CMMS There is some great news on page 8! The newsletter of the Connecticut Marine Model Society, An IPMS Connecticut Chapter October 14, 2011 What you need to know The meeting was called to order by Tom at 7:30 P.M. There were 14 in attendance including two honored guests: Anna Chen and her husband Steven. Tom gave the Treasurer's report in Nic's absence. Every is OK! Happy Anniversary, Nic! I collected dues from John Elwood, Pete Carlin, Bob Siegler, Ed Petrucci, Al Saubermann, Dick DeWick, and myself, on your behalf. I'll be going on vacation shortly, but will see you get any remaining funds upon my return. As I will not be at the November meeting, Dave Dinan will cover with photo's and notes so that I can get the NewsletteR to press. Thank you, Dave! My new computer is working great! Dave is again working on our website and has noted that other websites show a photo of the each member when their models are presented. So, this issue has a few smiling faces in it! I agree with Dave it's nice to put a face with the work being viewed! Dave also gave me a file of old shop notes from the Club's archives. I will edit and see what information we can once again pass along to the Group. CMMS Officers Tom Kane, President 203-735-4127 Pete Carlin, Vice President 203-378-8461 Nic Damuck, Treasurer 860-873-4663 Jim Wiser, Historian 203-259-1567 Bill Strachan, Secretary Phone/Fax: 203-879-2808 Newsletter: Bill Strachan, Editor 191 Center Street Wolcott, CT 06716 E-mail: wrstrachan@msn.com CMMS website: www.ctshipmodels.org Website Coordinator: Dave Dinan 203-378-2259 We meet at the Univ. of New Haven, 300 Orange Ave., West Haven, CT 06513 In Kaplan Hall, Room 207 Our next meeting is Friday, November 11, 2011 at 7:30 P.M. 1
Make a note: It was agreed, that the Meetings of January, February, and April of 2012 will be rescheduled as follows: January Meeting: Saturday the 14 th at 10:00 AM at the University February Meeting: Saturday the 11 th at 10:00 AM at the University and April Meeting: Saturday the 14 th at 10:00 AM at New London Custom House The remaining meetings of 2011 (November and December) remain unchanged, as well as the March, May, and June meetings of 2012. However, we have been offered another meeting room on the campus, off Rte 1. It is a little smaller than our usual room, but quieter and with much better parking. Members were asked to check it out to see if it would be adequate for our needs. For those of you who missed this meeting, the parking was brutal. It reminded me of the Mall at Christmas. The donation to the Robotics Club, approved at the last meeting, is off. The Club is not functional at this time. Very important: We are going to make a serious effort to get our Library in order. Tom has request all who have books, Please! Get an itemized list of those books to Nic! We really cannot proceed any further without a current and accurate Inventory. Thanks! Ed Petrucci Pete Carlin John Elwood John Adriani Presenters this meeting were Bill Strachan, Ed Petrucci, Al Saubermann, Pete Carlin, John Adriani, Fred Kerson, and John Elwood. Ed Petrucci & Jefferson Davis Ed's model is one-half the size of Bluejacket's kit. The detail is to be admired, from small chain to clove hitched ratlines. Ed made his own deadeyes (3/32 ), blocks, and eyelets. He made the anchors and is working on three launches, one to be mounted astern. Sails will be silkspan and are in progress. He also carves his own hulls, and, as you can see by some of his carvings on page 2, just about anything else he wants to carve. Nice work, ED! 2
Jefferson Davis in 1/8 = 1' 0 scale Ed also brought in some of his carvings. The snake in the box was very clever! John Elway and his HO railroad Seaport's Winter Additions John's HO railroad is spectacular to the say the least. His interest in joining our group was motivated by wanting to highlight his seaport area. His project for this winter is a working barge. The challenge of board by board construction and authentic weathering are his specialties. The picture at the right is one John found on the internet, a source of idea and inspiration. There is just something special in being able to capture a working boat in action! HO scale 1/87 3
Al Saubermann and HMS Berbice (1780) HMS Berbice is from plans by Chapelle as found in his Search for Speed Under Sail. You remember that Al used the Hahn method of construction. The scale is 1/4 = 1' 0. Swivel guns and two 4 pound canon are in process. Belaying pins and deadeyes are in place. Cherry was the choice of wood for construction of the hull. The deck is holly. Al is set to begin the rigging. Al is scratch building his way to very nice model of a very interesting ship! Pete Carlin and Emma C. Berry Note the stove is actually on deck! The bulwark stanchions, laser cut and supplied with the kit, were scrapped, and Pete has remade all 34 of them. Pete's attention to detail continues to amaze. Next up are the outer planks of the bulwarks. 4
Caprails will follow the exterior planking of the bulwarks. Scuppers are already in. Fred Kerson and Tonant Fred has installed the bulkheads and done some work on the deck planking. Next up is the actual planking of the hull. This is his first major build and is learning a lot as he proceeds. He has made much progress since out last meeting. John Adriani and USS Forrestal John's heavily modified 1/600 Scale Heller Kit of USS Forrestal 5
John served on Forrestal from 1964 to 1966. Heller's kit was of her launching in 1955. Rolling up his sleeves, he decided to retro fit the kit to 1963-1964. Among the revisions required: Removal of the port and starboard 5 guns, modifications to the Officer's gangway, various super structure revisions, updated decals were required on the flight deck, outlining of the deflector plates in red were added, and the anchors were changed out. John also noted the ship's experience with Carrier on Board Delivery (COB), an experiment in mid-ocean supply. In 1964, a C-130 F Hercules actually landed on the deck of the carrier, coming to a complete stop in 230 ft. while carrying 121,000 pounds of cargo. But practical limitations eventually cancelled the COB program. Wonderful job, John! USS Forrestal at 1,043 feet. The C-130 need 745 ft. for take-off! Bill Strachan and Halifax and 1929 Ford Stake Bed Truck Hahn's Halifax is 1/4 to the foot in scale. After all the frames were glued up, I made some modifications to the construction jig. The base floor was removed so that the interior was now reachable, and two table legs were created and screwed in placed (they can be removed at any time). This is position 1: the entire outer hull is accessible. Turning 90 degrees and resting on the table, allows work on the port side. Another 90 degree turn, brings clear access to the interior and a final 90 degree turn exposes the starboard side. 6
The plans are from Toys and Joys, Inc. It doesn't sail, but it's fun to build. Walnut, cherry, oak, cedar, red oak, and maple went into construction. Nails were simulated with 18 gauge copper wire. Some detail parts, i.e. door handles are boxwood. From our Archives with thanks to Dave Dinan When it was reported that Jerry Keefer put his three models, including a 3/8 to the foot plank-on-frame Sultana, in the shower to clean them, the discussion naturally led to the methods of cleaning really good models (Jerry claimed that his were not). Among the methods to try are soft brushes (Charles Fox says he arms his wife with a number nine camel hair, and says go ), possibly dampened with 193 proof grain alcohol. (Paul Stubbing points out that this to avoid having the slightest amount of water moisture which would be harmful to the wood finishes ---not for the cleaner to drink.) Another are empty plastic bottles, such as from Elmer's Glue, which can be used as a miniature bellows to puff away dust. Small vacuum cleaners whose openings are masked down to very small size can be several inches from the parts to be cleaned (provided there are no small parts adrift). Although Harold Underhill has reported soaking a model all day outside in the rain, and says it adds to the naturally weathered appearance of a model over a period of 20 or 30 years, it seemed the group consensus that such treatment demands extreme care in the construction and finishing of a model, both inside and out. Above all, a water treatment should be avoided where rigging is stained with water soluble (items) such as coffee (someone suggested using water-fast Rit), or has not been thoroughly pre-stretched. Possibly other members have view points to express on this subject? If so, send them to the editor of Shop Notes, and he will be glad to include them in the next issue. -CT Marine Model Society, Shop Notes Number 1 (February, 1965) 7
I just received a call from Dave Dinan with the following update on Jim Wiser: He is home, the infection seems to be gone, he does have a new pacemaker, but feeling well enough to want to attend the meeting on this Friday evening! Welcome back, Jim! Fifty-Two Years Ago: On Saturday, June 7, 1969 the Connecticut Marine Model Society held its 4 th Annual Exhibit at the West Haven Public Library, Temple and Elm Streets. Here is the list of Exhibitors: R. F. De Wick (Half model shooner) J. E. Creighton ( Harriet MacGregor hull) Ed Petrucci (Pinkey and an eagle carving) I. H. Kingman (Merchant Brig 1850) Charles Fox 9 (Modern Miniatures) L. Chagnon (Coast Guard Picket Boat, 1812 Privateer Swallow) N. A. Ross (Schooner Elsie, Sharpie) Mike Messick (Cutty Sark) Paul Ingle (Yawl Bolero, Whale carving, Scrimshaw Sperm Tooth) Robert Stewart (Bounty, Pilot schooner McKeon, 1918 Transmarine Freighter) Congratulations to these three members for all they have given to us over the years! Respectfully Submitted, Bill Strachan, November 5, 2011 A Most Happy Thanksgiving to all! 8