Subject: SMML VOL 3011 Date: Mon, 05 Dec 2005 23:54:02 +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 LORD HORATIO NELSON 2 Re Damaged versus pristine 3 Re 'Q' class camouflage 4 Re Japanese Warship Design 5 Re 172 plastic Models 6 Seacat directors 7 Interesting variation of modeling damaged ships 8 Airbrush hints ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From "rtr" Subject LORD HORATIO NELSON Two books I can recommend, the first is a recent reprint of C.S. Forester's "NELSON" originally published in 1929. This is generally agreed to be the basis of the Foresters "Hornblower" series and is an excellent read, concentrating as it does, more on the man and his deeds rather than his "other activities!!" The reprint is published by Chatham Publishers whose web site is given below, and where you will find many other books with "The Nelson Touch!!" http//www.chathampublishing.com/ The other book is another "Oldie but goodie" and said by some to be the most detailed and accurate account of his life. This again is entitled "NELSON," was written by Carla Oman and first published in 1947 by Hodder and Stoughton, but the copy I have is a "History Book Club" edition published in 1967. Unfortunately, both are now out of print, but you can always try the original publisher at- http//www.hodderheadline.co.uk/index.asp?area=ge N.B. The Nelson/Trafalgar fortnight in "Pompey" during October was tremendous!! Yours Aye Ransford "Taff" Rogers CPO R.N. (Rtd) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From "Allan and Crystal Plumb" Subject Re Damaged versus pristine I build my ships in pristine condition, then people tell me what a great job of battle damage I've done. I don't understand whythey are so confused. Allan Plumb (Who believes war is hell, but reality needs to be shown.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From WRPRESSINC@aol.com Subject Re 'Q' class camouflage These designs usually called for white to be used, however there was a shortage of bright white paint, and so the Western Approaches 'off white" was often used, which was not as light as bright white, while the pendant number WAS in bright white. The difference was not very great but when laid against each other, the difference can easily be seen. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From dan@lcpremiums.com Subject Re Japanese Warship Design From George Levine >> Discussers should be aware that Japanese metric STANDARDS were different from European metric standards. << Hi, George I am not familar with this assertion. Please clarify. Thx, Dan Kaplan ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From Daniel Kurtz Subject Re 172 plastic Models From Bill Michaels >> Heller (and Revell, too?) has all three of Columbus' ships (Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria) in 1/75. << The Heller items are actually closer to 1/90. HO scale people look perfectly at home on my Pinta. I believe the Revell Santa Maria is officially listed as 1/96 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From potter4@att.net Subject Seacat directors These seem to be the most authoritative published sources about Seacat directors. As secondary sources they may have discrepancies from official sources. . Warship volume II (reprint of quarterly issue 7), article by Peter Hodges about RN Leander class frigates . Warship volume III (reprint of quarterly issue 9), article by Peter Hodges about RN Tribal class frigates . Norman Friedman, Naval Radar . Norman Friedman, World Naval Weapons Systems 1991-92 Based on these articles, several Seacat directors (GWS-series, for guided weapon system) were variants of radar gun directors. This seems to the evolution of the relevant directors. 1. CRBFD (close-range blind-fire AA gunfire director) with RN radar type 262. CRBFD was officially the medium-range system Mark 1. It was the cylinder-shaped gunfire director on the Daring class destroyers and Type 15 class frigates, mounted aft on both designs. 2. GWS-20 was the initial manually-worked Seacat director. Hodges said GWS-20 was fitted to HMS Salisbury, Lincoln, Fearless, Intrepid, and as built Naiad. He also said it was the Rothesay class but I think instead they had GWS-22. Illustration in Warship II, page 161. 3. GWS-21 was a variant of the MRS Mk 1 (CRBFD). For Seacat one addition had to a continuous wave illuminator (CWI) radar transmitter. Hodges says it was fitted to HMS Decoy, the Battle-class DDRs, the Tribal-class frigates, and first 4 County-class DLGs. Illustration in Warship III, page 54. 4. Medium-range system Mark 3 was an AA gunfire director, derived from the USN Mk 56 director. The radar was RN Type 903, derived from USN Mk 35 radar. According to Hodges this director had (at least) two versions for the aimer (or director officer, actually a rating) one with an open cylindrical hood and one with a solid cover. Illustration in Warship III, page 54, shows the solid-cover version as “MRS3 MOD1.” 5. GWS-22 was developed from the MRS Mk 3 director. The radar was RN type 904, which as a guess comprised radar Type 903 plus a CWI. The aimer had an open cockpit. Illustration in Warship II, page 163. Leanders modernized to batch 1 and batch 2 designs had two Seacat launchers aft so that they could fire on forward bearings. GWS-22 appeared aboard all Seacat-equipped Leanders (except Naiad before her batch 1 conversion), modernized Rothesays, modernized Tigers, the last 4 County-class DLGs, and elsewhere. 6. GWS-23 may have been unrelated to Seacat. I have no information about what system GWS-23 designated. 7. GWS-24 used the Italian radar designated as RN radar Type 912. The CO of a Type 21 frigate wrote in the Ian Allan book _Type 21_ that this GWS-21 was greatly superior to GWS-22. 8. Many non-RN users of Seacat mounted lightweight Dutch M44 directors, one per launcher. I expect that the RN ordnance museum at Gosport has official records about these various systems. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject Interesting variation of modeling damaged ships "Thank you" to whoever started the thread about modeling damaged ships. Boston, Massachusetts, USA, has (or had) a small but unusual memorial sculpture dedicated to the Merchant Marine seamen who lost their lives during WW I. It is (was) a granite stele, on top of which is a bronze sculpture of a merchant ship sinking. Most of the ship is below the sea surface, the stern, rudder, and one funnel were above water, ala RMS Titanic, I'm not sure about the screw(s). A bronze plaque identified the statue. An interesting side, observation. Most films (newsreels, etc.) showing the last few seconds of a stricken ship depict it going down stern first. I wonder why so many ships seem to sink that way. Any comments, SMML ? I recall seeing this memorial about 80 (oh, no, not 80 !, but yep, that's right! Hoo-Boy!!) in Boston Common. (sort of like New York's Central Park) I remember trying, at age 6, to get my mother to procure the sculpture so I could fix it up. Hey, it was still "afloat" to a six-year old (if it floats, fix it). I have a vague sense that it had been moved to another location within the Boston Parks system. If anyone plans to visit Boston, I'm sure a call to any of the Boston tourist, seaman's union, or maritime historical organizations should help to find this long forgotten (I bet) memorial. Franklyn ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From David L Miller Subject Airbrush hints Potter First of all, I would not paint the grandkids until you have had some practice w. the airbrush. What kind of an airbrush do you have? Are you using a compressor or a gas (CO2 or N2 or air)? There are a number of beginning airbrush books out there. Regards, Dave MIller Macomb, IL ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the SMML site for the List Rules, Reviews, Articles, Backissues, Member's models & Reference Pictures at http//smmlonline.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume