Newsletter

Volume 37, Number 8, Aug. 2010

Contacts

President: Henry Bikhazi (949) 720-0104

E-Mail hbbent@aol.com Vice President: Don Dressel

(909) 949-6931 E-Mail dressel4@earthlink.net

Secretary: Paul Payne (310) 544-1461

Treasurer: Gary O’Donnell (714) 968-0323

20442 Clearwood Circle, Huntington Beach, CA 92646

Editor, Don Dressel (909) 949-6931

908 W. 22nd Street Upland, CA 91784-1229

E-mail: dressel4@earthlink.net Web Manager: Doug Tolbert:

(949) 644-5416 Web Site

www.shipmodelersassociation.org

Meeting – Wed., Aug. 18, 7 PM, Fullerton Senior Multi-service

Center, 340 W. Commonwealth Ave, Fullerton, CA. 92832

Officers meeting – Wed.,

September 1, 7 PM, Bob Beech’s house, 130 Clove Pl., Brea, CA.

92821 – (714) 529-1481.

Work in Progress July 21, 2010

Reporter: Bill Russell

About thirty people were in attendance and they brought ten excellent models for us to admire and learn from. I have attended almost all of the club meetings for many years, and I have learned something at every one of them. The high quality of workmanship, the originality and innovation, the use of modern tools, software and materials, and quality research are there to be seen month after month. The only thing that marred an otherwise wonderful evening was that another event was so heavily attended that I (and more than a few others) finally had to settle for a parking place more than two blocks away. It was a small price to pay, and anyway, I needed the exercise. Bills Wicks 50-Gun Ship Bill Wicks was first and he showed us the

beginning of the framing of his scratch-built model of a

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50- gun ship from 1710. He is building it using highly accurate computer generated graphic files supplied by Mr. Kiyoo Iizawa of the Sailing Ship Model Club of Yokohama in Japan. He generated the drawings from a set of drawings Bill had obtained from England about thirty years ago. The detail frame drawings include ten to fourteen parts per frame and correspond closely to full-size practices. Bill provided them information about a fifteenth century ship, and they provided him with a beautifully carved lion for use as the figurehead of his model. Let me give you some information about Mr. Iizawa and the Yokohama club. The club is a little more informal than the Rope in Tokyo. For example, there are less demanding requirements for joining the Yokohama club. About three years ago, Yas Komorita got me in touch with Mr. Iizawa who had developed a very useful software program for making drawings of model ship frames and other parts for plank on frame models. The program is designed to use CorelDraw to output the drawings from files on a CD. If you want to develop new drawings, you have to work with a program called SHADE which allows the use of the Bezier curve function. If you only want to build models, Mr. Iizawa can provide disks for particular ships that can be used to print out drawings using CorelDraw, without any involvement with SHADE. I think I have three of the disks, but he has more. I met him on our last trip to Japan. Randy Biddle’s Sailing Yacht Randy Biddle brought in the solid hull for a beautiful little sailing yacht from the 1930’s. The model represents a fictional two-masted schooner incorporating the hull lines of Guinevere and the deck layout and rig from Grenadier. The hull is made of three pieces of wood; a center spline and a thicker piece of wood on either side of the spline. At our meetings we are likely to see examples of outstanding workmanship, but I have seldom seen the equal of Randy’s hull. Burt Goldsein’s USS ARIZONA Burt Goldstein has finished his 1:250 card stock model of USS Arizona. It is an outstanding model by any standard. If you did not know that it is a card model, I doubt that you would figure it out from a few feet away. The “kit” is a disk that costs $35 from Digital Navy on the web. You just have to print the parts and assemble them. That is where you

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run into problems: assembling them. Some notable features added since last month are the three Chance Vought Kingfisher float planes. Great work Burt!! Clyde Emerson’s KATE CORY

