Subject: SMML VOL 2134 Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2003 12:12:15 +1100 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: Fujimi USS Saratoga 2: Trumpeter Essex in Japan 3: Photo Op Offer 4: Nazi Saboteurs 5: Re: USS Constitution 6: Everett may land defense system 7: Re: Essex 8: Trumpeter Essex 9: Magazine review World War 2 10: The Misplaced War with Great Britain? 11: MEKO frigate/corvette kits 12: Swastikas 13: Re: "What shall we do with a drunken sailor?" 14: Re: Essex 15: fleetscale what is it? 16: Interesting items on eBay 17: Saratoga References 18: Fwd: Nichols Brothers Ad -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: 1/96th scale parts 2: Re: Essex 3: New at WEM 4: Pacific Front Website down for maintenance ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "William H. Shuey" Subject: Re: Fujimi USS Saratoga D. Wakefield posted a question about a book on the U.S.S. Saratoga. The book he might be thinking of is: The Lexington Class Carriers by Robert C. Stern Arms and Armor Press ISBN number 1-85409-131-X I hope this information is of help. Bill Shuey ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Peter Subject: Trumpeter Essex in Japan For those SMML'ers in Japan, the Trumpeter Essex is in the stores. Yellow Submarine (a chain model store) has a "Special Japan Edition" with the ship, 12 of each of three types of aircraft, all for Y12,000, about USD 100. They also stock WEM's WWII USN colors. http://www.hobbylinkjapan.com has the Essex for Y12,000 plus some hefty shipping charges (UPS Y5000, about USD 40). They don't say specifically what their version includes, but you could email them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Bruce Ross" Subject: Photo Op Offer I know that there are a lot of good photo references both in print (thank you Classic Warships), and on the net for the U.S.S. Texas, but I have an opportunity that I thought I'd make good use of and share with my shipmates here on SMML. On 14 March I am taking a Boy Scout Troop to Houston to spend the night aboard the Texas, should be quite an experience. Now having said that, if any of you SMML'ies need pictures of a particualar area of the ship or piece of equipment if you send me a description of what and where I'll try and get pictures of said thing/area. I personally plan to shot a bunch so I'll try and fit your requests in. I'm not guarnteeing professional pictures and all is dependent on the weather here in Texas which has been wierd to say the least, but I'll give it my best shot. Then I can either send the picts to each of you or maybe Shane could just put them up on the SMML webpage, Shane's call there. Anyway, send requests to my email address and we'll see what we can do. Bruce email: sbross1@charter.net Hi Bruce, No worries whatsoever about hosting pics of the USS Texas on the SMML site ;-) Shane ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Melea/Mike Maynard" Subject: Nazi Saboteurs To Mr. Jones The Germans did land 8 men in the US in June of 1942 with the intent of disrupting American industry and transportation. Four were landed in Amagansett on Long Island N.Y. and four were landed at Ponte Vedra in Florida. The Long Island group was intercepted by a lone, un-armed Coastguardsman, Seaman William Cullen. Cullen was able to sound the alarm back at the Coast Guard station, and explosives and money was found buried near the beach. The Nazis had disappeared into New York City, but their leader figured that capture was imminent, he called the FBI and turned himself in. All the Germans were located and tried by a military court. Of the 8 men landed, 6 were executed and two were given 30 year prison sentences. After the war the two remaining Germans were sent back to Germany. Later in the war, two more men were landed in Frenchman's bay in the state of Maine but were found out and arrested. As for the u boats that landed these men, I'm not sure of their hull numbers. In 1987, I spoke to a retired Coast Guardsman involved in the investigation of the New York landings. He claimed that if Cullen hadn't stumbled upon them, our intelligence service had no idea of the landings or the extent of the damage they would have committed. You see, there was no organized beach patrol along the shore that early in the War, it was a fluke that events turned out to be an American advantage. So discouraged at the quick apprehension of their men, and unaware how close to success the landings were, the Germans gave up the idea of further landings. According to the FBI any acts of apparent sabotage during the War were the result of accidents, people with a grudge or just kids seeing "what would happen if".... Mike Maynard, USCG (Ret) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: David Sepos Subject: Re: USS Constitution Gentlemen, It sounds like the USN of old may have found ethanol a satisfactory preventative elixir for scurvy. Or, by the time they made it back to Boston, they really didn't know or care if they had scurvy .......... ROFLMAO Interesting story, Dave ;-) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: John Kutina Subject: Everett may land defense system http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/110287_radar27.shtml ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Robert J. Bartolacci" Subject: Re: Essex >> Does anyone have or know where to find pictures of Trumpeter's 1/350 Essex? I understand the kit is in the 1943 configuration. It will be a very good kit, I'd just like to see some pictures of the kit. What do people think if this kit? << Hi Peter have one of the kits coming from Hobbylink Japan. If you send me your email address, I can send you some digital photos of the kit & sprues when it arrives Bob ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Chris and Kayo Amano-Langtree" Subject: Trumpeter Essex Hi Peter The Mindanao Society's web page might have pictures of a completed example because their was one at their most recent exhibition. It looked pretty good but I can't comment on accuracy. The carrier planes did have clear canopies though. Chris Amano-Langtree ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: andrew jones Subject: Magazine review World War 2 March 2003 issue Commands: 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion One Man's War: Monie E. DE Haan US 10th Mountain Div WW2 Today: *US Army Heritage Centre on its way *Taps: Edward L. Beach . passed away Dec 1 ,2002 ..served on USS Trigger & Triante & USS Piper & USS Triton. Still holds the record for submerged cruise around the world..also author of Salt & Steel: reflections of a submariner & Run Silent Run Deep * Omaha update..seems the French borther planning to house a mussel bed of Omaha beach were refused their permit Undercover: Lucky Luciano Armament: the Hospital comfort ship USS Comfort Jimmy Doolittle: the man behind the legend..an interview The greatest Raid of them all....the ST Nazaire raid A rifleman's story about one man in the Battle of the Bulge Prespectives: Flying Minutemen of the Civil Air Patrol (still the poilots are unable to claim veterans benefits as the 2 bills failed to pass (HR BILL 2149 & Bill 381). They had to wait till 1948 to receive their air medals which they had to do double the amount of hours than regular military pilots Personality: General Yamashita ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Ned Barnett Subject: The Misplaced War with Great Britain? >> These were the good ole Navy days: The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides) as a combat vessel carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. However, let it be noted that according to her log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannonshot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum." Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping." Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine. On 18 November, she set sail for England. In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchantmen, salvaging only the rum aboard each. By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home. The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February, 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky and 38,600 gallons of stagnant water. GO NAVY! << Help me out, here. What war were we (the US) in with the British in 1798? I remember reading about the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) and about the War of 1812 (oddly, from 1812 to 1814 ), but nothing about a war in 1798. Earlier in the '90s there was the Whisky Rebellion, but that was an internal affair that didn't much involve high-seas combat with the Mother Country - unless the Royal Navy was able to sail up the Mississippi to the Ohio without me knowing about it. So, what's the scoop? Is this fascinating story of alcoholic indulgence apocryphal? Or did I misplace a war somewhere? Besides, that comes to 67907.368421052631578947368421053 ounces per man in a cruise that lasted just six months and three weeks, or roughly 200 days, or approximately 339.53684210526315789473684210526 ounces (or approximately 5.3052631578947368421052631578947 gallons) of rum, wine or single-malt Scotch per man, per day. Now, if these were Marines, I'd find it plausible, but I've never known Navy men to be able to hold more than two or three gallons of booze per day, at least not over an extended period of time. So fess up - these were Marines, right? Ned ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "Ayala Botto" Subject: MEKO frigate/corvette kits Hi Jim As far as I know, none of the Meko series (100/200) is produced in any scale. I'm currently scracthbuilding 2x 1/700 Mekos 200. One will represent the Portuguese Version "Vasco da Gama" Class (Meko 200 PN) and the other will represent the Greek Version, "Hydra" Class (Meko 200 GN) Besides the armament, there are small differences, regarding the hangar, and the rear mast tower near the funnels, among other details. The hull and the structures were not scratch built by me, but I took the drastic decision to remove and rebuild the structure of the "Hydra". If the final result look good I'll do the same with "Vasco da Gama". When I received the models, both represented the Portuguese Version. I have a few photos of the models when they arrived to my hands. If you are desesperated for photos I can take a few photos as they look now. I'll probably could try to build the Australian / New Zealand version. Not decided yet. Regarding the Turkish version, will be harder, just because the model of the CIWS installed aboard. I can say the structures of the Meko's are similar to the versions used by all the navies. The armament is the main difference, but Skywave/PitRoad/Revell sets have all the armament, radars, ribs and all the other parts you'll need. I should recommend WEM sets of bollards, captains, inches, doors and hatches to improved the final looking of your model. hope this helps. Ayala Botto Lisbon, Portugal ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Fkbrown90 Subject: Swastikas Although this may at first seem to be off the subject, it really is pertinent in the case of German naval vessels which displayed the swastika. Old German films in which the swastika appears, regardless of the application, show it in two slightly different orientations. Some show it with the central cross bars horizontal and vertical, whereas other show it with the cross bars 45 degrees from horizontal and vertical. Is there any significance to the difference of alignment? Franklyn PS I remember in the late fifties having a difficult time with my young son who had just joined the Cub Scouts. The swastika had been shown in many Boy Scout books as an old time American Indian good luck symbol. His "pack" liked its simple geometric form and symmetry as well as the Indian connection and innocently wanted to adopt it as the logo of their pack. The local Scoutmaster wisely submitted the idea to the parents for comments. The kids just couldn't understand the unanimous reaction of their fathers, most of whom were Veterans, who had come to associate the swastika with the Nazi regime. This was before the days of Politically Correct compromise, and finally the beleaguered fathers said "NO!!! CASE CLOSED!!!". That got the Scoutmaster off the hook with the kids. Smart move. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "David Griffith" Subject: Re: "What shall we do with a drunken sailor?" Dear John, I think somebody in history must have been pulling somebody else's wooden leg ;-) I've got my calculator out and done some sums. Rum 79,400 galls Rum 68,300 galls Wine 64,300 galls Whisky 40,000 galls Total 252,000 galls. This does not include that taken from the British ships. Assuming no teatotallers or losses to disease, injuries or alcoholic poisoning among the 475 crew, this makes 530.53 gallons of alcoholic liquor per man for the voyage. The voyage lasted 209 days, so on my calculations each man would have consumed an average of 2.538 gallons or 20.31 pints of liquor (mainly spirits) per day, every day. Even with Glasgow's reputation for heavy drinkers, I don't think anyone here could keep up with that! If this story was true, then there would really have been no need for her to return with empty shot lockers and powder magazines. All the Captain would have needed to do would be to gain the "weather guage" on his opponent, and get the whole crew to breathe out, downwind at the other ship!!! Oh, and another thing. In 1799, presumably these would have been proper sized imperial gallons, rather than the US size. There is one thing that's bigger this side of the Atlantic!! ;-) Regards David Griffith, (typing this within spitting distance of the Clyde.) PS. What's the naval term for an urban myth? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: James Corley Subject: Re: Essex >> Does anyone have or know where to find pictures of Trumpeter's 1/350 Essex? << There are photos of it on Hyperscale.com in the ship chat section of the forum ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: "Stephen Bolton" Subject: fleetscale what is it? I wrote a longish reply to whoever it was who asked about what Fleetscale is but then I went and lost the message. I thought I'd saved it but it's not there so I've probably sent a half finished letter to SMML instead. Rather than repeating it all I'll just say they are a small British company based in Cornwall who produce hulls and fittings mainly of 1/128th scale warships and a few in other scales too. For more info check out www.fleetscale.com. Hope this helps a little. Best regards Steve ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: paulship37 Subject: Interesting items on eBay I saw these items for sale at eBay History Ironclad Ship England Royal Navy http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3503939360 History Design British T-Class Submarine http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3503770023 ARK ROYAL HMSO BOOKLET 1942 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3503855032 australias first naval fleet! rare volume! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3502125178 Blockade Runners of World War II http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3502143876 THE VICTORIAN AND EDWARDIAN NAVY http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3502251759 British Monitors http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3503803248 Wonder Book of the Navy 1934 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3503798102 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: "James Kloek" Subject: Saratoga References In terms of references for the Saratoga, there is of course, a Classic Warships book on the Lexington Class, which is excellent. There is also a book titled "The Lexington Class Carriers" by Robert C. Stern, from the Naval Institute Press. It has a lot of photos plus quite a bit of text which is informative. Jim ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: John Kutina Subject: Fwd: Nichols Brothers Ad >> Nichols Bros. wins Navy contract for high-speed catamaran 'X-Craft' expected to be fastest and largest of its type By MATTHEW CRAFT SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER FREELAND -- Nichols Bros. Boat Builders has received a $59.9 million contract to build the world's fastest catamaran for the U.S. Navy. The deal means that Island County's largest private employer will be able to retain its 350 employees after it finishes work on two other large contracts -- a steamboat for Alaska Sternwheeler Cruises and a fireboat for the Los Angeles Fire Department. The $60 million contract for the Navy's "X-Craft" catamaran prototype, as depicted here, will enable Nichols Bros. Boat Builders of Island County to retain its 350 employees past this summer. "It's great to have a project right after the cruise ship," said Matt Nichols, the company's president. The string of contracts allowed Nichols to expand from a work force of 125 employees five years ago to its current size today. "There should be no dip in our 350-person crew," he said. "Employment should stay steady, although I don't plan on hiring anybody." Work on the Navy's prototype "X-Craft" should start in May and be finished in August 2004. Nichols Bros. has made two light catamarans for the Army before, but nothing quite like this. When built, the vessel will be 265 feet long, 73 feet across and should hit a top speed of 60 knots, making it not only the fastest catamaran ever built, but also the largest in the country, Nichols said. In comparison, the Nisqually, a midsize Washington state ferry, is 9 feet shorter but pushes through the water at a leisurely 12 knots. At high speeds, a pair of gas turbines would propel the aluminum X-Craft with a combined 67,000 horsepower, guzzling fuel at the rate of 3,000 gallons an hour. The catamaran normally would travel on the strength of two diesel engines, using 400 gallons an hour. "The Navy will use it to move between a mother ship and the shore," Nichols said. Shelby Quinn, a member of painting crew for Nichols Bros. Boat Builders, works on the 360-foot M/V Empress of the North yesterday. The design of the X-Craft calls for two helicopter-landing pads on the deck. The helicopters would ferry people, vehicles and containers from the hull to shore. A ramp at the stern would allow jeeps and boats to enter or depart. Titan National Security Solutions received a contract from the Navy to develop the X-Craft, and the San Diego-based company subcontracted construction of the hull and mechanical and electrical systems to Nichols Bros. Steven Nordtvedt, a program manager for Titan, awarded the contract to Nichols Bros. over four other proposals. "Nichols had the best value for the best price," he said. When it's finished, the Navy will spend a year or more testing the hull. Nichols said there was the possibility that if the Navy liked it, Nichols Bros. could receive orders for 30 or more. But Nordtvedt was more reserved about the future of the catamaran. He said the contract was only to build a prototype and that the possibility of building more would depend on another contract. << ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: DRPREUL Subject: 1/96th scale parts NEW from J&D Productions, 1/96th scale parts 3"50 Mk.33 Twin, 3"50 Mk.27 Single, 4"50 deck gun 5"25 Open, Directors- Mk.63, Mk.56, Mk.51, 50cal. water-cooled MG, 20mm Ready Service Locker, and 40mm Barrel Locker. Currently working on 20mm singles and twins and 40mm twins and quads. Many other weapons and fitting planned for the future. Go to our website to see photos of our parts at www.jdproduct.com Thanks from Jeanne and myself at J&D Productions ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "R N Pearson" Subject: Re: Essex Watch the next Internet Modeler for a review of the Trumpeter Essex as well as the Tom's Modelworks PE detail sets for same. It will be posted sometime after midnight on March 1st PST (8am GMT) Regards, Bob Pearson Managing Editor / Internet Modeler http://www.internetmodeler.com Flower Class corvettes http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/index.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: wem Subject: New at WEM Hi All, We have two new books in stock: 1. Koop & Schmolke, German Destroyers of World War 2. Hardbound, 224 pages, 209 photos, 85 line drawings, several maps, 20 camouflage profiled. The English tranlation of their German-language book, and excellent volume and a must for anyone interested in these ships. £35.00 2. Ballantyne, Iain, H.M.S. London: Warships of the Royal Navy. Hardbound, 228 pages, 160 photos, paintings, and drawings, bibliography, index. A well-written account of all the RN ships of that name, with much emphasis on the WW2 heavy cruiser, the 1960s County-class destroyer, and the current Type 22/batch 2 frigate. £19.95 and 3. Another Colourcoats addition: ACUS11, Chrome Yellow, FS 23538. Required for those colourful prewar aircraft paint schemes, this is a true chrome yellow, made from expensive chromium-based pigment per the original, rather than from other, less expensive pigments which never quite match chrome yellow. More Colourcoats coming soon: Regia Marina colours, more RN and Kriegsmarine colours, Luftwaffe floatplane and flying boat colours, Matt Aluminium (OK, Matt Aluminum for us Yanks!). Best, John Snyder The Token Yank White Ensign Models Home Page for WEM, http://WhiteEnsignModels.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Marc Clupper" Subject: Pacific Front Website down for maintenance The pacific front website will be down for 24-48 hours for a period of scheduled maintenance. Thank you for your patience. webmaster@pacificfront.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