U-673

[GlennCauley]

Hi folks,

For anyone interested, I have resurrected my U-673 build for the wintertime, now that my motorcycling season is over.
I have a website dedicated to the build at:  http://www.travel-net.com/~gcauley/U673
(it follows the build site I did for my U-625 model)

Comments, questions, and recommendations are always welcome!

Glenn Cauley
Ottawa, Canada

[dougie47]

Hi Glenn,

I've followed your U-boat models with great interest. Very glad to see such detailed builds. I especially like the U-Brass parts on your model.

I wonder if anybody has every modelled U 673 before?

Looking forward to watching progress.

Cheers,

Dougie

[GlennCauley]

Thanks Dougie,

Next phase is cleaning up the hull seams, adding the fins & props, PE details, etc.   Then adding all the hatches to the top deck.  Then re-adding all the lost rivets.

This build has been fun so far, but it's very difficult to find information about U-673, and even more difficult to find good pictures! 

I'm VERY happy that you created the U-brass set, and even happier that you posted all your research documentation. Especially the painting guide... all U-boat modellers should have this as their first and foremost reference.


Glenn

[dougie47]

Hi Glenn,

Very welcome on the U-Brass and painting guide - very glad that others refer to it. Do you have the photo of U 673 with the UAK markings on the tower? I loose track of which photos I have sent to people over time. 

During her training U 673 had two jumping wires above the forward deck and possibly only one over the rear deck. Quite unusual this. When it was converted to the Flak boat it had the more usual one jumping wire at the front. But did it have one or two at the rear at this time?

U 673 was very dark during the Flak boat period. Can I ask what paint you are thinking of using for the upper colour?

Cheers,

Dougie

[GlennCauley]

The painting guide is one of THE most useful documents I use for painting my U-boats.  Pretty much everything is covered in it.

The 1 good photo I have of U-673 does not show any tower UAK markings... or at least any that I could see.  Is it possible it did not have any?  Or perhaps they were covered by the bins that were added along with the forward gun platform?   If you have any pictures that you could pass along, it would be very helpful to me.

Again I'll need to look at my reference picture(s) about the jumper wires, but I recall it is quite an unusual configuration at the front (much like the 4 U-flaks).  I think it had two wires at the rear, though.

I was going to paint the upper Schlickgrau, as per the information in your colour report.
I got the proper colours from the WEM Kriegsmarine collection.

 

[dougie47]

Hi Glenn,

The U 673 photo is below -



This might not help you directly with your Flak boat model as this photo of U 673 was taken before it was converted to a Flak boat. 

Schlickgrau 58 would be a good choice for your model, though the upper colour might even have been darker. WEM's paints are really good.

Cheers,

Dougie

[Siara]

I like Your new bollards Glenn. 

[GlennCauley]

Thanks!   

But I just realized the bow bollards are wrong... goes with the deck design I selected.

My current deck has a single bow bollard on the starboard side at the very forward edge of the wooden deck... goes with the older Nautilus deck design.

The proper config (from what I can see in photos like U711, etc.) at the bow is to have a pair of two bollards on the PORT side, slightly back from the forward edge of the wooden deck.

Looks like I'll have to blank off the incorrect bollard deck plate, make a new double plate in the proper position, and sink in TWO bollards instead of one.  Easy, breezy.

[Rokket]

Bollards look fantabulous! I realise now that mine have a lip, which i thought was correct, but isn't. I also never thought of soldering to metal, and ended up making the tops by hand (teardrop OK, handle in ctr reeeeeeeally tiny), I should have used your method! Build is really coming along, really nicd work!

[Siara]

Thanks!  

But I just realized the bow bollards are wrong... goes with the deck design I selected.

My current deck has a single bow bollard on the starboard side at the very forward edge of the wooden deck... goes with the older Nautilus deck design.

The proper config (from what I can see in photos like U711, etc.) at the bow is to have a pair of two bollards on the PORT side, slightly back from the forward edge of the wooden deck.

Looks like I'll have to blank off the incorrect bollard deck plate, make a new double plate in the proper position, and sink in TWO bollards instead of one.  Easy, breezy.

Is this common with other boats? Namely the U-552.
Can You share some pics to show exactly where the bollards should be located please. Like You- i was going to do the single bollard.

[GlennCauley]

Is this common with other boats? Namely the U-552.
Can You share some pics to show exactly where the bollards should be located please. Like You- i was going to do the single bollard.

If you look at that pic of U711 on this site (with the 4 U-boats side-by-side in port) you will see the location of the bow bollards.
My issue was that I had sanded down the wooden deck so that the detail was gone.  In the starboard front corner I saw a hole, so assumed that's where the bollard was.
But after seeing photos I knew I had it wrong.  I then looked at the stock kit plastic deck and voila there were the dual bollard on the port side.  D'oh! 

Here's a pic of my forward deck taken last night.
Note that I'm transplating details from the brass Modelbrass deck onto my wooden deck (following Siara's footsteps). 

[GlennCauley]

One good thing about having to spend time at home for surgery recovery is that it gave me time to work on U-673.
Even though 1 arm has been in a sling, I still managed to get a lot done!   LOL

I have posted all of my latest progress on my U-673 build site at:
http://www.travel-net.com/~gcauley/U673
updated as of April 18th.

I'm nearly at the point of priming the hull and ... GASP ... replacing all of my lost rivets!!!   
woo hoo!

[Siara]

I'm nearly at the point of priming the hull and ... GASP ... replacing all of my lost rivets!!!  
woo hoo!

Good progress Glenn!
Replacing rivets should be easy with the Archers set you designed. I wish i had the oportunity to try it on my boat.
Im not saying that the rivets i have done on my boat are not good, but using the Archer set could have save me lot of time.
I had the quick look at earlier updates, and realised you are missing two handles on the capstan- c`mon Glenn you slacking a bit here mate!

[GlennCauley]

I had the quick look at earlier updates, and realised you are missing two handles on the capstan

Funny you mentioned the capstan... I was thinking this morning that I was still not happy with it.

Ahhh.. now I see the handles... the 2 semi-circular handles on the sides.
Done.

BTW, thanks for the link for the Koki paste... I ordered some from that store and am *eagerly* awaiting it!

[Rokket]

where's the link on that paste? where, man, where???

Glenn - keep up the great work! You must be as busy as a 1-armed modeller!