Clyde Emerson’s tiny 1:96 scratch built model of Kate Cory is looking great. The hull is complete and at least part of the whale processing equipment is in place. Clyde has used CAD/CAM techniques extensively and he is using vacuum formed plastic hulls for the whaleboats. He brought in three of them, and they are awesome. Clyde has incorporated some styrene parts, and has made special decals for the model. This project incorporates more innovations and more use of modern

technology than I have seen in a long time. I can only say WOW!!! Paul Payne’s USS CONSTITUTION Paul Payne brought in his model of USS Constitution configured as-launched. This means it looks different from the Constitution that still floats in Boston Harbor, and presents a more graceful appearance. The gun deck, including the 24-pounders, is complete. Gun port lids remain to be installed, and they will be supported by fine copper wire twisted and painted. Paul is presently working on the chain plates and the spar deck. We look forward to seeing a unique and beautiful model of the Constitution as she was when first completed. Don Dressel’s USS NEW JERSEY BB-16 Don Dressel is building an early modern ship! She is USS New Jersey BB-16. At a scale of 1:350, the model is quite small. The kit is by Commander, and like all resin models, leaves the modeler to do a great deal of research, and to supply various parts that are not included in the kit. Drawings are minimal. On the positive

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side, Commander is good about supplying missing parts that are supposed to be in the kit. New Jersey was part of the Great White Fleet, but Don is building a later fit that incorporates a cage mast. The cage mast is made from photo-etch formed over a mandrel. The guns are brass, supplied at extra cost. The model looks great. Don Leyman’s BOUNTY launch Don Leyman’s 1:16 scale Bounty Launch is based on the Model Shipways kit. It has an attractive, curvaceous hull. The model has cherry ribs and all the other parts are laser cut basswood. The construction idea is ti bend the ribs over a form and then add the planking. It’s a lot easier to say it than to do it. Don reminded us that Captain Bligh and 18 men sailed this little boat for 3500 miles in the open sea. This is another fine model by Don Leyman. John Simmons LE COURIOR of 1776 John Simmons has build two models since our last meeting. At this rate, he will take the crown away from “Fast Freddy” Schaffner. One model is Le Courier of 1776 which has lines similar to a British cutter. This 1:54 model is based on a plank on bulkhead Mamoli kit. Originally built in France, she was captured by the British in 1778 and returned to France in 1782. This is a beautiful but unusual looking model. This is an amazing job considering the short construction time. John Simmons HANNAH of 1760 John’s second model was the 1:54 Amati kit of the schooner Hannah of 1760. Originally built as a fishing boat, she was converted to an armed vessel in George Washington’s navy. In fact, Hannah was the very first ship of the Navy. The model incorporates a resin hull and a photo-etched transom. These two parts would certainly reduced construction time, but

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still I am amazed that John’s two models could have been made in a month. Great work John. Henry Bikhazi’s Continental Frigate HANCOCK of 1776

Dr. Henry Bikhazi is making good progress on his 1:96 scratch built model of the Continental Frigate Hancock of 1776 based on Harold Hahn’s drawings. Incidentally, John Hancock was President of the Continental Congress, and signed the Declaration of Independence as such. It would be like naming a ship the Obama. Henry has completed the gun deck planking plus two chain pumps and two suction pumps. Like all of Henry’s models, this one

is a fine examples of the modeler’s art.

Bill Wicks 50-Gun Ship Randy Biddle’s sailing yacht Burt Goldstein’s USS ARIZONA Clyde Emerson’s KATE CORY

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Paul Payne’s USS CONSTITUTION Don Dressel’s USS NEW JERSEY Don Leyman’s BOUNTY launch John Simmons LE COURIOR

John Simmons HANNAH Henry Bikhazi’s HANCOCK

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BY Don Dressel

Old salts in port: Bill Wicks, John Baker, Steve Jones, Don Dressel, Don Leyman, Jim Watts

