Subject: SMML VOL 2305 Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2003 13:35:08 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: "Singing bell bottom trousers..." 2: Re: Tamiya Fletcher PE 3: Re: Paper Models 4: Re: Tamiya 1/350 Fletcher 5: Virus & 600 scale 6: Falklands ships thanks 7: CV-34 8: Re: Cold enough to freeze the balls... 9: Brass Monkeys 10: Deck Colour of RCN Tribal DDs WW II 11: Re: Plank owners 12: Re: USS Oriskany 13: Re: Frozen balls... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Re: Tamiya 1/350 Fletcher ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Doug Bauer" Subject: "Singing bell bottom trousers..." Thank you Ken Goldman....delightful!!! Doug Bauer Poway, CA ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Stephen Varhegyi" Subject: Re: Tamiya Fletcher PE Can't beat the Gold Medal Models detail set. Has fitted railings, hatches, various radar arrays, depth charge racks, Bofors fittings etc. Steve Varhegyi ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "James Hathaway" Subject: Re: Paper Models Hi David, Yes, My father was John Hathaway and the business was in San Pedro, Ca. (I am now in the Seattle Area) I have seen the Macon and Hindenburg models, (Hindenburg had a cut away passenger cabin as a separate model) advertised on-line. The Prinz Eugen looks great, I remember Wilhelmshavener had a Hipper/Blucher also in 1/250th and I wonder if this was the starting point for the original model. There was a line, Waterline Warships(?) that he carried that had most of the pre-war DDs, also cruisers and BBs in 1/350th. Designer's name was Harry Watkins- would you happen to know if they are still around? Jim Hathaway ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: EDWARD GRUNE Subject: Re: Tamiya 1/350 Fletcher Russell Adams wrote: >> I just purchesed the Tamiya 1/350 DD Fletcher and would like to know the best PE to go with it. I intend to model DD449 USS Nicholas at commissioning. Tom's and Edouard appear very different re parts/price. << In addition to the Tom's and Eduard sets there are also PE sets by Gold Medal Models and Flagship Models. If you have never worked with PE before there are some items which need to be considered. The Eduard set etched in stainless steel. It is robust and will be a bit stiffer and forgiving of an errant thumb. Eduard also includes some replacement deck surfaces. The Tom's set is done with some fine etching in a mild brass. It will be very succesptible to mishandling. It is a very nice accessory set and I would recommend it, but prehaps not as a first brass attempt. The Flagship set is, IMO a bit more robust than the Tom's set. The Flagship set includes extra features such as hatches, which work real well to dress up the otherwise plain raised rectangles on the bulksheads. Gold Medal Models may very well be the ultimate set for the Fletcher (IMO). It has fine etching in a harder brass that the Tom's set, so it is robust. It includes hatches and all sorts of other details that are not in the other sets. I really like the Stokes stretchers, and wish that GMM would put out a fret with just them. Moving away from the brass, White Ensign and L'Arsenal sell replacement 5" guns, and L'Arsenal makes some replacement twin and quad 40mm guns, and MK51 directors, and 20mm guns which may be the best I have seen. Russell continued: >> Also Tamiya paintcode: I read the Hex tab XF-9:1 + XF-50:2 as one part XF-9 mixed with two parts XF-50. Is this correct? << That is the way you should read it. Remember that Tamiya is merketting their paint to go with their kit. The Nicholas first operated in Measure 12R which called for splotched Haze Gray (5-H) and Ocean Gray (5-O) over Ocean Gray and Navy Blue (5-N). The decks were done in 20-B Weatherdeck Blue. The grays were all purple/blue based - not neutral gray toned. Your 1:2 recipe of Hull Red (XF-9) and Field Blue (XF-50) from the instructions for the deck might get you close to a deck blue, but the other Tamiya color callouts for their colors: Neutral Gray (XF-53) over Dark Gray (XF-24) are off. You may want to look into either the Testors Marine AcrylII line of paints for acrylics or to White Ensign Models Colorcoat enamel paints for more accurate colors. Ed Grune Mansfield, TX ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: GUSDOCVILL Subject: Virus & 600 scale >> WWW.MAILWASHER.NET << Good Morning All!! First, thank you everso much for the info on the virus, Bradford!! I have the MAILWASHER and I am reviewing the literature. Looks like something I would "love" to have to get rid of all the SPAM!! I am preparing to build four (4) different ships from the Airfix kit, Suffolk. . .any suggestions what to use in place of the plastic gun barrels supplied with the kit? I am considering using hypodermic needles, but no way I can put the "dentition" at the barrel base. Have read numerous articles reference the "knuckle" and the bow of the Suffolk kit. Sorry guys, I'm one who can hold his own in a conversation about ships of the world, but I am totally at a lost when you talk "sheer", "knuckle", etc. My interpretation is that the knuckle is the side of the ship from the main deck to that point where the hull begins to curve to make the knife-edge of the bow. From what I see, that is the major problem with the Suffolk kit -- no knife-edge on the bow. As I plan to make all my ships waterline, I am looking at filling the bow with plastic, soaking it with Weld-On #3, allowing it to dry and fill if again, until the entire bow is full or the Weld-On begins to melt the exterior. Once dry, sand it to a nice knife-edge. Has