All I need to stay fairly close to the old homestead for a couple of weeks. But I can hold another build-session here at my house in Pleasant Hill. This coming weekend. April 24-25. Saturday, and Sunday. Start around 9am and lasts into the evening. Everyone is welcome. And we will have sort of a swap-meet for those that are looking to either pick something up, or sell / trade. E-mail me at MDeskin@aol.com if you think you might be able to drop in, and need directions. Thanks. Mikey
David I am hoping to attend one of the build sessions down south some time later in the year. Perhaps after the fall regionals and such. I would like to come down earlier in the year, but I do not think I will be able to find the time. I am also hoping to make one of the battles down in the Carolinas, or Ga. Perhaps we will finally hook up then. Mikey
Build-session in P-Hill. Saturday (day 1). All The build-session here in P-hill over the weekend was a great time. I have had a lot on my plate as of late. And some of it has really been dragging me down. So it was great to be able to get out to the old boat-shop on Saturday with some friends, and talk about, and work on the boats. Phil came up, and brought his three current Treaty projects. The German P-Kruizer is coming along nicely. He is sheeting her, and it would appear that she will be on the water in the next couple/few weeks. She should be a nice addition to the axis cruiser force. It would seem that she will be the largest cruiser on the water. And with 3.5 units, and high speed, will be sort of a poor-man's battlecruiser. He also had his brand new Montcalm. She is a Gloire class French light cruiser built from a Strikemodels fiberglass hull, and superstructure kit. She is ready to go. So we took some photos, and put her up on the shelf. She will be a nice addition to the already well represented French fleet. She is a 2.5 unit cruiser with above-average speed, and will give the Frenchies the ability to run-down some of the faster light forces on the water in the other navies, in addition to pretty much all of the capital-ships out there on both the axis, and allied fleets. He also had his brand new Emile Bertin. She is French light cruiser/minelayer, and was built using a modified Gloire hull. He was in the process of sheeting her, and has some of the internals installed. She should be ready for sea trials in the next couple of weeks as well. This little cruisers has been on Phil's to-do list for a long time. She is a fairly good sized 2 unit light cruiser, but has a speed of 39 knots. She will be the fastest cruiser on the water, and would be able to give any destroyers that may be built in the future a run for their money. She will also be a nice addition the French fleet, and will give them the ability to run down anything on the water, especially enemy cruisers that might be hurting, and trying to disengage from the battle. Dustin was able to come down from Celina, Ohio. He is new to the warship combat, and is interested in big-gun combat. He decided to build a Richelieu class French battleship from Strikemodels. And I just happened to have a hull, and plans on-hand. So we marked, and taped-off the hull for the windows, and started to work on the sub-deck. At the end of the first day, the outer ring of the sub-deck was installed, and the epoxy was allowed to set-up. During the day, we watched several warship combat video tapes, and some good old war movies. It was a great time. Mikey
Build-session in P-Hill, Ohio. Sunday (day 2). Sunday got off to a later start. But we had a better turn-out. Dan R. from the MBG brought his Treaty Suffren. He recently purchased this ship from Phil. She is arguably the best cruiser on the water in Treaty, with a good turn of speed, and can out-turn most of the other ships on the water. Dan is very familiar with the Suffren, as he has run one in the MBG over the years. That one is set up with cannons in the stern, and torps on both sides. He also has a big-gun Dunkerque, with mains, and secondaries armed. Dustin was able to make it back down again, and we got back to work on his new Richelieu. We decided to concentrate on finishing the sub-deck, and then the decks, and making the shafts. Phil made it back again, and worked on his P-Kruizer. He started out sheeting her. Later in the day, Eric N. dropped in with the Lion battlecruiser. He was working on the internals. Radio box, and stuff. We watched some movies, and talked up the boats a lot. Mainly all of the various formats (clubs), and what was different about them. At the end of the day, the Suffren, and P-Kruizer were sheeted. The Lion's radio box was looking good. And the Richelieu was decked, except for some final shaping. And we pretty much agreed that all of the various formats, and clubs were folks having fun running the boats. And promoting all forms of warship combat in our area is in the best interests of the hobby. And we dicussed all of the combat events coming up in the next couple of months. And how much fun there is to be had. Thanks to all those that made it. And also to those that didn't, but would have if they could have. Mikey
