste of money I have always believed. Hugh Lyon gets my honorable mention. Best regards, Robert ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Vern Wilson" Subject: My first airbrush? Hello all, I've been following the discussion of the merits of airbrushing on SMML for a little while now. More specifially the opinions of the Testors Aztec. I've been toying with the idea of buying one along with a compressor. Heard some good things and bad things about the Aztec. Since I'm sticking with using using enamel paint, as opposed to acrylics, has anyone has any problems with cleaning and maintainance using that type of paint in it?. I'm just trying to avert any costly problems due to inexperience and a possible poor choice of equipment. My thanks to all in advance, Vern ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Fkbrown90 Subject: Specifications for triple screw propellers I just came across a note I had made when I had to specify what kind of propellers I needed for a model I was making of an American triple screw vessel. The references I had merely said "two right-hand propellers and one left-hand propeller", but did not indicate on which shafts they should be installed. I eventually found the correct mounting, but in rather obtuse language. Different sources said about the same thing, but in different ways, which tended to be confusing. Here is what I finally came up with as the standard, for American vessels. For Triple Screw vessels when viewed from aft of the vessel and vessel is going forward: both the starboard and the port propellers have the upper blades turning outwards, the center propeller has the upper blade turning from port to starboard (from left to right). Therefore the starboard and the center propellers are "right hand" and the port propeller is "left hand". I suggest that less-than-professional modelers, such as I, make a note of this for future reference. It will save a lot of aggravation, believe me. I don't know if the above is true for non-American vessels. Perhaps some SMML people will please comment on that point. Franklyn ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Mike Bartel Subject: World's Worst Warships That's quite a list, and certainly all these warships had their deficiencies, both physical and political. In fact, no warship ever designed has ever been perfect- otherwise, why build so many improved, updated or replacement vessels? I must comment on a couple of classes, though. The Yamato class (one of my personal favorites) can be considered successes in many ways, though they did have design flaws that are well-known today. But heck, the Iowa class, acknowledged as the best-balanced battle ships ever built, had their flaws, too. Yamato's major flaws, in my opinion, were not even design flaws. They were the changing nature of war at sea, and the Japanese command structure. Like many of the ships on this list, we will never know how they really would have performed in actual action. Also, I'm not sure why everyone insists on calling the Deutschland class ships 'pocket battle ships'. This is a misnomer if ever I heard one, and it raises expectations of how a ship like that one should have performed. They were labeled 'armoured ships' or more accurately, 'heavy cruisers', albeit armed with 11-inch guns. Again, a political statement by Germany at the time, but also probably intended as no more than a commerce-raiding vessel if asked to serve in combat. The German navy didn't have much else ready when war broke out in 1939, so naturally, these ships were used when they probably shouldn't have been. I think too much was expected of them. Actually, it was the Italians that might have produced what I would consider a true 'pocket battle ship', when during the interwar period, they considered a design with six 15" guns with the same layout as a Deutschland-class ship. (At least I think they were 15"- they might have been 16"- I don't have my references handy where I am typing right now.) These ships were design studies to see how the tonnage of the Washington treaty allocated to Italy might be best divided in three useful vessels. They would have had true battle ship armour and protection and other characteristics of true battle ships, unlike the Deutschlands. Mike Bartel ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Darald Bantel Subject: Re: The World's Worst warships I would very much like to find out the criteria for inclusion!!!!! Darald ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "D.Przezdziecki" Subject: Re: World's Worst Warships or Is Mr. Anthony Preston Talking Throu His Arse??? Reading throu the list of World's Worst Warships according to A.Preston (and kindly supplyed by Mike Leonard) makes me wonder if author's choice of subjects was made purely to create controversy or if he really does not appreciate the difference between experimental designs (early US Civil War monitors, Katahdin, Vesuvius), emergency war designs of "we know it's not perfect but we are in a hurry" type (later US Civil War monitors, Normandie class), not entirely succesfull designs (Powerfulls, Borodinos, Viribus Unitis class) and really unsuccesfull ones like Captain, Courageous, Glorious, Furious or K class submarines??? Why in the Godess name did he picked "Normandie" class, which was abandoned as soon as the emergency passed, but is silent about "Danton" class pre-dreadnought which were obsolete well before their construction was even finished??? And what "pocket battleships", Bismarck, Yamato or Alpha SSN are doing there in the first place??? Regards Darius ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Michael Kear" Subject: Hornblower - what a good yarn The Hornblower series has started again on ABC Television in Australia. What a rollicking good yarn it is too! Lots of sailing footage, guns, a little bit of espionage, some loveydovey stuff to keep the ladies amused ( <--- official sexist remark for which I should be punished), and a lot of buckles being swashed. Even a couple of good old fashioned sword fights. Great stuff. Can't wait for next week's episode now. For those who don't keep an eye on the TV guide, it's on Australia's ABC TV at 8.30pm Sundays. Cheers, Mike Kear Windsor, NSW, Australia Webmaster, Model Warship 72 www.modelwarship.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Daniel H Jones Subject: PSM PLASTIC SHIP MODELER - FINIS PSM -28 is now being mailed. Regrettable it has been subject to more printing mistakes and the visual appearance of the final product is not what I expected to see. A couple of pages were printed too dark which negatively effected the appearance of the drawings, and the cover image was printed in black instead of the sepia tone as I had ordered. Visually it is disappointing to me, however, the content is to our usual standard. PSM 28 is being mailed out as this is written. I regret to announce that, for a number of compelling reasons, PSM 28 will be the last issue of Plastic Ship Modeler magazine. I have decided to discontinue publication of the magazine and to devote my time to other projects. I will not go into all the reasons that led to this decision, however I believe it is the correct decision from both a business and personal perspective. I know this announcement will be very disappointing to many of my loyal subscribers, some of whom have been with me from the very first issue. PSM was created because there was little or nothing being published about our hobby in the mainstream hobby magazines at the time. Builders of 1/700 scale ships were generally ignored and I created PSM in hopes of stimulating more interest in this segment of the hobby. The timing was fortuitous as it coincided with the appearance of the first resin kit manufacturers and PSM documented and reviewed all of these new cottage industry products as they appeared. PSM publicized these early products and sought to encourage new products and higher standards. At the time PSM was almost the only published source for this information. Today the hobby landscape (seascape?) has changed dramatically. The internet has expanded tremendously and with message boards such as this one, news of new products is available almost from the moment they appear. Mainstream hobby magazine such as FSM now cater to ship modelers to a much greater degree than they did in years past. We are no longer a single voice in the wilderness. I like to think that PSM in a small way contributed to this. NOTE: To all subscribers that have paid in advance or still have issues due. All remaining subscriptions that have not been filled will receive a full refund. Please be patient. There are some expenses in closing down a venture such as this. As soon as all the financial obligations of the magazine have been met the refunds will be sent. Last, and certainly not least, I want to thank all of my loyal subscribers and authors who have supported and contributed to the success of PSM during its 7-8 year run. Many of you have become personal friends and meeting and getting to know you has been one of the greatest rewards. Daniel Jones Editor/Publisher Plastic Ship Modeler magazine ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Mistress Lorna Subject: SMML site update Falk Pletscher has also graciously given permission to post his articles from PSM. Thank you both Dan & Falk for allowing this. Added the following PSM articles to Articles: Austro-Hungarian Colours German Gunnery Training Ship Bremse German Light Crusier Nuernberg A first look at Italian colours Anyone looking at building an Italian ship should look at Falk's Regia Marina investigation, while Dan's Kreigsmarine camouflage series does fill in some gaps for the modeller. Worth more than just one look. Cheers Lorna SMML Webmistress ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: chris Rogers Subject: TF 72 REGATTA Please remember TF 72 12 march wentworth falls NSW Chris Oz Hi all, We're looking forward to it. For a glimpse of the past two TF 72 Regattas, check the Member's page on the SMML site under Clubs. Shane ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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