Subject: SMML VOL 2475 Date: Wed, 07 Apr 2004 05:28:36 +1000 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http//sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1 Migraine 3 convertion Set for Revell Lionfish 2 Mystery Ship Cage Masts 3 Re Mystery Ship {Greek Battleship] 4 U-Flak 5 Re French Pre-dreadnoughts 6 Yankee Model Works 7 Re Yankee ship modelers 8 SS Pennsylvania 9 HMS Goathland.Hunt class destroyer 10 Torpedo, antiaircraft and main-gun armament on early WW-II USN destroyers 11 Visiting London ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information 1 Wash DC Model Contest -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1 Re USS Franklin Hanger deck 2 Help needed ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From "Rui Francisco Matos" Subject Migraine 3 convertion Set for Revell Lionfish Hi SMML'ies After beeing "hooked" on Gato/Balao variants, does anyone know if any of this versions have been made and their availability for the Revell 1/178 Gato model - Guppy (I, IA or IB Sails) - Migraine 3 (to make USS Rasher AGSS269) After my several seaches on the web, the only positive hit, was a model made by David Merriman of the USS Rasher!!! Thanks in advance for any help provided! Rui (from sunny Lisbon - Portugal) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From Kelvin Mok Subject Mystery Ship Cage Masts >> Their original single military masts were replaced by twin cage masts in 1912. << While cage masts were distinctive of early battleships I have not come across a good engineering or operational reason why this particular design was adopted. For example The above statement says it had single masts originally and was changed to cage masts. What was the reason for the change? Were cage masts only on battleships or were they installed on smaller ships too? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From "George Peat" Subject Re Mystery Ship {Greek Battleship] There is a Warship Profile 39 which covers The USS Mississippi [BB23] Greek Battleship Kilkis. I have a copy here if any wants info, George Peat ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From "Nuno Rubim" Subject U-Flak Where can I find detailed drawings of the 3.7 cm SKC /30 Flak Cannon and Quadruple 2 cm L38/43 Flak Cannon, as mounted in the U-Flak 1 ( U-441 ). I have the book "The Type VII U-Boat", Anatomy of the Ship. Thanks Nuno Rubim ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From David Wells Subject Re French Pre-dreadnoughts Marc Flake wrote >> Hey, I was surfing the net last night and found the website of a Russian manufacturer who says they will make a set of French predreadnoughts in resin for about $30 to $40 each. The first kit will be the Jaureguiberry, followed within the year by Bouvet and Republique. I don't know about y'all, but I'm very excited about a set of French predreadnoughts. My only concern is that the manufacturer has chosen an odd scale -- 1/600 -- and will present them as full-hull models. I don't know how far along he is in the process, but perhaps we can steer him toward the waterline divine 1/700 scale before it's too late. The company is called Abrilful and can be accessed at www.abrilful.com << Peter Webster wrote >> I think the manufacturer is remarkably sane, mature, and wise in his choice of full hull in 1/600 scale - a true visionary ... etc...no need to corrupt him ;-) << Masashi Ito wrote www.abrilful.com I trid to visit the website at the address you provided, but I couldn't. Would you check the site address?? << While I would also applaud any addition to the world of full hull models, and I've been known to build 1/600 scale, I suggest that you recall the date that Mr. Flake wrote his original message, and then repeat the ancient incantation "Owa Tafu Liam....." louder and faster until you achieve enlightenment. David R. Wells who suspects that the first kit will be a waterline model of the Suffren in 1917. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From Rusty White Subject Yankee Model Works From Melvinsmith29@aol.com >> Has anyone bought anything from this company yet. How's the quality and the service? << Yankee Model Works purchased all the molds and master patterns from Blue Water navy. I just bought a USS Porter kit and they haven't skipped a step since the company was purchased. The quality of thier models is the same as BWN and the service even better. Just my opinion. Rusty White Flagship Models Inc. home of the "how to" modeling cds flagshipmodels.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From Subject Re Yankee ship modelers Hi Melvin, Are you perhaps referring to Yankee Model Works? If yes, that's a buyout of the Blue Water Navy line of resin ship kits, all in 1350 scale. BWN kits, in my experience, are of uniformly excellent quality. I like subs, & former BWN, now Yankee Model Works, offers more boats in 1350 than anyone else. BWN also had an extensive line of surface warships [targets to submariners], including lots of WWII ships [destroyers, cruisers, battleships & carriers, mostly USN, but some IJN,too] + modern ships; e.g., fast frigate Rueben James & Burke Class DDGs. Most, if not all, of the former BWN kits are now being produced by Yankee Model Works, & they've also just announced the release of a new kit, sub tender USS Holland. I'm sure Holland meets or beats the quality of the BWN kits, & it's accordingly not inexpensive. I also expect that they're producing the BWN kits to same former high quality