anyone build any of the Combrig/Kombrig Kara or Slava ships? Grace and peace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, bless you and your beloved family forever. Gus Semper Fi ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: chrisquirk Subject: Falklands ships thanks Thanks to all who replied to my question on Falklands taskforce ships, I have finished Glasgow accordingly. One further question is there are a 1/700 Type 21 available in the UK? Regards Chris ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "DUCKMAN" Subject: CV-34 HOWDY ALL, WASN'T THE ORISKANY USED IN THE FILMING OF "THE BRIDGES OF TOKO-RI? if so, there should be lotsa info there. DAVID IN DIXIE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Michael London" Subject: Re: Cold enough to freeze the balls... >> As some of you might know, 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey' is very much a nautical expression. Does anyone know of other interesting nautical expressions? I've been wondering how the expression 'Splice the main brace' came about. << I have no idea how the testicular attachments of brass monkeys came to be associated with extreme cold but it would certainly have to be very cold for this effect to occur. "Splicing the main brace" is, of course the expression that was used to order an extra tot of rum for Royal Navy crews up to 1970. It was often given after the crew had performed a particularly arduous task such as hauling on the main brace on a sailing ship in heavy weather, which is probably where it originated, or on a special occasion. When the Duke of York, later to become King George VI, went on a Royal Tour on HMS Renown in 1927 he told the Captain that he would like to see this order given, following the ceremony associated with crossing the equator, as he knew how much extra work had been entailed. It was arranged that he should give the order himself and a bit of theater was put in place. As the Royal party made their way forward following the quarterdeck ceremonies they came across a parted piece of rope lying across their path. "What is this?" asked the Duke. "The weather main brace, your Royal Highness, which carried away in the nip of the block on the morning watch during a heavy squall" replied the Captain. "Have it spliced, please" commanded the Duke. Michael London ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Paul OReilly Subject: Brass Monkeys Greetings all; My understanding is that the "brass monkey" in this context is the square metal base fitted to the gun decks on old sailing ships (men-of-war) on which were stacked, in pyramid fashion, the cannon balls for the various cannons. The base plate was called the brass monkey. The base plate was of a dissimilar metal to the cannon balls and so it contracted at a different rate when heated or cooled. If the ambient temperature fell far enough the base plate would contract enough to allow the stack of cannon balls to collapse and roll about the deck. Hence the term "freeze the balls off a brass monkey". HTH Paul O'Reilly ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Paul OReilly Subject: Deck Colour of RCN Tribal DDs WW II All; I'm building the ISW 1/350 Tribal as HMCS Haida as she appeared in April 44. I have some plans from Douglas Munro and they mention the weather decks aft of the fo'csle had Latex walkways. There is no mention of Corticene or Semtex anywhere so what exactly is the term "latex" in this context. I believe the colour of the walkway to be a very dark gray or charcoal colour from the B/W photos I have but I'm curious at what the latex stuff was. Paul O'Reilly ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "Tony Mattson" Subject: Re: Plank owners Many grateful thanks for the explanations. What a neat tradition! Surely something for offspring and future generations to be very proud of. Thanks again Tony ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Daniel Kurtz Subject: Re: USS Oriskany >> Actually, the Revell kit would work very well for a model of The Big Risk. << 'The Big Risk'? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "Chris Hughes" Subject: Re: Frozen balls... Arjun should go through the archive for this one! I recall it was done to death a couple of years ago... Something to do with a brass frame to support stacked cannonballs, the frame was known as a brass monkey. In cold weather, there was a difference at the rate in which the brass and iron contracted, loosening the cannonballs from the frame and they rolled off... Hence the expression. In polite company, the phrase "Cold enough to freeze the balls of a pawnbroker's shop sign" is an acceptable alternative! And the brass monkeys are always looking for a "Brazer", not a welder, as brass is brazed, not welded! Chris ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Loren Perry Subject: Re: Tamiya 1/350 Fletcher >> I just purchesed the Tamiya 1/350 DD Fletcher and would like to know the best PE to go with it. I intend to model DD449 USS Nicholas at commissioning. Tom's and Edouard appear very different re parts/price. << The Gold Medal Models 1/350 Fletcher set (GMM No. 350-14) has everything needed for your project, including many options for weapons, radars, electronic sensors, pre-shaped railing with & without nets and/or canvas dodgers, doors, mast and yardarm details, depth charge equipment in all three major WW2 configurations, boat details, and lots more. Relief-etched in 3-D in .005" brass, fully illustrated instructions included. See the GMM website for more information: www.goldmm.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