Subject: SMML VOL 2825 Date: Fri, 06 May 2005 01:09:26 +1000 The Ship Modelling Mailing List (SMML) is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http//sandlehobbies.com For infomation on how to Post to SMML and Unsubscribe from SMML http//smmlonline.com/aboutsmml/rules.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1 Re 1/250 Yamato by Doyusha 2 More PGM pictures 3 ARK of china kits 4 Re Mothballing Battleships (was Re USN 16" Barrels and Barrel Liners) 5 Re Doyusha 1250 scale Yamato 6 Re Mothballing Battleships (was Re USN 16" Barrels and Barrel Liners) 7 Re Geometric symbols for U.S. carrier a/c during WWII 8 Re Mothballing Battleships 9 Re Geometric symbols for US Navy a/c in World War II 10 Mail order hobby shop for HP kits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1 Model warships for sale 2 Books for sale on E-Bay ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From David Wells Subject Re 1/250 Yamato by Doyusha "Herron, Danny" wrote >> Can anybody here recommend a site or a review concerning the Doyusha 1/250 scale Yamato. I an comtemplaing purchasing one. I concsider myslf an above average builder and need to know if I want to spent this lower amount and do more work or spend more for the 1/200 scale and do less work. << Typically, I recommend Rajen's List as a review site http//www.quuxuum.org/rajens_list/shiprevs.html but I'm pretty sure that we don't have the Doyusha kit listed yet. I did recently get a look at the old UPC kit, which I believe to be a re-boxing of the Otaki 1/250 kit. I believe that the Doyusha kit is made from this same Otaki mold. Some notes from my cursory examination - Portrays the ship in late 1944 - molded into the deck railings - 3-piece deck, (2 main plus quarterdeck aft) attached with screws - Deck has characteristic bend, but probably not enough. - Turrets look kind of narrow. Main gun barrels elevate individually - 1-piece hull I cannot compare it to the Nichimo 1/200 scale kit, because I have not seen one outside of its box. I would welcome reviews of either kit for the next issue of Rajen's List. "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/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From "Riemer" Subject More PGM pictures Go to Modelshipgallery.com/gallery Select SmallCraft, 2004 Scroll down to nr 15, 1/72 model of PGM12 8 very clear photos Riemer Brouwer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From Bevilacqua Luca Subject ARK of china kits Hi everybody fellow modellers, in my never ending quest for model size and for my own punishment (I am now building the 1200 Nichimo Yamato and actually I AM ENJOING IT, even if it is a lot of work/corrections/detailing) I discovered the manufacturer ARK models from China (www.arkmodel.com). They seem to sell a pretty extensive line of 1100 kits, mostly modern ships + DKM Prinz Eugen, Scharnost and Graf Spee (not Bismarck altough it seems incredible). They are supposed to be RC sailing hulls, but my interest lies only in static, altough big scale models. For what I got from pictures on their site the kits have mostly ABS hulls (not the WWII DKM vessels which hulls instead are wood, I suppose frames to be planked). Superstructure are provided in the form of ABS with pre cut shapes, not unlike what you would come up yourself to scratchbuild superstructures for semikits (Sirmar, Scale shipyard and the like) - but with measuring and cutting already done. Fittings should be resin and/or white metal. The impression I got from the few pictures available is that they are a bit rough and some fittings may be missing. Nevertheless prices are reasonable, and furthermore 1100 is close enough to 196 for P/E and other fittings being sourceable from other sources (Sirmar, Loyalhanna Dockyards) if so necessary. The end results shown in their site seem a bit toy like, but in this field of semi kits/scratcbuilding you get what you put in. No nicely cast Trumpeter mouldings here. It all boils down to chhosing the best starting material available as far as quality/cost. I just wanted to know if someone ever experienced this manifacturer' products, and what the experience was like. I am seriously considering buying one of the DKM vessels and give them a try. Happy modelling to everyone Luca Bevilacqua ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From John Mianowski Subject Re Mothballing Battleships (was Re USN 16" Barrels and Barrel Liners) >> I remember that at the time a major consideration in the decommissioning was the issue of manning levels. The crew released from each battleship was said to be sufficient for the USN to man 3-4 frigates/destroyers and the Navy concluded that it needed more hulls in the water. Any one else recall hearing this argument? What truth is there to it? (Of course, even if it was truly a key factor it doesn't mean politics - i.e.. Navy politics - wasn't involved as well - been there, seen that) << Man 3-4 frigates that actually DO have a mission, vs. 1 battleship that DOESN'T? Yeah, I've heard that argument, as recently as last week. Figure that, for any 3 ships in commission, 1 is on station, 1 is in refit, & 1 is in transit to or from - you really need 3 battleships to be able to have 1 available at any given moment. The number of battleships currently plying the seas in commission of various navies is a testament to the battleships' usefulness in today's world. John Mianowski ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From "Axel Wolters" Subject Re Doyusha 1250 scale Yamato Hi all, I also have bought a started kit from a 1250 scale Yamato on a flea market a few years ago. It came without box, but with instructions which state the old (and long gone) japanese manufacturer "Hobby Japan " (Nihon Hobby). This kits was issued in the mid of the 1960s by Hobby Japan and DOYUSHA later aqquired the molds (like from many other faded companies like OTAKI). The detail is very rough in comparison to todays standards. The railings are molded in the hull of the ship (like in very old Revell kits from that period) , the gun barrels from the smaller guns are too thick and so on. Originally it was used