Subject: SMML VOL 2442 Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 23:56:04 +1100 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http//sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1 Niko Model's ORP Burza/Wicher wz.36 review 2 Re camo 3 Re Scottish Waterways 4 Re Card Models 5 Re Scottish waterways 6 German ship models "SMS Victoria Louise or "Siegfried" 7 Scottish Waterways 8 Railway Guns 9 Re card models 10 Re Scottish Waterways ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From "Harold Stockton" Subject Niko Model's ORP Burza/Wicher wz.36 review I received my copy of Niko Model's 1/700 scale multi-media kit of their ORP Burza/Wicher wz.36 in yesterday's mail and I decided to sit down and right an Out-Of-the-Box (OOB) review. To research more details on these two vessels, one need only do a Google search for either of them or go directly to the unofficial Polish Navy website at http//crolick.website.pl/pmw/flota_morska/ship_04.html, for the Burza, and for the Wicher. It seems that the kit is of the pre-war, and as delivered fit, with its full and very heaavy mainmast array. Just before the war the mainmast was removed for a more lighter polemast. Plans for this updated arrangement of antiaircraft weapons and funnel arrangement can be seen at http//crolick.website.pl/pmw/flota_morska/i/ship_04_02.jpg . This was to bring them into looking much like the ORP Grom class destroyers. The Kit. The kit; number 7004, comes in a very well constructed cardboard box and was sent to me in an insulated mailing package to ensure against any lurking mail-gremlins. Upon opening the box, the major hull and superstructure molding is wrapped in bubble-wrap, as is the smaller detail pieces. The latter is in its own zip-lock package as is the kit's decal sheet, masttops and yards, and photo-etched mine-rails. The Pieces. One is struck with the amount of detail that is included in the molding of the hull and superstructure. Besides all manner of hatches, watertight doors, mine-rail bases, bollards, and intakes, the hull is almost a model in and of itself, challenging what I have seen on some of the white-metal cast ships. The remaining pieces of the kit is an interesting approach for a ship model. The old Renwal 1/500 scale ship models used to have the roof or deck section separate from the superstruture in order to have a very crisp line between the two. Niko has done a similar approach on this model. In order to have the screens and other details done in a very fine and scale thickness manner, each deck and superstructure roof is molded separately in order to have its detail as finely finished as possible. This approach should ease painting and assembly considerably. The torpedo tubes, funnels, searchlights, directors, anchors, boats, davits and other smaller details are all done in very fine and separate little resin moldings. Because of their size, one should take special care in painting the items first before removing from their molded carriers. Loss of any of these could easily take place otherwise. There are various sized photo-etched pieces that appear to be mine-rails. Not speaking Polish, I cannot comment on their exact location except to follow the tiny molded-on rails that are on the main hull-superstructure molding. The instructions follow a simple but adequate exploded view for all of the main and smaller pieces. The flip-side of the small single piece instruction page gives a very adequate "General Plan" view; showing both side and plan view, that shows the exact pattern for the aerial pattern on the mainmast and yards, and this would in itself be very challenging to do in 1/700 scale. The upper or deck view does show the placement of the above mentioned mine-rail location. Conclusion. I admit to already being biased toward these kits as I have studied the photographs on the company's website at www.nikomodel.pl . But to perfectly honest, these kits could easy hook a person in ordering all of this company's products. The suggested retail price of these kits at around $15.00 plus postage does make for fairly cheap and inexpensive modeling. With the addition of some scale photoetched railings, a real show-stopper could be made quite easily. How will I finish off my own kit? Why a French torpilleurs d'escadre of the Bourrasque class, of course. I will need at least three or four to model the ones that were either damaged, sunk or thus marred in the Dunkirk evacuations. Happy modeling, and thanks to Niko Models for this very fine model. Harold Stockton ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From Brooks Rowlett Subject Re camo >> While gray colors might be technically correct as a typ/e of camouflage most people are probably referring to dazzle types of camouflage which is intended to break-up the perceive pattern of a vessel or to make it appear as on a course other than the one it is on. << Not to be pedantic but I think you will find that dazzle refers to sharp edged patterns with many comparatively small patches, whereas to break the outline up, one usually calls that disruptive, and this usually refers to wavy edged patterns that can be small or large. Admiralty disruptive schemes in WWII are not dazzle - in fact I think that most USN WWII patterns are not technically dazzle either. Dazzle schemes are primarily associated with WWI, though the one French cruiser and some US PTs in the Mediterranean in a zebra-stripe scheme in WWII would qualify as dazzle. Brooks A. Rowlett ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From "Colin Ritchie" Subject Re Scottish Waterways Well I'll have a got at these, I'm not an expert, but I am Scottish! >> Question No. 1 for our Scottish cousins) Is the Caledonian Canal man-made or is it a natural waterway? Or is it indeed both (a man-made improvement of a natural phenomenon)? << Its an improvement I guess, The Caledonian Canal is based around the lochs that comprise the "great glen", really a geological feature that splits the upper and lower parts of Scotland, the largest part of it being Loch Ness , (or monster fame) If I remember my primary school lessons it was Thomas Telford who was responsible for most of the work . Its still in use to-day with small fishing boats passing back and fore from the East to West coast. >> Question No. 