Subject: SMML VOL 3022 Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 01:39:26 +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 Re Old US model kits 2 Re Navy RD4s and Operation Highjump 3 Re Revell Polaris Sub propellor 4 Computer Thread 5 Re Old US model kits 6 Operation Highjump 7 old kits and christmas memories 8 Re Old US model kits 9 Re A Modeling Opportunity - DC-3s onboard the Philippine Sea 10 Re Any CV-47/RD-4 "Operation Highjump" photos? 11 Re Super Bug 12 Old US model Kits 13 Re Revell Polaris Sub Prop 14 Re Any CV-47/RD-4 "Operation Highjump" photos? 15 Re CMB-4 Boat Colors 16 Re 1920 "war" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From "Rick Nelson" Subject Re Old US model kits Rick Lundin writes >> You're not out to lunch, Rick. Try googling on "monogram speedee bilt" and you will get information on the planes you remember. These show up on eBay now and then as well. << Thanks Rick for your confirmation of my great memories as a kid. Seems my plains never made it past a firecracker blast or a fine little funereal prior! But they were sure were fun to build. You're absolutely right about the '50s being a Golden age for kids. Last night I watched a program on Lionel trains and it stirred up another set of memories for me. I still have my train set from a '51 Christmas. Haven't set it up in 28 years since my son was 7 but it's nice to know it's still there with all of it's memories. Thanks again, Rick ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From "Robert Mosher" Subject Re Navy RD4s and Operation Highjump Marc, Ralph - The aircraft were fitted out with skis over their wheels for the carrier take-off. I believe the narrator said that Byrd ordered the skis installed to allow 3 inches of tire to extend below the skis in order to provide sufficient clearance for the carrier take-off on the wheels but not too much tire to interfere with the landing on the snowpack. Once they landed on the snow, the wheels were removed and the aircraft operated with only the skis. They were left on the icepack at the end of the expedition with many of the removable parts taken off and stored in case the aircraft might be needed for a future expedition. And yes, there was floating ice in the vicinity as they brought the carrier as close as possible to make for a short flight from the carrier to the base. You really should try and track down the film and get a look because there was also a sequence when a US diesel sub accompanying the Navy Task Force (I want to say that it was TF43?) got trapped in the ice, had to be rescued by the icebreaker Northwind and was then sent back and left the expedition. I Googled "Operation Highjump" and "The Secret Land" and came up with a number of different websites that included photos. I suspect that I only scratched the surface. Since the National Geographic was also involved you may find more photos in their magazines for the time of the expedition, you can probably get more info via their website as well. I know that they now offer a CD collection of their photos for sale. Robert A. Mosher ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From "Rick Nelson" Subject Re Revell Polaris Sub propellor Rob writes >> Anybody know where I can get a propellor for the old Revell 1/250 cut-away George Washington class Polaris sub? I'd like to put replace the kit propellor with one of the ones that have the curved blades. << Hi Rob, Here is what I plan on doing to outfit my Renwall Ethan Allen Class USS Sam Houston (I served on her in the '60s) with a scale looking scythe propeller I purchased Flagship Models's 1/350 scale PE "Modern Submarine Propellers, FM 350-6" and using a copying machine will scale them up to a 1/200 (my Renwall is 1/200) template by setting the copying machine to a 175% enlargement. With this template I will trace the scythe prop onto a piece of brass stock, cut it out, and shape each blade with a "progressive" curve. The scythe props are referred to as "variable pitch" props, not because the pitch could be changed but because the pitch that is machined into each blade varies along the length of the blade. BTW, I asked Flagship Models if they would offer a 1/200 version of these propellers and got a rather rude "no way" back from them. Seems like I'm not the only one looking for a different scale version. Good luck. Rick ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From Subject Computer Thread >> As an employee in the Canadian Nuclear Industry, I have the dubious pleasure of working on Digital Electronics Corp PDP11's! And other ancient c**p that we have to keep working!! << Wow love it, PDP11, not totally off topic, they were used on the Batch 3 Type 22 for various things,(that is tech speak for cannot remember what exactly), I was told they were also used in British tanks but would not know. But yes, remember that stuff, like the 8MB disk drive that looked like an industrial spin dryer and had five disks each the size of a dustbin lid and needed King Kong to lift them out. Setting the disk heads was done by climbing in with a big pair of pliers and a sturdy hammer! If you came in and were told a disk had crashed the first question was "How many fatalities?" Forty minutes to boot the main battle computer from 9 track mag tape and all you do was pray when the last byte went in the blasted computer kicked off otherwise start again. Youngsters today with their dinky little AS400 mainframes, they do not know they are born! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From "Rick Nelson" Subject Re Old US model kits Tom D. wrote >> Your post on the built up plane kits brought another memory. I think you are remember the Guillow/later Testor's built up rubber powered model airplanes. Some of them had vacuum formed plastic cowlings, fairings, canopies and the like. << Yes, Guillow kits was the next step in my progression as a kit builder. But I jumped to U control and a Atwood .049 bi-plane, then a Fox .29 stunt plane not too long after "fiddling" with the Guillows. Rick ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From Richard Sweeney Subject Operation Highjump >> Actually, this does pique my interest. I have a couple of R4Ds in a Skywave box, too. Did the documentary provide any clues as to the painting schemes of either the planes or the carrier? Did it show the actual launching of the "birds?" If so, was there any floating ice nearby? << Marc, Minicraft recently released a 1/144th scale R4D in operation Highjump markings, Basically overall gray. They had ski's attached to the landing gear and RATO bottles, Years ago Esci did a model of "Que Sera, Sera" which was involved in the project and still exists in later markings. I think she's at the Naval Museum in Pensicola Florida. There is a lot on Operation Highjump on the web. http//www.south-pole.com/philippine.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From Subject old kits and christmas memories Hello all stations Reading all the posts on old model kits got me wondering how many folks out there remember the first ship kit they received as a Christmas gift? And along those same lines, what toy ships/boats did they recall getting as a Christmas gift? I remember getting a plastic fireboat one year, was bathtub seaworthy and if you turned the handle it shot water from two cannons as well as making a siren wail! Another year I received Remco’s FIGHTING LADY battleship. Man, what a great toy to accompany your GREEN ARMY MEN in battle. The FIGHTING LADY had a depth charge thrower, could launch a jet plane and it’s main armament fired plastic shells, wonderful for shore bombardment in the living room. In 1963 I received a plastic TEXACO oil tanker; even by today’s standards was pretty detailed and scaled properly for a kid’s toy. Plus it had a motor and could be sailed in a pond, weather permitting. Other ship toys I received were to include plastic landing craft, plastic PT boats, a wooden tug boat(made in Japan), a Triang clock works powered cruise ship and a plastic submarine that had a crank on the bow that wound up a rubber band that powered a single prop. If you set the dive planes properly it would disappear under the water and pop up to the surface when the rubber band ran out, The unusual thing about the sub was that it came either yellow and white or red and white, not very naval looking(but it had a deck gun). As for kits I recall receiving my first ship model, Revells USCG EAST WIND, and USS SULLIVANS about Christmas 1959. In 1964(or 65) I got the “huge” Revell CUTTY SARK and was fascinated by the quality(and number) of the castings and my dad had to contribute considerable help to put that model together. Much later on, in 1969 I got my first wooden kit as a Christmas gift, the DUMAS Coast Guard 40 foot Utility boat. Being a brand new Coastguardsman at the time, I spent many a duty night figuring out the fine points of balsa wood boat assemblies…with Ambroid glue… So fellow boat model fans, what Christmas morning memories do you recall…Mele Kalikimaka!!! It’s Christmas in Killarney With all the folks at home… Mike M ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From "Ken Goldman" Subject Re Old US model kits The latest Model Expo catalog has 26 Guillows aircraft kits listed. Yup, they're still around, just as tacky, and just as much fun. Ken Goldman USS CHARLES CARROLL an amphibious history of World War II ISBN 1-4120-2114-6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From Kdg345@aol.com Subject Re A Modeling Opportunity - DC-3s onboard the Philippine Sea In reference to the antartica trip; the 1947 October issue of National Geographic devotes most of the