Bill Wicks started the meeting by talking about his 50-gun ship. He gave some details on the history of the 50-gun ship and then went on to explain the methods of construction of the model. His frames, which were made out of cherry wood, were done based on the design drawings by Bill’s friend in Japan (see works in progress) and techniques from the book The Fully Framed Model, HMN Swan Class Sloops 1767-1780, volume 1 by David Antscherl to make and install the frames. Bill passed around a

sample of the frames that he used to make the ship and talked about the construction process and the beveling of the frames. He is building the bow section first, then the stern section, which will be followed by the middle frames. Bill also talked about his bow hawse pieces and how he made them. He had problems with the space which needed to be filled in between the last bow cant frame and the stem. He used shims to fill in the space. He told how he did this and again passed around a sample to show what he did. Bill also showed the method he used to make sure the frames did not move, which incorporated his frame drawings and mounting jig. Bill also talked about and showed his windows and framing that he made for his model of the HMS PRINCE, which he is also building. Don Leyman talked about his BOUNTY launch and how he used hot water to bend his railings into place. He also brought out plans of his next project, a Hudson Bay Sloop, based on plans by Portia Takakjain. The plans were purchased from Taubman Plans Service. Don also has the book The Sloops of the Hudson River A Historical and Design Survey by Paul Fontenoy, which first sparked his interest. Don indicated he has to make the frame plans. Bill suggested 2 mil wide frames. Bill also thought Model Shipways had plans of the VICTORINE, another

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Hudson Bay Sloop. It was suggested that wood for the model could be purchased from HobbyMill.

Jim Watts talked about his Artesania Latina kit model of the HMS VICTORY. He introduced Mayflower members to his discovery of Minwax high performance wood filler, which he said took about one hour to dry. It sands well and takes nails and drilling just like wood. He also used yellow emphatic resin glue (Titebond) on his model with great results. He was having problems with location of gunports and the height. He also has a problem with the

location of the stern gunports. Jim picked up a lot of ideas talking to Steve, John, Bill and Don with suggestions on how he could tackle his problem. Accurate drawn plans are missing from the kit, although there are beautiful drawings in color. John Bakker talked about the problems he was having with the Le Soleil Royale, which is again gunport locations. He did check the slots on the frames for gunports with the plans and found some of them were off. The symmetry of the frames seemed to be good. John also did some more work on his SAN FELIPE installing stern railings, channels, chainplates and figures on the bow and stern. The model is looking good. Don Dressel talked about his figurehead carving for the HMS ROEBUCK and the tools he was using to make the carving, which is a Gesswein power/hand 2X unit with many

different sizes of burrs plus hand carving tools. The carving is a work in progress. Don did mention the use of “Tony’s Tiny Tips”, which are ways to make carving burrs from old, worn out burrs using a sharpening stone. Several other related things were discussed. Over all, a very good meeting with lots of items of interest.

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CHANNEL ISLANDS CRUISE

By Dave Yotter

During the last couple of weeks of June I joined two San Diego Ship Modelers Guild members to spend some quality time researching Nineteenth Century shipboard life in 1:1 scale. Two are regular sail crewmembers on the CALIFORNIAN, Chari Wessel and Katherine Pogue and I signed on as guest crew. As you may be aware, the CALIFORNIAN is the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s replica of the Revenue Cutter C. W. LAWRENCE, which was a Campbell Class revenue cutter that served off the coast of

California from 1849 to 1851. Except for the “iron wind” that grumbles away when the real wind is less than ideal and it is necessary to get to a destination, there is not much about the operation of this ship that would not be familiar to members of the Revenue Marine of that time. Sails are raised by hand as is the anchor, both “all hands” evolutions. We stood 4 hours on and 8 hours off watches while at sea but I suspect that the accommodations for sleeping are a little more comfortable

these days and I know that the food has no comparison. The food was great and there was lots of it. There is nothing like a fresh sea breeze to perk up the appetite, as they say. Anyway, it seems like we all ate like there was no tomorrow! I don’t want to get into a day-to-day account of the trip because things tend to get a little blurry after a few days but we hit four of potentially six Channel Island landings. We started out on Santa Barbara Island first, then on to San Miguel, Santa Cruz, and Santa Catalina. Santa Rosa was off due to heavy seas and wind

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and an unprotected anchorage and Anacapa was closed due to crumbling stairways at the landing point. At each of the islands where we landed, most of the guest crew and a good portion of the sail crew lit off for the highlands for great views and pictures of the flora and fauna. After about six days we had tow nights at the Santa Barbara Marina. By that time all were looking forward to hot showers and a visit to a laundromat. After cleaning up our selves and the ship we enjoyed a

reception on board with the folks at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Later we had two landing on Catalina, one at Two Harbors and then at Avalon. The first part of the cruise we had plenty of wind and some moderate seas (big swells and lots of whitecaps). CALIFORNIAN seemed to love these conditions and we were cranking along at a good clip several times. At one point we were above 10.8 knots for a period of more than a half hour, which our captain said, was the best run he could remember with CALIFORNIAN. The weather and wind seemed to taper off toward the end of the cruise and we had a few days of continuous overcast. Typical Southern California this time of year. This was a great experience, which I highly recommend. Particularly for folks like us who are interested in the sea and ships, I don’t think there could be a better way to get at least a little of the feel of what it must have been like back in the day.

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THE WESTERN SHIP MODEL CONFERENCE & EXHIBIT – 2011

Many details of the upcoming WSMC&E are still being determined and the input of fellow SMA members who are interested in participating in the decision making are again invited to the upcoming meeting at Bill Russell’s home at 7PM on August 19th, a Thursday, in the middle of the month. Once again, a WSMC&E 2011 glass crystal will be given to every modeler who enters a ship model into the exhibit, so please start thinking about the model or models that you are going to exhibit at the conference. Each model

will also receive a name tag, so information must be supplied when registering your model so that the name plate for the model can be correctly done. In addition, all SMA members are encouraged to think about volunteering for different activities that will be conducted at the WSMC&E when the actual event takes place. The model exhibit is projected to run for one full week on the second floor of the Pavilion, which are only yards away from the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum. Volunteers for manning the exhibit are now being sought.

THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY & ANNAPOLIS WELCOMES THE NAUTICAL RESEARCH GUILD IN 2010 The 37th annual NRG Conference will be held in Annapolis, MD, August 24 through 29, 2010. Accommodations will be at the Sheraton Annapolis Hotel, with events running through the week. On Tuesday there will be a tour of the Washington Navy Yard, which contains the National Museum of the U.S. Navy. Wednesday will be a tour of the United States Naval Academy, which will include the museum. On Thursday there will be a symposium with some excellent speakers. Friday features a tour of the St. Michaels area as well as the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Saturday is the seminars, with six great speakers followed by the evening banquet. The conference ends on Sunday, where some round table discussions are held for those who wish to learn more from the speakers. All in all, it looks to be a great conference! You do not have to be an NRG member to attend, but it is encouraged. Membership includes the quarterly issue of the Nautical Research Journal and is only $38.00 per year – a real bargain! Many SMA members have already indicated they will attend the conference. For those who have not signed up, this is your very last chance. While on the subject of the Nautical Research Guild, it would not be amiss to suggest to members of the SMA that membership on the NRG is a great thing to have. At only $38.00 a year, it supports the efforts of the NRG in preserving the Nautical History of ships and you also receive the quarterly issue of the Nautical Research Journal, which is the next best thing to going to the NRG Conference. Highly recommended to all SMA members who have not joined the NRG!!

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Bill Wicks 50-gun ship – keel, stem, stern post and beginning frames

Donald C. Dressel 908 W. 22nd Street, Upland, CA. 19784-1229

Next meeting Wednesday August 18, 7 PM, Fullerton Community Center

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