VIIC "On the Ways"

[TopherVIIC]

Tore -
I have the same drawings as well. I did not know about the small triangular brackets holding the bins to the steel casing plate. Nice detail! On the drawings it looks as if the bins are slightly tapered (gently conical) with rounded bottoms. There may or not be a rim band on the part that prevents it from slipping too deep into the circle cut out in the casing mounting plate.

And of course, there are the brackets. With those topside brackets on 4 places, I would not think that other below-casing bracing would be needed. It seems to me that the container would be fairly solidly mounted.

I also think that the fact that the containers do not bottom out against the pressure hull would be a good thing. If there were damage or casement twisting they would not scrape or make noise against the pressure hull. I also think that if they had direct contact with the pressure hull, they could potentially become a danger to the pressure hull in a depth-charge explosion - they would anvil against it like a pop-rivet in sheet metal!

Thanks Tore.
Christopher

[tore]

Christopher.
Before you are going into a lot of moldingworks. The brackets are my guesswork, I really don`t know. I`m mailing the original picture so you can evaluate my assumption on the brackets.
Tore

[TopherVIIC]

Christopher
I got a detail picture (bad) of this area where you hopefully can see how it normally looked like. The tables were easy to remove but as rule fitted as shown.
Tore

Well, Guys - here is some more work. I hope I have the spacing right.
Based on the pics that you gentlemen provided of the forward decks, I rebuilt mine once again.
I scrapped the old oil covered deck, and built one that goes all the way up to the torpedo tubes per drawings. I did not replicate the current modern floor covering of U-995, but attempted to replicate the steel treadplate.






I used aluminum foil and embossed it by rolling the knurl from my razor knife to get the small weld beads for tread along the plates that cover the air groups and the two athwartship plates near the tubes. I also built the angled hinged constructions that finish off the forward section near the bordventil and flow meters for the compensating and trim tanks. (these will be added later, along with the emergency hydroplane gear)
Tore - what material was this decking? All steel, or was it wood panels in steel frames. I also have heard it may have been linoleum panels set in steel frames. The pics seem to show color differences, but I was not sure if that was wear and tear on steel or not. I will also put in the small handles and locks in the holes you see I have drilled out.
I like this deck better. It also has the narrow extension that fits between the tubes. I created generic "L" girder framing under it as you will be able to see part of it from my cut-out area, allowing the viewing of the emergency dive plane gear, motors, and trim plumbing.
Christopher

[SG]

Great work w the threading beads, very clever technique! It looks a lot more realistic than the result you managed to achieve with the previous pattern (which was excellent for my standards anyways)
keep it upp!

[TopherVIIC]

Thanks SG - I thought the previous one was pretty cool but it was bugging me. This new technique actually raised the knurl dots and left me something to drybrush and put washes against for contrast. I am working on that now. Plus the deck extensions all the way to the tubes work better than the first version.
Christopher

[tore]

What an innovation Christopher, wonderful! Inside the steelframing were brown linoleum, very much in contrast to the shiny steelframes I guess underneath was plain steelplates. The framing of the holes for handles were shiny steel as well.
Tore

[tore]

Christopher
I stoled a picture from Maciek showing the flooring of a IX type boat, but pretty much the same floor as VIIC.
Tore

[SG]

Christopher, another idea to render the threading beads, which just came into my mind after taking medications this morning: the tablets aluminum wrapping! comes in different patterns and seems perfect for the task, one can choose the pattern he likes most. All you have to do is peel off the aluminium foil from the plastic wrapping, a bit tedious i reckon. Your "rolling-razor technique"  seems perfect, faster and much cheaper anyways..
just in case you need to render a different pattern in the future
 

 

 

[TopherVIIC]

Tore-
Thanks for the info. I am making the inset panels brown linoleum. The photo you showed has a bit of reflection in the linoleum, so I am guessing it was somewhat shiny/glossy. I am on it!

SG - Those are good ideas also for floor tread. I am sure it would be useful - the challenge would be finding the right "tread" and the right size! But I think it is a fine idea!

Christopher

[tore]

Christopher
 Don`t make the linoleum to shiny, it was never waxed. Looking forward to your picture.
Tore

[Rokket]

Wow, these are great ideas. Love the work!

[TopherVIIC]

Four more crewmen reported to the boat today. Two are transfers from the Wehrmacht, so they will need to have navy leather pants and kit issued to them, but i think they will fit in with the crew.


The first is a resin kit from Squadron. Very sharp detail. He even has a laughing sawfish pin on his cap.
I will either make him my LI of the boat, or the Herr Kapitanleuntnant himself. He is seasoned, as you can see by the u-boat combat badge!
He is supposed to be 1:35 and is marked so, but he seems tall. Perhaps 1:32. Acceptable, but tall for a crewman!


The shirtless chap is a Verlinden resin kit 1037.


The others will be torpedomekaniker.  Once they get proper leather trousers and some training, I am sure they will be fine! They come from DML #6574.
I have yet to paint the men, but they will add to the crowded compartment.
I also got about 1000 nut/bolt castings from tichy, and a handfull of small globe valves and fittings from cal-scale so I can begin doing some plumbing.

[tore]

Good to see you`r back in business Christopher, those leatheruniforms were not very comfortable to my opinion, I preferred my pink pyjamas as I wasn`t that much up on the bridge. You shall have quite a job to make submariners of those Wermacht guys.
Tore

[TopherVIIC]

Got a copy of Commander Herbert Werner's book Iron Coffins. Outstanding work! Quite dynamic.

[SG]

Christopher, you can also look for german tankers with leather uniforms: verlinden productions once had some in their catalogue, now most of 'em are out of production, there's little left (http://www.verlindenonline.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=596, http://www.verlindenonline.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=448 -i am thinking of someone just off the watch who has just dragged himself into his bunk-). Alpine miniatures also has a beautiful figure that would be perfect on the turret bridge (http://www.ultracast.ca/products/Alpine%20Miniatures/35/045/default.htm), anytime you decide to build the turret, obviously. The issue here is they are pretty expensive, but converting them into u-boat crew should be pretty straightforward, barely a "change of head". Am gonna see if i find something more..
Cheers!