Subject: SMML VOL 2656 Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 03:52:04 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http//sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1 Re Waterline 2 Waterline models in sea dioramas 3 Re 7 turret Fletcher? 4 Re SS Young America 5 Re YOUNG AMERICA 6 British WW1 Lord Clive Class monitor. HMS Sir John Moore 7 Re SS Young America 8 Re SS Young America ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From Subject Re Waterline >> I have see some great models in diorama - on the water with bow waves. How do people get that effect as if the ship is ploughing through the water? << If you are doing the model(s) purely for photographic purposes shaving cream works well. It does not, of course last so cannot be used for permanent displays. I used this technique for many of my 11200 models illustrated at www.steelnavy.com/1250reader. The base is a sheet of cardboard painted the appropriate sea color. Michael London ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From Graeme Martin Subject Waterline models in sea dioramas Most of my models that I build now are done this way. Only because what happens under the waterline is so vague. I was once told by a man who is or was contracted by the Royal Navy to build models that most info about under the waterline was probably incorrect so he built his models all this way so there would not be any argument about correct or incorrect bilge keels, shape of props etc. Firstly, I decide on where my model is going to sit on the base board and in the sea that I am going to make. High or low in the water, at anchor or at speed. Through a choppy sea or dead calm and or which way the wind is coming from (this will have an affect on flags flying at mast or stern on your model). Then I position the ship on the base board, countersinking holding screws from underneath into model that has the corresponding wing nuts permanently two part epoxies into the inside of hull. After mounting the ship in position and having a reasonable amount of area around the ship (It depends on scale of ship to what is visually acceptable. But the rule of thumb I use is at least two inches either side for a 40 inch long model. With at least three inches front and back for bow wave and prop wash) I use a product here in New Zealand called "Polyfilla." Straight from bag and mix water in a cake mixing bowl which you can wash out later before totally dry. Drill holes part way into your base board to give the Polyfila a good foundation. Start working your "Polyfilla" mixture with a spatula around the model. Build up more Polyfilla at the front of the ship where she is pushing through the water. Before starting look at photos of your model as a real ship and see the type of bow wave she makes. Duplicate this and as the Polyfilla starts to dry and harden (you have at least 30 minutes to work with this stuff), work the bow wave like surf with the top of the wave rolling over if you are capturing the model at speed. Use a dabbing technique with your spatula to effect the boiling type water at stern of ship where props are churning the water. When all is dry (like a few days) start painting, using a broad chisel paint brush (3/4 inch wide at least). Use a water based acrylic paint and work you light colours down first, then darker leaving tops of waves etc. for white foam. Obviously the troughs of waves will be darker in colour and the tops of waves lighter. It would be worth noting at this point what ship camouflage or shade of grey you are using on your warship to the hemisphere the ship was stationed. i.e.. Tropics, the sea blue/green will be of a warmer hue than if ship was station in North Sea where the "Kelvin" temperature of the water was a lot colder, hence making the blue/green/grey of the sea colder. When you have satisfied yourself that the water colour and sea state looks like like and is all dry. Use a clear gloss acrylic to give that nice wet look to your sea. Good luck. Graeme Martin ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From David Wells Subject Re 7 turret Fletcher? Erik Erhardtsen wrote >> Has there ever existed a 7 turret Fletcher class destroyer, or has there been planes fore such a ship? << Not to my knowledge. I looked through my references, and I couldn't find any references to a 7-gunned destroyer at all. There were a couple of proposals for 8-gunned destroyers during WW2, and of course there were the 8-gunned destroyer leaders before the war, but no seven gunned ships that I could find. Now, as an admitted kit modifier who does indulge in an outrageous fanciful model at times, the fact that such a ship was never built or even designed should not necessarily stop you. Probably the easiest way to make such a thing would be to replace the torpedo tubes with additional 5" guns. One might remove the aft tubes and the superstructure below them, and put one gun at deck level, with the original #3 mount superimposed above it. This might not be the best plan, though since the torpedo tubes were the destroyers' most powerful weapon. Another possibility might be taking a Fletcher with the anti-kamikaze refit, and replacing the waist 40mm quad Bofors guns with 5"/l38 open mount guns. This would have the advantage of preserving at least one set of torpedo tubes, but would of course reduce the anti-aircraft capability of the ship. A third approach might be to make the whole system bigger. One could certainly splice the hull of the model to build a somewhat longer ship with additional space for more main guns. In the final analysis though, if you want to make a destroyer with lots of 5 inch guns, the best way to go is twin mounts. The USN came to the same conclusion with the Sumner/Gearing class, and the various proposal for 8-gunned destroyer leaders. The RN came to a similar conclusion with the Daring class. (and others) Of course, I "went off the deep end" myself, and have the following crazy project in progress a 10-gunned leader (five 5"/L38 twin mounts) with 10 torpedo tubes (two quintuple mounts) and a post-WW2 AA fit including 3"/L50 twin guns. I started with a Testors (ex-Hawk) Fletcher class kit, stretched the hull, and added lots of Skywave parts from the old E-6 set. Yes, it's completely outrageous, but remember, this is a hobby, and we're doing it for fun. "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/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From Randy Ward Subject Re SS Young America >> The SS Young America was a medium size standard cargo ship, Maritime Commission design C2-S-B1, << The Sterling "American Scout" is an old C-2 kit that appears on eBay from time to time. There are also C-2 plans available from at least one of the plans services. Cap'n Randy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From ALROSS2@aol.com Subject Re YOUNG AMERICA Email me at aross@bluejacketinc.com. I'm there every day and have access to all of the plans they've developed over the years. I know we have C2 plans, but don't remember the specific vessels covered by them. Al Ross ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From "Scheckenbach, Alan" Subject British WW1 Lord Clive Class monitor. HMS Sir John Moore Gents, I was hoping someone may be able to help me with a drawing/s of a Lord Clive Class monitor of WW1 vintage. I have a couple of photos of this type, two photos of secondary armament and some construction data gleaned from the web. I am putting together some information about Leading Stoker, William Ellis (311965), who served on the Sir John Moore, for one of his daughters. I am hoping to give her some information about his ship. Additionally, does anyone know about this vessel's war history? (Completed July 1915 and scrapped Nov 1921) It is my understanding, based on an inference of the burial in Oostende of a sailor, that the Sir John Moore was involved in the retaking of Oostende in October 1918. At a guess, she sat off shore, along with another couple of vessels and shelled shore installations. Any assistance would really be appreciated. Thanks Alan ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From URUDOFSKY@aol.com Subject Re SS Young America Pictures can be found at http//www.rootsweb.com/~utsaltla/111thInf/Research/ship_YoungAmerica.html and on the Armed Guard website www.armed-guard.com. There are models of Liberty ships from ready-made 11250 scale on up. Ulrich Rudofsky ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From "Paul Giltz" Subject Re SS Young America I found a nice picture of the SS Young America as she appeared during WW2 at a web site dedicated to the armed guard that manned these ships. Lots of other information there, too. < www.armed-guard.com>. If I remember, wasn't the old Sterling "American Scout" kit a C-2?, this still shows up on Ebay pretty regularly. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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