Subject: SMML VOL 2410 Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 01:12:58 +1100 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http//sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1 S. S. Patrick Henry 2 Re Hickman-Mustin "sea-sled" 3 Re AC Island 4 Re off-subject quiz about A/C carriers 5 off-subject quiz about A/C carriers 6 Carrier Quiz 7 Rubis 8 Future Floor Wax in Oz 9 Google, Research Librarians, and SMML 10 Colours for Blyskawica in 1944? 11 Re Hickman-Mustin "sea-sled" 12 Re off-subject quiz about A/C carriers 13 Neustrashimy Colours 14 Imperial russian royal yacht ALMAZ, colour schemes thereof ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From "David L. Fisher" Subject S. S. Patrick Henry I'm working on a 1/16" model of the first Liberty Ship and hope to show it as of its time trials. I need information as to paint at that time, deck and deck house items such as gun tubs or not; were there life rafts installed; etc. Keep in mind that it was launched in Sept. of 1941 and probably fitted out and had time trials before Pearl Harbor. Any authentic and verifyable information would be appreciated. Post or send to dfisher@bcpl.net Dave Fisher ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From SeaWoodies@aol.com Subject Re Hickman-Mustin "sea-sled" Sea sleds are still being built from time to time( see Woodenboat Magazine for articles) and there is one that gets to some of the antique boat shows ( see the Mt.Dora chapter website of the Classic and Antique Boat Society for possible pictures). Hickman also pioneered surface drives and counter rotating props as a way of countering tailwalk as I remember. John Kennedy came closer to piloting SeaSled 109 than he would ever know. SeaWoodies@aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From BRADFORD CHAUCER Subject Re AC Island >> I just wanted to see if anyone out there knew why the islands on carriers .... << Islands re on the right because of torque effects of p\radial engines. Due to the rotational effext of aircraft props which rotate clockwise as seen from ght cockpit, the plane tends to the left upon takeoff, hence placement of th eisland on the right to avoid possible collisions w\at lift off when the pilot is otherwise occupied andf the plane has less controlability due to low speed. Regards, Bradford Chaucer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From "Jerry Slagle" Subject Re off-subject quiz about A/C carriers >> I just wanted to see if anyone out there knew why the islands on carriers ended up on the right side of the flightdeck instead of the left. There is no prize for being the first to guess it correctly, except that you know your aviation and naval architecture a little better than most. << I believe it had to do with the engine torque of the propeller powered planes in the early days of the aircraft carrier. The planes had a tendency to pull to the port, thus the "island" was placed on the starboard side. Jerry Slagle ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From John Mianowski Subject off-subject quiz about A/C carriers The Japanese, in WWII, had 2 carriers (don't ask me to name them without opening a book) with islands on the port side. My understanding of the reason for starboard-side islands is that (most) aircraft, when stalling or getting into other trouble landing, tend to veer off to the left (maybe has to do with which direction the propellers rotate? Right-handed pilots tend to pull that way?). Keeping the area to the left of the landing deck clear helps to prevent accidents. JM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From Paul OReilly Subject Carrier Quiz My understanding for the placement of the island on the starboard side had to do with the direction of rotation of the aircraft propellors on the carrier. The earlier American aircraft had propellors that turned clockwise (when viewed from astern). This meant the torque effect from the engine would make the aircraft veer to the left on take off if the pilot did not make the suitable correction. Thus the island was place to the right in recognition of the fact that the most common error by pilots on take off was not putting in enough rudder to counter the engine torque. Later on, as engine power increased, there were a number of aircraft doing torque rolls when wave-offs were initiated as low speeds. The ailerons could not counter the torque effect and aircraft would roll to the left and crash in the sea alongside the carrier. Some aircraft with counter-clockwise rotating props (Seafire, Firefly, etc) would torque roll to the right towards the island. My two cents. Paul O'Reilly ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From "Nuno Rubim" Subject Rubis Besides Warship Profile # 26, is there any available plan of the WW II French Submarine RUBIS ? I'm also looking for drawings, or photos, of her armament, i.e., the 75mm mod 1928 gun and both the "Sauter & Harley" and T III mines. Thanks Nuno Rubim ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From "Denis James" Subject Future Floor Wax in Oz To Bill Weckel, Bill I suspect it would be easier to send you the 'Political' galah varient (and we have quite a number to spare) than the feathered variety. rgd dj ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From Don Myers Subject Google, Research Librarians, and SMML Subject title taken from the news story to determine if the internet is more successful than a research librarian. The recent thread on USNS ship names produced some interesting data from the list members, hence the title; therefore the probability of someone with useful information is quite good. I’m attempting to trace the life of my Navy ship and perhaps a SMML reader may find an official record of the final demise. What I have 1. Moore Drydock Company launches C2-S-B1(R) SS Great Republic as an all-holds refrigerated cargo vessel in Oakland CA. September 1943. 