Subject: SMML VOL 2625 Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 02:50:43 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http//sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1 Captain Nemo's Nautilus 2 Any Naval Hobby Shops in Tokyo? 3 Re Renwal Kits ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From "Jimmy Bloom" Subject Captain Nemo's Nautilus >> The only naval "military" (qualifiers here) kit that Polar Lights has released from the old Aurora line that I'm aware of is the Seaview submarine kit. There is a line of aftermarket resin parts to "accurize" this fictional sub. The large Seaview models used to shoot the movie and TV series went through several modifications along the way. One major change was from an eight window to a four window version. << This brings to mind the efforts to model the Nautilus....Captain Nemo's version, not the US nuclear pioneer. I only recall one kit, that being a rather odd Airfix version, which resembled no known artistic rendering. I believe this was a snap-together model not requiring any glue, but needing some painting. The Disney theme park in Tokyo has issued several ready-built souvenir versions, all of course based on the Goff model used in Disney's 1954 movie. Goff's version was fanciful steam-punk Victorian iron and heavy rivet stuff, but somehow convincing in context. My only problem with it is that as demonstrated by Cristafuilli's website on the Nautilus, there would have been no room for the size of crew indicated in the novel. It does make sense that the Nautilus would be fashioned to look like a sea monster, as that was the intended effect. I think the movie sub...and models....scale out to 180 feet loa or so, though I've seen a few references that show 230 feet --- roughly the size of a German Type VII U-boat. When I first read the novel around 1950 there were no kits, so I scratchbuilt my own version using toilet roll inserts and some war surplus 40 mm shells. I used the book's rather murky illustrations as a guide. All in all not a bad job for an 11-year old if I say so myself. Has anyone here tried to scratchbuild the Nautilus? I'd be interested in comparing notes. Jim Bloom Silver Spring, MD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From Stephenquock@aol.com Subject Any Naval Hobby Shops in Tokyo? Ahoy Mates, I will be in Tokyo for a few days and would like to know if there are any hobby shops specializing in naval (ships and aircrafts) subjects? Best, Steve ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From Subject Re Renwal Kits As a child of the 1950's I loved those old Renwal ship and military kits. The ship hulls were all molded in thick, heavy plastic giving them a chunky and heavy feeling - stable and purposeful while making 25 knots in a seaway and a rock solid gun platforms in any conditions. In addition they all sat firm on a flat surface much like the waterline ships of today. They were constant 1/500 (?) scale so they looked good sitting together on the shelf in my room. The battleship North Carolina was the best with individually elevating 16" guns in turrets that rotated smoothly with no wiggle, plus the turrets were attached to the ship so they did not fall under the bed when ship heeled during high speed turns. The 5"/38 turrets were works of art and could be made to rotate freely, quad 40mm and individual 20mm guns ... just beautiful. The Essex class carrier may have had a few fit problems but nothing that would cause undue concern to a 10 year old kid. The flat bottom facilitiated flight operations (much better than the Revell Essex), although the Revell planes from their Essex were much better than the Renwal F-9F's and A-3D's. The guided missle light cruiser and guided missle frigate may have been inaccurate but were based on actual ships and could be turned into pretty good models of the gun armed Cleveland class light cruiser and Mitscher class frigate. Inaccurate or not I can personally vouch for the fact that they did an excellent job protecting the Essex and a lot of other ships aganst air, surface and submarine threats that were part of every day life in 1950's suburban Rhode Island. Renwal also made a line of 1/1200 scale ships which would compare most unfavorably to the 1/1200 and 1/1250 metal ships of more recent times but which were fully up to 1950's kid standards. They were all fun, I still have a few and would love to have any of rest in my current collection. Rick Lundin ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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