Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.



On-Display - Hikawa Maru, a dockside diorama...
MSW crew-mate Jim C. Smith (Frieghter) shares a fine gallery of images of his 1/700 scale Hospital ship dio, Hikawa Maru, in a busy dockside setting for this "On Display" feature!
On Display.


Recruiting - Reviewers Wanted
Model Shipwrights is looking for kit reviewers. If you think you can write a review, click on the link below to see what the task entails and then contact Mark Smith (Gunny)
Reviewers




World War 1 Naval Combat

In honor of Armistice Day (Veterans Day), today’s website is a very nice reference site for World War 1 naval combat.
Website




This Day in U.S. Naval History

1870 - Navy expedition to explore the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, southern Mexico, commanded by Capt. Robert W. Shufeldt, enters the Coatzacoalcos River to begin a survey for possible interoceanic canal. Support provided by USS Kansas and USS Mayflower.
1918 - Armistice ends World War I.
1920 - Lenah S. Higbee becomes the first woman to be awarded the Navy Cross. It was awarded for her World War I service.
1921 - Washington Naval Conference begins.
1943 - Two Carrier Task Forces strike Japanese shipping at Rabaul, sinking one carrier and damaging other ships. Raid was first use of SB2C Curtiss Helldivers in combat.
1954 - November 11 designated as Veterans Day to honor veterans of all U.S. wars
1966 - Launch of Gemini 12, with Cmdr. James A. Lovell, Jr., as the command Pilot. Mission lasted 3 days, 22 hours and 34 minutes and included 59 orbits at an altitude of 162.7 nautical miles. Recovery by HS-11 helicopter from USS Wasp (CVS-18).
1981 - Commissioning of first Trident-class Nuclear Powered Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine, USS Ohio (SSBN-726).


Fincantieri to Upgrade Two Vessels for Kenya Navy
Source: Fincantieri press release

On the occasion of the international exhibition Euronaval - the most important trade fair for the defence industries currently in progress in Paris-Le Bourget – Fincantieri has announced that the company has gained an order from the Ministry of the Defence of Kenya to carry out “mid-life” refitting of two of the Navy’s vessels, the “Nyayo” and the “Umoja”.

The contract will involve 12 months of work at the company’s yard in Muggiano (Spezia).
Fincantieri competed to win the order against competition from other leading industries in the sector (British, Dutch, South African).

The “Nyayo” and the “Umoja”, which are classified as “fast attack craft” were built at the British shipyards of Vosper Thornycroft and delivered in 1988.

They are currently the only two vessels in operation for the Kenyan Navy and will be tasked with patrolling the coast and intervening against smuggling and piracy.

The two 56.7-metre-long vessels have a displacement of 450 tonnes, can reach a maximum speed of 40 knots and accommodate a crew of 40.

This new order follows the recent upgrading of 4 “Lupo” class frigates (the “Lupo, “Orsa”, “Sagittario” and “Perseo”), built by Fincantieri for the Italian Navy and later ceded to the Peruvian Navy.

The order confirms Fincantieri’s strategy to strengthen its presence in the export market, both for new buildings and for refitting and post-sales support to foreign Navies.

The result marks the company’s renewed interest in the African market which is characterised by a substantial increase in demand for new vessels for Navies and Coast Guards, in response to the need to increase patrolling of the territorial waters and to combat acts of terrorism against maritime traffic, in addition to piracy and poaching.



MILGEM Corvette Project - Launching Ceremony of Prototype Ship (Heybeliada)
Source: Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries press release

In scope of the MILGEM Project that consists of the construction of 12 (4 optional) Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare Ships through local design, the first ship HEYBELİADA will be launched on 27 September 2008 (470. Anniversary of Preveze Naval Battle Victory and Turkish Naval Forces Day) at İstanbul Naval Shipyard and also the keel of the second ship “BÜYÜKADA” will be laid, on the same day.



MILGEM Corvette will meet the reconnaissance, surveillance, target identification, early warning, defense of base and harbors, anti submarine warfare, surface to surface and surface to air warfare, amphibious operation and patrol requirements of Turkish Naval Forces Command.

HEYBELİADA – the first locally- designed corvette – has been designed and constructed by İstanbul Naval Shipyard with the participation of local industry through the material, equipment and services supplied by Undersecretariat for Defence Industries.

In this respect, the hull appendages and form optimization and model trials of the ship was performed by İstanbul Technical University, the design documents has been examined by Turkish Lloyd according to the Rules of Naval Ships (2004) and the platform construction and outfitting equipment have been produced and integrated by the local sub-contractors.

HEYBELİADA, which will be commissioned on 2011, is a monohull type vessel designed to meet the speed, seakeeping and stability requirements of Turkish Naval Forces Command.

With a dimension of 99.00 m x 14.40 m x 3.59 m and displacement of 2000 t., HEYBELİADA will have an unlimited operation capability at sea state 5 and limited capability at sea state 6.

The ship, which has been designed to have a helicopter platform, hangar and support equipment required for S-70-B2 SeaHawk ASW helicopters, will be capable of helicopter operation up to sea state 4 (including sea state 4).

HEYBELİADA has a crew of 93 including the aviation crew and will also provide accommodation for 106 people.

The main propulsion system comprises 2 diesel engines (MTU 16V595TE90) and 1 gas turbine (CODAG), will allow a maximum speed of more than 29 knots and a cruising speed of 15 knots. The range of the ship will be 3500 NM.

Turkish companies ASELSAN and HAVELSAN are responsible for the development and integration of the combat system of HEYBELİADA. In this respect, there will be 3D search and track radar, fire control radar, navigation radars, sonar, EW system, laser/RF systems, chaff and ASW jammers, SatCom, ECDIS/WECDIS, GPS, LAN, on the ship. The ship will utilize X-Band 2/2

SatCom naval terminals, electronic support measurement system, laser warning systems, ASELFLIR-300 electro-optic director and internal and external communication system developed and produced by ASELSAN. The combat management system has been developed by HAVELSAN as well as the ship navigation sensor & data distribution system and message handling system.

The sonar suite has been designed and developed by TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey). TÜBİTAK is also responsible for the design, development and production of the hydrophone and degaussing system as well as performing the IR signature forecast and management and electromagnetic compatibility and reduction of electromagnetic interference analyses.

Air defence, anti-submarine warfare and surface engagement capability of HEYBELİADA will be provided through the weapon systems integrated on the ship. There will be 1 x 76 mm Oto Melara main gun which will be controlled by the gun fire control system developed by ASELSAN, 2 x 12.7 mm machine guns to be mounted on ASELSAN manufactured STAMP (Stabilized Machine Gun Platform), 8 x harpoon surface to surface missiles, 21 x RAM PDMS and 2x 324 mm Mk. 32 twin launchers for Mk.56 torpedoes.


Photo of the Day



Sailors assigned to Navy Band Northwest Marching Band Unit play Anchors Aweigh to cheering crowds estimated at more than 6,000 during their first appearance in Auburn's Veterans Day Parade.

Gator