Newsletter Volume 41, Number 1, Jan
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Newsletter Volume 41, Number 1, Jan. 2014 Contacts Work in Progress President: Larry Van Es (7140 936-0389 December 18, 2013 E-Mail [email protected] Reporter: Dave Yotter Vice President: Bill Schultheis (714) 366-7602 DEUS be DUE E-Mail: [email protected] Secretary: Paul Payne Dues are still $25.00 for email only SMA (310) 544-1461 Newsletter recipients but will be $40.00 for those who Treasurer: Mike DiCerbo elect to receive the SMA Newsletter via snail mail. At (714) 523-2518 $25.00 for everyone, those who receive the emailed 15320 Ocaso Ave, #DD204, SMA Newsletter were supplementing the hard copy La Mirada, CA. 90630 recipients and this needed to change. Because of the Editor, Don Dressel mailing cost of the SMA Newsletter and particularly the (909) 949-6931 additional expense of renting our current meeting nd 908 W. 22 Street location we were forced to change our dues structure to Upland, CA 91784-1229 that noted above. For SMA members beyond 100 miles E-mail: [email protected] of the meeting location, dues are still only $20.00. Web Manager: Doug Tolbert: (949) 644-5416 SHOW OUR COLORS! Our wonderful and Web Site internationally known SMA logo can be put on any www.shipmodelersassociation.org peace of clothing Lands End makes for an extra charge of $8.50. See Doug Tolbert’s write-up on page 14 of Meeting – Wed., Jan. 15, 7 PM, Red the September issue of the SMA Newsletter for the Cross Building, 1207 N. Lemon, particulars on how to do this. Check out their catalog Fullerton, CA. 92832 at www.landsend.com/business and then give them a call at 1-800-338-2000 to order your selection. Officers meeting –Wed., Feb 5, 2014, 7 PM, Bob Beech’s house, Elections for VP were held at the December 130 Clove Pl., Brea, CA. 92821 – meeting. The process is that we elect a Vice President (714) 529-1481. each year and the standing VP moves up to become President. This was the first contested election we have had in a long time and the result was the Bill Schultheis beat out Don Dressel by a nose. Congratulations, Bill. 1 As part of the Christmas celebration by the SMA, it has become a tradition to have a barbershop Quartet come to the December general meeting and serenade the membership present with some beautiful music. This year we had a double treat in that the barbershop quartet turned out to be an award winning group of four beautiful young ladies. They did such a good job that we all hope they are able to come back again next year! An added thanks to all the SMA members who bought the great assortment of “goodies” to eat and drink for the Christmas meeting. There were lots of cookies, candy, brownies, and assorted other items plus some California roles (sushi) from Yas Komorita and his bride Cleo along with the usual good coffee made by John Bakker. Cutter LE RENARD 1812 – John Simmons Of English origin, the cutter was employed in many roles: coastal trading, pilotage, privateering and above all by the famous smugglers of the 19th century. Despite its national heritage, the cutter was much appreciated by the French, especially along the Channel coasts. A principal advantage was its reduced size, which allowed a smaller crew than the traditional lugger. With their single mast, carrying topsail and topgallant, gaff mainsail, jibs and storm jib, these little ships were sometimes regarded as clumsy vessels, an error much belied by their great maneuverability and speed. ROBERT SURCOUF (1773-1827) was Saint Milo’s last privateer and most famous ship owner. At the age of fifteen-and-a-half, and already a firm and resolute character, he shipped as a volunteer and the Aurore. This first voyage took him to the Indian Ocean, to the French trading outpost at Pondicherry in India, and to Ile de France (now Mauritius). This wide region became his main center of exploits. At the age of 22, as captain of the Cartier (18 crew) he captured the 26-gun English merchantman Triton, 1,000 tons, and a crew of 150. His reputation grew, to be crowned five years later by the taking of HMS Kent; a 1,200 ton man-of- war crewed by 437 men and armed with 26 guns and 12 carronades. At the time of this action, Surcouf was commanding La Confiance, a fine vessel of 364 tons with 18 guns and a crew of 185. In the closing month of 1812, Surcouf commissioned Le Renard, a 70 ton cutter armed with 10 carronades and 4 long guns. Her crew consisted of 46 men. Thru to his style, Surcouf incorporated the latest elements of ship design to ensure the vessel was both rapid and well armed. It was fate, which decided that the glorious final episode in the history of privateering would dissolve to Le Renard. On 9 September 1813, towards five in the afternoon, the ship was put to chase by the English schooner Alphea, with 16 guns, 16 swivel-pieces and a first-rate crew of 80 officers and men. The ensuing action included a night engagement. Both 2 adversaries displayed great courage and unfaltering tenacity. Losses were heavy, with numerous dead and maimed on both sides. Finally, at half-past three in the morning, by which time the two vessels had closed to within pistol range, two reports sounded from the guns of Le Renard, at which the Alphea blew apart. No survivors remained on the English side, while the French could count no more than 13 men able enough to work the ship. Le Renard returned to France to lick her wounds and bury her dead, which included her Captain, Le Roux-Disrochettes. John Simmons has nearly completed his 1:50 Soclaine kit of Le Renard. The kit and drawings are French. The hull is plank-on-bulkhead and single planked. John says this works well because he uses micro-balloon fuller on the hull to make up for any imperfections in the hull prior to painting. Civil War Ironclads – Dave Yotter At Nautical Research Guild conferences in the past I picked up these kits of Civil War Ironclads. The kits are pewter castings in 1:600 scale by Thoroughbred Models of Monitors and casemate ironclads. They sat around gathering dust for a number of years, as I did not have a way in mind to finish them. I didn’t want to use paint and the blackening solutions I had on the shelf did not work well. While poking around on my favorite jewelry supply web site, Otto Frei, (www.OttoFrei.com) I found that they had a pewter blackening solution by Jax. So I decided to try it and that is the product used on these models. The ones I have finished so far are the USS Dictator; USS Casco class torpedo boat version; CSS Richmond (which I had misidentified as CSS Albemarle as pointed out by our resident expert in all things ironclad, Steve Lund) and a late version of the USS Monitor. These models were also an opportunity to use some of those lovely pieces of wood with wonderful figure and color that seem to accumulate and aren’t really all that good for use in ship model building. The bases were finished with tung oil and felt footies added to the bottom. The other item is a barrel of a 12-pounder Napoleon field piece. This is from a Model Shipways kit in1:16. The whole kit is white metal, which I don’t really like and so will be kit- 3 bashed with replacement wheels and wood parts for the carriage trail and cheeks. I hadn’t started this kit for the same reason as the ironclads, no good way in hand to finish the metal parts. The gun barrel responded well to the Jax solution resulting in a nice dark gray color. USS ESSEX 1812 – John Simmons At the end of the American Revolution the Continental Navy was completely disbanded, leaving the fledgling country without a navy and without the means to protect the rights, property and lives of it’s citizens on the high seas. In March 1794, the prospect of increased activity on the part of the Barbary States prompted Congress to authorize the construction of four frigates of 44 guns and two frigates of 36 guns respectively. (The actual armament would change slightly due to discrepancies in building). A provision was included that if the hostilities ceased and a treaty was reached, construction on the ships would be halted. This did occur, however, the Constitution 44, the Constellation 38 and the United States 44 were completed at this time. Trouble with France over the issue of American neutrality became more serious after France declared war on Britain in 1793. In 1796 the French government passed several acts, which made American ships fair game for French Privateers. 1798 saw the beginning of an undeclared “Quasi War” with France, and the sudden expansion of the American Navy. In addition to completing the previously authorized six unfinished frigates, Congress accepted the donation of five ships build by subscription from the people of five port cities. As well as the previously listed frigates of what was to become known as the “Original Six” the remaining three frigates were completed. These were Congress 38, Chesapeake 36 and President 44. The five subscribed ships were Philadelphia 36, New York 36, Boston 28, John Adams 26 and Essex 32. Prominent citizens of Salem, MA formed the Salem Frigate Committee to raise the needed funds for the proposed vessel, to organize and initiate the actual design of the ship and to oversee to her construction until such time as a Navy agent was appointed.