1/400 U-48 WIP

[dougie47]

Hi SG,
Really glad to see you moving forward with your mini U 48. Is there a subgenre called micro-modelling? If so you are leading the way.

Keep up the good work.
Dougie

[SG]

Hi,
some more progress: the main sight base/mount with its pillars (which refused to glue), and the longitudinal bar linking to the sight mount, glued to the aft part of the guns' tube, 9 pieces.





https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/sightbase.jpg


The main sight finally sitting on the gun. The first and most-difficult-to-build sub-assembly so far, total of pieces: 24    !  Odourless CA didn't work poperly and the sight, but mostly the pillars, detached several times. Old fashioned Loctite Superglue saved the day eventually.





https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/mainsightdef.jpg


The ensamble next to the tip of my index finger: veeery small!



https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/IMG5202.jpg

Next: the deflection setting block, God help me
Cheers,
SG

[dougie47]

Hi SG,
Thanks for posting progress. What is the diameter of the brass tube you used in the first image?
Nice that you don't have CA glue on your finger. I've been building tonight using the forthcoming PE set so have the usual mix of CA glue, paint and Humbrol filler over my fingers.

Cheers,
Dougie

[SG]

Dougie, thanks for dropping by   
the brass tube diameter is 0.8 mm (internal lumen of 0.6mm) and i have filed the top and bottom of the tubing section to simulate the flat top and to accomodate the recoil tray that will be glued to the bottom side of it. Also, the sides have been sanded to some extent, to help reducing the overall diameter of the tubing section. The reduction of the external diameter brought the 0.8 tube section to be some 0.6-ish mm wide, thus closer to the real dimensions of that section of the gun tube translated into the 400th scale, which M.Skwiot profiles state to be some 0.56 mm (thus -0.6 ish). The choice of a 0.8 tubing section was necessary because I have planned the gun tube to be a composition of telescopic tubing of 0.8, 0.6 and 0.4 mm (am using Albion Alloys brass tubing and must say the quality is excellent), 0.4 mm perfectly matches the actual dimensions of the barrel (0.43 mm translated into the 400th scale according to Skwiot's profiles). 


That mix of CA, paint and filler on your fingers means that your shipyard is rather busy at the moment! so good, looking forward to see some in-progress pics soon!

Here at the SG Werke the work on the deflection setting block has already begun, it promises to look pretty convincing (progress pics asap).

Cheers,
SG

[dougie47]

Hi SG,
Thanks for the info, I must say that I couldn't manage anything like 0.6mm. I still manage to drop plastic parts on the floor and crawl about trying to find them. You would think I would have learned by now to not do this. Whatever you do please don't drop your parts or sneeze as we can't have you making them all over again.

Good you are moving to the deflector.
At the moment I'm building armoured boxes for U 481 in summer 1944. I'll then add the armoured plate at the front then the navigation lights which were different on U 481. I'll be using the forthcoming AMP set for the planked deck for this model. Also doing an SH-3H Sea King in 72nd scale for the Nimitz project. Unfortunately I bought SH-3A kits and need to modify them to the H model. I also want to start a 48th scale vacuform Avro Lincoln (kit is by Sangar). I think the nose on the Lincoln is really ugly so I may convert it to a Lincolnian which had smooth nose and tail (like a Lancastrian). So many projects to build.
Cheers,
Dougie

[SG]

Way to go, Dougie! how many SH3 on board of Nimitz? can't imagine the effort to complete the entire air wing (F-14s A-6s etc etc). A titanic project!   looking forward to see the Nimitz and Lincolnian project shots soon!


Some progress with the deflection setting block, central and port portion. A composition of brass microtubes (0.7x0.2 mm roundel+ inner 0.3x0.3mm section in a 0.5x0.5mm section in which i carved a slot to host the 0.2x0.8mm section to represent the handwheel arm) glued w CA. Ah, icing on the cake: the "pin" in the middle of the "big wheel" is a 0.06mm  nickel wire section, protruding from the 0.3 section just the right few tenths of mm. Below: the real thing and the 400th scale version (thumbs and links to bigger pics, instant shots taken w my phone, sorry for the quality).
Very rewarding!
Cheers,
SG





https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/IMG5751.jpg





https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/IMG5752.jpg





https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/IMG5758a.jpg





https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/IMG5748a.jpg





https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/IMG5750a.jpg

[SG]

Hi,
the deflection setting block is somewhat completed, it only misses the handwheel, an L-shaped element on its top and the lower part of the toothed-crescent. They will be crafted and added after the block is positioned on the ensemble -> after part of the gun tube/recuperators. I hope to be able to start sub-assembling the gun over the next months, most of the components are ready now and just await to be assembled. This is my latest progress, I hope you enjoy it 





link to bigger pic:
https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/deflectionblock2a.jpg


I spare you from the many technical details of this build but some more information can be found on the blog, gun chapter, if you're interested.
Cheers,
SG

[SG]

A quick update. It's taking shape





https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/sightversionb.jpg (link to bigger pic)






https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/IMG9903.jpg





https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/IMG9892.jpg


Cheers,
SG

[SG]

Some more progress. Added:
- the starboard arm bridging from the deflection block to main sight and its bolted plate, (a)
- the "L" element on top of the deflection block port "wheel" (barely visible, (b)
- some minor corrections to the frontal foldable mount for the lead sight, (c)
- the transverse element immediately forward to the main sight base, which was a typical feature of U48 gun, (d)
- the recoil tray, (e) Hurrah!
- the bottom part of the starboard crescent, corrected with a few hours of extra-work, (f)

t


https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/Subassembly1.jpg  (link to bigger pic)

The blog's updated too.


Cheers,
SG

[SG]

Moreover, the starboard side hole seems to be located after than the port side one: let's say the port one's at 8 and the starboard's at 5 hr, but perspective might be deceiving.

Hi, after studying the 8.8 cm gun walkaround posted by Rabapla in the research pics section i finally restated my assumptions about the pedestal holes seen in b/w pictures. It's been speculated that the holes allowed lubrication of the pedestal mechanisms and there's photographic evidence that they were provided with covers.


https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/pedestalholes.jpg

The holes are placed at 180 degrees from each other, they just sit at the opposite sides of the pedestal circumference. So, their actual and correct location is: starboard side 4hr and port side 10hr. I compared the hole sitings in the walkaround pics to the actual pictures of U 48 and found that the location perfectly matches, while the holes diameter differed in the two main gun variants that i have identified: the early version of the gun (such as the one equipping U46-47-48 and U 96, pic below) sported bigger holes, the late version (U552, U564 ect), which is the version pictured by Rabapla, sported smaller holes.


https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/U48pedestalholes.jpg 

Am really grateful to Rabapla for posting those pictures, they are a real treasure, every detail of the gun is covered. It was great of him to share such a magnificent photographic collection with us.
Plus am happy that another little puzzle has been solved.


Cheers,


SG
 

[SG]

Hi,
the gun tube complete with superstructure, breech and details is finally ready. The barrel just misses the muzzle cap line (which is 0.03mm-ish thin in the 400th scale). I am currently waiting for the delivery of 0.03 mm copper wire that I ordered from the chinese e-market (it's sold by hardware suppliers and it's meant for repairing mobile phones). The delivery is scheduled in December.
This subassembly and its superdetailing have been really tricky but fun. I hope you like the result of the last two months' efforts.


https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/subassembly2.jpg

The inevitable research accompanying the build brought to light different variants of the main details I've dealt with. I am pleased to share my findings with you hoping they might be useful for your builds or just to enrich your general knowledge of the 8.8 gun (picture below).
- a) deflection block flywheel. Early type: three rays protruding posteriorly, late type: flat appearance. Same arrangement of the rays, knob and "curtain" aspect of the wheel profile opposite to the knob for both variants. Occasionally a saucer-like flywheel (no rays) resembling the flywheel for the deflection setting dial arm was observed.
- b) lower profile of the breech housing after portion: concave (early) versus flat look (late).
- c) breech block lever: longer/thinner (early) vs shorter/larger (late) look.
U 570 gun sported the 3 early details analyzed.


https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/variants.jpg

Muzzle cap. (please don't hesitate to correct my terminology if you find it wrong).
I identified at least three main variants of muzzle cap (a, b, d) and an oddity (c). They mostly differ by the locking handle shape and lenght.
- U 48 early variant (a) photographed immediately before the boat's seventh war patrol. The locking-handle followed the locking fairing profile bending and extending posteriorly. Quite a rarity, i guess the guns equipping U 48 sister boats might have been sporting this variant of muzzle cap too.
- Standard early variant (b): long locking handle not protruding over the sides.
- Unusual variant (c): probably a (b) variant pictured in a shot blurred at the muzzle, dunno, help me w that.
- Standard late variant (d): shorter locking handle. The most frequently seen variant of muzzle cap. the Bottom row of the picture collage shows late muzzle caps in their housing on the C/35 mount (middle pic: U 48 gun in action during the 9th war patrol, note the switch to the standard late variant) and (bottom right picture) a closeup of the dangling cap paired with the locking handle only, the locking fairing gone awol for some reason.


https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/muzzlecapvariants.jpg

Cheers,

SG

[SG]

Hi,
some more progress. I corrected the holes position according to photographic research and managed to complete the gun pedestal. The result is pretty convincing. (below: a starboard side, b port side)


https://u.cubeupload.com/SGm/pedestal.jpg

Cheers,

SG

[falo]

Hello SG,

did you enlarge your fingers in Photoshop and at the same time reduce the size of the part? 

Great work, I'm always amazed by your meticulous modeling skills. I'm looking forward to when you start painting, probably you have already prepared brushes for it that have only one - very short and thin - hair? 

Thanks fpr sharing and best regards
falo

[SG]

Falo,

did you enlarge your fingers in Photoshop and at the same time reduce the size of the part? 

the trick worked huh? 

I'm looking forward to when you start painting, probably you have already prepared brushes for it that have only one - very short and thin - hair?

How do you know am bald? am actually letting grow one single hair for the purpose. When it reaches the desired lenght i'll be probably ready for the painting phase 

Thanks for dropping by and double thanks for the compliments, glad you like my progress, am flattered


Cheers,
SG

[dougie47]

Hi SG and Falo,
Great work, SG, I have no idea how you can make such small pieces. I complain when I mess up 72nd scale parts. Do you have a bench magnifier to see what you are doing? Or even a microscope
Cheers,
Dougie