magazine to this trip. I am the historian for one of 5 ships of the "Central" group that was actually stuck in Ice. That ship is the USS Yancey AKA-93 which now is an artifical reef 35 miles off the coast of North Carolina. I constructed a scratch model of this ship which is shown on this web site. It is also the ship that was blown into the Chesapeake Bay bridge knocking out one span. The Captain was faulted, but managed to show that he was deprived of weather data he needed, the ship did not have the authorized, more heavy, anchors and he was not told about the impending dangers until much too late. He went thru 6 appeals up to the Secretary of The Navy until he got some relief on the charges. He sent me the entire written Courts of Inquiry. The Navy is never wrong - but they are always somewhat forgiving. Ken Groom ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From "John Snyder" Subject Re Any CV-47/RD-4 "Operation Highjump" photos? Hit the used book stores and look for National Geographics of the period. I remember seeing photos of these expeditions--including ships & aircraft--in NG as a kid. Best regards, John Snyder White Ensign Models http//WhiteEnsignModels.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From "John Snyder" Subject Re Super Bug I was also of the opinion that the Navy was making a mistake by putting too many eggs into one basket. But I will say this having seen the Super Bug demonstrate at various airshows here in the UK, there is not a Tomcat that ever took to the air that could maneuver with it--it is SERIOUSLY impressive. It is a much better dogfighter than the F-14, and somehow, the ability to dogfight seems to keep coming around in aerial combat (remember how our missile equipped fighters were going to have their own way in 'Nam? NOT!). Best regards, John Snyder White Ensign Models http//WhiteEnsignModels.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From David L Miller Subject Old US model Kits As I remember the Monogram kits, some of the sheet balsa was actually preformed for the wings and fuselage, much like the pieces on injection molded plastic kits. I made a Monogram B-17 and an Invader. The wings had top and bottom halves, with some balsa ribs, and I remember one of the X-planes had formed sheet balsa fuselage halves. Engine nacelles and cowlings, canopies, landing gear struts, etc were injection molded plastic. I would love to build another one of these today! Dave Miller Macomb, IL ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From beyondsun@mindspring.com Subject Re Revell Polaris Sub Prop Rob, I scratchbuilt a 7-bladed scimitar ("bananna-blade") prop for the Renwal 1/200 Polaris SSBN - not too far off from the Revell 1/250. I'm about to make a mold of it for resin casting, and will give you one of the test pops when ready, if you contact me. (And everybody else who's interested if you let me know and there's enough of you, I'll consider producing such castings for sale.) Cheers, Matt Stein ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From beyondsun@mindspring.com Subject Re Any CV-47/RD-4 "Operation Highjump" photos? Ralph, Navsource shows this picture of Philippine Sea with some twin-engined transports on deck http//www.navsource.org/archives/02/024702.jpg Although her radar fit indicates it is from sometime after 1952. I, too, would be interested to see any Antarctic expedition pics from '48 (or '47?). Especially any in color. Cheers, Matty ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From "Chris Hughes" Subject Re CMB-4 Boat Colors Joe, As far as I can recall, the Duxford boat is in a mid-grey colour overall, except for the lower hull which is black. I don't recall seeing any markings, but I'll check next time I'm there - and run my FS cards over the grey as well... Regards, Chris ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From Fkbrown90@aol.com Subject Re 1920 "war" To Joe Hines I can't help you with colors of CMBs of 1920, but I have just "discovered" the post WW I hostilities of 1920, and request that you tell us more about it, and advise where we can reference this action. There was some post 1918 Armistice US Naval activity in Russia's White Sea in 1919, and Poland had an aerial squadron containing a mixture of Polish and of American airmen in 1920 or 1921. The US, fearing the intense Socialism of the Russian Bolsheviks, tended to support the Russian Tsarists (Loyalists) at the time. These snippets of information have whetted my curiosity about this little-known "war", and any leads will be appreciated. SMML is invited to join in. Franklyn ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the SMML site for the List Rules, Reviews, Articles, Backissues, Member's models & Reference Pictures at http//smmlonline.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume