Subject: SMML VOL 2386 Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 23:31:29 +1100 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http//sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1 Re Texas 2 Is there any Ship Model Shops in Manhattan, NYC? 3 Re Dragon 1/700 Ticonderoga (instructions) 4 Re SpanishAmerican war ships plans 5 Re Remains of the USS Arizona 6 Re USNA grads 7 Re US military officers 8 The Viking Texas ... 9 Re cruiser freaks 10 Re USNA 11 Merry Christmas & Happy New Year in Hungarian 12 S&S RN Paint chips 13 HM Cruisers 14 Re Revell U-Boat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1 Recent kit releases coming back instock ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From Russell_Lessard@aigvalic.com Subject Re Texas On the Texas... it was I that asked for the information. This is what I received I do not know of any injection molded plastic kits, but ISW (same people who brought the great Long Beach) does have a nice USS Texas in 1/350th. Check out the website and you can ask the guru, Dave Judy, for his thoughts since he is in the process of building one too. The kit looks awesome and is very detailed. It does have some casting bubbles with the small components, but they provide white metal parts and duplicate resin parts for the many mushroom vents and stuff that may need repaired. Plus they will ship replacements at no cost. The cost for the kit is $325... Also Check out Commanderseries.com - 1/350 Texas resin full hull kit. Regards, Russ Lessard ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From "Rui Francisco Matos" Subject Is there any Ship Model Shops in Manhattan, NYC? Hi SMML'ies This may sound like a stupid question, but since I have to go to NYC... are there any Model Shops (ship oriented) in Manhattan? On previous tours had the previlege to visit the Intrepid Museum and see most of the landmarks, but miss to see any model shop! Any input will be valuable! Thanks in advance, and a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all (full of models, too)! A special Thanks for Lorna and Shane for being able to join such an excellent group of people! Rui Matos (aka Skipper) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From Michael McMurtrey Subject Re Dragon 1/700 Ticonderoga (instructions) Following up on my request for further info on these kits, I now find what I need is a copy of the instruction sheets for kit number 7018 (Ticonderoga) and kit number 7035 (Mobile Bay). The kits I have are all of Normandy (kit number 7023). Thanks. Michael McMurtrey "Never ask a man what computer he uses. If it's a Mac, he'll tell you. If it's not, why embarrass him?" - Tom Clancy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From Friedrich Kappes Subject Re SpanishAmerican war ships plans No help possible, no answers, but further questions... Alfonso XII-klasse (Alfonso XII [commissioned in 1891], Reina Cristina [launched 5 /1887], Reina Mercedes [launched 9/1887, 1898 US prize, hulk IX 25]) Spanish cruisers when were they commissioned? Destructor Spanish torpedoboot, launched 7/1886, but when commissioned? Temerario-klasse (Temerario [launched 1889], Nueva Espańa [launched 1889], Galicia [launched 1891], Marques de Molins [launched 1891], Martin Alonzo Pinzon [launched 1889, ex Audaz], Rapido [launched 1891], Vincente Yanez Pinzon [launched 1891]) Spanish T-gunboats, when were they commissioned? Thank you in advance!! Friedrich The FriedrichFiles http//www.geocities.com/friedkappes/flagship.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From "Kevin W. Woodruff" Subject Re Remains of the USS Arizona From the NPS site On May 5, 1942, the toppled foremast of the ARIZONA was cut away and removed. The mainmast was taken away by August 23. Other features removed were the stern aircraft crane (December 23) and the conning tower (December 30).These were melted down for scrap The Navy decided that the Army would receive gun turrets No. 3 and 4 for use as coastal defense guns. Two sites were selected one at Mokapu Head (Kaneohe) known as Battery Pennsylvania and the second at an area known today as Electric Hill (HEI generating plant) on the western shore of Oahu, up the slopes of the Wianae Mountains. Only Battery Pennsylvania was completed. A test firing took place four days before the surrender of Japan. Today both sites are abandoned; the guns were removed and cut up for scrap shortly after the war ended. Despite the work done to remove all useful materials from the ARIZONA, it was apparent the ship itself was lost. A memorandum from the Commandant of the Navy Yard to Washington in June 1942, suggested abandonment of salvage work on the ARIZONA because it was a "task of great magnitude entailing the diversion of large