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SUNSHINE COAST MODEL BOAT CLUB Inc.
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CLUB NEWS Management Committee. Due to the resignation of our secretary it has been necessary to adjust the committee membership. Jamie Garnet has been appointed Treasurer and John Desborough has been appointed Secretary. These members will continue to hold these positions until the next AGM. New members: Welcome to Bob McKenna, Alfred Walker of Buderim, Terry Smith of Aroona. Bob brings a nice made, scratch built Criscraft runabout and both Alfred and Terry are 1metre men. COMMITTEE RAMBLINGS: Highlights of the committees’ deliberations. Meeting of the 9//4/2006 - Issue raised that junior members age be reduced to under 16 and that accompanying parents not have to hold membership. Junior members attaining the age of 16 will become eligible for ordinary membership. Meeting of the 21/5/2006 - Regatta decided for 23rd and 24th September 2006. - AGM decided for 15/10/2006. - Membership fees due by 31/7/2006. - Increase ordinary membership fee to $40.00. Junior fees and Associate fees remain unchanged. - Junior members age be revised so that a junior is under 16 years of age. To be put to the AGM. - Letter of resignation received from Phyl Gomes.
Meeting of the 11/6/2006
- A sympathetic letter has been received from the Minister in reply to the clubs letter requesting consideration of reducing the cost burden of Public Liability Insurance. In the letter, the Minister advises that an announcement on changes to the Act will be made before the end of the year. - Registration due for caravan. Decision taken not to re-register the caravan. - In the matter of public liability insurance costs. Investigate affiliation with the Australian Radio Yachting Association Inc., may have some cost benefits for the clubs insurance costs. - Clubs‘ regatta in September being organised by Dave Todd for motor and Bob Eldridge for sail. End of Committee Ramblings. Members Contribution – by Bob EldridgeWhen marking/painting water lines on static models, position water the line at the correct height on the bow and stern, but lower the waterline by 3 to 4 mm near the maximum beam. Visually, the waterline will look straight. If painted at the correct height the waterline will appear to bend upwards in the center. RECENT ACCESSIONS TO THE LIBRARY. Len Hurren advises that a large number of ‘Model Boat’ magazines have been donated Library to the club by Rick Mays. TRADING CENTRE: Trash and treasure. Advertise your trash and treasure here. Any item you may want to dispose of can be advertised here. Club orientated, household items, personal possessions, etc. Simply lodge your advertisement with the Club Secretary or the Editor and it will be published in the next issue of the newsletter and retained for three issues. Fibreglass Leisure Boat. “HELEN KAY” Length 720mm, 250mm wide. Powered by 2 x 12 volt 2000mAh (2 Ah) Yuasa Sealed Lead Acid Batteries. Motor is 12 Volt Johnson 785. 2 Speed Forward control – Slow and Fast. Single Speed Reverse – Slow only. Note: Slow speed is a fully adjustable Electronic Speed Control. Boat and Stand comes complete with: 12 Volt automatic charger. Hi-Tec 2 Channel AM Radio Control System (Transmitter and Receiver). At 29.785 Mhz. All Schematic circuits, Wiring diagrams and Charger information supplied. 4 x Arlec 600mAh Ni-Cad rechargeable AA batteries for the R/C Receiver. 8 x Arlec 600mAh Ni-Cad rechargeable AA batteries for the Transmitter. Ni-Cad battery charger to suit. Graham Law 5482 8582 or graham.law@bigpond.com. Note: The boat can be delivered to the Sippy Downs Boat Club venue for genuine buyers. Total package for $350 complete. "Phoebe" 1200mm launch, complete with prop shaft and propellers but no motors or radio control gear. $100.00. Contact Robert Smyth 0754458761 email - rsm86016@bigpond.net.au. ARTICLE: THE BATTLE OF THE BISMARK SEA Early in 1943 the 51st Japanese Division advanced on the Australians holding the airfield at Wau. To achieve its objective the Japanese required reinforcement from forces in Rabaul. These reinforcements were to sail around New Britain through the Bismarck Sea and across the Huon Gulf to Lae. On 19 February Allied Intelligence intercepted signals that indicated the Japanese were marshalling their forces and preparing to send a troop convoy from Rabual to New Guinea. Almost 7,000 Japanese infantry and marines were to travel in eight crowded transport ships. By the beginning of March an Australian/US force of 154 fighters, 34 light bombers, 41 medium bombers and 39 heavy bombers had been assembled. However, from 27 February to 1 March the Solomon and Bismarck Seas were lashed by storms. At 3pm on 1 March a patrolling B24 Liberator spotted a convoy through a break in the clouds. US heavy bombers were immediately despatched, but failed to find the convoy. At 10 am the next morning another Liberator flew out of a cloudbank to discover the convoy below him. This time daylight and clear skies allowed a formation of B17 Flying Fortresses to attack the convoy. Through the day, flights of eight or more of these aircraft attacked the convoy in relays. Several of the transports and escorting vessels were hit and at least one transport sunk. One B17 was bought down by escorting Zero fighters from New Britain. At 4 am on the morning of 3 March 1943 the convoy was within