1/72 revell U-boat U-96 [start 23.may.2011]

[Marko]

Hello guys,

When i purchased flags and decals from Dougie and Wink, i was invited to show my progress, whenever i will start my build. After few inspirational movie nights, watching the mini series "Das boot" i just could not resist anymore. So now, as my build slowly but surely started, i am fulfilling my promise to them, so im starting a fresh thread here, which will contain build of my u-boot, the famous U-96. Please note, i am building kits at super slow pace (sometimes even slower)  

so, first is the obligatory picture of "the box", followed by the first part of the research, with the mission of finding the right batch and shipyard, where the boat has been built.



as you can see, shipyard was Kiel and the batch was U-93 - U-99, which says us, that i can take the flood gates patterns from the U-94, which have been drawn by Wink and Dougie in their publication, i have to say, you really saved me a lot of research time  

absolutely next are the accessories:










+there is modelbrass and eduard set inbound. Needless to say, im sure that i wont spend so much on the model ever again  
if anyone wants a detailed review of any accessories, just give me a nudge, and ill try to do a photoshoot. (im still stuck with my 5 yrs old compact, so photos wont be as good as the ones made with better and newer cams.

since the flood gates patterns are different in the revell kit comparing to the ones from selected batch, some will have to be filled, and some drilled out. The following sequence shows us roughing out of the main flood gates, which have been drilled out with my proxxon "the dremel tool", then i used 6 mm ball milling bit, roughed some more on the inside, and finally finished with same bit on hand to get smoother and even surface. Note, i still have to use fine sand paper, and a tiny drop of the extra liquid cement, to finely blend in edges, and a touch of filler here and there.







and to finish off, box has been sitting on a shelf in a store for quite few years, so unfortunately i received my kit with a little bit of damage:


no biggie, we'll fix that!

sorry for the poor quality of the photos, im doing my best
And if you decide to drill out the flood gates, dont forget your carpet monster, or as i did, us at least tabletop carpet monster to vacuum up the fine dust - this procedure makes your workspace really messy with powdered plastic.

best regards,
Marko

[NZSnowman]

Hi Marko

Welcome aboard! Look forward to the build.

Simon

[wildspear]

And remember there is old people like MEEEE, that like lots of photo's

[Marko]

Guys, thanks for the warm welcome, i will do my best to keep progress coming regularly.

Wildspear, yes Sir! i will do my best

some of the todays work was reshaping Raboesch Props. For the basis, i used types 162-03 D-20-R-3bl-M3, and the Left prop marked
162-04 D-20-L-3bl-M3, i know most of guys use A-type, but far as my research reached, A-types were used on slower harbor boats up to '39, like tugboats, fishing boats, etc.
D types, with low cavitation capabilities were used on military ships from '20 till somewhere in the sixties (if i remember right). Basically, neither A neither D type are the right ones, so i took the D, which were more pointy, so getting final shape was easier  

here are some photos taken in the process:
clamping and adjusting the centre to reduce wobbling


and at last, it commences.


basic tip cutting with turning, we took off good 2,5 mm, directly measured with NC


final touch was the flat needle file, sorry no pictures here, all hands were on deck , so on to the finished product:


as you can probably see, the propellers are a bit longer than the original ones from revell, but far as i know, the distance between stock propeller and rudder is simply too high from the kit, so these are exactly 1,1 mm longer than the plastic ones provided in the kit. I have found some photos from the U-995 museum at Laboe, but the problem is i dont have permission (i didn't ask )  to publish them here, so for this reason im giving you the link: http://gallery.kitmaker.net/data/22547/laboefeature_047.jpg

i hope im not breaking any copyright rules with the link.

regards,
Marko

[Anakin]

Hi and welcome to the forums..

I think we all can wait for a superb u-boat model here...     Looking great already!

About the props...  I do not know anything about them but wasn

[Kptlt. Wolfgang Ott]

Welcome aboard Marco,

I will be watching your build with keen interest.   I am also in the process of building a 1/72 Boote,  at a snails pace, but Wink's incredible U-557 has me fired up, and I really have no problem in taking my time.  Good Luck Mate! We are "On Watch" 

[Marko]

Hi guys, many thanks for the warm welcome.

