Ahoy mates and welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Let’s see what going on today.
ALERT ~ MSW Community Build Contest
Build Session 2 of our Community Build Contest will close in nine days!
Also, all MSW staffers, please do the same, as the official judging session will begin on August 1st to August 7th, 2008!
On Display Feature ~ Lohner L, WWI Flying Boat
What? An aeroplane at MSW? Sure, when it is a "flying boat" ! MSW Crew-mate Jim McIntosh (JimMrr) sends us a batch of photo's of his kit based, scratch-built detailed Lohner L, WWI reconnaissance flying boat, in this very interesting and unique, MSW "On Display" feature!
WWI Flying Boat
New 1/700 IJN Weapons from Fine Molds
Attention all you 1/700 scale warriors! Fine Molds announces the upcoming release of their 1/700 25mm Single and Twin Mounts. Price and release date have yet to be determined (only because the announcement was in Japanese).
New Series from Conway Maritime
A new series of books from Conway Maritime, Plan Portfolios is the way. Each volume will have 20 ring-bound three-page foldout ship plans printed on heavy paper stock. A large-scale external profile, plan view and bow/stern drawing of each vessel is provided on one side of the foldout, while the reverse is complete with color guide artwork, a detailed summary of the ship's history, full specifications and a number of contextual photographs and drawings. All volumes in the series include a 16-page introductory section on the design, construction and development of the featured ships as well as an historical overview. First in the series is to be Submarines and U-boats of the Second World War. Price is estimated to be $50.00
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1947 - First Navy all jet squadron (VF-17A) receives its first aircraft (FH).
1948 - USS Putnum (DD 757) evacuates U.N. team from Haifa, Israel and becomes first U.S. Navy ship to fly the U.N. flag.
1950 - USS Boxer sets record crossing of Pacific to bring aircraft, troops, and supplies to Korea at start of the Conflict.
1958 - USS Nautilus (SSN 571) departs Pearl Harbor for first submerged transit of North Pole.
1993 - Sarah Deal becomes first female Marine selected for naval aviation training.
Nearly 10,000 pounds of cocaine seized by the U-S Coast Guard has been turned over to federal authorities.
The drugs were found hidden inside the fuel tank of a Honduran freighter during a recent search.
The four and a half tons of cocaine have an estimated street value of $159-million.
The seven man crew of the freighter was taken into custody and the ship was turned over to the Honduran government.
'Red Plum' Supports £1.3 Million Appeal for New Teenage Cancer Trust Unit in Southampton
The Royal Navy’s Ice Breaker Ship HMS Endurance is adding her support to a £1.3 million appeal for Teenage Cancer Trust. The funds from the appeal will go towards a specialist cancer treatment centre for teenagers and young people with cancer at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Teenage Cancer Trust’s unit, built specifically for young cancer patients, will be the first of its kind in the South of England. It will provide teenagers with some of the best cancer facilities in the country, expected to improve survival rates and the best possible experience for young people during their cancer journey.
The new facilities will cost Teenage Cancer Trust £2 million - £1.3 million of this needs to be raised locally. Hoping to add much needed funds to the appeal is HMS Endurance, who have adopted Teenage Cancer Trust as one of their ship’s charities this deployment. In collaboration with the charity, the ship have produced a calendar of stunning images from their time in Antarctica and all proceeds will go towards the Southampton Appeal.
Speaking from onboard HMS Endurance, Surg Lt Cdr Lachlan Mackay Brown says, “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Teenage Cancer Trust this deployment. The calendars will help raise valuable funds for the new unit in Southampton. Everyone on HMS Endurance is always keen to support a project that will have a positive impact on our hometown, as the new unit will also look after teenagers from the Portsmouth area. We really hope everyone visiting the Meet Your Navy Days will pop by the Teenage Cancer stand and buy an HMS Endurance charity calendar because every penny will count towards the £1.3 million Teenage Cancer Trust are trying to raise. Therefore all the funds raised through our calendar sales will make a real difference to young cancer patients in the South”.
Over the next few years, a number of Teenage Cancer Trust facilities will be built at Southampton General hospital as plans for the new Oncology Centre are finalised. Teenage Cancer Trust’s plans for the area include:
The development of an interim facility, providing two designated beds for teenagers and young adults with en-suites and a kitchen area. This will remain in place until the permanent Teenage Cancer Trust unit is built. Building work has commenced and is expected to be complete by early autumn this year.
Provision of two bone-marrow transplant beds within a new haematology unit which is being jointly supported by Southampton Hospital Charity, so that teenage patients receive appropriate care and facilities.
A permanent Teenage Cancer Trust unit within the hospital’s new Oncology Centre where building work is due to start in 2010. This facility will give patients a home-from-home and will feature all of the usual facilities seen in other Teenage Cancer Trust units including en-suites, areas for socialising, computer and gaming facilities, satellite TV and a kitchen to prepare food.
Simon Davies, Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust says, “Teenage Cancer Trust units provide environments for young people suitable for their age. This is an incredibly important part of a young person’s cancer journey as it boosts their morale and allows them to meet and share their experience with other young people who are in the same situation. We believe this does have a positive impact on survival rates.”
He continues, “As well as this, we provide nurses and support staff who are trained to deal specifically with teenagers’ needs, can understand what they are going through and how to best care for them. Today’s appeal launch is a major step forward in achieving our goal for all teenagers and young people to have access to a specialist cancer treatment centre.”
Dr Peter Simmonds, Consultant Medical Oncologist from Southampton General Hospital says, “Having a Teenage Cancer Trust unit in Southampton will greatly assist in improving the quality of care and making the experience of treatment for cancer less traumatic for patients and their families.”
The official launch of Teenage Cancer Trust’s appeal recently took place at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. Local dignitaries including the High Sheriff of Hampshire and the Mayor of Winchester attended alongside community supporters and teenage cancer patients.
Royal Navy Helicopter Display Team Drop In On the Sunderland Air Show
The Royal Navy’s elite helicopter display team ‘The Black Cats’ will put in an electrifying performance at this year’s Sunderland Air Show (26-27 July 2008).
Over the two days the team, from the Royal Navy’s 702 Naval Air Squadron, based at Yeovilton in Somerset, will perform their carefully choreographed new display for the 2008 season, featuring a full demonstration of the aerobatic capabilities of their Agusta Westland Lynx helicopter.
The acclaimed aerobatic display features high-speed crosses, close formation work and, what they call in the trade, ‘opposing manoeuvres’. New for this season is the formation wingover with both aircraft less than 30 feet from each other and the “Swingboat”, which will see both aircraft moving backwards in excess of 50 mph before recovering into the hover.
The team’s name, ‘The Black Cats’, comes from a combination of the Lynx wildcat featured on the 702 Squadron badge and the naval slang of ‘black catting’, which is a form of one-upmanship by having done something or owning something better than anyone else.
And of course the team share their name with Sunderland Football Club, also nicknamed the ‘Black Cats’.
This year’s team is lead by Lieutenant Commander Alun Read, a veteran of the airshow circuit with over 6000 flying hours in a variety of aircraft including Sea King, Gazelle and Lynx. The team manager and second in command is Lieutenant Dave Lilly who has over 2000 flying hours in the Lynx. Chief Petty Officer Mark Fisher, who has been operating Lynx helicopters for more than 20 years, will lead the engineering team.
Lieutenant Commander Read said: “The team is delighted that we are supporting this year’s Sunderland Air Show.
“The event is one of the biggest air shows in the country and we hope to put on a fantastic display for the thousands of visitors expected.”
French Sailors Experience Flight Operations Aboard Roosevelt
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)(TR) is conducting carrier qualifications with members of the French Navy during Operation Brimstone July 21-31.
Pilots from the "Tomcatters" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 31 and French navy pilots are learning the value of camaraderie and the true meaning of the term 'shipmate.'
"Every day we have close air support and air defense missions preparing us for carrier qualifications," said French Lt. Lebars "Barzy" Stephan, a Rafale pilot assigned to the 12th Fighter Squadron.
"It's very nice being aboard TR because we are learning to work together as allies so we can fight more efficiently and effectively. For me, it's also nice to compare the specifics between the F/A-18E Super Hornets and the French Rafale aircraft."
While working together, the pilots of both navies recognize their similarities.
"It's been a real treat to have them [the French pilots] around because of the camaraderie and to see the different aspects of their coalition capabilities," said Lt. Christopher "Buttercup" Jones, a pilot assigned to VFA 31.
"Learning about each other's cultures helps us with our teamwork. They're just like us, because at the end of the day, we're still pilots and we share a lot of things in common, such as terminology, hobbies, and motivational skills."
Other similarities include how flight operations are controlled and the importance of communications during flight deck operations and carrier qualifications.
"I was called this year to participate in carrier qualifications aboard TR," said Lt. Cmdr. Yann Beaufils, French Air Boss. "Being an air boss is the same on an American or French aircraft carrier. In the tower, I have direct contact with all the French pilots as they're flying. Everything is pretty much the same on French and U.S. aircraft carriers. Both our navies are the only ones to operate with these catapults and arresting gear systems on the flight deck."
During their training, French and U.S. Navy pilots train every day to ensure that TR carrier qualifications run smoothly. It's good for camaraderie, and also helps instill a sense of pride and teamwork, strengthening allied relationships in training and war-time environments.
Photo of the Day
Lightning storms rage over the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as the ship transits the Persian Gulf.
Gator
