U-45 WIP - Completed October 2019

[bracco_n]

How's that magnificent build? have you made any further progress?

[Mr. Bill]

Hello Everyone!

I was finally able to push away all the distractions (work, family, other projects) and get to back to U-45.
Working on the hull and making good progress the last two days.  Mainly filling and drilling flood holes to match the arrangement of U-45.  Drilling the new holes is far easier/faster than filling and finishing existing holes that are not needed.  In particular, trying to smooth the filled surface without destroying rivet details is a very time consuming process. 

I am considering a few options for the pressure hull sections which can be seen through the flooding vents and deck.  I am reluctant to invest a great deal of time and effort in this area as it will be difficult to see on the finished model.  Also need to figure a way to overcome fit problem between the Amati brass deck and the Revell hull in the area of the 8.8 deck gun.  The fit is good everywhere else except for this one area.

I will try to get some progress photos posted soon.

Mr. Bill

[Rokket]

Glad you're back! Those damned pesky non-modeling obligations!

How do you fill the holes? I was fond of the backing piece of plastic, then making a plug to fit flush and tight (as easily could), with some creamy putty as a topper.

PE deck - don't know of the fit problems myself, but in general it is hard to get a big piece of metal to stick!

[Mr. Bill]

The best technique that I have found for filling the holes is to use a styrene plug shaped to fit the hole.  My favorite filler method is to apply a small amount of CA and then sprinkle with baking soda which instantly sets it in place with no shrinkage.  It can than be immediately sanded and is generally the same hardness as the styrene.  I have found this works well for even large areas and the CA can be wet sanded very smooth.

I am thinking of using some styrene strips under the PE deck that can securely fastened to the insides of the hull.  This approach will require very carefully measurements and some tricky fitting, but should provide for a more secure bond between the styrene and brass.  As you mentioned, the concern is that the deck will separate from the hull edge over time or with handling!  I think the key is get the contour of the hull edge to exactly fit the deck edge so that it basically will be a snug drop in rather than a press fit depended on the CA bond.

As others have mentioned, the styrene hull above the long horizontal drainage slot on top of the saddle tanks becomes very weak once the slot is cut out.  Earlier today, I opened these slots up from the inside and was surprised how flimsy the part becomes.  This may actual help in fitting the brass deck as the tension on the styrene is far less.

Trying to come up with a solution for the pressure hull and will have a look at what others have done for inspiration.

Mr. Bill 

 

[Rokket]

Thanks very much for the baking soda info. I'm a big fan of CA as a filer/putty, but had no clue about the baking soda.
For my wooden deck, I was worried about the same tings and used to beams of thick plastic to keep the hull tohgether, with the deck droping in as decoration and not structural.

P-hull - there's a lot of different stuff out there folks have done. Not much can be seen, but somehing is definitely needed.

[Mr. Bill]

Sometimes, when I am using both hands to carefully align parts together with a drop of CA, I will call out for Wifey to come and sprinkle baking soda on the CA to set it.  She calls this the "Pixey Dust" technique.

Regards,

Bill

[Rokket]

Interesting!

[Mr. Bill]

Hello Everyone,

Here are some photos of recent work on hull.  Working from article written by Dougie and photos, I opened flooding vents on the kit parts as needed to depict U-45 by grinding/scraping away from inside of hull.  Drilled and shaped new vents as needed to match U-45.  Vents on kit that were not needed for U-45 were filled with styrene and/or CA and then sanded smooth.  I still need to add the internal ribs/frames to the long horizontal flood slot on top of the saddle tanks.  I am uncertain about some details of flooding vents on U-45 and used next best reference possible in deciding what to do.  I did not attempt to correct the kit part torpedo doors.

I do appreciate your comments and suggestions, so please let me know if you have any questions or see something in the photos that doesn't look right!

First image shows the forward lower flood vents:


Next is the forward upper flood vents:


Central area upper flooding vents:


Aft upper flood vents:


Torpedo door flood vents:


Finally, the aft lower vents:


Regards,

Bill

[Rokket]

she'll be ready for diving soon!

[Mr. Bill]

More progress photos.  Ribs installed on inside of flooding slot.  Still need to do the other side:

[Greif]

She's looking good Bill!  Installing those ribs can be a bit tedious can't they?

Ernest

[Rokket]

it's "fun" - right? is that the word for that torture? Fun!

[dougie47]

Hi Bill,

Fantastic to see the U 45 taking shape. All your modifications to the vents make it more like the real boat. The vents just behind the main dive planes are...unfortunately...moulded as rectangular on the Revell kit rather than oval as on the real boats. Even just rounding the corners off would help. I've only seen this area on one VIIB - U 99. This is on page 25 of Steve Wiper's pictorial on the Type VII. Do you have this image?

Cheers,

Dougie

[Rokket]

a rat-tail file with a few passes should do the trick

[Mr. Bill]

Hello everyone!  Installing the ribs looks simple at first, but keeping them straight and evenly spaced is more difficult that it seems.  I did not glue the top part of the ribs to the inside of the hull so as to provide a bit more flexibility when I fit the deck. I hope this will help and not end up being a problem.

Thanks Dougie for the tip on those vents.  I do have that reference book and you are of course correct.  The kit can be improved further by rounding the ends of those vents.  I can try to use my rat tail file as rokket suggested, but I think it is too large.  I really need some new jeweler size files and tools - mine are ancient and badly worn.

What about that triangular shaped section of vents on top of the main group?  They are not present on the kit and I was reluctant to add them.  The U-99 photo does show them, but did U-45 have them?  In looking more closely at the photo, I was surprised to see how small the one vent is at the stem compared to the kit.  The difference is really noticeable!  I think I will have to fill that vent in and drill a new, smaller, vent to better match the real thing.

Thanks again everyone, your help is much appreciated.

Bill