Subject: SMML VOL 2157 Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2003 01:14:40 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Help on rigging and Antennas 2: Re: Articles in Ship Names 3: Re: Drydocking 4: Re: Ah! Budapest, Beautiful Budapest!! ...Nagyon Sep 5: Rigging and Paris 6: Typhoon class USSR Sub 7: In response to David Sepos. USS Eastwind instruction sheet 8: Two days in Paris + SMMLiecon 9: Re: Budapest, Drydocking TEXAS 10: USS Iowa 11: Re: Drydocking- USS Texas 12: Congress, the Admirality, and the Department of The Navy 13: HP USN Release dates 14: Re: My last word on Congress.... 15: Dry docking 16: Merchant Vessel Plans 17: Re: Drydocking 18: Answers on HMS Starling 19: iowa at suisun -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: WTB Ship models in Australia ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: ROBERT FRYE Subject: Help on rigging and Antennas In regard to the question from "olafur" on rigging problems: I have generally used stretched sprue. Initially, I had the same problems he described -- trying to pull the lines tight can bend plastic masts, and sometimes tightening one line may make other lines sag. Individual lines can sometimes be tightened by passing a hot soldering iron nearby, but in complex rigging schemes this is a dangerous technique requiring more skill than I have. The method I finally hit on, and that seems to work well, is to use a hand-held hair drier to blow hot air on the rigging. I rig all the lines with a slight sag, and don't try too hard for uniformity. Once the lines are in place, a few passes with the hair drier will begin to tighten them all, and if you don't get carried away with the method, you won't bend the masts. Sometimes, there is a sort of "snap" effect as the sprue reaches a temperature sufficient to cause it to contract, but the effect seems to be gentle enough that it doesn't pull on the masts very hard. The only thing this doesn't do well is to put some natural sag in the lines. But overall, the effect is neat and uniform, and I find it preferrable to unnatural sag from loose lines. Bob Frye ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: MDDoremus Subject: Re: Articles in Ship Names Brooks Rowlett quotes: >> The His Majesty's Ship TEAZER" is clearly grammatically incorrect (and there the HMS T. also is incorrect) << Is this not also incorrect as the first descriptor should read HER Majesty's Ship?? Mark Doremus From the colonies and assuming Elizabeth is still Queen of England ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Marc Flake Subject: Re: Drydocking We've got some people on the list who are closer to the USS Texas than I, but I wanted to chimein here with what I know. A couple of years ago, the taxpayers here voted to set aside some funds for the restoration of the Texas -- part of some statewide bond vote, if I recall correctly. But those of us who love The TEXAS here in Texas will need to keep a sharp eye on what the legislature does with the money. There's whoppin' big deficit ($5 billion or more) and the lege is likely to try and purloin the funds, if they can. The people who write the ballots are notoriusly famous for wording bond proposals with enough ambiguity to let the bureaucrats have considerable flexibility in spending the taxpayers money. Marc Flake ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Terry Wiltshire Subject: Re: Ah! Budapest, Beautiful Budapest!! ...Nagyon Sep Jó estét kívánok. Nem beszélek magyarul jó. Beszélek Angolul! >> I was actually practising irony with my remarks about Budapest. << Istvan. No worries. I was practicing english wit with my reply. I was looking at your surname and wondering if it was a Hungarian name. If you had signed yourself "Varhegyi Istvan" I would have known for sure! Try looking at the webcam at http://www.irisz.hu for a beautiful view of the Danube from the Citadela with your favourite Bridge in the centre of the picture. Click on the picture and then on "Nagy" (Hungarian for big). Rest of group please forgive us for straying off topic but at least you sometimes get to see river barges on the Webcam. Now I'm off for a Hungarian lesson! Terry Budapest ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Olafur Sigurdsson" Subject: Rigging and Paris >> I have found that in 1:350 scale 0.005 inch stainless steel wire is an acceptable compromise between lightness, duarability, and ease of application. I use white glue to tack it in place and finish with a bit of plain old hardware store CA. << The 0,005 wire sounds good. Where can I find such stainless steel wire? Or what is it used for? In order to determine a possible dealer. The white glue sounds good. Until now I have used superglue. Is the white glue also good for railing? Paris: Though I am very often in Paris I onlz know of two Model stores. One is in St.Germain on a main road not far from the Seine. The other Shop is in the area of Le Bourget and is called Kit'n doc. Thanks Oli ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Olafur Sigurdsson" Subject: Typhoon class USSR Sub I was searching for a list of the Soviet submarines. I could see a lot of subs, but no names. Did the Soviets not name their subs? e.g. the Typhoons. No names? Oli ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Ricardo Astorga" Subject: In response to David Sepos. USS Eastwind instruction sheet For further information about U S Icebreakers, check: http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/08idx.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "John Rule" Subject: Two days in Paris + SMMLiecon >> Le musée est installé au Palais de Chaillot, l'un des chefs d'oeuvre de l'architecture du XXe sičcle, construit par les architectes Carlu, Boileau et Azéma pour l'exposition internationale de 1937. Situé face ŕ la Tour Eiffel et au Champs de Mars, il offre l'un des plus vastes panoramas sur Paris. << And for those who are not graced with the ability to understand French. The joke is installed in the Palace of Spring Onions, one of the chief eggs of architecture almost immoral on a cycle, constructed by way of the architects Karl, Boiled Water and Emphysema for exposing internationally in 1937 on the Eiffel Tower and in a field with a Mars Bar, it offers the one of the more vast views on Paris. Thank goodness it wasn't German. Sincerely, John Rule P.S. For those going to SMMLiecon, I'm going to try taking a run at the border. I believe that I can get in for 90 days for $6 CAN. Now that's a more reasonable price. Looking forward to meeting new faces and renewing acquaintances with those that will still speak to me after the 1st SMMLiecon. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Brooks Rowlett Subject: Re: Budapest, Drydocking TEXAS >> Another thing, you yanks should learn more about the rest of the world. Recently my wife was watching some soppy love story on TV, which was supposed to be set in Vienna, overlooking the Danube. However it was actually Budapest. << Well, many images shot in one city are used in film set in another. At least one of the Batman movies had a statue in the distant background which is the woman holding an elevated sword, a statue comparable or larger to the statue of Liberty, which is at Mamayev - outside Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad. *Batman* of course was set in the fictional "Gotham City" and the city seen in the movie comprises elements of the architecture of several different cities. "Metropolis" in the Superman movies was represented by Calgary, Alberta, as I recall. Frankly I suspect that US films are not the only ones which use approximations for cities - it depends on what sites you can afford to film in. For a film set in the 1930s for example a European city with lots of surviving pre-WWII architecture, for example, might be chosen to represent a city that was devastated and rebuilt with much more modern architecture during the war. Surely that has more of a sense of accuracy in making a historical film than to try to pretend glass skyscrapers and modern art in the real city represents the stone and columns of a historic city, or even art deco architecture of pre-WWII modernism. >> I was just wondering if anybody knows if there are any plans to dry dock the following ships? All of these of battleships and from what I know they have not been in many years 1. USS TEXAS << TEXAS was drydocked in the mid 1990s, as has been said. There is a book about the ship that discusses what was done during the drydocking which is filled with photos documenting her state and configuration after the drydocking. It is a fascinating book: the author's foreword says that if he had access to a *Star Trek: The Next Generation* style holodeck he would recreate the flag bridge of the IRON DUKE at Jutland to understand what Jellicoe could see and learn from messages, to understand his decisions. Brooks A Rowlett ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: YNHOBBY Subject: USS Iowa Hi, This is my first time writing to SMML. I served on the USS IOWA just before it was decomissioned in 1990. I recently got the Tamiya 1/350 USS NEW JERSEY, and, much to my horror, the rear deck (aft of Turret 3) is different from my ship. Does anyone know how I can correct this? Regards, Victor ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "Bruce Ross" Subject: Re: Drydocking- USS Texas The comment was made >> USS Texas sits on a concrete cradle and isn't really afloat. << That's not quite correct. Texas is free floating with collars that are welded to the starboard side and go around 4 sizable pilings that allow her to rise and fall with the tides. Two weeks ago when I was aboard her I spent sometime talking with the curators, they said the current plan is to put her back into drydock sometime in 2005. Problem they're faced with at present is that they can't use the same dock they used in the 90's since it's no longer there. If I'm not mistaken I think they said the next available site was either New Orleans or Mobile (but don't hold me to either :)) Bruce ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: MrkLeonard Subject: Congress, the Admirality, and the Department of The Navy Hi, Jim- Actually, the remark about Congress being our "Admirality" was my weak idea of humor. Specifically, I was referring to the ability of large, cumbersome organizations to be faction-ridden, self-important, and which can labor mightily and bring forth....not much of substance, lots of times. Regards, Mark Leonard (ex-USN corpsman) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: WILLIAM ORETO Subject: HP USN Release dates Has anyone heard when HP is going to release their USN 1/700 kits: U.S.S. Maryland U.S.S. Arkansas U.S.S. West Virginia Thanks, any information will be greatly appreciated. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: "Chuck Messer" Subject: Re: My last word on Congress.... "People have been telling me I'm going to hell, but they didn't tell me it was just down the street with a dome on it." Abraham Lincoln (possibly) Chuck ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: JVT7532 Subject: Dry docking >> USS Texas sits on a concrete cradle and isn't really afloat. That said, has the cruiser Olympia been in dry=dock? << The last time I talked to the curator of the Olympia he said they where working on plans to get her into dry-dock which means they were just starting to plan on where to get the money to do so I would think. On another sad note, the Olympia suffered a fire this past week deep down inside from a welders torch and I think it had gotten into the material they used in-between the inner and outer hulls as protection from shell fire, this is a cellulose material from what I understand when I did my last fire inspection on her 5 years ago. Hopefully the damage was not to sever. Best regards, Jon ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: Starline / Fleetline Subject: Merchant Vessel Plans Being a fan of warships it is with some consternation that a friend asked could I obtain a set of plans or drawings for a freighter he is interested in building. Other than coming up empty with a net search I was hoping someone on the list may be able to assist. This is all the info I have: Vessel: Port of Townsville (Sisters: Port of Wyndham, Port of Chalmers) Built by: Swan Hunter 1935 For: Commonwealth & Dominion Line Can anyone help? (off line you can get me on starline@netspace.net.au) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: "Craig Bennett" Subject: Re: Drydocking Hi Concerning the USS OLYMPIA being drydocked for maintence. When the Olympia first opened as a museum in 1957 the Philadelphia Navy Yard was operational and a couple times she was towed down there for maintence. This was last done perhaps 20 yrs ago.Her museum was orginialy at a pier not the Penn's Landings marina she is now displayed at. Craig ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: "lamkeel" Subject: Answers on HMS Starling Hi All I (we) have just returned from opening up our mobile home for the new season. On Sunday I polished the car, and on Tuesday - it rains. (and guess what, No Sun). There was a question about the scale(s) of my drawing for the sloop HMS Starling on her completion in 1943. It is difficult to answer, as I always make the drawing as large as possible on the sheet. Different ships are different lengths after all! She is drawn in a variety of scales, but each subject has a scale bar adjacent to the view. In order to provide as much clear detail as is possible the third sheet ("C") is drawn slightly larger, than the G/A. There are also other selected detail views drawn at 1/8" = 1 Ft. Over 300 items are identified in this set of five drawings. Hull lines and sections, rigging details are included as well as hull sections showing internal detail, again at 1/8" = 1 Ft. This is where you can identify what individual upper deck items are. Ammunition lockers, diving gear locker, washdeck locker, ring bolts, eyeplates etc etc. Most of the fittings are already drawn and are found in my weapons lists. She recieved the more efficient Mark IV depth charge throwers which replaced the earler Mark II type that were in service in 1939, where the D.C stalk sank with the depth charge. Although Starling was designed for the Twin 40mm Bofor Mark IV Mounting, these were not available until late 1943 -1944, so like many of her sisters she went to sea with the power operated twin 20mm Oerlikon Mark V mounting in their place. These too were modified by blast boxes when fitted aft on the quarterdeck. Other units of the class carried Quad. 2 Pounder pom poms. This set of drawings took over two months to complete working 5-7 hours every day. (Including weekends). Other units of the class will be added as time permits. (But don't hold your breath yet). Yours "Aye" John ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19) From: Shirley Sachsen Subject: iowa at suisun >> I was just wondering if anybody know if there any place on the web that has good picture showing the Iowa as she looks now sitting in Suisun Bay. << try here: http://www.battleshipiowa.org/ and if you're in the area, the monthly boat trip out to the fleet is a treat. bring lots of film and cameras. even if your personal favorite is not moored in this collection, as a modeler you will see many examples of weathering and rust. s ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Chris Evenden" Subject: WTB Ship models in Australia Hi All, I am after the following models if anyone in Australia has them spare: Airfix 1/72 E-Boat Revell 1/72 S-Boat Dragon 1/350 Bunker Hill CG Thanks! Chris Evenden Canberra ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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