Author Topic: USS Silversides SS-236  (Read 51131 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Rokket

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 2,362
  • Gender: Male
  • Submarine Enthusiast
    • AMP - Accurate Model Parts
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #45 on: 19 Jul , 2008, 18:49 »
Looking good! Nidce to see some scratch work coming along!  Have you lokked at the Floating Drydock Electronic Book Gato plans (or hardcopy), could be useful.
AMP - Accurate Model Parts - http://amp.rokket.biz

Offline wildspear

  • Silversides King
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 295
  • Gender: Male
  • Grand Zebra
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #46 on: 31 Aug , 2008, 20:41 »
Hey all, here are some pics of the work I'm doing...hard to keep on track with all this nice weather here in MI.


Pic of my work area


some of the bow work


some of the detail of the sides


more side detail


trying to build the coning tower a little different. first time didn't work very well.

Offline Rokket

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 2,362
  • Gender: Male
  • Submarine Enthusiast
    • AMP - Accurate Model Parts
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #47 on: 02 Sep , 2008, 14:57 »
Looking good! Don't worry about trouble with the CT, for good stuff you often have to do it twice...
AMP - Accurate Model Parts - http://amp.rokket.biz

Offline Siara

  • Admiral2
  • *
  • Posts: 888
  • Gender: Male
    • Master Models
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #48 on: 02 Sep , 2008, 16:33 »
What gives i`ve mised this topic for so long? ???
Its nice to see other people wake up in the morning to the smell of steryne. ;)
Ill be following your work from now on Wildspear.
Good luck with the build.

Offline wildspear

  • Silversides King
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 295
  • Gender: Male
  • Grand Zebra
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #49 on: 18 Sep , 2008, 20:48 »
Hey all. I'm still plugging along on the Silversides. At times I think I've bit off more than I can chew but I step back do something else then come back to the ship later and start again.



My boys wanted to show off dads model, or I should say what I have done to date. The rest can be seen at my web blog...didn't want to clutter up the site with all my pics.

Offline Rokket

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 2,362
  • Gender: Male
  • Submarine Enthusiast
    • AMP - Accurate Model Parts
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #50 on: 20 Sep , 2008, 02:38 »
It takes a long time to build a sub, don't lose heart! keep going, and in the end you will have a journey and  goal (hmm, this stuff should be in fortune cookies!) Good boat, good lads!
AMP - Accurate Model Parts - http://amp.rokket.biz

Offline wildspear

  • Silversides King
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 295
  • Gender: Male
  • Grand Zebra
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #51 on: 22 Sep , 2008, 07:42 »
I think the most problems I have had to date were putting the flood(limber) holes in. I have some stencils I got from mario and I have had some problems cutting out the holes. I tried using a new blade but the material of the stencil tends to move a bit when I'm cutting. Maybe I need more practice who knows. I ended up just drilling through the stencil and fileing the holes that way (make an opening with the drill then file, file, and more filing). This does work but I thought cutting the hole in the stencil was what was expected.

When I get to sections that I have used putty to cover holes that wern't desired the putty some times flakes or falls out of the hole. I used styrene as a backer but the putty seems brittle and has no strength when it comes to working in that area. I have the PE set but it doesnt have the desired holes for the ship I'm building.

One other thing...... I have to cut out the deck so I can place the PE deck. The instructions say to use bracing to support the PE deck, but should I attached the "frame" to the ship before I attache the PE deck? I have worries that if I attache the PE before I place it on the sub I'll have damage to the PE deck(twisting and other mishaps). Any tips and tricks to installing Pe deck's would help allot.

Offline Rokket

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 2,362
  • Gender: Male
  • Submarine Enthusiast
    • AMP - Accurate Model Parts
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #52 on: 23 Sep , 2008, 06:01 »
I would use plastic backing as you do, and tiny plastic for the holes, rather than putty. You might have to reshape, but with some CA (superglue) it will make a much nicer filler. I messed up a bow limber hole, so i cut a small piece of styrene, CA-ed it in place, the refiled. Good as new and no flaking.