Anakin, yes, i think you are right about the props, however the shape was probably same all the time. I just went over a ton of photos, trying to find an early VII in drydock, with photo taken at right position There were several taken, but many of them too far to see the distinct shape, though there was a bit luck.

I think this is a boat with the early tower, far as i can see with my glasses, please try to recheck for me


and i found this one in the cluster of photos, which is supposed to be VIIB U-99 in drydock (built in '39-'40)
it gives us the same form of props:


the only problem is, that props could be changed later in the war due to any type of damage, which makes it even more problematic to say the right shape, though first photo looks like a crisp new sub to me 

however, my props are still more roundish, since i just didn't want to turn them more tapered, since the M3 thread is quite deep in it, and i was afraid of ruining them, although there is 75% of chance that it would be doable 

Wolfgang, i have to check for your thread of the u-boat, since i enjoy watching them build by the others, and exactly Wink's boat gave me a lot of inspiration too. And yes, there is sooo many options how to make your u-boat, that almost every one has done something different

regards,
Marko

[NZSnowman]

I think they change to steel a little later in the war, 43's or 44's I am sure, Dougie will know

I lie

[Marko]

Wow, very nice prop picture. Is it taken from literature or was it drawn by you? i would love to have these pictures for my references. Yep, you should be right about the year.

Today i will probably do some work on the torpedo doors, or on the long flood channel. If i will find some time

regards,
Marko

[NZSnowman]

The drawing of my U-1308. You can see more drawing at http://models.rokket.biz/index.php?topic=106.0

I am hoping to have a large update of my working drawing within the next few weeks also. http://models.rokket.biz/index.php?topic=124.0

[Rokket]

Excellent work, very well done on props, very impressed!!!

[wildspear]

Marko,

I can be a bit slow at times so sometimes my questions are a bit simple. Are you planning to do a cut away to show the inside detail?

Or maybe build the sub, then the inside detail as displays arond the sub? Interesting idea.....hmmmmm

[Marko]

Hello guys, just came from work, and as part of my relaxation program ill go to do some anti stress work on the boat

Snowman, my gosh you really show us true design skills with that thread, i love your design! without a doubt, ill use it as reference with my build
Also many thanks to rokket for the compliments, i will try to keep my build as good as possible.

Wildspear, you set a good question there, and i did think a lot about that even before when purchasing sections. basically, im choosing with from that two options as to cut away the hull or display interior separately, with the pressure hull casing (cylinder) only, which would have to be scratched, and the rest of the ship extra as the hull. One idea that i am toying with at the moment is also designing missing interior sections (electric motor compartment + rear torpedo room, and the front crews quarters with the toilet and sonar and radio room), then have them printed with the 3D printing device at work. However, this is not confirmed yet, it depends if i will have enough strength, will and nerves to do it

[wildspear]

that sounds like a great plan. keep us up to date on your work. i havent built a u-boat as of yet ( still pokeing along on my gato) but a u-boat will be next. l'm thinking of one of the experimental boats with a turret on the fairwater.

[Marko]

hey guys, time for a bit of update.

wildspear i agree, few days ago ive seen a documentary about Germany WWII weapons development. Most eye catching was a unpowered Helicopter project which could be assembled on submarines deck and launched with autorotation and towed behind the boat like a free floating  - on a wire actually - observation post.

as promised, i messed around a bit with the torpedo doors, one side is done, and more or less im happy with the result. Not perfect, but im quite satisfied. Now to the process:

first i liberated PE parts from inner segments, removed pins with needle files, while part was still in frame:



then same was done to the outside trim:


following by the drawing the limits with pencil and sawing, grinding away the excess plastic:


once that was done, i used 2mm ball milling bit to remove top of the plastic right near the drawn border, then some more filing came into action, and unfortunately i managed to stress fracture a bit of the hull in the process, marked with an arrow:


luckily for me fracture is minimal, and nothing what a drop of liquid cement could not handle..

i was aiming to thin the part so far as the PE part would fall in, with minimum requirements of filler when gluing the part in, i hope i achieved that

regards,
Marko