Subject: SMML VOL 2992 Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:32:50 +1100 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 HMS Vanguardd in 1/450 scale (#5920091790) 2 Merchant shipping klaxon and siren warnings 3 Re HMS Repulse AAA armament 4 1/72 Ship News and Questions 5 Force Z, Radars etc 6 Ray Burt 7 HMS Repulse details -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1 Models for sale ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From paulship57@hotmail.com Subject HMS Vanguardd in 1/450 scale (#5920091790) The box art is shown .It is the only one on ebay at the moment. HMS Vanguardd in 1/450 scale Item number 5920091790 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From "Harold Stockton" Subject Merchant shipping klaxon and siren warnings I am working on a screenplay about a true WW-II event concerning the sinkings of merchant shipping and the sightings of U-boats. I need some help in locating the proper merchant shipping klaxon and siren warnings for the following 1. Submarine sighted 2. Torpedo sighted 3. Man overboard The U-boats that will be discussed in the movie will be the following U-106 (Type IXb) Kptlt. Hermann Rasch (Knights Cross). 2.U-Flottille, Lorient, France. U-160 (Type IXc) Kptlt. Georg Lassen (Knights Cross). 10.U-Flottille, Lorient, France. U-504 (Type IXc) Kptlt. Hans-Georg Friedrich 'Fritz' Poske. 2.U-Flottille, Lorient,France. U-552 (Type VIIc) Erich Topp . 7.U-Flottille, St.Nazaire, France. U-564 (Type VIIc) KrvKpt. Reinhard Suhren (Knights Cross). 1.U-Flottile. Any specific additional infoprmation about the above boats, other than what is already on the Net at the two U-boat sites would be most welcome. This not a documentary, but a major movie project. All assistance will be given full film credits. Thanks. Harold Stockton ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From "Harold Stockton" Subject Re HMS Repulse AAA armament From my discussions offline with Mr. Tim Stoneman about HMS Repulse's AAA armament, we have arrived at this point so far. From looking closer at the shots in ENSIGN 8, I can see where you could have two quad 0.5" mounts being one platform lower on the expanded Lower Platform just above where the rear searchlights were mounted, and where there is an enclosed 4" director is on. What is on the starfish platform is some form of look-out site as it is quite visible in the 1939 rebuild and can be seen with and without the wind-dodgers. Something is there; as it is quite visible in all of the 1939 and 1941 photos, but not quite clear in the attached drawing. After re-reading sections of BATTLESHIP, especially the appendices about the gun's performances, the "ready use" ammunition supply was totally inadequate. The AAA equipment everywhere was totally inadequate in all navies; examples being the French 2d Destroyer Squadron at Dunkirk, RN Norwegian operations, and all of the American actions up to and shortly after Midway. Tim wrote that there were "2 single 20mm forward, abeam the LA.CT (the one with RDF Type 284 - I think you may have been mistaken in calling it a HCAS director), 4 at fo'c'sle deck level abeam the after superstructure, and 2 on 'Y' turret; 2 quad 0.5" high up abeam the forefunnel and 2 on the 4" director platform low down on the mainmast (these are clearly visible in the photos in Northcott, and I thought they were the ones referred to in the caption). This gives 8 Oerlikons, although Jacobs only mentions 6 - but he speaks of men congregating 'near No.5 Oerlikon, having come on deck through the door leading into the Captain's lobby' - the lobby was in the after superstructure at fo'c'sle deck level, so No 5 would have been nearby (the RN numbered guns from forward to aft, odd numbers to starboard). "This would fit with Lt Jacobs' remarks about the reports from the guns - he was on or about the after superstructure and he'd have had some difficulty getting information from No 1 & 2 Oerlikon mountings and 1 & 2 0.5" as they were well forward of him, but the other mountings were fairly near his station." This has been an interesting discussion. HAROLD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From RDemeyere@aol.com Subject 1/72 Ship News and Questions Revell-Monogram is releasing an injection molded 1/72 Gato-class U.S. submarine. Here a link to the pre-order page at Squadron http//www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=rm0384 I've not seen anything on the ship modeling pages I usually visit (SMML, Hyperscale, Modeling Madness, Model Warships, and Steel Navy) and the Revell-Monogram website has nothing on the Gato. So the only information I can provide is from the Squadron posting which says it will be 52" long. Nice complement to the 1/72 Revell-Germany Type VIIC U-boat. Now if they would just do some 1/72 WWII ASW surface craft (like the Vorpostenboot or the Type D Kaibokan) to complement their reissue of the 1/72 Matchbox Flower Class corvette. (Not that the covette couldn't stand a major reworking as well...) In fact, at 52" for the Gato, wouldn't a WWII USN DE be possible as well? (Well, I can always dream, I guess.) Speaking of Revell-Germany and 1/72 ship models, the company has announced another addition to its line of German sea rescue service cruisers, the DGzRS Hermann Marwede. This ship is substantially larger that the preceeding DGzRS Arkona (also available in 1/72 from Revell-Germany). Here's a link to build photographs at the Revell-Germany website http//www.revell.de/typo3/en/products/model_kits/hermann_marwede_dgzrs/index.html?&L=1 Now for the question. Hannants advertises a coming Airfix 1/72 RNLI Severn Class Lifeboat. Here's the link http//www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=AX06280 However, there is nothing on the Airfix website and there have been no advanced notices posted on the websites I previously mentioned. Does anyone know where information on this kit is posted? It appears that the modeling of sea rescue craft is catching on. Is it okay to hope for a 47' USCG Rescue Boat in 1/72 scale some time in the future? Best Regards, Russ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From John Sweetman Subject Force Z, Radars etc Felicitations Gentlemen, Thankyou for the excellent articles on Force Z etc radars & armaments, takes me back to college where the elements of Radar & it's history were rammed into mine & others thick skulls!!! Happy Days! However the fact remains that because of Japanese intentions towards Malaya, Singapore, & the (then) Netherlands East Indies oilfields, Force Z which was bang across the Japanese supply lines had to GO!!!! Admiral Nagumo had every bomber that had the range & could fly in the air, some 90 aircraft. Even had the vessels had "All Singing All Dancing" defence systems & had the RAF been able to mount an effective air defence, these ships were doomed given the japanese propensity to kamikaze! As it was the Japanese on entering Singapre were just about at the end of their tether for supplies, had General Percival but realised, instead of trying to negotiate a comfortable captivity, he & his men could have rolled the Japs back up to Singora, which as present day Songkhla is where I live. However hindsight is always 20/20 vision! The remains of the Prince Of Wales & Repulse lie in 50 Metres or so of water off Kuantan, easily seen from a shallow dive not 400 miles from home, Japanese scrap contractors not withstanding (Adding Insult to Injury!) A monument to British Incompetence and Unpreparedness in South East Asia, paid for in the blood of Brave Men Best Regards Captain John Sweetman ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From "Dennis Vella" Subject Ray Burt Hello all SMMLs' scattered around the world! Does any one of you know the e- mail address of Mr Ray Burt the author of several books on British warships. regards Dennis Vella ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From "John Clements" Subject HMS Repulse details Perhaps I could try and add a couple of points to the exhaustive and interesting discussion so far on the topic of Repulse's radar and light AA fit. I have looked up my sources to hand as follows Raven & Roberts British Battleships of WW2 has a 1941 side plan of Repulse. This shows the 0.5" MGs and the 20mm mountings. There are four sets of quadruple mg's, one either side of the funnel fitted during the 1936 refit, and two fitted in 1939 on the piece of superstructure attached to the mainmast but below the starfish which also held two searchlights at a lower level. I think this was the original 4" director platform. It is one of these that is visible in the photograph quoted by Harold from Ensign 8, page 35. So it seems they were not mounted on the starfish as such, but at a lower level. As to the radar fit, Raven and Roberts only mention the Type 284 gunnery set, which is also mentioned in the caption to the centre photograph in the Ensign book on page 37, but it is mounted on the conning tower director, not on the HACS. Finally, also from Raven & Roberts, but in accordance with other sources, the Type 284 did not have a yagi-style array, but rather what looks like a flat front in two main sections, one fitted on the face of the main surface gunnery director and one on top. This can be seen in many photographs of larger RN vessels after 1940. The yagi's came in with the smaller Type 285, which was mounted on HACS. As far as Raven & Roberts are concerned, it appears that they do not believe that AA director radar was fitted on the Repulse at all. John Clements ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From "Rod" Subject Models for sale I have some models on Ebay auction under my username of c177guy. Right now there are ships and some armor. Rod ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the SMML site for the List Rules, Reviews, Articles, Backissues, Member's models & Reference Pictures at http//smmlonline.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume