AMP - Accurate Model Parts
SEA => SUBS: Uboats => ALL other U-boats => Topic started by: conus00 on 11 May , 2009, 00:08
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As many of you know I am in a process of building U-2536 from Revell's Type XXI.
Even though I consider the sail being done I'm still doing a lot o research and I came across some very interesting information.
(http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/8786ebb1a7e2970e4bd6558ac4548f0e6g.jpg)
If you take a look at the original U-2536 picture (1) there is clearly some emblem right next to it. Even after I enlarged it in Photoshop I couldn't quite recognize what it was? (2)
Just recently I came across I good quality picture of U-2524 and noticed that this boat carried the same insignia (3). After going through my archive of U-boat emblems I found out that this emblem (Frontreif) was (among others) on U-295, U-1003 and U-1103. (4)
(http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/2391/u2524kiosqueetemblme.jpg)
Here is what I found out about "Frontreif" on the net:
"Little is known about this badge. Its manufacture, finish, fittings etc are correct for the period as is the design, which is encountered in wartime photographs as being painted on the conning towers of U-Boats undergoing final trials before being declared ready for front line service (Frontreif). No photographic evidence of it being worn has been found, nor have any period documentary references yet been discovered,, so the badge remains somewhat of an enigma."
(http://www.u-historia.com/uhistoria/historia/articulos/emblemas/img/frontreifopin.jpg)(http://www.u-historia.com/uhistoria/historia/articulos/emblemas/img/frontreifpintat.jpg)
Knowing that Revell's Type VIIC/41 has U-295 decals on it I looked up the assembly instructions and found the decal in question. (5)
Unfortunately the manual is only black and white so that leaves me guessing what colors were used. Looking at the picture it seems that the badge is white and the V possibly either black or red. So placed on the boat it would look like either (5a) or (5b).
I'm personally leaning towards black so my updated mock-up would look like this:
(http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/1a1a0be9ee927580609be63f3e5c42445g.jpg)
Does anybody know for sure, or better, can somebody take a look at their 1/72 VIIC/41 decal sheet and let me know?
Thanks!
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I got lucky: the FLAGMAN in their 1/350 "German U-boat type VII C special version" (kit 235022) offers one of the markings as Frontreif.
The emblem is white/red combination. It's decal number 12.
(http://www.flagman-models.com/item/235022/235022_dec.jpg)
Anybody here built one of these kits? I'm curious what is the actual size of the decal if I could use it on 1/144 boat?
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I haven't used them but here is the scale difference: say something was 1 foot or 300mm in 1:1 real life. In 1:144 it would be 2mm, and in 1:350 it would be .85mm. That's a huuuuge difference. I'd say get the decals, and then enlarge on a copier or scanner. (about 235%).
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I understand the principle of scale. :D :D :D
The emblem IMO appears to be at least 20cm x 20cm on the picture of the U-2524 which would make it approx 1.4mm x 1.4mm in 1/144 scale.
The decal on the FLAGMAN decal seems to be full sized sub emblem which I'm guessing might be, in real life, say 50cm x 50cm which in 1/350 scale would be approx 2 mm x 2mm.
Because of that it just might work. Now I just need to find somebody who have already built that kit. ;)
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2 and 1.4 = close enough! Hope it does work for you