Subject: SMML VOL 2654 Date: Sun, 24 Oct 2004 01:08:55 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http//sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1 trinco additional 2 Re Trouble in Trinco 3 Waterline 4 Deck plans for Cold War ships 5 Re Trouble in Trinco 6 Oregon-built Liberty Ships 7 SS Young America 8 Re 7 turret Fletcher 9 Trouble in Trinco ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From Ransford Subject trinco additional Fascinating to read about Trinco during WWII. I wonder if anyone "out there" in SMMLie land was part of the international fleet that gathered in Trinco harbour after a major exercise in the spring of 1961. I was at that time serving in HMS Hermes and remember vividly the funeral in Trinco of one of my messmates - "Ginge" Hurditch who was drowned during a run ashore to one of the nearby beaches. The funeral was extremely moving and this was intensified by the attendance of matelots representing every ship in the harbour - there must have been over 1.000 lining the route to the hillside cemetry. I'd be pleased to hear from anyone who was there. Taff Rogers ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From "Leslie D. Foran" Subject Re Trouble in Trinco I want to be added to the growing list of people encouraging Tony Ireland to continue his wonderful tales. There is nothing like a first-hand account of human interest that seldom makes it into the history books. Les Foran ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From "John Mills" Subject Waterline I have see some great models in diarama - on the water with bow waves. How do people get that effect as if the ship is ploughing through the water? John Mills Canberra ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From David Wells Subject Deck plans for Cold War ships Fellow SMMLlies I'm looking for some basic deck plans for several USN Cold War era ships USS Belknap, DLG/CG-26 USS Truxtun, DLGN/CGN-35 USS Virginia, CGN-38 USS Mitscher, DL-2/DDG-35 (either configuration, or both) USS Farragut, DLG-6/DDG-37 (either configuration, or both) I have profiles for these ships, but no horizontal plans. I'm trying to figure out basic things like the widths of hangar decks, superstructure shapes/widths, etc. If anyone has any of the above, please contact me off-list. David R. Wells "There seems to be something wrong | David R. Wells with our bloody ships today" | Adm. D. Beatty, May 31, 1916 | http//home.att.net/~WellsBrothers/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From "William H. Shuey" Subject Re Trouble in Trinco >> That was a fascinating and vivid account. Please post more when you have it. Have you thought of publishing any of this? << I will second this suggestion, this guy needs to find a publisher. This is the kind of history that is fast disappearing and no one is recording it. Bill Shuey ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From "Will Noble" Subject Oregon-built Liberty Ships >> Wartime Liberty ships carried no distinguishing marks on the hull. They had wooden name boards up on the flying bridge rail, and these could be flipped over to hide the name. The hull number you cite is a contract number issued by the US Maritime Commission. Ships were also issued yard numbers by the company building them, in the case of the Linderman she was Oregon Ship Building yard number 804. After they entered service merchant ships are generally only referred to by their name. They also have a distinguishing official number (different from the USMC number) to avoid confusion between ships with similar names. These numbers would typically only appear in paperwork (the USMC and yard numbers were put on the ship's builders plates) and would not be painted on the vessel. Ships participating in a military operation, such as an invasion, were sometimes given temporary ID numbers. These would be displayed on number boards similar to the name boards. Some Liberty ships (less than 10%) were actually commissioned Navy ships, and these did have hull numbers and displayed them according to Navy practice. << There are further sources specific to the Oregon-built Liberty ships. The Oregon Historical Society, among other things, is a repository for rare/seldom seen photographs, articles, and other information regarding general Oregon history. Of note, they have an extensive archive of the WWII era shipbuilding projects that were conducted on Swan Island here in Portland -- among which were the Kaiser-built Liberties. Of further interest to us SMMLies might be their archive on the U.S.S. Oregon -- the Society is one of two extensive archives of "Oregon" information, artifacts, and memorabilia. They can be reached on the web here --> http//www.ohs.org/ Best regards, Will Noble Portland, OR "The first rule of life is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they really are." Marcus Aurelius; 162CE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From Russell_Lessard@aigvalic.com Subject SS Young America My wife's Grandfather apparently either sailed or served briefly aboard the SS Young America during WWII. I believe this was a liberty ship, but I have really struggled to find anything, including pictures on this ship. Given the many models out there, I had hoped there might be a kit available. I have given up on finding a kit as I cannot even find a picture of the Young America. There are sites on the internet where veterans mention having sailed on the Young America, but no-one ever seems to have a picture. Anyone here have information? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From "Bruce Ross" Subject Re 7 turret Fletcher >> Has there ever existed a 7 turret Fletcher class destroyer, or has there been planes fore such a ship? << Erik, I don't think there ever was a 7 turret Fletcher; but I do know that there was a design for an aircraft carrying Fletcher. In 1942 the decision was made to install a catapult and crane in place of the number 2 torpedo launcher, mount 53 and the 01 level deck structure aft. Of the six that were designated as the build ships only 4 ever actually received the conversion; one was redesignated as a "normal" Fletcher and the final one had the catapult removed shortly after it was installed. Of the 4 that actually received the catapult only three had any operational experience and it was limited. The Pringle made one Atlantic convoy escort mission and then had the aircraft capabilities removed. The Stevens and the Halford each operated with the Pacific fleet with the Stevens recording a total of 48 launch and recoveries; the most for any of the conversions. The experiment was deemed not necessary due to the proliferation of radar and aircraft carriers. Also, it was determined that the danger to the recovery ship did not warrant the limited value of the aircraft. I'm currently building a model of the Stevens in 1/144 so I've studied the subject just a bit! ) Bruce ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From "bert" Subject Trouble in Trinco Tony, The two brief sorties you mention were the attacks on Sabang when "Indom" "Vic" and "Old Sara" accompanied by other units of the Eastern fleet, (I can recall the Q class destroyer "Quentin" being among them) taking part in the bombardment. The other target was "Pankalan Brandon", when a cement works was hit by our aircraft and they returned aboard covered in cement dust. That was the last time that "Saratoga" operated with the Eastern fleet. She then left with other units of the U.S. fleet to return to the Pacific. Palembang was attacked twice in January 1945 by Aircraft of the 1st Carrier Squadron of the B.P.Fleet "Illustrious, Victorious, Indomitable and Indefatigable. The oil storage tanks were destroyed and the refinery severely damaged and was unable to produce oil for about 4 months, cutting off 60% of Japanese oil supplies, and making a MAJOR contribution to the campaign in the Pacific, before going on to carry out interdiction strikes on airfields in the Sakashima Gunto and Formosa area to prevent the Japs from staging aircraft from the home islands to attack the U.S. Fleet attacking Okinawa, Whose losses would have been much greater had we not been there, 5 of the 6 R.N. carriers received kamikaze hits but our armoured deck enabled us to resume operations within hours rather than becoming a fireball. This is not intended to be a critique of your story but to inform you of the results of both our service in the R.N. at that time. Incidentally there were quite a few kiwi's in 849 Squadron (Avengers). and many of them live in N.Z. and belong to the R.N association there All would now be well over the eighty mark. Perhaps you could get in touch with them and get first hand information face to face. I know one of the pilots became a doctor married and had ten children!.Another pilot "dickie? Judd" wrote a book "Avenger from the sky" His story as a pilot,it's a good read, and was published just after he died about twenty years ago. Yours Aye (TaT). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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