2. Marine Exchange Card and Ship Movement Card provide arrival and departure dates during WWII and post War indicating her initial voyage to New Zealand and Fiji, then through the Panama Canal to participate in the convoy system CU-UC and reverse, and also independent. West bound in the Panama Canal when the Japanese surrendered, she made runs between SF and the Far East - including Nagasaki Japan just 6 months after the atomic bomb attack - for various shipping lines. 3. US NAVY in 3Q 1950 acquires SS Great Republic from her brief storage by MARAD at Suisun Bay, CA. Commissioned USS PICTOR (AF-54) following a short conversion at Mare Island. PICTOR serves during the Korean War as mainly an in-port at-anchorage supply ship but begins operations as an underway replenishment ship about 1952 and during the Vietnam War. It is during the latter 50's and throughout the 60's that various platforms for supply ships are explored such as helo pad for air transfer; later leading to the entry of MARS (AFS) and SACRAMENTO (AOE and AOR) class replenishment ships, fulfilling a dream envisioned during WWII by Supply Logisticians to create a “one stop shopping center”. 4. Navy decommissioned PICTOR in 1970 and she is returned to storage by MARAD in Suisun Bay. 5. Navy sells ship to Levine Metals of Sacramento, CA with the notation “(Fishing)” in 1973. 6. NVR records as of 1999 has her still stored in Suisun Bay CA, although several ex-Navy crewmen confirm fact she is not berthed there. Rumors of her in the Alaskan Fishing Trade unconfirmed with some queries to Trade Agencies and USCG. Followup on the “fishing” notation yields information from the CA Marine Fisheries people that only one cargo ship was utilized as a artificial fish reef - a Liberty - and due to cost to remove asbestos and other pollutants, program was halted. A recent and also unconfirmed rumor was the ship broke her keel off the Japanese coast of Kobe and was scrapped there. I respectfully pose the following question for the list. Is there a tracing number or other such tracking device used by owners, regulatory agencies or some such group as Lloyds of London which document birth and death of a ship? I wish to obtain any documentation with photographs to confirm final disposition. Thanks in advance, Don ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From "Stephen Allen" Subject Colours for Blyskawica in 1944? Hello Could anyone advise me of the colours worn by the ORP Blyskawica in 1944? I am building the Mirage 1/400 kit, and it only provides Humbrol equivalents for what looks like an Admiralty disruptive scheme. RN color call outs or WEM Colourcoat equivalents would be just peachy - and can anyone advise me what colour the decks would be as well? It's a very nice little kit by the way. thanks Steve ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From tkremer@pacbell.net Subject Re Hickman-Mustin "sea-sled" Many of Albert Hickman's original plans and factory production drawings are now in the collection of the Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, CT. The Museum has a research section and makes copies of plans available for a fee. see http//www.mysticseaport.org/research/ru-spobtainingcopies.htm Tom K ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From "Vern Wilson" Subject Re off-subject quiz about A/C carriers Hi Harold, This is my guess about why the island is on the right side of carrier deck... It would be due to the fact that most (if not all) US naval aircraft have right handed prop rotation. The resulting opposite torque reaction would cause to roll the aircraft to the left and away from the island superstructure. This really apparent when viewing WWII footage showing the launching of aircraft. You can clearly see how much right rudder the pilots are applying keep them flying straight down the length of the deck. I remember one bit of footage showing a Hellcat pilot who was waved off on a landing attempt. He poured on the coals for a go-around, caused the plane to roll 180 degress to port (right over the deck no less), and landed smack upside down in the water just off the port side. He was flying way to slow for the control surfaces even to try to counteract the tremendous amount of engine torque that was being generated. Everytime I see that footage I often wondered if the pilot survived. Vern ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From "John Rule" Subject Neustrashimy Colours This question is directed to Falk Pletscher or anyone else who may be in the know. On the Steel Navy site, Falk posted a series of walkaround photos of Neustrashimy. In the series of photos from June 2002, the quarterdeck is in a dark colour. What was the colour? Was it some kind of mat laid over the deck or was it painted on. Hope you can help. John Rule ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From "James Baumann" Subject Imperial russian royal yacht ALMAZ, colour schemes thereof Hello all! a good modelling friend of mine has aquired a Combrig 1/700 kit of Almaz, the Russian Royal yacht. Handsome vessel indeed, I have seen models and paintings of her in Black with yellow funnels as well as in her later Naval format. The question hereby is Was she as the Royal Yacht ever painted in white/yellowfunnels or other? I have on his behalf failed deperately to locate any concrete information so thought I would ask you! thanks JIM BAUMANN Oh yes; Robert Lockie check your e-mail! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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