Ahoy mates and welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Let’s see what going on today.



Community Build Session 3
It's getting to be that time again, mates, we have 6 days left in Build Session 3 of our "Community Build Contest".
Don't forget to record your progress with your best images, and have them uploaded and posted into your individual blogs by 9/01/08, EST, to be eligible for this sessions points!
Community Build

Introduce Yourself
Crew-mate Sean Ford (Fordboy) started a thread a while back to give everyone the chance to introduce themselves. With all of the new faces around the site, now would be a good time to introduce yourself!
Introduce Yourself




Sweet 1/144 IJN Flight Deck
Everyone is familiar with the nicely detailed 1/144 aircraft from Asian manufacturer Sweet. Now they are proud to announce something that will be of interest to ship modelers too. Sweet is proud to announce the upcoming release of their 1/144 IJN Flight Deck with Elevator. This nicely detailed injection molded kit features well detailed wood deck and steel elevator sections. Available early next month, retail price should be around $10.00








[b]This Day in U.S. Naval History

1775 - Rhode Island Resolve: Rhode Island delegates to Continental Congress press for creation of Continental Navy to protect the colonies.
1839 - Brig Washington seizes Spanish slaver, Amistad, near Montauk Point, N.Y.
1861 - Union amphibious force lands near Hatteras, N.C.
1865 - Civil War ends with naval strength of more than 58,500 men and 600 ships.


International Naval Mission Sets Sail to Stop Piracy

A spree of hijackings by pirates off the coast of Somalia has triggered the formation of a multi-coalition naval force. A warship has been deployed in an effort to track the missing vessels.

A total of four ships have been hijacked in the waters off Somalia in 48 hours, a record number that has prompted the launch of a naval mission to recover the vessels, reports Reuters.

One Iranian and one Japanese vessel, as well as one German-operated cargo ship were all seized on Thursday, Aug. 22. A Malaysian oil tanker was hijacked the previous day.

Coalition warship deployed

Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau said on Friday that the naval force based in the region is monitoring the movement of the vessels, which appeared heading toward Somali territorial water. "A naval coalition warship has been sent to the area," Choong added. Naval forces from the United States, France, Germany, Pakistan, Britain and Canada are operating in the Gulf region.

EU puts priority on stopping piracy

The waves of crime at sea have sparked concern worldwide and the European Union is planning a naval deployment to the Horn of Africa. German marines will reportedly take part in the mission, reports AP. According to Thomas Raabe, spokesperson for German Minister of Defense Franz Josef Jung, Germany's involvement is "highly likely." The deployment is slated for December.

According to AP, Germany's role there would involve assisting in emergency situations. Preparations on an EU level are currently underway for the EU-spearheaded deployment and France and Spain are also expected to play a significant role.

The four ships hijacked on Wednesday and Thursday had a total of 96 crew members on board. The waters off Somalia are notorious for piracy, with the IMB reporting 24 attacks on vessels there between April and June this year.


Photo of the Day



[i]Paul Teutul Sr., of American Chopper, looks through one of USS Albuquerque's (SSN 706) periscopes.

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