numbers of men and equipment from other work." In his mind, as well as others the conviction had formed that ARIZONA would never fight again. On December 1, 1942, the vessel was struck from the books of commissioned ships. By October 1943, the last salvage work was completed. The ship had been stripped down to the main deck, none of the graceful superstructure remained. In 1961 the USS ARIZONA was altered once more. In order to place the present memorial over the ship, a section of the boat deck that rested over the galley amidships was cut away. Initially this had been the area of a flag and platform for ceremonies and visits to the site from 1950-1960. This portion of the ARIZONA was removed to Waipio Point where it remains today. Kevin ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From "KLW" Subject Re USNA grads >> I know that's what they are SUPPOSED to build, but I can tell you from personal experience that most of the junior ring-knockers I was around during my Navy days knew lots and LOTS about authority, and precious little about leadership-- << >> I can't agree more. I have always thought, and always will, that the quality of the officers in ANY branch of the service would greatly improve if they were all required to serve time as enlisted. No, that "two weeks a summer as a junior midshipman" crap doesn't count, either. The difference between prior enlisted who went regular commission or warrant, and those who just went ROTC or Academy, was amazing. << It is quite apparent that the "Junior ring-knockers", as you so obnoxiously phrased it, did not have much to work with terms of the enlisted men assigned to them (I take it the both of you were enlisted). I suggest you drop the topic. As a father of a USNA grad who is a damn fine officer and who finished flying over 50 combat missions over the Gulf regions, I don't intend to listen to this kind of crap without response. Keep it up and it could get very ugly. Kevin Wenker ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From CokerRE@aol.com Subject Re US military officers As a former naval officer some 40 years ago I found many of the comments on the subject of US military officers correct. The US military does a great job on education but a poor one on leadership skills. I am one of those who believe that leaders are largely born, not made. Those who are made are made by following examples and they have too few good examples in the junior officer ranks. In my day with the draft, most of us were serving to fulfill an obligation whereas today with the all volunteer services it is a different matter and largely for the better. Over the past forty years in talking with others who have served both in our services and other ones, I am impressed with the British concept of having officers serve in the enlisted ranks first as one SMMLie advocated for our services. As one former Royal Marine told me "how can you get men to follow you when you have not been down at their level and learned how they think and therefore how to lead them". On a tour of German maritime museums last year with Sharkhunters, our group met many former German U-boat officers of World War II. To a man I was thoroughly impressed with the outstanding leadership abilities these "gentlemen" showed, and I say "gentlemen" because they were exactly that. The German Navy obviously had a superb mechanism in place for picking and training U-boat officers. As our leader explained, on the German subs there was little distinction between officers and enlisted. Every man knew who the captain and the officers were but they ate, slept, and fought together to a large extent and the officers led by example and the men followed willingly. They were not driven as Hollywood would have us believe. My best example to support this concept is to look at the old newsreels of the subs coming in from patrol and see how Doenitz or some other high ranking officer was there to meet them, give them flowers, escort them to their first meal ashore. Better yet watch Admiral Doenitz as he walks down the line reviewing his men, see how he interacts with them, man to man, shaking their hands, slapping them on the shoulders, pushing and shoving--not standing as an aloof figurehead in some god-like pose. This is why we came so close to losing the battle of the Atlantic. I will say though that our troops today must be being led much better than in Viet Nam. Looking at what they have accomplished in two wars the leadership must be a lot better than 30 years ago. PC Coker/Charleston ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From "Edward F Grune" Subject The Viking Texas ... David Wells wrote >> There's also one by a company called Viking, but I don't have a web site for them. << Viking