range of the RAAF bomber squadrons at Milne Bay in Papua. By morning the skies over Port Moresby had cleared and the RAAF and USAAF squadrons from the airfields in that area joined in. The first attack was made by RAAF Beaufort torpedo bombers. They did not score any hits but were followed closely by 13 RAAF Beaufighters who inflicted damage with low level strafing runs until B25 Mitchells of the 5th USAAF attacked from altitudes of 2,000 to 3,000 feet. The next attack was by more USAAF Mitchells who had been practicing skip-bombing at low level. They claim to have scored 17 hits. Above them heavy B17s bombed the convoys from high altitudes and claimed another five hits. By this time half of the transport ships have been lost or are sinking. In the final phase of the attack, twelve A20 Bostons claimed 11 direct hits, and six B25s reported 4 hits. While the attacks on the convoy were occurring other allies aircraft attacked the Japanese airfield at Lae to prevent them providing air cover for the embattled convoy. During the night of 3 /4 March five USN torpedo boats attacked what was left of the convoy. They finished of a sinking transport and scattered or destroyed lifeboats. By daybreak on the 4 March all eight Japanese transports had been sunk and 4 of their escorting destroyers had also been lost and 50 Zero’s had been shot down The Battle of the Bismarck Sea was an Allied victory. It is an example of sound intelligence gathering, thorough command planning and inter-Allied operational cooperation and coordination. It was also a victory for skilled and tenacious aircrew, tireless ground staff, … and luck. Although the RAAF lost few aircraft, the battle of Bismarck Sea itself this phase of the fighting was costly in stress on equipment and fatigued aviators. The fighting demanded long flying hours over unforgiving terrain and pitiless seas. No quarter was given or asked. MOMENTS IN NAVAL HISTORY. That saying: Pipe Down - Means stop talking and be quiet. The Pipe Down was the last signal from the Bosun's pipe each day, which meant "lights out" and "silence". IMPORTANT CLUB DATES. - Logan city marine modellers Inc: - Open boat day 13th may 10am to 8pm plus night sail at Tygum Lagoon, Park rd, Waterford West (more info 0738046383) - Ballina RSL Club Marine Modellers – Regatta – 10 and 11 th June at Kingsford Smith Park, Ballina 10an to 7pm plus night sail on Saturday night and 10am to 2pm on Sunday. Refreshments and BBQ available – please advise the committee if you wish to assist with the catering. - Ballina RSL Hobby expo – 7th and 8th October 2006. Further information to follow. - Port Macquarie Ship Modellers Exhibition to be held on the 1st and 2nd July 2006. - Task force 72 Regatta 10th and 11th June 2006 at Halpine Lake, Mango Hill. Saturday 72nd scale, Sunday all scales. - SCMB REGATTA. The clubs’ regatta is to be held on 23 and 24th September 2006. MODEL BOAT EXHIBITION. More about the static display at Sunshine Plaza. Readers will remember that there was a short note in the previous newsletter about the display with a promise of more to come, well here it is……………. All hands on deck at 7am setting up tables, bringing in boats and positioning them, setting up barricades, and the club banner – all completed within the hour and ready for the crowds. 26 boats in all, of all descriptions, old, new, W.I.P.’s, warships pleasure boats, workboats, fast electrics. Pat Drake attracted an interested crowd of children with smoke from the funnels and the rotating gun turrets of the USS New Jersey. He gave the kids a go too. The model U-boat attracted the attention of two former U-boat crew who were animated about the detail of the model and pointed out some detail omissions that they remembered from the 1940’s. Cyril Jenkinson was busy handing out club brochures and fielding questions about his display. A lot of interest was shown by women of all ages, grannies with blue hair to young things with show tummy tops and gothic costume. Scott McVay gave a demonstration of his fast electric zooming up and down the nearby Corn Mill Creek where crowds lined the bridges to watch. Predictably, Scott had to requestion a nearby paddleboat to rescue his charge, when it flipped. Bob Eldridge appear later to lend a hand and check up on his contribution. Ron Kable put in two models but was unable to stay due to other commitments. The whole day was a great success by any measure, due to the enthusiasm of members and their varied displays. Many thanks to Pat Drake, Ron Kable, Bob Eldridge, the Preedy bunch, Jason Hatcher, Cyril and Mary Jenkinson, Len Hurren, Scott McVay, Cec Keogh, Jamie Garnett, David Waterhouse and Pat Preedy in her usual indomitable way. LOCAL MAN WINS IN VICTORIA Member, Scott McVay successfully regained his Australian title for the Cobra Class catamaran races in Geelong recently. In a boat built by himself and called Team Ronstan, Scott and his crew won a 5th Australian title while brother, Todd, his 3rd handicap title in Team Ronstan 2. LAKE SIDE CLEANUP A hearty slap on the back for member Ron Kable for putting in a whole day mowing the lake verges and Bob Eldridge for inventing a water weed scarifier that is very effective in clearing weed from the edges of the lake. Good work gentlemen. Dave Todd, Mark Preedy and Bob Eldridge can be seen regularly cleaning up around the lake. - END - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
