July meeting follow up
Wow, we covered a lot of territory once again. Here's a recap of our meeting...
Here's a link to the recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/y-FMCPbT1nNJT42KzHvfQaMPIrnIeaa8hHBP-PFYzU-Xo7yuSrdd3Vq5WkFXNJBo?startTime=1594482403000
We began the meeting with John's presentation on getting his Dremel battery repaired. It was very interesting to see these come apart and the process for putting back together and back in business. In this case improved performance over the original. In reality a very simple process.
John was able to do this at Batteries Plus Bulbs in Longmont for $11 plus gas. It turned out to be a very straight forward and easy process. But other Batteries Plus Bulbs stores were more expensive, more trouble, or not capable. Good advice to call in advance to make sure they can do the replacement on site while you wait.
We moved to our most prolific builder, John Widmar. First with his Flyhawk Bismark in 1/700 scale. This kit is still available through eBay and other providers. John also added a wood deck. John told us that this was a great build and the detail included in this kit is "fantastic".
We spent some time talking about talking about laying the red field decal with the swastica. John used solvaset to settle the decal down over the deck. Bill also recommended putting down Solvaset first before adding the decal, but cautioned that it could stain the wood deck. Rob was wondering about markings on Aircraft Carriers. Deacon recommended painting using a mask. We're going to come back to that idea at the next meeting.
Next John showed us the Dragon USS San Diego CL-53 Atlanta Class Cruiser. John added additional details to this kit. This kit is also released as CL-52. Both kits may be a little hard to find these days but check eBay.
For the trifecta John showed us his IJN Gunboat UJI from Aoshima. This is another kit that has some amazing aftermarket parts for and is available.
Bill told us about a kit he received from Global Toy in China. This seller offers kits through eBay. This is a manufacturer Bill has told us about before. These are complete kits including photo etch nd decals. Castings are very sharp. This seller has a very good reputation. The manufacturer has a relatively new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ostrichhobbyhomepage
They seem to be open to suggestions. They are currently working on a new HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier which looks really nice. Thanks for sharing this one Bill!
David Angelo shared with us the work he's doing on his new Oilers. It will be fun to watch these come together!
Cimmeron AO-22
Hog Islander USS Sirius AK-15
Housatanic AO-34
Chicopee AO-35
I gave a brief review of the Flyhawk HMS Kelly. This kit is released in several versions. This one is the Deluxe edition which includes photo etch, brass barrels, and brass masts. The detail in this kit is unbelievable. John Widmar is right, these are a great bargain. As mentioned I didn't expect to get this kit and thought it was lost in the mail. But it showed up after eBay refunded the money to me. I made it right with the seller but it will be going to Bill. This one was purchased for $31.19 delivered but typically are a few more dollars. I found another one of these kits in the "Commemorative Edition" which includes all the goodies plus a Short Sunderland flying boat.
I also followed up on the Zucas Studios kit. This is a Q series model of the Perry Class Frigate. The detail on these is quite remarkable for a distorted series model. You can see the web site for Zucas Studio on the listings. Also here is the link to their facebook page:
Here's the diorama Using the Knox class he put together that seems to have done well in competition. Note the dolphins and towed array sonar.
I also discussed the Model Ship Dry Dock. It's the only commercial building stand I've seen for model ships. It's available from Wargame Miniatures in Australia. The sell price is AUD 55.00 which is roughly USD 35.00. They are out of stock right now but if you're interested drop them a line. They've been getting a lot of press from the On The Bench podcast so they have sold out quickly.
https://www.wargameminiatures.com.au/product/model-ship-dry-dock/
I would say this is good for 1/700 battleships and up. I wouldn't recommend this for anything smaller. It's also only good for capital ships. It's not good for something like a PT boat.
Rodrigo told us about a visor he's been using. As it turns out Blake has this same visor and gave it a very good review. The lenses are described as very good. There is a strap you can use instead of the temples but Blake reports the temples are better. The batteries go into the frame at the forehead. Blake reported that it was a little heavy to wear for long periods and he usually doesn't have the batteries in. Jerry found one on eBay that apparently has rechargeable batteries instead of the typical AA batteries.
At the book corner we discussed two.
Rob Discussed the book Pacific War Diary. He describes it as written in three paragraphs. It's a continuous narrative of a young sailor. Highly recommended. It's a very different perspective of being a sailor in WWII.
I talked about a new audiobook I'm listening to called The Good Shepard. The author does an amazing job of describing what it's like to be on a tin can conducting escort for convoys. This is the book that the new movie "Greyhound" is based on. David Angelo and Bill Smallshaw both gave it a thumbs up. I'm going to finish listening to it before I watch the movie.
We finished with a nice discussion with Richard Harden of Tom's Modelworks and White Ensign. Tom told us about his experience with IPMS cancelling and a new kit he's working on of the USS Coral Sea which is based on the HP Models kit. Those were good kits and with some good photo etch and markings it could be a winner.
Catch you all next meeting!