standards, but don't know that for sure because I bought all of the kits I have before the sale of BWN to Yankee. Last, but by no means least, a BWN shortcoming, in my opinion, was that you bought a kit at about pricing generally then prevailing in the resin ship kit market, but the BWN kits didn't come w/ decals. New owner has publicly promised that his re-releases of those BWN kits will include decals. If he keeps that promise, although his prices are up a bit, I think you'd be getting good value for your money. HTH. Regards, Bill Bryant ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From Kntjhnsnj@aol.com Subject SS Pennsylvania Do you have anything on the above ship? My Grandfather may have come over on it from Poznan, Poland via Antwerp, Belgium in 1892, into Philadelphia Customs, assuming it is the same ship! Thanx. K. Johnson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From GORDONBUT@aol.com Subject HMS Goathland.Hunt class destroyer I have started building a 1/48 scale model of this ship and can find no pictures or anything that tells me in what camoflarge pattern or colours she was in 1943. Can anybody help? Gordon Buttress ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From "Harold Stockton" Subject Torpedo, antiaircraft and main-gun armament on early WW-II USN destroyers With over sixty years of hindsight to relate to, most modelers and naval historians do not give much credit to the thinking of what made up the typical torpedo, antiaircraft and main-gun armament on early WW-II USN destroyers, and their combat effectiveness. The battles in the Solomons soon proved the ineffectiveness of most destroyer's armaments and their tactics, but in early January 1942 these lessons had not as yet been learned. By examining the after-action reports of the USS Pope (DD-225) after the battle of Balikpan (24 January 1942), found at http//www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/logs/DD/dd225-Balikpapan.html , these four old four-stack destroyers (USS J.D. Ford, Pope, Parrott and Paul Jones) proved the then current thinking of using destroyers in a night action against a surprised enemy. In this report Lt. W.C. Blinn, CO of the Pope wrote about the ship's performance in action and of Lt. Richard N. Antrim, the XO of the Pope and tasked with that vessel's fire (damage control) and ship discipline (combat operations); Lt.(jg) W.O. Spears, jr., fired all torpedoes and Lt. V. R. Wilson acted as gunnery officer. During this night battle all weapons were reported as operating effectively, with torpedoes tracking true and detonating, and only the 3"/23 antiaircraft gun's illumination shells note performing as designed. Torpedoes were fired at right-angle broadsides and main-guns were not used until all torpedoes has been expended. But in the daytime action of the Pope and the H.M.S. Encounter escorting the damaged HMS Exeter on 1 March 1942 during the Battle of the Java Sea, at http//www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/logs/DD/dd225-Java.html , these destroyer's weapons were to be less than glowing against an overwhelming Japanese force. The torpedo attacks of the Pope at extreme range were credited with damaging a IJN destroyer, with the expenditure of the Pope's eleven MK VI (-3D) torpedoes. With the firing of about 380 rounds of 4" shells no telling effect could be established, though fairly accurate fire control is mentioned. but the extended long range (about 12,000 yards) salvoed gunfire soon depleted the forward ready use lockers and further ammunition had to be hand-carried from the midship magazines. The Pope started this action with at least 100 rounds for each of its 4" mounts. Also, the sustained gunfire was done in five-second salvos and is attributed as to the shaking loose of the forward ready-use lockers during the first phase of the battle due to the extreme angles for the forward mount. "Own ship's fire, much of it well on the bows and quarters, caused much superficial damage to own ship's structure and equipment. As fire continued over long period, racks welded to ship's structure broke away, chart tables, desks, battery boxes and similar installations were torn loose, chronometers stopped or jarred in error, and splinter mats disintegrated." Further, "All ammunition having been expended forward redistribution was made at this time [about 1145]. During the final stages of the gun action, the brick walls on #3 boiler had crumbled and fallen inside the boiler from the shock of over 140 salvos fired (345) rounds and this boiler had to be secured." During the of the twelve (12) separate aerial assaults by the IJN cruiser's Pete floatplanes against the Pope, its single 3" AAA mount and its close in weapons of two "fifties" and three "thirties" (Lewis) machine-guns were credited with keeping the enemy aircraft at bay and preventing a concerted aerial assault. The single 3"/23 AAA mount eventually failed to operate after having fired only 80 rounds. And, . . . "During [the] dive bombing attacks, streams of tracers from [the] two .50 calibre [firing over 3500 rounds] and [the] three .30 calibre [firing over 1800 rounds] machine guns were held dead on the attacking planes with no apparent immediate effect." And this is even more surprising as "The attacking planes approached to within 500 - 1000 feet on each drop." And the level bombing attacks were undertaken at about 3000 feet. "Evading maneuvers at maximum speed were initiated on commencement of each attack." Further damage was found to have been done by this extended gun-battle. "At 1210 (about), [the Pope] passed through a second rain squall and changed course to 040. By this time [the] Commanding Officer had decided to attempt to skirt the southern coast of Borneo and retire south of the barrier through Lombok Strait during darkness. An attempt to take a navigational sight at this time revealed that all chronometers were greatly in error as a result of shock of continuous gunfire." What eventually dealt the Pope its death blow was a single 50kg bomb. "On the third dive bombing attack [later established as the eleventh], a bomb exploded close aboard, off port bow. Fragments caused minor topside damage and injured two men on gun #1. A four inch hole was torn through the rangefinder. On the eleventh drop, the bomb just missed the side of the ship abreast #4 torpedo tube and exploded under-water. The explosion put a large hole aft below the waterline, sprung the ship's plating for a considerable length and threw the port shaft seriously out of line, necessitating the stopping of the forward (port) engine because of the severe vibrations set up at once. Serious flooding began in the area of the port shaft alley, extending into the after engine room and after living compartments." It was this single bomb that started the final abandonement of the Pope, and she was dead in the water and empty when the final (sixth) artillery barrage finished her off. Surprisingly, the only casualty aboard the Pope during this battle was as a result of the scuttling and damaging charges being set off, none to enemy action. And this is even more surprising as the USS Pillsbury (DD-227) was sunk by naval gunfire from the same IJN Ashigara south of Java on 1 Mar 1942 with no survivors. In conclusion, this particular ship's battle history of just a little over two months tells volumes about how weapons of war can be obsolete but effective in the right hands. Can anyone guess what vessel I am going to do Revell and Airfix kits of? Happy modeling. Harold Stockton ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From "Phil M. Gollin" Subject Visiting London IF you are interested in Ships Models, then The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, Science Museum, South Kensington and Imperial War Museum (South Lambeth) are all good places. Unfortunately, the National Maritime Museum's collection is mostly in storage. There are major plans for them to be re-housed at Chatham Historic Dockyard and this WILL happen in 2005 or 2006. IF you are looking for a particular model you may well be able to arrange an appointment to view it in storage. HMS Belfast is opposite the Tower of London. Talking of Chatham Historic Dockyard (Kent, go by rail from Victoria Station) this is well worth a visit (it will be essential in a year or so) and has a C-class destroyer, O-class submarine and HMS Gannet (a Victorian sloop/gunboat) and, of course, Portsmouth Dockyard (go by rail from Waterloo Station) has HMS Victory and HMS Warrior as well as the remains of the Mary Rose. If you are interested in historic warplanes, then try Duxford Airfield (train from Liverpool Street, then bus) and for tanks The Tank Museum, Dorset (I'm sure you can get a train, but don't ask me which). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From "Hank Lapa" Subject Wash DC Model Contest I am sponsoring the "Submarines" category awards at CAPCON 2004, the Washington DC IPMS Region II convention, October 15-16 2004. For all you guys in that area, bring some submarine models so that all awards will be given out in this category. We're still in the planning stages, but show details will become available at www.ipmsdc.org/regionII. Hank (regular reader, rare writer) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From wem Subject Re USS Franklin Hanger deck Hi Bob, The hangar deck would be painted as follows #20 Standard Deck Gray (deck) [use our Colourcoats US 02]; 5-U White (bulkheads and overheads) [use our Colourcoats C 03 Matt White]. Best, John Snyder The Token Yank White Ensign Models http//WhiteEnsignModels.com for secure online ordering. For the latest news from WEM, Click Here http//www.whiteensignmodels.com/brochure/whats_new1.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From Aweiner601@aol.com Subject Help needed Greetings everyone!! I need your help.. My name is artie, and I have been a subscriber to smml for a long time. I enjoy reading all of your thoughts and ideas although I do not join in the conversations much. I own and operate American Precision Models in NYC. We send model ships and other models all over the country, that we build. Usually, we have no problems, but once in a while, we do have a casualty. I am looking to pay someone in the Omaha, Nebraska area for a big favor. I need you to live or work near there. My customer has just received a model where a small photoetch mast has fallen off during the delivery process..It would be a shame to have him send this all the way back to us, just to glue this on. He cannot do it himself, apparently (guess thats why they buy them from me!!). This would be a truly great favor and a chance for you to introduce yourself to me,and for some work in the future, if you are interested.. Please contact me directly at my e-mail address aweiner601@aol.com My name is Artie Weiner and I thank you in advance.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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