Subject: SMML VOL 1686 Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 23:32:42 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: name plates 2: Phalanx Block 1B 3: Brass Name Plates 4: Re: USN Catapults 5: Interesting items on eBay 6: Re: USN Catapults 7: Lindberg "Waterfront 4" 8: HP-Models Kit of Furious - a quick review 9: Re: Revell Tugboat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation 1: ESCORT Issue 18 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: David Fisher Subject: name plates I have found plastic name plates to be better than brass for the following reasons: 1. They do not tarnish 2. the contrast between the underlayer and the top layer make for easy reading 3. various color combinations are possible. 4. any trphy shop can make them and they are relatively inexpensive. Dave Fisher -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: "Edward F Grune" Subject: Phalanx Block 1B Andrew Jones wrote about the Canadian Navy ordering the Phalanx Block 1B CWIS for installation on some of their ships. He identified a "something around" under the gun and two scopes to the left of the dome. The current issue of the "Proceedings of the US Naval Institute" has a full page ad by Raytheon Missile Systems that produce the CIWS. Although the area under the barrel got blurred with the addition of ad copy text - the round object appears to be the ammo magazine. The sights are electo-optical sensors that are in addition to the radar that is in the R2D2 unit. The text of the product sheet on the CIWS from the www.raytheon.com website states, in part ... "The Block 1B Surface Mode Upgrade (PSuM) configuration augments Phalanx’s proven Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) capability with a unique Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) capability, adding a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor and optimized gun barrels to the Block 1A configuration. The FLIR integrates passive thermal tracking capability into Phalanx’s AAW software, significantly increasing Phalanx performance against the ASM threat. It also allows Phalanx to be used in an ASuW role against littoral warfare threats such as helicopters, high-speed surface threats, and terrorist aircraft. Block 1B also adds new control stations with situational awareness that allows operators to visually track and identify targets before engagement." Its a good thing that the USNS Diehl, that some small boat pirates in the Straits of Hormuz attempted to board, didn't have a CIWS - or this particular Block upgrade installed. The boats would have been turned to fiberglass flakes - and the prirates would have been forced to walk the plank! Ed formerly of Raytheon - until they sold us. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Denis & Marilyn Campbell Subject: Brass Name Plates Kelvin posted: >> One more tip for making custom name plates. I believe there is a specially coated sheet of printer paper that you use with a laser printer. The fine traces for PCB fabrication as appears in the schematic is printed on this paper and transferred to the copper clad board by a hot clothes iron set at around 400 deg F. This print forms the resist for the etching process. Therefore if you have complex designs for the name plate and fonts not available from the engraver shop making your own is still a way to go. << That was covered in the latest isue of Ships In Scale. There is an article about using this special paper from dynaart.com with a laser printer or photocopier to print the design - to make your own photoetched parts. Have not got into it that deeply yet - am happy with the nameplate I made - I will probably continue to buy photoetched parts as I need them. And, for whoever posted that I could have saved a lot of time at Things Remembered for only $20 or so - yes, I suppose so but I like challenges and trying new things and, prefer to "do it myself" if I can rather than buy things. By the way, the fifteen hours while the plate "cooked" was spent mostly sleeping. Denis Campbell Avon MA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Bruce Ross" Subject: Re: USN Catapults >> A number of years ago FINESCALE MODELER ran an article on scratchbuilding the USN Mk4 Catapult, complete with plans. I can't tell you the exact date as I don't have access to my collection right now, however if you go to their website you should be able to find out and arrange for a copy. << Matt is that article that you were referring to the one in the August 1987 edition? If it is then the catapult depicted is the later Mark VI which was the one that the BB's, CA's and newer CL's carried, not the Mark IV that the Omaha's had. Bruce -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: paulship37@aol.com Subject: Interesting items on eBay WARSHIP PROFILE #20 HMS Hesperus http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1534739987 WWII UNIT HISTORY NAVY USS TENNESSEE 1941-45 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2100161235 The Book Of UNITED STATES NAVY SHIPS http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1534926470 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Re: USN Catapults >> As for the availability of a commercial 1/48 catapult, wait a while. A friend of mine is building a prototype for a large resin company and if the project can be done economically, it should be out by years end. The big question they have is how expensive and how easy to produce will it be. He is working on the later Type P, specifically the ones formerly on the USS Alabama which he photographed extensively for an earlier project. << The catapult on the Alabama is not the correct!!! It is not the type that was carried on that ship. The catapult that is on the Alabama is a cruiser variant of the type used on the "Treaty Cruisers". So if the person is building a specific catapult that is supposed to be of the type used on the Alabama during W.W.II, then DO NOT use the one currently on board as it is not the correct one! They are very different form each other! Steve Wiper -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "Matthew Prager" Subject: Lindberg "Waterfront 4" I'm looking for Lindberg's "Waterfront 4" kits, which include a Tugboat, Fireboat, and Tuna Seiner in roughly 1/160, and a Towboat in 1/220. They've been in and out of production. Any help is appreciated. Matt Prager -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Pletscher-Lenz-Schneider" Subject: HP-Models Kit of Furious - a quick review I just got the HP-Models kit of HMS Furious, and these were my first impressions: Boxtop and instruction sheet say that the ship is depicted in her 1944 appearance. So I was a bit puzzled to see Blackburn Skuas and Gloster Sea Gladiators shown as air group on the instruction sheet. (Un)fortunately they were not included in the kit - in fact there were no aircraft at all included in my kit. The hull measures out some 3-4 mm too short, which I consider to be still accaptable, and some 2-3 mm too narrow, which is a bit too much in my opinion. All parts are cast clean and sharply with a light tan resin. The hull was slightly bent-up at the ends, but this is sometimes anavoidable with resin kits. Much effort was put in the latice structure below the aft three third of the flight deck length. The complete hangar sides are layed out as separate parts to be fitted to the interior hangar wall, thus giving a pretty open hangar. Unfortunately there are no more interior details, espacially no lift gear. These hangarsides are also completely symmetrical for port and starboard side, which most probably is not quite correct (although I didn't check this yet). A first dry-fit showed that they are some 1-2 mm too long, which will cause problems at the front of the hangar. Further the - really nice done - structure of the hangar sides shows some differences in some parts to photos of the ship after her 1942 refit, especially in the area of the island. Also the flight deck stands before the island seem to be incorrect, as are the recesses at the front of the flight deck. More seriously however, the flight deck is as strait plane as any resin part could ever be. Alas, the original was raised at the fore third of its length with a sloped "step" at the rear of the island. As this gave the ship a verycharacteristic appearance, this is in.excusable. This fault can not be corrected without re-builing the deck and the fore part of the hangar. So this seems to be another HP-Models kit which is probably better scratch-built from the start. I was so disappointed that I stopped examining the kit at this point, and started asking myself what I could have got instead for the 128 Euros = 116$ special introduction price (regular price will be 150 Eros = 135 $). My suggestion: Stay away from this kit. Falk Pletscher -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: John Snyder Subject: Re: Revell Tugboat Hi Chris, I'm not sure of the prototype for the Revell Harbor Tug (as it was first marketed), but in its first guise back in the late '50s/early '60s it carried decals for Moran Towing Company. So it's a type that would have been in use in US harbors in the 1950s, and possibly earlier. As for moving into the area of civilian/merchant ships, don't forget the Eastern Express (ex-Frog) 1/130 SHELL WELDER coastal tanker, for which Atlantic Models (Peter Hall) produces a nice photoetch set. We have both in stock. Best, John Snyder White Ensign Models http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/white.ensign.models/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Infomation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: "Leslie Brown" Subject: ESCORT Issue 18 The latest issue of ESCORT, the newsletter of the IPMS(UK) Small warships SIG was posted on their website www.brown.abelgratis.co.uk earlier today, Friday 3rd May 2002. Regards Les Brown -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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