2) According to my miserable maps there seems to be another route across Scotland, roughly parallel and somewhat south, connecting the Firth of Clyde with the North Sea. Can anyone please give me its name? Is it man-made etc.? Is it navigable for a 110 foot long vessel drawing about 6 feet? << I think your talking about the Forth Clyde canal , build in the 19th Century, as part of the Canal building fever that gripped Britain before the Railways, Its in the process of being restored , along most of its length , and may well be navigable . however its a traditional British canal, being less than 10 wide(?), suitable for narrow boats only I'm afraid >> Question No. 3) Do these aquatic passageways make northern Scotland into two islands ? << Well technically yes I suppose, but if some of my more extreme countrymen had their way there would be an enormous ditch cutting Scotland off from the rest of the UK... Colin Ritchie ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From "lamarbjones" Subject Re Card Models There is no reason at all why a card model can't serve as a templet for a wooden or plastic build. In fact the really high quality card models have correct colors printed, which greatly facilitates thinking through paint applications. Card models exhibited several years ago at the Baton Rouge, Louisiana Ship Modelers Association exhibits have been excellent in appearance. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From John Fraser Subject Re Scottish waterways http//www.scottishcanals.co.uk/ This website has all the info you need I hope (except if it makes us into two islands, which I have no idea about,). Hope this helps John ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From John Fraser Subject German ship models "SMS Victoria Louise or "Siegfried" Hi I was wondering if anyone has had experience with this comepany as I was looking for hulls of the ships SMS Victoria Louise and "SMS Siegfried" and came across this site http//www.vora-modellbau.de/Kaiserlichemarine.html I would prefer fibreglass hulls but if these kits (or is it completed hulls, my systranslator was not very clear) are good then I might go for these. Or does anyone know a source of fibreglass ones? Thanks John ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From "George Peat" Subject Scottish Waterways >> Question No. 1 for our Scottish cousins) Is the Caledonian Canal man-made or is it a natural waterway? Or is it indeed both (a man-made improvement of a natural phenomenon) ? << 1 The Caledonian Cannal is a mixture of man made and natural waterways passing through Loch Ness as part of the canal. It is still in use today by pleasure craft both sail and powered >> Question No. 2) According to my miserable maps there seems to be another route across Scotland, roughly parallel and somewhat south, connecting the Firth of Clyde with the North Sea. Can anyone please give me its name? Is it man-made etc.? Is it navigable for a 110 foot long vessel drawing about 6 feet? << 2 The Forth and Clyde canal [man made] is the other route across Scotland running from Bowling on the river Clyde through to Grangemouth of the river Forth. There are also 2 subsiduary canals that join up with the Main ropute. on the Glasgow side there is the Monkj;ands Canal which joins the Forth & Clyde at Maryhill and on the other side the Union Canal with runs from Edinburgh to Falkirk where it joins the Forth & Clyde canal at what os now the largest boat carrying wheel in the world. The Forth & Clyde was used grequently by all types of mall craft from Puffers [small cargo carrying ships] to pleasure carft. Recently it has been clearded and re opened for navigation from end to end. both of those waterways would have been more than capabile in allowing passage of the SC's. I can remember seeing in the early 50's late 1940's midget submarines [X Craft successers] passing through Maryhill when I lived there >> Question No. 3) Do these aquatic passageways make northern Scotland into two islands ? << 3 You could say that technicaly by these waterways Scotalnd is three islands, There are other canals in Scotland mainly the Crinnan Canal which is still operating and that runs from the Atlantic waters to the River Clyde. Again man made and would be feasible for SC's to traverse George Peat BEM [Secretary TF72/UK] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From John Wressell Subject Railway Guns Couldn't believe the response I got on the inquiry on railroad gun models. Thanks very much to all of you, really appreciate the help. John Wressell ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From Randy Ward Subject Re card models >> The voids could be filled with insulation foam that comes in a spray can dispenser from the hardware store, sanded and sealed. << Be very careful with this expanding foam. It keeps expanding over some time, and can easily burst any weak confined space into which it's injected. Test beforehand on something expendable. Cap'n Randy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From keith.vokes@exxonmobil.com Subject Re Scottish Waterways My colleague at work (George Gibbins of Scottish descent) has put together a brief answer to the Caledonian Canal question posed in Vol 2441 >> The Caledonian Canal was built to enable shipping to cross from the west coast to the East coast, and vice versa, without having to go around Cape Wrath. It actually joins three Lochs with man made waterways. It starts, in the West near Fort William, connecting the sea to Loch Lochy, then to Loch Oich, on to Loch Ness and finally to the Beauly Firth and Moray Firth by Inverness, in the East. The man made canal joining the Forth and Clyde is, suprisingly called the Forth and Clyde Canal! This is not a seagoing canal and joins Glasgow, in the West, with Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth in the East. There is another canal for small shipping called the Crinan Canal which connects the Sound of Jura with Loch Fynne, so saving the trip round the Mull of Kintyre for shipping going from Glasgow to the Outer Hebrides. P.s. a good atlas is recommended! Whether canals can be judged to make islands, I am not sure. << Regards, Keith Vokes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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