for Radio Control and these models mostly havent that crisp detail like today, because the have to be shock resistant. In short To buy this model for display only, it needs too much work, it makes sense to spend more money on a better detailed model. Especially in big scale models you discover innacurracies much faster than in small models. Hope this helps and for me its always fun to dig in plastic model history.... Axel Wolters Moenchengladbach Germany ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From David Wells Subject Re Mothballing Battleships (was Re USN 16" Barrels and Barrel Liners) W.L. Upshaw wrote >> The reason for the New Jersey's decommissioning in 1969 were purely political. << "Robert Mosher" wrote >> Any one else recall hearing this argument? What truth is there to it? (Of course, even if it was truly a key factor it doesn't mean politics - i.e.. Navy politics - wasn't involved as well - been there, seen that) << I concur with Mr. Upshaw. Here's some interesting evidence on how political it was From Malcom Muir's book "The Iowa Class Battleships" Dorset Press, New York NY 1987 ISBN 1-56619-013-4 On page 117, Muir cites part of the April 1981 Senate debate on the reactivation of the New Jersey. Sen. John Chafee (R RI) and Sen. John Warner (R VA) are debating the reason for the deactivation of the ship in 1969. Mr Warner. Would the Senator from Rhode Island care to comment on the distinguished record of that ship during the time it was on active duty? Mr Chafee. I certainly will. It was a very fine ship but we did not keep it. Mr Warner. Does the Senator Mr Chafee. Let me answer the question. You have opened the floodgate, and you will get the flood. The ship proved ineffective in the mission for which it was designed-ineffective in the Vietnam war. It was tremendously costly to operate. It required a very substantial number of crew. I would say over 1,500 men, and we deactivated it. It was not worth it. It was a fiasco, truly. Mr Warner. Will the Senator yield? Mr Chafee. And the Senator knows this well. We sent it back to mothballs. Mr Warner. Mr President, if the Senator would yield, does he recall which watch it was sent back into mothballs under? Was it his or mine? It happened to have been my watch after he departed. And I will never forget the circumstances under which this ship was deactivated. I respectfully contest the statements made by the distinguished Senator from Rhode Island. The ship was very effective. As a matter of fact, it was so effective that we were ordered to take it out of active service because its belligerency and its antagonism was [sic] impeding the progress of the peace talks at that time. Mr Chafee. It was so effective, you sent it to Bremerton. Mr Warner. I beg the Senator's pardon. Mr Chafee. It was so effective, you sent it to Bremerton. Mr Warner. Against my recommendations. I went down and personally saw the Secretary of Defense and was ordered from the White House that the ship should be deactivated because it was impeding the peace negotiations . Muir's footnotes cite US Senate, 97th Congress 1st session, 7 April 1981, S3454. "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/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From "Jerry Slagle" Subject Re Geometric symbols for U.S. carrier a/c during WWII Thank you all for the assistance in researching the tail markings of the naval aircraft, it is very much appreciated. Jerry ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From "Ed Grune" Subject Re Mothballing Battleships Robert wrote about the number of destroyer/figate hulls which could be manned by a battleship crew. In addition to the crewing ratios there is also the training pipeline to consider. The oil-fired battleship-era had largely left the rest of the fleet. What there were was the nuclear tea-kettles on the carriers, subs, and some cruisers and the turbo-jet engines on the frigates, destroyers, and some other cruisers. Maintaining a training pipeline for a relatively small number of crew in a dead-end speciality was recognized as not cost efficient in the long view. Ed Grune Mansfield, TX ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From Sanartjam@aol.com Subject Re Geometric symbols for US Navy a/c in World War II Hi Jerry, You might want to get a copy of Thomas Doll's book "U.S. Navy Markings W.W.II - Pacific Theater," which was published in 1967. Something tells me it has been reprinted but I can't remember anything definite. Hope this helps! Art Nicholson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From Procladius@aol.com Subject Mail order hobby shop for HP kits Detlef, You may be thinking of Great Adventures Hobbies. http//www.greatadventureshobby.com/ They sell HP kits, and some other resin manufacurers. You can order from their web page. I bought some HP kits from them at a show a year ago, but have not done mail order with them. Charles Watson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From "Rod" Subject Model warships for sale Hello all, I have the following 3 models I'd like to sell. All are complete. Will sell worldwide. Tamiya 1/350 USS Enterprise with extra aircraft sets. $90 Revell 1/72 Flower Class Corvette. $60 Trumpeter 1/350 USS Essex. $65 Thanks a lot, Rod ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From "Sam Pullig" Subject Books for sale on E-Bay I am starting to list a collection of books for sale on e-bay. It will take awhile to get them all posted. I started yesterday with two of Burt’s books and Reilly’s AMERICAM BATTLESHIPS. If you go to E-bay’s home page, select advanced search, then on the left side is an option to look at “seller’s auctions”. My seller name is SPullig. Take a look, save me as a favorite seller and come back every few days to see what is listed. I will sell worldwide but would need payment via PayPal in U.S. Dollars and remember books ship “heavy”. Thanks. Sam Pullig ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the SMML site for the List Rules, Reviews, Articles, Backissues, Member's models & Reference Pictures at http//smmlonline.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume