August 06.

Chairman’s Chat.

It was great to see such a good turnout in our last two theme evenings: the quality of the models on display was mind-boggling! Well done to all those that entered and congratulations to the winners: that was a tough one to judge!

I have just read the latest SAMI and had a big smile on my face after reading the Airkraft Partworks offered with each publication. One of the sections is titled “Hang it from the ceiling” - something we have all done, I'm sure. Within this section the author tries to categorise us modellers. The four titles he gives us are “The Enthusiast”, ”The Expert”, “The man with a plan” and, lastly “The best intentions”. I know I have been through all of these phases at some time during my time modelling. At the end of the day our hobby is modelling and modelling is our hobby - long may it last. As long as you get as much enjoyment out as you like you could not ask for more. The last line in the article say's ' Do what thou wilt'!

Happy modelling.

Last Month’s Competitions.

Placings for the American Trophy were: 1st CV-8 USS Hornet by Pat Camp, 2nd Republic P-47D Thunderbolt by Richard Parkhurst (wonderful natural metal finish, Richard) and 3rd "Next Step The Rhine!", a nicely done diorama by Luke Hayes. For the “Test Trout” Trophy (theme was “birds”), 1st was the Curtiss BF2C-1 Goshawk by Pat Camp, 2nd was a Wurgur (Butcher Bird) by Lee Fisher (on his first visit to the club, so well done!), 3rd place was a Fokker EV 'Sea Eagle' by Les Cooper. Luke Hayes earned a Highly Commended for his vignette 'Birds of Prey' that was based on a German infantryman.

The next “Test Trout” is in October and the theme is “cats”.

Forthcoming Events.

Airbourne 2006

The biggest FREE airshow in the UK, Eastbourne International Air Show, will be held along Eastbourne Sea Front East Sussex from 17 - 20 August. 800,000 are expected to attend and provisional flying displays currently include the RAF Red Arrows, Eurofighter Typhoon and Harrier. I notice Buddens coaches have a day trip to the show on 18 August.

Redhill Air Show. Is being held on Sunday 20 August at Redhill Aerodrome, Redhill, Surrey. “In true tradition we can promise you a fantastic day for all the family, young and old alike. We have a wide variety of visiting aircraft including the RAF Hawk, RAF Tucano and the Catalina, picking up our flying boat theme. These and more will be following the opening of the day's programme by The Battle of Britain flight, which starts the show at 2pm. For aviation enthusiasts there will be the usual Collectors' Fair, and refreshments will be available in the marquee with a band playing in the background. Trial flying lessons are available in the Tiger Moth and Piper Cub, and pleasure flights can be taken in the DeHavilland Dove. The day begins at 10am with the Collectors' Fair and exhibits including a variety of classic cars and military vehicles. At 2pm the following flying displays start: The Battle of Britain flight / Aerobatic display by Anna Walker of Skytricks / The Tiger Club Turb' Team / RAF Hawk / RAF Tucano / Catalina / Peter Rutterford in the Pitts Biplane / Justyn Gorman in the Extra 300L / Utterly Butterlys Wingwalking display team”.

IPMS Avon Show 2006 This is being held on Sunday August 20 at Yate Leisure Centre, Kennedy Way, Yate. Open 10.00am to 5.00pm. Admission £3. many clubs, traders, open competition, café on site. Plenty of free parking. Tel 01454 850119 or email ipmsavon@aol.com. Let me know if you are interested in going so we can share transport. Hobbies Festival Is being held at the Royal Victoria Country Park on the 19 & 20 August. Come and 'have a go' at a whole range of hobbies & activities. From 11am - 4pm. Free entry, though some activities may incur a small charge. Phone 02380 455157 for more details.

Classic cars & military vehicle show “The Largest Motoring Event on the South Coast” is being held at Broadlands, Romsey on Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday August 27 & 28 from 10am - 5pm. Admission: adults £8, concessions £6, children £1. Thousands of classic cars - veteran vehicles - commercial classics and buses - military vehicles - American cars - classic bikes - car clubs - custom cars, sport cars and much, much more...

Romsey Modelworld Is being held on Sunday September 3 and we have requested our usual 24 x 4ft of table space, which may even be enough for one or two of Phil’s B52’s! The venue is Mountbatten School once again. This show has been popular over the past years and we have gained many new members as a result, and I’m confident this will continue.

Modelfest 2006. IPMS Farnborough will be holding their annual show at the new venue of Kings International College, Watchetts Drive, Camberley, Surrey GU15 2PQ from 10:00 until 16:00 on Sunday 24th September. See www.ipms-farnborough.co.uk for further details. Romsey Modellers will have a table at this event for the first time: please let me know whether you would like to come along.

Euromilitaire. Is being held on 23rd (10:00 to 18:30) & 24th September (10:00 to 16:00) at the usual venue of Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone. A 1-day ticket is £8 and 2-day ticket £10. This event has been well promoted in previous years, but I could find little about it this time. It will be interesting to see whether the restrictions on hand luggage on flights will reduce the number of competition entries this year.

What the papers say……

Aeroplane. The Heinkel He 177 Greif: Alfred Price explains why the Luftwaffe's only heavy bomber of World War Two proved to be a failure Dutch Cat is Back — With a Splash: how the world's oldest airworthy PBY Catalina is enjoying its first display season since 1998. Naval Aviator – In the US Navy's Golden Age: interview with inter-war US Navy pilot Dave Richwine Aeroplane Explains: longitudinal stability, aided by Ian Bott's technical graphics The 1946 SBAC Display: personal acccount of the flying display and exhibition, held 60 years ago Personal Album: photographs from a French post-war flying club Fly Navy: the workings of the Royal Navy Historic Flight Seafire? Yes Please!: what it's like to fly a newly-airworthy Supermarine Seafire XVII . . . Not Just Another Spitfire?: a first-hand account of how Kennet Aviation acquired and restored it How the Bouncing Bomb Got Its Spin: some unexpected input from a famous fighter aircraft designer

Fine Scale Modeler Sept 06

SHOWCASE: Javier Gimenez' amazing mine roller Sherman COVER STORY: The do's and don'ts of decaling SHIP HOW-TO: Inside the Wolfpack AIRCRAFT HOW-TO: Erich "Bubi" Hartmann's Sabre Mk.6 SHOWCASE: Keith Bender's HIJMS Akizuki AIRCRAFT HOW-TO: Finishing the Flying Fortress SHOWCASE: Remembering the Navaho missile Workbench Reviews: CH-53E Super Stallion, BAC TSR.2, Baureihe 52 Mit Steifrahmentender, Fokker Dr.I "Late Aces”, Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4, USS Arthur W. Radford, Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket, USS Cassin DD-372, Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc/XVIc, Nakajima Ki-27B. History You Can Model: Panzer III

Military In Scale Sept 06, On sale from 10 Aug. ARMOUR THE BIRTH OF A NEW RANGE Well known for their 1/35 vehicles, Accurate Armour have branched out to create some new 1/48 airfield vehicles. Haris Ali & the Editor to take a look at the first two... WHY WAIT FOR THE RESIN? Steve Irwin continues his quest to reawaken the lost art of conversion with two more 1/72 vehicles. This month he builds a Centaur and Challenger using Revell’s Cromwell YOUR FIRST DIORAMA..? ...Then this new series is jut for you as we explain how to build a simple diorama from the ground up... ABANDONNÉ ET RESPOSSESÉDÉ Convert Tamiya’s Char B1 bis into a German Flammpanzer - Step by step AIRCRAFT YORKSHIRE ROSE Mitch Thompson fulfils a lifetime ambition as he builds a 1/48 Halifax - but was it all plain sailing..? MITCHELL’S MASTERPIECE 1/48 ICM Spitfire Mk.IX, painting it in a very specific colour scheme along the way FLANKER Trumpeter’s Flanker is a huge kit of a huge aircraft. It’s not perfect though and needs some remedial action to correct some errors. FEATURES FLANKER CAMOUFLAGE AND MARKINGS ..some alternative schemes for modellers keen to tackle Trumpeter’s spectacular kit

Model Aircraft Monthly. Vol 5, Iss 8, Aug 06. On sale 29 July, £3.25.

Big Avenger: Tony O'Toole Builds the new Trumpeter 1/32 scale kit as a British, Fleet Air Arm, Avenger Mk II One in a 'Hun'dred!: North American's F-100 Super Sabre - Part One by David James Describes the story of the 'Hun' - first of the famous 'Century Series'

The Lost Tomorrows of an Eagle. Part Five: Spies, Smoke and Mirrors Paul Lucas concludes his counterfactual look at what might have been

for the TSR.2 in the Reconnaissance role and its multi-role Countermeasures Romanian Air Force 'In action' 2004-2005 Carlo Kuit and Paul Kievit were brought up date on the current status of the 'Fortele Aeriene Romane' (Romanian Air Force) and its recent structural changes

Colombian Ju 52s Alberto Corradine describes the little-known use of Junkers Ju 52s in Colombian Aviacion Militar service

Die Tante Ju. Peter Vacek models the Revell 1/48 scale Junkers Ju 52 in the markings of a Mediterranean-based Ju 52/3g4e from I./KGrzbV 1 in 1941

13 Squadron 90th Anniversary Special John Hale Describes the special commemorative colour scheme applied to No XIII Squadron's Tornadoes whilst celebrating the unit's 90th anniversary

A Unique Hunter? Chris Ayre describes a little-known No 216 Squadron single-seat Hunter, XF383

Scale Aviation Modeller International. Vol 12, Iss 8, Aug 06, on sale 29/07, £3.80.

Victor B.1/K.1. Bill Clark (1/72nd Revell) After a lengthy hiatus Bill has trebled his V-bomber collection. Plus colour profiles by Jerry Boucher & scale plans and drawings by Arthur L Bentley

Canberra B.2 (1/48 Classic Airframes) David Francis builds the long awaited kit

Phantom F-4 (1/48 Hasegawa) Wild Weasel version. Avro York C.1 (1/72 CMR)

Angus McDonald’s resin conversion for Avro's transport workhorse Plus Photo Album of G-ANTK at the IWM

Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 (1/48 Special Hobby) David Batt builds this twin-rotor helicopter.

IPMS Salisbury 2006 Annual Show. (The report includes photos of Paul Adam’s Bf109K and Phil May’s PZL11).

by Nigel Rayner Airkraft Guide Section Twelve Final part of the series sponsored by Airfix.

Scale Models International. Vol 36, Iss 425, Aug 06, on sale 29/07, £3.25

Desert Stork: Fiesler Fi 156 Storch (Hasegawa 1:32)by Gary Prettyman Build and images Birdcage: Diecast - Maserati's legendary Birdcage (CMC 1:18) by Scott Westbury

The Chicago Piano: M16 fighting vehicle build (Tamiya 1:35) by Mel Saunders

Massey Ferguson TE 20 (Diecast Universal Hobbies 1:16) plus all the latest from Accurate Diecast

Welcome a Challenge! Ferrari Challenge Stradale (BBR Resin 1:43)

Alita... Angel Rebirth (Sol 1:6) The Anime character modelled by Samantha Scoles

Tamiya Model Magazine International. Issue 131, Sept 06, £3.25 Dragon Expo 2006 show report. Kit Previews: Tristar 1:35 Pz38(t), Dragon 1:35 Marder II, Dragon 1:35 Sd.Kfz234/1, Tamiya 1:32 Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero. Monza Magic: Multi media classic Ferrari in 1:20 by Patrick Watson. Modelling Majnoon!: Armo’s 1:35 ZSU-57-2 in a waterside diorama.

Model Airplane International. Issue 13, Aug 06, published 27/07. • A Revelation: The Editor takes possession of an Iwata Eclipse airbrush

• Wild Horse: Ian Ruscoe builds Academy’s new 1:48 CH-53E Super Stallion • Article IV Fokker: Mike Capell builds Eduard’s 1:48 Fokker D.VII • Grumman’s Big Cat: The F6F Hellcat by Richard J. Caruana • Naval Gunfighter: Nick J. Wigman builds and updates the Academy 1:72 F-8E Crusader • Jet-propelled Sparrow: Geoff Coughlin builds Tamiya’s 1:48 He 162A-2 from the box

Model Military International. Issue 5, Sept 06, published 3/08. • CUTE LITTLE CRUISER: Keith Goldsworthy builds an early sample of Tamiya’s 1:48 Cromwell (looking forward to seeing that, Keith!). • WALTZING MATILDA: Sam Dwyer converts the ancient Tamiya kit into an Australian variant • BIG BAD BUFFALO: The Editor builds the Italeri kit of the LVT 4 • ROEBLING’S ALLIGATORS: Full size reference for the LVT 4 • 1:72 CROMWELL MODELS ISRAELI M60 BATASH: We finally get some brail scale in MMI • BREATHE EASY: Tech guide to building a budget spray booth • TAMIYA SD.KFZ 232 8 RAD: Kev Smith does a retro review on this old classic 1:35 BARV as a guinea pig • IT’S SHOWTIME! 2006 MAFVA show report • TAMIYA SD.KFZ AMBULANCE CONVERSION: Wayne Timmo converts the Tamiya kit with the aid of MR Resin’s conversion (one for you, Lisa!). • MOBILE AIR DEFENCE: Full size photo report of the British Army’s Stormer HVM

Air Modeller, Issue 07, Aug 06. PBY-5 Catalina - Anxious to avoid picking up the tab, Randy Lutz builds the big seaplane in 1:48th scale. Avro Manchester - Cameron Lees backdates the classic Tamiya Lancaster kit to model its ill-fated predecessor Biscay Raider - Franck Oudin builds a Ju88 C-6 in an unusual maritime scheme Xtreme detail - A close up look at the A-7E Corsair II with useful details for the new Trumpeter kits Kawasaki Ki-100 - The late war Japanese fighter built and described by Rene de Koning

F-18A Hornet - The first part of a two part feature on Diego Quijano’s stunning small

scale Hornet

Military Modelcraft International. The July issue is another multi-period issue with a Sheridan Tank of the Vietnam War by Dus Adele, the first part of a 1/72nd conversion of the German Leopard into the Biber by Tim Neate and in the same scale, Daniel Jarrett builds the Eduard Sherman. You’ll also find a KKPG from David Grummitt and the first of a series by newcomer to writing Robin Carpenter on the ToTTe when it comes to air brushing. Jon Page returns to our pages (!!!) with a Napoleonic diorama.

New Releases. Many thanks to Paul Adam’s for the following news…..

Interesting Automotive Product News

Tamiya have announced the forthcoming release of the mighty Mclaren Mercedes SLR in 24th scale. This 500+ BHP supercar was described by Top Gear as sounding like something between a Spitfire and a Messerschmitt! Tamiya promise openable gullwing doors and that lovely diecast chassis they're so fond of. In shops in September. Here's some pics of a pre-production example from Tamiya's show in the US. Early indications are that the kit will be somewhat cheaper than the £325,000 price tag of the real thing!

(I feel myself drawn to these car models….I…must…resist…..).

With the continued worldwide popularity of MotoGP, inevitably the model and decal manufacturers turn out various products to tempt us away from our hard earned. This last month there has been some mouth-watering releases, some of which I just couldn't resist!!

Those nasty people (they're taking all my money you know!) at Studio 27, to coincide with Tamiya's reissue of the 1980 Suzuki RGB500 kit, released at very short notice, an exquisite transkit to convert the kit into Barry Sheene's earlier 1979 bike. The model world has been slow to react to the production of Sheene kits but this year has now seen a kit from Tamiya (1981 Yamaha) and now this. The transkit has beautifully cast resin petrol tank, some natty winglets for the fairing and a two part seat cowling. Machine aluminium exhaust silencers complete the new cast exhaust system. A 30 or so piece photoetch fret significantly improves the detail and Studio 27 complete things with a Cartograph produced decal sheet. I hope Studio 27 sell lorry loads of these which may encourage them to look at many of the other bikes Barry rode during his career.

Tamiya have released a 2005 Yamaha M1 in the old yellow, black and white colours of the great Kenny Roberts. Tamiya have surprisingly updated the kit to quite an extent with a complete new frame,airbox, new bodywork and rear 'mudguard'. Decals for the American Colin Edwards are included but none for Valentino Rossi....

Chinese manufacturer Crazy Modeller have released a decal set to convert the aforementioned kit into the Rossi version!!.....

Tornado incident - Yeovilton Air Day, July 8th 2006. Richard Parkhurst witnessed the following excitement at the Air Show…..

The incident occurred after the Tornado had completed its display and taxied to the "active" parking area adjacent to the control tower where a number of participating aircraft were parked down each side of the area. The Gnat was in the process of being refuelled post display, and the Fouga Magister was being prepared for its display.

The Tornado taxied into the area and was marshalled to a point between the Magister and the Gnat. I think the aircraft may have been parked at an angle but am not sure. The aircraft had been chocked by the ground crew and was going through its shutdown procedures when the port engine suddenly went to full military power and the aircraft started to move - against the chocks - towards the Gnat and the fuel bowser and it ended up parallel to the grass, possible having turned through 45 degrees. The engine suddenly went quiet after just a few seconds and at that point I turned my back and ducked as the blast arrived, and when I stood up and looked there was a considerable fire raging in the port engine compartment (photo 1). One of the ground crew grabbed a nearby trolley mounted CO2 extinguisher and discharged a couple of bursts into the engine compartment which doused the fire (photo 2) but the afterburner ring can still be burning followed by quite a lot of dense smoke (photo 3). One of the aircrew walked back from the cockpit along the top of the fuselage and took a look at the top of the engine compartment and then made his way back to the cockpit

1. 2. 3.

and climbed down to inspect the damage.

The emergency vehicles trundled over from their fire point adjacent to the main runway but by the time they arrived all the fun was over so other than standing around, looking and talking, they didn't have much to do! After a few minutes it was obviously decided that all was safe and they returned to their runway station point and the flying display continued.

The ground crew were then mustered to collect what debris they could find behind the aircraft. It consisted mostly of small fragments of turbine - looked a bit like thin slivers of welsh slate, very light and a brownish-grey colour. There was nothing much bigger than a five pence piece from what I saw. A lady stood next to me had several small pieces melted into the fleece she was wearing!

The aircraft is still at Yeovilton and I have been told there is no funding available for a replacement engine until next year. So it will either remain there in storage or be taken back to its base by road at some time.

According to a friend of Ben Short: "The Tornado had an engine runaway, which is an uncontrolled acceleration to self destruct (takes about 5 seconds from idle to self-destruct on a tonka). The engine is controlled by a Digital engine Control Unit (DECU). It uses a potentiometer connected to the throttle to give electronic feedback to the engine (as there’s no mechanical link). Idle is 0 Volts, Max Dry is -2.7 Volts approx. So if it loses power to the box or potentiometer it thinks the pilot has selected max dry, but cannot control it... So lots of turbine to collect from up to 100 metre behind it!"

Fortunately no injuries to anyone other than eardrums rattled somewhat.

Airbrush Model Painting Course.

I think Alan Stinton and Lee Fisher are to be highly commended. Unlike the rest of us who use trial and error (mainly error in my case) to achieve good results with an airbrush, these members have been tutored by Robin Carpenter (the airbrush specialist at Cammett Ltd www.cammett.co.uk) at a course organised and run by The Airbrush Company at their training room at Lancing, West Sussex.

The course gives an overview of compressor and airbrush selection, health & safety, surface preparation, priming, top coats, Alclad metal finishes, gloss clear coats, troubleshooting, etc. Lots of “hands on” work using Iwata airbrushes and Lifecolor paints. Contact The Airbrush Company on 08700 660 445 or www.airbrushes.com.

If you think the course will be of help to you, have a chat to Alan and Lee to find out more.

On The Workbench.

Curtiss BF2C-1 Hawk – Part 5: Display Base.

I like to place my models onto a display base to add interest, give context, a sense of scale/size and bring in the human element (which is an important factor for me). On the other hand, as soon as I complete one model I want to get on with another (or, more usually, have not been able to wait and have already started!). So you want an interesting display but don’t want to spend too much time on it: tricky! This time I completely miscalculated and, quite literally, went overboard!

Mind you, it was fun to do and the final result draws attention, so was worth the effort.

The starting point was this photo from the Squadron book on the Boeing F4B, showing an -4 version on an outrigger fitted to CV-4 USS Ranger. My Curtiss is finished as an aircraft from this carrier so this photo was a valuable reference. I looked through my various books for any further information and could only conclude that the design of outrigger varied with each class of ship, as they all looked different. Indeed, I even came across a photo purported to be of an outrigger on the starboard side of Ranger and this looked completely different from the one on the port side!

A funny thing is that the outrigger I have chosen to model appears to be the only one fitted to this side of the ship (see photo). As the idea of these things is to create space for aircraft it hardly seems worth the effort of putting just the one of them in place. Maybe it’s a prototype for evaluation.

I also posted requests for information on the web and got some returns, but the photo in the Squadron book remains key. I started by transferring the information in the photo onto a scaled drawing. Scaling was decided by measuring the distance from the front wheel to the tail wheel of the Boeing in the photo and comparing it to the measurement of a 1/32 scale Boeing F4B (as I happen to have a -3 version in my “to do” pile!). This gave me a scaling factor to apply to the measurements taken from the photo for putting onto the drawing. The depth of the catwalks beneath flight deck level was gauged from the crew members in the background of the photo: the deck is at about chest level. The shape of the catwalk was estimated from the two photos you see, everything else was “Imagineering”, either taking features typical of other ships (inspired guesswork) or just plain (uninspired!) guesswork. In hindsight, I think I should have raised the catwalk and made it narrower by 5mm or so.

The structure supporting the flight deck is from Plastruct sections: I-beams, tees, angles & channels. These costed around £12 altogether (from Mainly Trains & Planes, but you can get larger quantities cheaper from EMS: see me if you want to look at their catalogue). A series of identical frames were made up and then linked together. It is important that pieces are carefully trimmed to length and squared off so the frames are identical with one another.

The outrigger itself was fashioned from plasticard. I always drill and file the various internal holes and cut-outs before cutting the outside shape: this reduces the chances of cracking or distorting the material. Two strips were glued together at their ends and a copy of the drawing pasted on one face with PVA glue. Hole centres were indented through the drawing and into the plastic by using a pointy tool before drilling. Once this was completed and the openings shaped with a file, the shapes were cut from the strips using an Olfa-P cutter and the edges cleaned up by filing. Various internal details (such as pulleys for the cable which drags the aircraft by its tail wheel) and spacers were added before the inside faces were painted dark grey and then glued together.

The important tools for the job are a flat surface (I use a piece of thick glass), set square and steel rule to make sure everything goes together neat and square.

The catwalk is perforated plate, and I used electrical circuit board (Vero board) for this as it is already drilled with a suitable pattern of holes. The board was cut to size using a junior hack saw and the edges cleaned up with a file. Photos of CV-8 USS Wasp outrigger shows some foot plates to be solid, so I did this for my model as well by using plasticard sheet in one or two places.

Stanchions were scratch built from two sizes of polystyrene tubing, were fiddly and took a long time to make.

There is a cable reel just visible in the first photo, and this was made from scratch using plasticard and bits & bobs from the spares box. A loop of copper wire was added to each reel rim as reinforcing. The hose itself was wound on from bell wire.

The flight deck comprises of a number of layers. The top layer is wood veneer (I used mahogany) and this was cut into strips ¼” wide to represent the real planks which were 8”x3” at this time (they were 6” wide on

Basic structure of base ready for painting.

Outrigger, panted and ready for fitting.

With flight deck in position.

later carriers). These were glued nine at a time onto a strip of thin plywood using PVA glue. Threads of black cord were laid between each “plank” to represent the tarred caulking used to seal the gaps on the real deck. These were weighted down on a flat surface whilst the glue set.

Each set of 9 planks was then cut from the plywood and epoxied to a piece of circuit board-like sheet (thanks for this stuff Joe!) cut to the size required for the flight deck. Each set of blanks was placed apart to allow a photo-etched section of tie-down rail (supplied by Tom’s Modelwork’s in the US) to be positioned between them. The photo-etch was undercoated with brown Humbrol enamel 119 before gluing flush with the top of the deck, leaving a well visible through the tie-down cut-outs which gave some depth. At this time, the flight decks were finished in a mahogany stain and the metal tie-down rails were also brown, either through painting or by rust, it is not obvious which from looking at the photograph taken of the flight deck of USS Enterprise.

The completed flight deck was epoxied to the structure and a plisticard channel glued along the edge (this is the channel that the aircrafts wheels will rest in – see the first photo). Another strip of circuit-board was epoxied to the back face of the structure and this has some features added so the flight deck section will attach to a base stand so it will be a foot or so above the table, with the aircraft hanging precariously over the side just like the real thing. The stand has not been made yet so I’ll let you know how that goes later on. My current task is to create a figure to go on the catwalk to give the “human element” to the display, and I’ll describe how that is going in next month’s Update.

Some Maritime Local History….. Paul Adam’s writes “During my occasional research on German U-boats for a forthcoming model, I came across this interesting but tragic story of UB-81, a U-boat that sank some 14 miles off of Bembridge in December 1917. This extract is from a book entitled 'Diving Hampshire and the Isle of Wight”. The wreck is now a local attraction for divers”…….

The first mission of this 650-ton, 182ft U-boat was her last. VB-81 was brand new when she left Zeebrugge on 28 November, 1917. In command of the boat was an old hand at submarine warfare - Reinhold Salzwedel - who ranked 11th in the table of record sinkings of all U-boat captains, having sunk 150,000 tons of Allied shipping in 12 missions with the Flander’s flotilla. Salzwedel had been decorated many times and was the holder of the prestigious Pour Ie Merite, Germany's highest war decoration of that time and commonly known as the "Blue Max".

The mission upon which UB-81 set out on that November night was to be Salzwedel's thirteenth. It did not seem to be unlucky at the start and, carrying 10 torpedoes for her four bow and one stern tubes, UB-81 slid through the Dover defenses without being detected, even though she made the run close in at the Folkestone end of the Barrage and over the mine-strewn nets. Salzwedel wasted no time in getting into action and before midnight on 30 November was attacking a target some 12 miles off Beachy Head. He had no success, however, and moved down Channel. Here he sank the merchantman Mo/esey of 3,218 tons. The Molesey stayed afloat long enough for the crew to take to the boats.

He moved on to the west and into a violent storm. The ride on the surface for U-boat became so uncomfortable that Salzwedel took her to 20m

At 5.45pm on 2 December, when the submarine was 2 miles off the Owers Light Vessel, a tremendous explosion suddenly threw her.

The lights went out and water spurted into the stern compartment. The flooding increased rapidly and the only action the crew could take was to watertight hatch and seal off the rear compartment entirely. Despite the damage given the boat, not one of the crew was injured. Apart from the stern, the submarine was otherwise watertight.

It hit was probably from a British mine, for the Royal Navy now knew well the fondness of German U-boat commanders for the area, and laid fields accordingly. However, it might have been a German mine laid by a UC class U-boat from the Zeebrugge base.

No matter how hard Salzwedel tried there seemed no way that UB-S1 would surface. The water in the flooded stern compartment was pinning the U-boat to the sea bed. Salzwedel knew that he could not waste any more precious compressed air in trying to get some buoyancy into his stern tanks: it was clear that the explosion had ruptured them. The boat was lost, so now Salzwedel tried to save his crew.

By pumping all his remaining air into the bow tanks, he hoped that he could raise the bow high enough to get the seaward end of the bow torpedo tubes out of the water and then at least the slimmer members of the crew could get out. All torpedoes were pushed to the stern. Torpedoes from loaded bow tubes were withdrawn awkwardly, for the boat's bows were already lifting as the air hissed into the forward tanks. Then most of the crew were ordered as far aft as possible. Finally the bow would rise no more. Cautiously, the inside end of the highest bow tube was opened and cold night air rushed into the submarine: they had done it! The first man out of the polished tube was the engineer Denker, and he saw how close they had been, and still were, to disaster. The mouth of the tube was a bare 18in above the sea surface, and every moment a wave threatened to break right into it. Quickly, Denker reached down and hoisted Leutenant Freudendahl up onto the slippery slope of the submarine's bow. Freudendahl was Salzwedel's second-in-command and was to be in charge of the party on the exterior of the submarine. One by one crew members were hauled up - from two tubes now - until there were seven men on the outside. Then Freudendahl called a halt fearing that any more weight would push the mouth of the tubes under the sea. The sea was becoming violent and each swell seemed to hover over the tube openings on the sides, though the rest of the bow stopped the sea from plunging straight in. It was icy cold out on the casing, and there was no sign of a ship. All was dark, except for the warning flashes from the lightship.

On Salzwedel's orders flare pistols loaded with star shells were discharged into the air and SOS signals flashed by means of a lamp handed up through one of the tubes; but nothing happened, and the men crouched in the cold for hours while their crew mates remained motionless in the stern, straining their ears to catch any of the muffled exchanges between Salzwedel and Freudendahl. Suddenly there was a shout from outside. No one needed telling that an English ship had found them; the noise of engines drummed through the hull. English voices shouted across the water. More engine noises came close as more boats arrived. Outside Freudendahl saw his men transferred to the first English Naval patrol boat to find them. He was last across, but before he left he could hear the UB-81 crew queuing to come up. Freudendahl was speculating about the difficulty that some of the larger crew members were going to have in the narrow torpedo tubes and wondering whether it would be possible to get them out through the conning tower hatch, which was now not all that far under, when the question became superfluous: HMS P.12, one of the British patrol boats, crashed into her when trying to get in close to the stricken submarine. The patrol boat's bow bit deep into the U-boat's hull. There was a screaming hiss of compressed air escaping and within seconds UB-81 was gone in a swirl of black water. A moment later great gouts of air burst through the surface in two places from the open torpedo tubes and then there were only the waves hurrying along in the searchlights' beams. There were no more survivors, and it seems likely that Reinhold Salzwedel, the other young lieutenant aboard, and 25 crewmen died very quickly, as they would hardly have had the time or the strength to shut the bow tube doors against the December sea.

After the sinking there were British reports that said that only two crewmen survived. The submarine lies 14 miles from Bembridge / 19 miles from Portsmouth at 50 29.37N; 00 58.20W, depth 28m.

Next Meeting: September 20 Happy Modelling! Pat Camp Tel: 02380 266828, email patrick.camp@btinternet.com or Patrick.camp@jet.uk

UB-81