Subject: SMML VOL 1418 Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 00:10:53 +1100 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: Graf Zeppelin 2: Re: U.S.-built R.N. Colony Class frigates. John Lambert's query 3: Graf Zeplin & Aquila 4: USS Porter 5: Re: Cutting PE 6: To Dave Fisher...Hog Island 7: LCAC Kits 8: Re: New ship modelling book 9: LCAC model kit 10: 3" Enclosed Single Gun Mount 11: Re: HMS EDINBURGH and AJAX questions 12: Edinburgh 13: Parts, PE and Outerspace Portals 14: Re: Making molds 15: World's Smallest scale model? 16: Re: Graf Zeppelin 17: Norfolk 18: Heller LST / LCU -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "fredliedel" Subject: Re: Graf Zeppelin With regards the landing gear of the Me109T. While indeed close together they were no closer than those of the Wildcat or Seafire yet these aircraft where used on escort carriers which pitch and rolled far worse than would a carrier of the Graf Zeppelin size would. Fred Liedel -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Norman Samish Subject: Re: U.S.-built R.N. Colony Class frigates. John Lambert's query "Tony Ireland" , Thanks for a fascinating sea story (U.S.-built R.N. Colony Class frigates). It doesn't say much for the quality of the welding of the DE you were on! Norm Samish -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: "Andrew Jones" Subject: Graf Zeplin & Aquila Wow, so far good response from people & by chance the November edition of World War 2 has an article about the carriers..For those that cant get it, i'll break it down to a 2 parter & i'll abbreviate it Graf Zeplin: was 85% when the war was started.Admirla Raeder ordered the development of the carrier, first called Carrier A, to be scheduled for commissioning in 1938, however the shipyards & economy were unable to fullfill this request.Raeder gave full priority to the Gneisenau & Sharnhorst & therefore the carrier's keel was delayed by 18 months. Raeder was not a strong carrier advocate & felt that surface fleets were better than aircraft to take out the enemy battle fleets., he therefore had the carrier's design modified to carry 203mm guns as main arnament & then 6 months later changd his mind to surface battery of 150mm guns, so designers shaped the hull to hold 8, 4 to a side in single casemates & construction resumed in 1937. After launching Raeder decided the guns to be too light so directed to double it to 16 x 150mm guns & which the hull had to re-fitted again for this new configuration & carrier "b" construction was suspended several times while workers & materials were transfered to Graf Zeplin. Then there were the battles between Raeder & Goring over aircraft control (40 x Me109t & 80 x ju-87C & later on the fiesler 167 planes were added). After the Norway battles the navy lost or had damaged many destroyers or cruisers & the war effort was straining materials, so the Graf Zeplin had its guns removed for coastal work & carrier B was scrapped & the Zeplin was towed to Poland to store timber & scrap metal. After the British attack on the Italina fleet @ Taranto Raeder bought the carrier back into the shipyards for completion & the airwing would have been me-109G & Ju-87D. But things were not going well. the Graf Zeplin was found to have a unbalanced hull with a 5 degree list to starboard & so engineres added a bulge to the hull & conconcrete to port of the keel to comensate. To fast track the heavy cruiser Seydiltz then under construction (which before the war was to be given the Russians as payment for raw materials) to be converted to a carrier, ironically in 1940 Raeder had diverted steel from Graf Zeplin to the Seydiltz. Then Reader looked at 2 passenger ships for conversion Europa & Potsdam, but with U-boats getting top priority the conversions of the unbuilt cruiser & the 2 passenger ships & Reader's replacement by Donitz the carrier plans were scrapped. part 2 tomorrow the Aquila -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Steven Lau Subject: USS Porter I'm looking to pick up the new 1/350 scale pre war Porter kit from Blue Water Navy. Anyone know where it can be had for a discount? Thanks, Steven Lau ps. Why did it take so long for some company to issue a pre war outfitted ship like this? What a great idea. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: GKingzett@aol.com Subject: Re: Cutting PE Gentlemen, I think you are wrong. That microburst of energy, always accompanied by a distinct ping, is in fact the PE piece accelerating to and then exceeding the speed of light. Since we are assured that this is not possible, (I suspect Einstein was not a model builder), we don't have any way of predicting where that piece has been while it was away. More to the point, how does it know to come back just after we have gone to extraordinary lengths to scratch build one crude replacement? Perhaps it is possible to outwait it. Some of us on this list have been waiting for years to start again on a model, we could tell our wives we are waiting for the lost parts to come back. Hey, crazier things have happened, she might actually buy it. Gary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: DRPREUL@aol.com Subject: To Dave Fisher...Hog Island Dave, Mass Inst Tech (M.I.T.) has all the plans you will need to do a Hog Island Freighter. Four River Shipyard Archive Collection Call 617-253-4444 or 5942, ask for Kurt Hasslebach, He should be able to help you with plans. Don Preul...J&D Productions...Annapolis, Md -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "VanBuren, Peter M" Subject: LCAC Kits >> Whilst typing this, i am watching a Great Ships program on History Channel, which may also explain my typing, on Amphibious Assault ships. It occurs that with all the LSTs LCT, LCUs LCIs et al, no one has done an LCAC in decent scale. Come on Kit meisters, get with the program << Tamiya's Osumi and Shimokita kits (Japanese MSDF helicopter assault ships) both continue nicely done 1/700 scale LCACs. You get a choice of inflated versus deflated skirts. The OOP Dragon/Skywave/Pitroad US Marine detail set included an LCAC, but the detail and molding were lacking. A while ago Fujimi (I think, might have been another second-tier Japanese maker) included a very poor 1/700 LCAC with its modern destroyer and Aegis-cruiser kits. I remember painting it then throwing it away. While the LCACs Tamiya makes are pretty good, they are not fully detailed. The window engraving is missing completely from the front of the cabins and the propeller shields are molded solid, i.e., no propellers and blades. The exhaust outlets on top were molded solid and needed to be drilled out. With the Dragon assault carriers still available, and with the new Revell Germany ESSEX, there is room in the market for a high-quality aftermarket resin LCAC that could be sold, say, by WEM, the same way they sell aftermarket aircraft. Indeed, the LCAC drivers sometimes refer to themselves as "pilots" in that their craft is essentially flying, albeit very low. Peter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "J. London" Subject: Re: New ship modelling book The plans are strictly for the waterline enthusiast and, no, they would not be suitable for a full hull model. Michael London -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: "Ralph Batykefer" Subject: LCAC model kit Hello All, I worked on some minor components for LCAC back in 1987 and obtained the drawings to make a model. I began work on a 1/350th scale model and have progressed quite a ways, but discovered that many components would have to be photoetched. I then began developing my home-made photoetching process, but got side tracked onto some more essential projects. If there is an interest, and a cottage industry willing to support the project, I'd be interested in helping make LCAC a possibility including help with the photoetch design and master building. I just did not feel it would be of any interest since there are no 1/350th Amphib model ships or modern armor to be carried on the LCAC(another ambitious project of mine to build a 1/350 USS Tarawa). Let me know if there is an interest... IHS, Ralph -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: "Ralph Batykefer" Subject: 3" Enclosed Single Gun Mount Does anyone know if one of the Skywave accessory kits has a 3" enclosed single gun mount? I need one to make a DER model from a Buckley DE. Please let me know... IHS, Ralph -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Mike Potter Subject: Re: HMS EDINBURGH and AJAX questions HMS AJAX did not have tripod masts before the River Plate battle and received a Type 279 radar, her first radar set, during post-action repairs (December 1939 - July 1940), so you're probably correct that she received her tripod masts during that dockyard period. A drawing of her in Raven & Roberts, British Cruisers of WW2, dated 1941 shows her with tripods. Photos of Belfast and Edinburgh in British Cruisers of WW2 seem to indicate that EDINBURGH's other 20mm guns were on her quarterdeck and at either aft corner of her bridge, atop the hanger. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: "Chris & Lulu Langtree" Subject: Edinburgh Hi John Edinburgh had six single 20 mm, two on top of B turret, two at the end of the quarterdeck in echelon and two located one either side of the bridge on B gun deck. Chris Langtree -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: "Victor M. Baca" Subject: Parts, PE and Outerspace Portals >> This high energy "micro-burst" creates a "window" into an alternate universe which sucks the PE part out of our space-time continuum. << Yes Edd! You got it right and finally explained why little launched parts often disappear forever, even when I watch the spot where they land. I spent almost a half hour last night looking for the anchor winch control box I made after it dropped on the carpet between my feet. Ended up rebuilding the part after much gnashing of teeth. In our corner of the Universal Plane of Existence, the other end of the space-time wormhole is in the vicinity of the dog's lair underneath the living room sofa. TTFN, Victor -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14) From: JRKutina@webtv.net (John Kutina) Subject: Re: Making molds I cut light cardboard strips 2 -3" wide and 12 - 18' long. I custom cut these to the part I want to duplicate. The one strip is cut 1/2 way through four times to make corners with a fifth section to staple to the first section. I then use rubber cement to glue the box to a piece of masonite. I then use modeling clay to cover the seams between the cardboard and the masonite to prevent leaks. This is easier and cheaper than using Lego blocks. When the rubber mold has cured, use a paint scraper to remove the entire assembly from the masonite, separate the cardboard form and you are ready to start production. For spars or other round items I rubber cement a dowel to one side and glue the dowel to the masonite. Upon removing the mold you will have a pouring opening for the liquid resin. For lifeboats, the dowel is rubber cemented to the keel of the boat. Hope this is some help. Regards, John - Seattle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) From: Boatbldr Subject: World's Smallest scale model? I mentioned this on Steel Navy as well - so again apologies if this has been mentioned before, but I just came across what has to be the worlds smallest ship model. I have never been to this place, but I have one of their advertisement flyers. On their flyer is a scale model of a ship that is 5 times SMALLER than the size of the head of a half inch pin. It has been rigged with spider's web! The web site doesn't show as many pictures as the flyer, but here is a link anyway - it shows a scale model of an owl. Now barring bad calculations (easily possible with me!) if the ship is 100 meters long, and the head of a pin is 1 millimeter, then the scale is 1/500 000 - that folks, is TRULY tiny! Does anyone live in or near Bath, England? Is this model ship for real? It genuinely exists? John and Caroline - you live an hours drive from this place ....maybe the next time you take yourselves on vacation you can stop by and tell us what you see... The flyer and web site are laced with copyright notices, so I feel hesitant to scan the picture .... regards Boatbldr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16) From: "D.Przezdziecki" Subject: Re: Graf Zeppelin Richard Sweeney writes: >> Were I a carrier pilot, I would not have wanted to fly ME 109's off of the pitching deck of the carrier in bad weather in the North Atlantic. The ME 109's main landing gear were very close together and would have been pretty tipsy on a pitching deck. << I do not think that what pilots of any nation actually wanted counted for much during WW II ;-) and weather during the last phrase of the Bismarck chase wasn't at all bad as a matter of fact. >> It only took one Swordfish to disable Bismarks rudders, Would the ME-109T's if they could get off the deck in those waters have been able to shoot down the right Swordfish? Being frame and fabric, a swordfish could take a fair number of hits without notable damage, as long as the bullets did not hit control wires or surfaces. << You seems to forgot the most vulnerable part of the Swordfish which was its crew!!! Two men with just a fabric for a protection. Than there was the torpedo, the fuel tank. IMO the whole squadron would have no chances at all and got shot down long before getting into torpedo release range. >> The Curtis SBC-4 Helldiver was still in service with the Marines into WW II it was a bi-plane divebomber, The French had also been using them. << American carrier planes are not my specality but are you sure that Helldiver was a biplane??? Regards D.P -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17) From: "Baumbach, Werner" Subject: Norfolk This may sound a bit strange, but what's to see in Norfolk, VA. Or to be more precise, are there going to be any ships in port in mid December or is basically everything at sea at the moment? Battleship Wisconsin is there too, right? And maybe one more, if I may. The New Jersey is now open in Philadelphia? We might then do the three battleship tour (Mass, Wisconsin, and New Jersey). I am open to suggestions, if anyone wants to be a tour guide ;-) Thanks in advance and happy modelling Werner -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18) From: "Baumbach, Werner" Subject: Heller LST / LCU Hello all, I just got a box of these kits. Looks fairly simple build-up. Has anyone done these and has a few suggestions on detailing, and correcting the kits? Thanks for any input Cheers Werner -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the SMML site for the List Rules, Backissues, Member's models & reference pictures at: http://smmlonline.com Check out the APMA site for an index of ship articles in the Reference section at: http://apma.org.au/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume