Model Monkey News

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce 1/32 scale and 1/24 scale Drop Tanks, 108-gallon pressed paper-type, for P-51 Mustangs and P-47 Thunderbolts, have been added to the catalog.

The 108-gallon pressed-paper drop tank was produced by the Atlas Lace Paper Company in England for use by USAAF aircraft�as a stop-gap measure pending the delivery of pressed aluminum tanks from the United States.� The real drop tank was 100 inches (254 centimeters) long.

[ModelMonkey]

1/72 scale Hatches and Ready Service Ammunition Locker Doors are now available in gray resin for your Revell or Scale Shipyard Gato class or Balao class submarine kit.

The set includes 6 hatches and 6 doors of three different types.

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce a set of 1/24 scale bombs, US 500 lb general purpose AN-M64, has been added to the catalog.

The models are suitable for F6F Hellcat, P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, etc.

[ModelMonkey]

A few recent printings:

[ModelMonkey]

And a few more...

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce a set of four 1/24 scale 5-inch HVAR rockets has been added to the catalog.

This accurately scaled and�detailed set of models represents fully fused�5-inch�High Velocity Aircraft Rockets (HVAR) carried by US Army Air Force, US Navy�and US Marine Corps�aircraft during World War Two and the Korean War. These rockets were also fit to aircraft flown by allied forces including the RAF, RCAF, RAAF, RNZAF and RSAAF, etc.�

HVAR rockets�were typically fit to�many�USAAF, USN and USMC�single-engine�fighter aircraft such as the F6F Hellcat, F4U Corsair, P-51 Mustang,�P-47 Thunderbolt, the TBF/TBM�Avenger, and later the F-80C Shooting Star, F-84E Thunderjet, F9F Panther, and F-86 Sabre. It was also used by some multi-engined aircraft such the PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon.

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce sets of 1/35 scale and 1/48 scale Full Motion Video (FMV) Mod Antenna Panels for AH-1Z Viper, UH-1Y Venom and MH-60S Knighthawk USMC and USN helicopters have been added to the catalog.

Set includes 2 data-link antenna panels.

1/35 set is recommended for:
- Academy 1/35 scale AH-1Z Viper "Shark Mouth"
- Academy 1/35 scale MH-60S Knighthawk
- Kitty Hawk 1/35 scale MH-60S Knighthawk

1/48 set is recommended for:
- Italeri 1/48 scale AH-1Z Viper
- Kitty Hawk 1/48 scale AH-1Z Viper
- Kitty Hawk 1/48 scale UH-1Y Venom

The Full Motion Video (FMV) Modification is a wideband communications-data-link (CDL) system that sends real-time, high-definition 1080p video, as seen through a helicopter's MX-20 infrared television sensor turret, to commanders on the ground.� FMV is now being fit, or will be fit, to AH-1Z Viper, UH-1Y Venom, and MH-60S Knighthawk�helicopters, and various unmanned aerial vehicles.�

[ModelMonkey]

More than 100 new nameplates have been added to the catalog, including additional River class frigates, Cleveland class cruisers, space shuttle orbiters and some popular science fiction subjects.

Here are a few examples:

[ModelMonkey]

Nameplates for all Bremen class frigates have been added to the catalog.

The Bremen class has been called "the backbone of the German navy" since 1982. The Bremen class is being succeeded by the Baden-W�rttemberg-class frigates. Nameplates for Baden-W�rttemberg-class frigates are being made available, too.

The Bremen class nameplates complement 1/300 scale model kits by Revell and 1/700 scale kits by NNT Modell+Buch.

[ModelMonkey]

Happy to announce forward funnels for HMS King George V and HMS Duke of York (1945) in 1/350 scale and 1/400 scale have been added to the catalog. Aft funnels are already available.

Features most plastic KGV class kits miss:
- extensive riveting detail
- lockers (King George V)
- ready service ammunition lockers (Duke of York)
- enlarged platform for two twin-gun 20mm Oerlikon cannons (Duke of York - twin Oerlikons not included)
- heat barrier
- compartment doors
- rigols ("eyebrows") above portholes
- funnel top pulley housings

[ModelMonkey]

Modelers often ask questions about the Model Monkey carronades and cannons offered for the classic Revell 1/96 scale USS Constitution and USS United States. I thought it may be helpful to post some general information about carronades here and their close cousins, the gunade.

In addition to differences in color, note that USS United States was fit with whopping 42-pounder carronades.* Constitution was fit with 32-pounder carronades. Both are available from Model Monkey.

Below is a link to some interesting information regarding Constitution's guns. The author describes how the ship's guns were changed significantly over time and why.

http://www.captainsclerk.info/speaks/book07.html

Note that there is a difference between a "carronade" and a "gunade". A true carronade is fixed to a sliding block (called a "skid" or "skead") on its carriage with a pintle and block cast onto the bottom of the gun. During the War of 1812, Constitution is reported to have been armed with 24 true carronades made by Henry Foxall at the Columbia Iron Works of Georgetown, Maryland circa 1808.

A gunade is short and stubby like a carronade and has a traversing carriage and rests on a sliding block similar to a carronade. But unlike a true carronade, a gunade rests on its skead with conspicuous trunnions extending outwards from the sides of the gun. A gunade does not have a pintle like a carronade.