PE dedck - Eduard? Bear in mind it is POST WAR and not accuarte for a WWII boat...BUT, I would add the supports to the boat, then lay the PE on top of that, much like the real decks.
AMP - Accurate Model Parts - http://amp.rokket.biz

Offline wildspear

  • Silversides King
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 295
  • Gender: Male
  • Grand Zebra
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #53 on: 24 Sep , 2008, 09:48 »
Hey all. Had a great trip to see the silversides yesterday. Question I was told that the Silversides would carry 4ea >50 cal in the storage lockers that were in the conning tower. Does that sound right? Would there have only been the four up top and none stored down below?





I have some more pics at photo bucket, not all of them are loaded yet, I'll try to finish tonight.
http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/wildspear/
« Last Edit: 24 Sep , 2008, 09:50 by wildspear »

Offline Rokket

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 2,362
  • Gender: Male
  • Submarine Enthusiast
    • AMP - Accurate Model Parts
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #54 on: 25 Sep , 2008, 02:14 »
Interesting.

I know that the USN, like the Kriegsmarine, kept adding anti-aircraft guns during the war. Some USN subs had 20mm, .50 cals, and bristled with small auto weapons. (They also carried a couple Tommy guns, some with 30-rnd straight clips and some with 50-rnd drums, some .45 pistols, and some other little goodies. there was a weapons locker for that, below, but it does make sense to put the big .50 belt-fed puppies up where they would be used. So much quicker and more space.

Anyone smarter or more well-read have any info on this?
AMP - Accurate Model Parts - http://amp.rokket.biz

Offline wildspear

  • Silversides King
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 295
  • Gender: Male
  • Grand Zebra
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #55 on: 25 Sep , 2008, 05:58 »
The lockers I have pictured are on the port side and there are matching ones on the starboard side. they were used for the guns and pintels. The lockers at the stern of the tower were used for the ammo of the 4" gun and I dont know what else....maybe the ammo for the other guns....not a whole lot of room in those lockers though.

Offline Rokket

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 2,362
  • Gender: Male
  • Submarine Enthusiast
    • AMP - Accurate Model Parts
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #56 on: 30 Sep , 2008, 02:18 »
From a 1945 PT BoatInduction Manual:

Gunnery Locker.-This is a spacious tubby hole located about amidships. The gunners are
gradually being forced out, but it still is the ideal place for stowage of gun barrels and other
spares, as well as for small arms. It is a dry, clean spot and accommodates much ammunition. It
is better to stow gunnery and torpedo tools topside in a watertight 20-mm. box.
Many boats
have added this feature to the fantail of the boat. The tools are more accessible and the
bulkheads below decks will be much cleaner
. Many gunners think the bulkheads are "pay
chits". Hence, the many fingerprints often found there.
AMP - Accurate Model Parts - http://amp.rokket.biz

Offline wildspear

  • Silversides King
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 295
  • Gender: Male
  • Grand Zebra
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #57 on: 09 Oct , 2008, 05:16 »
I noticed in some photos of the launch of "Silversides" that there seemed to be anchor wells on both sides of her. Was this common in the early gato's? It looked like the "right side"(sorry early morn and I forgot the term) was being use and the "left side" was just an empty well.

Mike K

  • Guest
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #58 on: 09 Oct , 2008, 11:03 »
   You're observations are correct. BUT, Silversides was one of the few boats (and I can't think of any others), that had port and starboard anchor wells.
   As I said, I can't think of any other boats with two wells, so it's an anomally, with Silversides.
   But, as a submariner, which would you rather have, a second anchor (with chain), or it's equilivent weight in torpedos (2 or 3)?
Mike K.

Offline wildspear

  • Silversides King
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 295
  • Gender: Male
  • Grand Zebra
Re: USS Silversides SS-236
« Reply #59 on: 10 Oct , 2008, 09:19 »
Another thing....did submarines have chain with there anchors or was it cable? Plus how often would a sub use there anchor? I wouldn't think it would be alot.