Subject: SMML VOL 2403 Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 03:30:32 +1100 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http//sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1 Re tidal wave cruiser 2 Calling all former & current USS Nimitz Crew (and modelers too!) 3 1923 Honda Point Grounding 4 Re DD 311 5 U.S. Navy ship status 6 Aircraft Carrier on eBay ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From Brooks Rowlett Subject Re tidal wave cruiser >> I don't know if this is the same photo, but I have a .jpg of two ships online, one on the rocks and one offshore a few hundred feet. The offshore one carries "311" on her bow. Both vessels are four-stackers, WWI vintage. << Heavens no, this is a photo of the famous "Seven on the Rocks" destroyer grounding. As an official USN photo it would not be copyrighted. It is widely reproduced in books and in the four-piper photo album at hazegray.org. Brooks A Rowlett ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From "Roy.McKay" Subject Calling all former & current USS Nimitz Crew (and modelers too!) Calling all former (& current) USS Nimitz Crew (and naval Wingy Thingy modellers too!) Hi all, having seen the recent spate of replies to a thread which seemed to throw up a few former crewmembers of this ship, I have a request. I am trying to build a 1/72 scale collection of aircraft from this ship from 1975-1987, i.e. the timeframe of CVW-8's residence on her. While I've been able to find good references on the web, I'm looking for pics/info of certain aircraft that are hard to come by. Namely, RF-8G, VFP-63 det-? from 1979/80, the EA-6Bs from VMAQ-2 in 1981, the RH-53's from the Eagle Claw op, and some others. I would also like to hear from former crew members, about their time on board, their memories etc., just to put a human slant on my (proposed) display. Any photo's, information, details etc. of aircraft embarked, whether it's from memory or books, will be appreciated. I can trade stuff if you are a plastic modeller, will cover postage costs for items that need to be posted and will return any items you are willing to lend. I seem to have most of the aftermarket decals for this air wing that are or have been available, but I still have gaps. What I do need is colour info, especially on the low-vis schemes on F-14s, as there was some variation on them. Basically, can you help with this; RF-8G VFP-63 Det-? (Was it Det 5? Were the stripes green, or black?) EA-6B VMAQ-2, det-? (Were they coded CY-6xx, or AJ-6xx, was it -601, -610 or 620? RH-53 What squadron were they from? Were they painted on board, was it brown or tan (or Sand?)? EKA-3B Skywarrior I only have a head on picture of this, was there more than one? What was it coded? Did a Royal Navy Phantom ever land on board? These are only the tip of the iceberg as regards my questions. I would also like to hear about any visitors to Nimitz during this timeframe, be they humans or aircraft! Especially any non-US aircraft. Bu. numbers to go with the planes, pilots' names, that sort of stuff. It does not matter whether you were the Captain or a cook, a pilot or a photographer, if you were on the Nimitz and you are interested in models email me! Eventually, I plan to build a large(ish) flightdeck display, complete with island. When I win the lottery and can give up work, I'll start on the 1/72 ship itself! (Now, where can I get that Fibreglass hull I saw in FSM in 1987?!) Lastly, a word of thanks to the former crewmembers and/or modelers who have made contact with me in the past on other modeling sites and have traded info/pics or decals and may be reading this, Big thanks folks! Thanks in advance, Roy (in Ireland!) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From Joel Labow Subject 1923 Honda Point Grounding >> I don't know if this is the same photo, but I have a .jpg of two ships online, one on the rocks and one offshore a few hundred feet. The offshore one carries "311" on her bow. Both vessels are four-stackers, WWI vintage. 'Don't know if the photo is copyrighted, but if someone wants to see it, let me know. << Cap'n, Your picture is of the USS Nicholas (DD-311). She and 6 sisters were steaming in column behind the destroyer squadron commander on a foggy day off southern California. Owing to faulty navgation on the part of the squadron navigator and reluctance to speak up on the part of the other 6 skippers all 7 DD's went hard aground and were lost in September 1923 at Honda Point, CA. Best regards, Joel Labow ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From MrkLeonard@aol.com Subject Re DD 311 DD 311 is the USS Nicholas, one of 7 destroyers lost on September 8, 1923. The Nicholas, along with USS Woodbury (DD 309), USS S.P. Lee (DD 310), USS Young (DD 312), USS Fuller (297), USS Delphy (DD 261), and USS Chauncey (DD 296) suffered what is commonly called the worst peace-time disaster in US Navy history. On the night in question, USS Delphy was leading a group of destroyers from Reserve Destroyer Squadron Eleven, intending to transit the Santa Barbara Channel, south of what is now Vandenburg Air Force Base, to San Diego. A navigational error led to the destroyers piling up on Point Perdernales with the loss of 20 dead aboard the Young and 3 aboard the Delphy. On another note, I understand that one of the junior officers present that night was future admiral Hyman G. Rickover. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject U.S. Navy ship status Thank you, SMML, For your responses to my query about U.S. Navy enlisted rating insignia. Now for another question. What is the definitive technical difference between "Decommissioned" and "Stricken From List" when describing inactive U.S. Navy ships? I suspect it may have something to do with permanency. Is "Decommissioned" a form of mothballing, and "Stricken" a form of unsalvageability such as sinking or scrapping etc. ? Correct clarification please, SMML ? Franklyn ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From URUDOFSKY@aol.com Subject Aircraft Carrier on eBay Can you imagine that there was a real aircraft carrier up for auction on eBay? Absurd! Unfortunately, the auction of this full-sized model of an aircraft carrier, item 2450501898 was canceled by eBay. In today's 3 Jan 03 of "Der Spiegel Online" (www.spiegel.de) there is a story about an operational British carrier, in commission until 2001, that had been listed on eBay under eBay>motor>watercraft>powerboats>28+ feet. The bid started at $6,000,000 and was driven up by 172 bidders to $90,020,100! (As scrap at $130/ton, this 16,000 tonner would barely bring in $2 million according to Der Spiegel). Then, eBay realized it was engaged in a weapons auction and the item was dropped. Ulrich H. Rudofsky ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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