Some or all of the fiberglass reproductions on Constitution's spar deck today may be reproductions of 1840s-era gunades, not true 1808 carronades. Perhaps someone who has visited the ship recently can tell us if the reproductions on Constitution today are of Foxall 1808 carronades or 1840s gunades.

Some plastic kits include 1840s gunades, not true carronades, probably patterned after reproduction gunades.

Further complicating matters, there is a third type of gun carried at times by Constitution, called a "shifting gunade". A shifting gunade looks like a long cannon with a cannon's type of 4-wheeled carriage. Because a shifting gunade is a trunnioned gun on a 4-wheeled carriage, it does not look like a true carronade or true gunade.

It is very easy to confuse the three types of guns.

In other news, nameplates for many Cannon class destroyer escorts, including USS Slater DE-766, USS Cannon DE-99, all six Free French DEs, three post-war French Navy DEs, one Dutch DE, three Italian DEs, two Taiwanese DEs, two Brazilian DEs, all Gangut class battleships, all Danton class battleships, and a nameplate for China's aircraft carrier Liaoning have been added to the catalog.

* See also "The History of The American Sailing Navy: The Ships and Their Development" by Howard I. Chapelle, pg. 516

[ModelMonkey]

Some recent printings. First up is a set of Stothert & Pitt Ltd. cargo cranes and crane pedestals for RMS Titanic, RMS Olympic and HMHS Britannic in 1/200 scale. They are also available in 1/350 scale and 1/400 scale and suitable for models of RMS Lusitania and RMS Mauretania.

Next up is a set of Bismarck and Tirpitz Main Battery Rangefinders in 1/200 scale. They are also available in many other popular scales including 1/350, 1/400, 1/570, 1/600 and 1/700.

Next is a "Lantern" for Type 271 and 273 radar antennas in 1/200 scale. Lanterns were fit to many WWII-era Royal Navy and Commonwealth ships.

Last is a set of 5"/38 mounts intended for USS Idaho BB-42 in 1/350 scale. Idaho carried an unusual mix of 10 single-gun mount types. Four of the ten mounts had the upper rear facet common among destroyer escorts, presumably to provide clearance for nearby platforms and tubs.

[ModelMonkey]

Nameplates for all built and planned Alaska class large cruisers have been added to the catalog, as well as a nameplate for the Italian-built Soviet destroyer ??????? (Tashkent).

[ModelMonkey]

Some recent 1/700 scale and 1/350 scale printings and new nameplates for clipper ships:

[whaynes]

Steve, I'm starting on the 1/350 Tamiya Prince of Wales. Will be ordering your Mk IV HACS directors, aft funnel and radar Lanterns. Will you be releasing a POW forward funnel any time soon? Would love to have a "matched pair".
Walt

[ModelMonkey]

Hi Walt,

On-hand references I have access to are insufficient to confirm PoW's forward funnel appearance. I strongly suspect that PoW's forward funnel was identical to KGV but I can't yet prove it.

What's needed is reasonably good (better yet, high-res) photos of the Oerlikon platform that show that the Oerlikon platform and compartment below it are either identical to those features on KGV or are something different. The fuzzy PoW photos I have indicate they were probably identical but I'm not yet confident in stating so.

I would not be surprised to learn that the KGV forward funnel is a good match for early DoY, Howe and Anson, too. [edit: PoW's forward funnel platform has a slightly different splinter shield configuration than that of KGV. A PoW forward funnel model is now available that accurately captures the difference.]

Perhaps a PoW expert here can help. I'll post the question on the CASF thread.

Here's KGV:

[whaynes]

Just finished reviewing the four part series on the King George class in Warship Vol. III. The detail plans they include in pt. 4 show the forward funnels in KGV, POW, DOY, and Howe to be identical so that's good enough for me. Order on the way.
Walt

[ModelMonkey]

Thanks, Walt!

I just found a good photo in the CASF thread that confirms a minor detail difference in the splinter shielding. Otherwise, the forward funnels are practically identical. I'll make a unique funnel for PoW with the correct shielding for her.

[ArizonaBB39]

Steve, This may be a dumb question, but I see you have a 1/350 USS New Jersey "as built" open bridge available. How different is it from Iowa's? I have the old (old) resin conversion sets for the Tamiya Missouri to convert her to the Iowa, but your offering is so much better! Any insight would be appreciated.

[ModelMonkey]

Great question.

I think the open bridge for Iowa in service is a bit different than New Jersey's open bridge.

Unless the photo is mis-identified, as built, the photo in the first link below from Navsource indicates that Iowa had tubs for Mk.49 directors just like New Jersey did. But that photo may actually be of New Jersey.

In service, photos of Iowa's open bridge do not show those tubs. And Iowa has an angular platform with ribbed splinter shielding forward of the Bofors tubs (second photo) that New Jersey did not have.

For your model, you may be able to mix and match the Model Monkey bridge parts with the triangular platform from the old resin conversion you have to give you a good open bridge Iowa.

Hope this helps!

Iowa(?) fitting out: http://navsource.org/archives/01/061/016143c.jpg
Iowa in service: http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/016144.jpg