went out of business several years ago. Product quality and customer service (or lack thereof) spelled their doom. You're better off with the Commanders/Iron Shipwright version already recommended At the Abilene (TX) model show back in October, there was a 1700 waterline Texas that was claimed to be scratchbuilt. I didn't scratch the paint to see what was under it; styrene or resin. It was the best ship on the table that day. There are very few ship enthusiasts that far up the High Plains of west Texas. I don't remember the modeler's name, but he sure looked like Dan [Joplin ?] from Viking. I don't know if he's looking at getting back in the business or not Ed Grune Mansfield, TX ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From Ray Cockram Subject Re cruiser freaks Hi Ron, Can't be specific about the Belfast (not my era), but the Tiger was launched in 1945 as a Swiftsure class, however she was mothballed until work was recommenced in 1954. When she and her sisters Blake and Lion were completed as modified Swiftsure class ships with automatic 6 inch main batteries. I hope this is of some help to you. Cheers Ray ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From Subject Re USNA I served 4 yrs. in the USN as an Engineering Officer in Guppy subs. I served w/ many USNA grads. I met 1 or 2 I didn't like that much, but on the whole, I thought they were some of the best officers I served w/. To give you an idea of just how long ago that was, I was particularly honored to be asked to participate in Roger Staubach's wedding at the USNA chapel. Since my active service days, I've met a number of younger USNA grads & Mids still attending the Academy. I concur w/ an earlier comment that as a group, I've found them to be far more mature and generally sharper than most young men & women of the same age. My 2 cents, for what it's worth. Bill Bryant ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From "Stephen Varhegyi" Subject Merry Christmas & Happy New Year in Hungarian I thought you'd all like to know how you say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Magyarul. "Kellemes Karácsonyi Unnepeket es Boldog Új Évet". I'm learning for my holiday next year. Merry Christmas Everyone Steve ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From "Bob Pearson" Subject S&S RN Paint chips Hi all, Today I received the latest in the Snyder & Short paint chips. This time around it is Royal Navy WWII Ship Colours Set 3. These chips are quite interesting as they feature the colours that were used on one of the more spectacularly coloured Flowers - HMS Burdock. Burdock was painted in YELLOW and blue while in the South Atlantic in 1941, and HMS Alisma was similarly coloured. Other colours on the two card set are the 1943 variations for B55, B30, B20 as well as G45, G55, B40 and then there are 12 other colours from specific ships. . including Honeysuckle, Rockingham, Montgomery, Jamacia, Nigeria, Arethusa, Storm and HMAS Murchison. How accurate are these colours? Well. ... the chip for the RAN's "Chicago Blue" was matched to the stir stick that one gentleman saved while mixing the paint for his ship. Highly recommended Regards, Bob Pearson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From GORDONBUT@aol.com Subject HM Cruisers The colony class of cruisers were fitted with the following armament when first commissioned12- 6in (4x3 ) 8-4inAA(4x2)9-2prd AA(2x4 &1x1)8-.5in MG(2x4) all except Ceylon & Uganda but these were not built until 1941-1942 They also had 6-21 in TT (2x3)and 3 aircraft again not Ceylon and Uganda I trust this helps Gordon Buttress Chairman Surface Warships Association ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From "Chris Hughes" Subject Re Revell U-Boat OhmygawdthebloominboxisHUUUUUUGE!!!!!!! I was passing Modelzone in High Holborn this morning and they had a couple of dozen in there, by 5.30pm, there were only 4 left... By 5.31pm, there were only 3 left... It was great fun carting it through the London Underground during rush-hour! Thank you Revell! Chris ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From Billgior@aol.com Subject Recent kit releases coming back instock Hi Everyone Just wanted to let you know that I will be getting back in stock some recent releases of 1/350 scale USSR Sovremenny class destroyers for $49.95 plus shipping. And I have the new 1/700 scale USSR Kirov and Frunze kits for $22.95 plus shipping.So check my site under news for when they will be coming in. Also don't for get this months Christmas buy the Heller Scharnhorst w/shiffer book and photo-etch ship set for the price $71.95 plus shipping. Sincerely Bill Giordano ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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