Subject: SMML VOL 2950 Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2005 02:55:07 +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 Which Titanic? 2 British Fleet Fighter Aircraft, Early WW-II 3 Re Fleet air Arm 4 Stringbag 5 Yamato Sinking 6 Re Fleet Air Arm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From "Michael D'Silva" Subject Re Which Titanic? Hi Roger, Of the three you listed, I would recommend keeping the Minicraft (China) 1/350 Titanic. While requiring a lot of work to produce a worthwhile model, it is the most accurate of the lot. Best wishes, Michael D’Silva Australia ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From Ned Barnett Subject British Fleet Fighter Aircraft, Early WW-II It may be useful to remember that the Brits at the outset of WW-II were wedded to a two-man fighter concept, a position the US tried and abandoned at the beginning of the 30s with the Grumman FF-1. They used fighters (as scouts) the way we used dive bombers (as scouts). In their case, this compromised the planes' performance, critically, while in the case of scout bombers, there was no compromise at all. Example In the Med, the Fairey Fulmar - nothing much more than a stretched, two-seat Spitfire (i.e., they both had 8 guns and a Merlin) had a top speed of about 250 mph - slower than the top speed of many attacking Italian and German a/c (notably the Ju-88), and with a lower service ceiling. Earlier in the war, they went into combat with the Roc, basically a Skua with a four-gun turret (akin to the Defiant). It was slower than all but floatplanes and seaplanes - almost useless against any modern attack aircraft. This was a design philosophy that the Brits were loathe to give up; it gave them both a "fighter" and a recon/scout aircraft, but it left them without a real fleet defense fighter until the Spitfire was modified (hastily, and not all that effectively) into a carrier fighter, pending the arrival of sufficient US carrier fighters (Martlet/Wildcat, Corsair) to actually defend their carriers. This certainly makes their decision to armor their flight decks seem logical - since they couldn't defend their decks, they might as well armor them ... Ned ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From Gmshoda@cs.com Subject Re Fleet air Arm `Walter Musciano in Warbirds at Sea described the launch of the Swordfish from the Ark Royal on the mission that disabled Bismark's rudders. According to this source, "A fierce gale of hurricane force was blowingwith torrential rains. The sea was so rough that green water was washing over the Flight Deck and Ark was pitching so violently that the bow and the stern moved a vertical distance of 50 feet. The Deck crews had to hold the planes fast, lest they be blown overboard....The entire flight of 15 Swordfish took off safely; some rolling uphill and some rolling downhill, depending upon the attitude of the ship in the violent sea." According to Musciano, the Victorious Swordfish were recently equipped with airborne radar, which enabled to them to find Bismark during an overcast night, during the earlier first strike. All of this I have always found amazing. In some ways, the Swordfish was probably the best torpedo bomber of the war. I doubt anyone would have been able to launch a strike with any other bomber under the same harsh weather conditions mentioned above. Also, it was also able to find a target using radar early in the war. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From Subject Stringbag I never meant to denigrate the dear old Stringbag, only to wonder how much more effective RN carrier groups might have been with state of the art aircraft. One legend has it that Bismark could not hit the Swordfish because it's fire control systems could not be set to such a low speed as that flown by the Swordfish. I can believe that after reading an article about the "Sundown Charlies" ("Five o clock Charlie" in MASH) bi planes from training schools used to attack US airbases, the jets deployed against them could not engage such slow targets. And was there not a case recently where two modern fighters could not hit a runaway weather balloon because it was nearly stationary? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From "Bill Clarke" Subject Yamato Sinking Detlef, without wishing to start an all out war over this isue, I was wondering if the soldiers from the troop transport were still classed as legitimate targets, as they were not a part of the ships crew, rather combatants who would be expected to carry on the fight once reaching shore. It is llike an aircraft carrying paratroopers, if the plane is shot down and they jump they can legitimately be fired upon, the aircraft crew cannot though. Just my 2 cents worth, if anyone can offer a legal perspective on my argument please by all means do so. Bill ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From "John Snyder" Subject Re Fleet Air Arm Hi Erik, >> Fighters like Wildcat and Corsair was in use on British carriers long before they was used on US carriers << True for the Corsair, but certainly not for the Wildcat. Best regards, John Snyder White Ensign Models http//WhiteEnsignModels.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the SMML site for the List Rules, Reviews, Articles, Backissues, Member's models & Reference Pictures at http//smmlonline.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume