Subject: SMML VOL 2584 Date: Fri, 06 Aug 2004 02:41:00 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http//sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1 Wahington Naval Yard 2 Re Italian ship in Russian hands 3 In search of 1350 fresnel lense 4 Re Italian ship in Russian hands 5 Italian battleship in Soviet hands 6 Re RN Type 251 puzzle 7 Names of small vessels 8 Warspite watertight doors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information 1 SMML Site Update -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1 1/350 ISW USS Arkansas for Sale ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From CokerRE@aol.com Subject Wahington Naval Yard Since 9/11 there has been some talk about how difficult it is to get into the Washington (DC) Navy Yard Museum. Are those restrictions still in effect? I expect to be in DC next week end and have not been in the museum in 20 years. If anyone has any information on any difficluties and how to ease the process, please contact me off line at cokerre@aol.com Thanks, PC Coker ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From "Mike Petersen" Subject Re Italian ship in Russian hands Some rough translations...really rough Under the decision of the Triple commission of 1948 of the USSR has received линкор “ Джулио Чезаре ” constructions of times of the first world war. On December, 9, 1948 "Чезаре" has for ever left(abandoned) Taranto. On February, 6 above the ship have lifted a naval flag of the USSR, and in two weeks it(he) has left to Sevastopol. The order on the Black Sea fleet from March, 5, 1949 линкору have appropriated(given) the name "Novorossisk". The ship has been transferred(handed) by Italians to the Soviet seamen in the extremely started condition, that, taking into account character of his(its) previous operation, it was quite natural. Within five years, with 1943 for 1948 линкор, among other ships of the Italian fleet, stood, not being inhibited, with the minimal command(team) and without appropriate maintenance service, rusting and acquiring cockleshells. To tell the truth, directly ahead of transfer to Soviet Union it(he) has passed the small repair concerning basically an electromechanical part. Conditions of a life of crew in any way did not correspond(meet) neither to climatic features of the Black Sea region, nor the organization of service of the Soviet fleet. Regular камбузное the equipment provided only service of a wardroom of an officers, and on a command galley there were only boilers for cooking macaroni (besides faulty) as at parking in base crews of the Italian ships lived in a coastal barracks, and by the ship their diet has consisted only of macaroni, dry fault and olive oil. In October, 01.3129 under the case of the ship from the right board in a nose explosion, by estimations equal 1000-1200 kg тринитротолуола was distributed. The fighting alarm has been declared, the ship started to heel, and at 04.15 has overturned through the left board. Hundreds people constructed on a deck, have fallen in water and have been covered with the case линкора. In such position the ship remained some hours, having rested in a firm ground masts. Only at 22.00 the case has completely disappeared under water. Set of seamen have remained in air pillows of compartments of the overturned ship - in fact there there was their place on fighting alarm. From them nine person was possible to rescue only. Through cut in a fodder part of the bottom an aperture have left the seven person, two more seamen it was possible to rescue to divers, having deduced(removed) them from under a deck та, leaky прилегавшей to a ground. In general, the tragedy of "Empress Maria" has repeated - with it(her) happened very similar in 1-st world war. In total at accident 604 persons, including emergency parties(sets) from other ships of a squadron were lost. The reasons of explosion and on present(true) time are not found out. In the closed letter of the Central Committee of the CPSU in May, 1956 it has been officially declared, that the indiscipline of crew and a panic ostensibly reigned onboard have resulted in destruction of the ship. Despite of it, many consider, that the ship has been blown up by the Italian saboteurs. In fact till 1949 "Novorossisk" carried the name " Джулио Чезаре " ("Julias Caesars") and was part of the Italian fleet. There are certificates, that that day external spot-check was not protected, and шумопеленгаторные stations did not work. During the Second world war the Italian saboteurs serving at prince Valerio Borgeze, have won rather gloomy glory. " People - frogs " as them named, have penetrated into harbour on the special double torpedo filled three hundred in kgs of an explosive, and directed her(it) on a potential victim. In other cases they крепили mines to the bottom of the ships of the opponent. Among other versions not blown up mine of times of 2-nd world war. Though in opinion of the majority of experts, character of explosion was not similar to explosion of a ground mine. The happened tragedy was the state secret, and in domestic mass media about it(her) was not words. As a result of accident the commander of the Navy admiral of Smiths has suffered - it(him) have removed(have taken off) from a post, have deprived with a rank of admiral and have sent in resignation. In 1956 линкор have lifted and have disassembled on scrap metal. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From "Mike Petersen" Subject In search of 1350 fresnel lense I am missing my fresnel due to animal misconduct. anyone have a spare, or know of a place to get one? Thanks. Now on to the Captains Mast for the cat... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From Randy Ward Subject Re Italian ship in Russian hands >> Found this web page, is this the remains of the Conti (I think that was the one) that was turned over to the Russians. http//flot.sevastopol.info/ship/linkor/novorossiysk.htm Looks like she had an internal explosion or mine hit? Anyone have information? << Lou, running some of the text through "babelfish", it apprears that this was a battleship (Gulio Cesar) in Russian hands, that suffered an explosion in October, 1955 which caused her to roll over. Experts think a mine unlikely. They claimed Italian sabotage. Anyway, she was loaded with extra soldiers at the time, who were thrown into the water and trapped in air pockets. The whole incident was kept from the public, and resulted in the removal of VMF Admiral Kuznetsov. Cap'n Randy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From "john fiebke" Subject Italian battleship in Soviet hands >> Looks like she had an internal explosion or mine hit? Anyone have information? << I recall that she hit a mine left over from the war. After she sank, several other unexploded mines were found nearby. There were heavy casualty figures, from the result of a late order to abandon ship and poor damage control, when the ship capsized. Around 800 I think. john fiebke ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From "Frank Bowron" Subject Re RN Type 251 puzzle MIke, as an Avionic Systems specialist perhaps I can help you with your IFF versus Radar confusion. Primary Radar is what most people think of as radar - with the prominent rotating antennae and the rotating sweep on the screen. They display a target but cannot identify what that target is. Secondary radar, synchronized to the same time base, is then used to identify the primary radar target. Secondary radars interrogate the target and display the reply overlaid on the primary screen, giving the target an identify tag as the sweep passes over it. IFF systems are thus classified as Secondary Radar which is why you saw the Type 251 cited as radar in the 1949 DNC memo. You're quite right to consider that it isn't a beacon though. Cheers, Frank ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject Names of small vessels The smallest commissioned vessels of the US Navy in WW 1 (U. S. , 1917-1918) were the 110 foot wooden hulled submarine chasers. There were 440 of them built (including 100 that were sold to the French Navy). But none of them had names, they were all identified by the hull number (SC 95, for instance) painted on the bows in very large numbers. The somewhat smaller plywood US Navy PT boats of WW 2 (U. S., 1941-1945) were also identified by numbers only (PT 109, for instance), officially. Were they commissioned vessels? Did any of them get to have names, unofficially? I'm thinking of WW 2 Army aircraft, especially heavy bombers, many of which were indeed named, unofficially (Memphis Belle, for instance), and were also adorned with large drawings, mostly lustful girlie art. Franklyn ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From "A. H. Lindstrom" Subject Warspite watertight doors Was the Warspite fitted with the later RN waffle-pattern watertight doors? The WEM kit shows the waffle pattern doors, but from photos it looks like the Warspite continued to carry the older pattern doors. Alan Lindstrom ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From Mistress Lorna Subject SMML Site Update Anyone interested in building HMAS Diamantina II - River Class MCM (either scratchbuild or from the Regia Marina Gaeta Class MCM) will find some photos of interest in the Reference section of the site, while Marc Flake continues to show the appeal of early battleships by building Kombrig's 1/700 King Edward VII. Check that one out in the Mainbrace Galleries. Cheers Mistress Lorna ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From Billgior@aol.com Subject 1/350 ISW USS Arkansas for Sale Hi Everyone I have a 1/350 ISW USS Arkansas Battleship resin full hull ship kit for sale for the low price of $225.00 + shipping if interested please call me at (313)295-0293 or e-mail me at (billgior@aol.com. Happy Modeling Sincerely, Bill Giordano www.TaskForceHobbies.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