U-45 WIP - Completed October 2019

[dougie47]

Hi Bill,

Regarding the triangular shaped section on top the main group...many VIICs had this group but some did not. I couldn't say whether U 45 had them or not - just no way of telling without more reference material. The only VIIB I know about regarding this area is U 99. U 99 clearly had them. So I would be inclined to add them to your model.

There is no way of knowing about U 45 for certain unless we can find period photos.

The one vent at the stem is a VIIB only feature.

Cheers,

Dougie

[Mr. Bill]

OK,  ordered some new tools - various jeweler files, tweezers, and some other stuff.  My old set of tools are crap and too worn to work with.  Once I get these new goodies, I will work on the flooding vents some more.  The work should proceed at a faster pace with the new tools (I hope).  In the meantime, I am getting ready to do the 20mm gun and studying photos of the early deck mounted units with the cartridge tray on the side of the mount pedestal.

Cheers,

Bill

[Rokket]

ahhh, new tools! crisp and useful!

[Pat]

Mr Bill, the jeweler's tools sound like a good idea.  I'll have to look into those too for tiny files and tweezers.

As for the sharp edged tools, being a biology major in univ., I ended up using surgical/disection tools for modeling.  Scalpel blades are even sharper than X-acto blades and much stronger because a rib and channel along the back edge.  They fit the hand very nicely too.

And they have some interesting shapes for forceps that help a lot when tying knots in ratlines (sorry, I keep going back to my tall ship days)

[Mr. Bill]

Hi Pat,

I imagine that surgical blades are far superior than anything available from the hobby industry.  Do you know of any sources for those scalpel blades that can be used on an X-acto handle?

I am looking forward to some new tools, but there are some temporary alternatives which are simple and effective in many situations (but not all).  For filing really small and/or hard to access places I will cut narrow long strips from an fingernail emery board (you may have to raid the stash of Wifey or Girlfriend).  These strips won't last long, but they are cheap and easy to make.

Another way to file and polish holes or small rounded places is to wrap a small piece of sandpaper around a round wooden toothpick.  Again, this won't last long, but it is quick and easy to do and will work in many situations.  Sometimes, it is possible to finish a small rough hole by just using a round wooden toothpick to "polish" the inside of the hole smooth with a twisting motion.   Go gently with this on really small holes (like portholes that have drilled out on a 1/350 hull) or the tip of the toothpick will break off inside the hole.  You can dig it our easily, but the hole will have to be finished again and may end up slightly bigger than the others.

Cheers,

Bill

[Pat]

Medical scalpel blades don't fit into X-Acto knives.  The blades themselves are the exact same shapes, but because of the rib, you can't tighten them in the same way and they'll wobble.  Thehave a hole in them that fits over a tenon on the end of the scalpel handle.

You can get both the handle and the blades at medical supply companies.  I'd think the campus book store (or wherever they sell them) at your nearest university will also sell them.  Scientific equipment supply companies should also carry them, or be able to tell you where to get them.

The blades come in boxes of up to 100, so they'll last a long time.

Another tool I use are dental tools, particularly the picks and drills.  The picks are good because of their curvature, you can get into really hard to reach places.  The drill bits are like Dremel but there are several other shapes that Dremel doesn't have.  You don't have to buy them.  Just ask your dentist to save them for you when they're worn out instead of throwing them out.  A drill bit that seems dull to a dentist using them on teeth is still amazingly sharp when used on plastic.  And a pick with one end broken is still useful to yoful to a modeler, if not to a dentist.

[Greif]

Ahhh - new tools.  One can never have enough!

Ernest

OK,  ordered some new tools - various jeweler files, tweezers, and some other stuff.  My old set of tools are crap and too worn to work with.  Once I get these new goodies, I will work on the flooding vents some more.  The work should proceed at a faster pace with the new tools (I hope).  In the meantime, I am getting ready to do the 20mm gun and studying photos of the early deck mounted units with the cartridge tray on the side of the mount pedestal.

Cheers,

Bill

[wildspear]

I need some new tools, I was looking for the Dremel torch but I cant seem to find any vendors that sell it here in the states.

[Rokket]

I did a search and can't find it either - then went to Dremel, and if you choose "USA" it doesn't appear, choose Australia (and from other sources, presumably UK) you get the torch and a cool glue gun. In fact, tho Dremel is a US company I think, the US version is not as nice as the AUS version (similar, but seems easier to nav and more products!)

My Dad got me my first Dremel a long time back, about 33 years - still going strong, but I did buy a new one anyway.

I think any compact torch would be good, they sell them in hardware stores, and I'd think MicroMark and Brookstone would have them...

[Pat]

I wonder if that's because of different approvals needed to meet to UL regulations rokket?  Sort of howRevell Germany can't supply us with a historical WWII ensign for U-boats, E-boats, etc but no problem for Revell USA to print the proper flags.

I don't think the X-Acto hot knife I use is available any more (I haven't seen one for years) but it's actually just a soldering iron with an X-acto knife tip screwed in the end.

[Rokket]

good points

[Mr. Bill]

Hello Everyone!

Does anyone have a photo or diagram of the cartridge tray that appears on the pedestal of the 20mm deck mounted gun on early Type VIIB's?   I am working with some fuzzy, odd angle photos and my first attempt was a failure.  There seems to be a slight curve to the tray that conforms at least somewhat with the pedestal, but I am not sure.  U-45 photos I have don't show the tray clearly.

Thank You,

Bill

[Mr. Bill]

Greetings!

Thanks to everyone for your assistance and advice!  Here are some new images to share of progress with U-45.  The hull halfs are glued together, but the brass Amati deck is dry fitted along with the conning tower.  The deck fit is very good except for a few areas, but sits too low so I will need to insert some styrene strip to raise the deck to the correct level.

[Mr. Bill]

Some more photos showing the flooding vents and interior structures.

[Mr. Bill]

Last group of images today showing areas of the Amati deck that need some work to fit with Revell hull.  The forward part of the Amati deck is very narrow and has a odd pattern on it, so I removed it and will use the Revell part for this section.  The fit around the area of the 88 deck gun has a gap which I initially thought I could eliminate by clamping the hull sides with CA.  I have decided that the stress is too great for this approach with a high risk the joint will separate.  As an alternative, I have decided to fill the gap with styrene and drill new holes as necessary.  The very tip of the aft deck area will also need to be filled a bit where the pointed end of the Amati deck meets the flat edge of the Revell hull.

Overall, I am pleasantly surprised how nicely the Amati VIIB deck fits into the Revell VIIC hull.  Lengthwise,  the two are almost an exact match.  The only gaps that need attention are around the 8.8 deck gun and the steel deck at the bow.