Thanks for the input, I am looking forward to your solution. In the meantime, I think the problem may be with trying to use the Revell VIIC hull parts for a VIIB boat. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to remember that in reality the VIIB was slightly smaller (perhaps 60cm in length? one hull frame?) than the VIIC with differently shaped/smaller saddle tanks. I can't recall the source for this vague memory, but I believe it was one the standard references. I think the forward part of the VIIB saddle tank were shorter and sloped downward more than the VIIC which left more of the upper hull open for a longer row of flood vents. I could be entirely wrong, but this is what I recall.
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
How much of the pressure hull details can be seen once the deck is in place?
How much of the pressure hull details can be seen once the deck is in place?
Werner sure wanted a Schnorkel and hydraulic-loaded torps!
Werner sure wanted a Schnorkel and hydraulic-loaded torps!
In retrospect, I don't think I would wanted to used the early Schnorkel. They had a lot of trouble with them. In addition, the firsts boats used them without using the sky periscope and planes were sudden engaging them while submerge. The Brit
I would had love a Type XXI ;D but I think I would had been happy in a late war Type VIIC/41 with all the new toys :)
Wow, looks good! I
Hello!
More progress photos! After applying a grimy black wash to the pressure hull I finished it up with some clear flat sealer and installed it into the pressure hull. This was probably a waste of time and effort, it is nearly impossible to actually see the details and the grimy black wash can't really be seen at all! Anyway, it is all there now so if anyone looks very close in bright light they might actually see something!
A few minor details need to be taken care of and then the main brass deck can be finally fitted into place. U-45 is starting to actually look like a U-Boat!
Enjoy the photos and please let me know if you have comments or questions.
Cheers,
Bill
My p-hull is partial (full cone fwd, half stern, curved top only mid), but I think it would have been easier to make a full one! Geat work.
really looks good!
Hello Everyone,
In reviewing some photos of U-45, I noticed something I have not seen before. There seems to be a small hatch on the side of the hull just below the deck with two hinges on the bottom. Perhaps some kind of access panel? I have not seen this hatch on any other VIIB or VIIC.
(http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/7371/u45hatchonhullside.jpg)
Anyone know what this is? Is it found on other VIIB's?
Thank you for your help.
Bill
Hello!
It has been ages since I posted anything! Where did the time go??? U-45 remains as it was - I have done nothing of any consequence since my last post many months ago. Other projects have been completed, but U-45 has remained dormant. Don't really know why. Some kind of horrible mental block/aversion to working on this project, I just can't seem to get going again. My son has gone away to university which has left my bride of 27 years and I to experience a second kind of honeymoon which has intruded on time available for other activities!
I look at u-45 almost daily sitting there on the workbench gathering dust, but every time I reach out to make a start I recoil - sometimes I feel like Dracula trying to grab a bulb of garlic!
Fear not - I will continue this project. Soon. No more excuses.
Cheers,
Bill
Your idea of how to attach the CT is very close to what I was planning for the capstan on my U-boat.
I wanted to make it revolve like the real one, but be detachable to be able to portray it either on or off as the real ones, and I figured that a fine machine screw inside, mounted so that it can turn and matching with a nut under the deck would look and work just about like real.
But I'm at a loss as to where to find such a screw and nut. The screw has to be at least 1.25 cm long to give enough support under the deck and inside the capstan, but I don't know where to find one like that.
Any ideas?
That seems completely thorough, accurate, and excellent logic. I'm just wondering about all metal deck...there was wood in the early days, and then they switched to crap wood...so why all metal pre war?
I have started to paint the conning tower with a thin initial coat of Model Master Medium Gray (1721) applied with my ancient airbrush. Next is to paint the conning tower deck and I am trying to determine the proper deck colour of U-45 at the time of her commissioning in June of 1938. Black is commonly considered to be correct, but photos seem to indicate a deck colour other than black. Maybe just a trick of light, but the deck seems so much lighter than the known black areas. Please have a look at the photo and let me know what you think about the deck colour.
Cheers,
Bill
Hello chaps,
Interesting topic. As mentioned, the black strip on the base of the tower was painted black. And the wooden deck was stained with a black wood preservative. However, I don't think they would necessarily look the same in a b&w photo - they are different materials applied to different surfaces (paint applied to steel / preservative applied on wood).
Ernest, I've looked back at pre-war Type II decks and for the most part they look the same as wartime decks. I can see a few shots that look lighter but I can find many that look quite dark. But it is possible that other lighter presevatives were used, particularly in the pre-war period for the reasons you mentioned.
The pattern of slots on U 45's deck is the classic pattern used for the VII wooden deck. If you study the following photo of U 35 -
http://www.u-35.com/photo/GrafSpee5.jpg
As can be seen, the damaged sections of the deck are wood.
Cheers,
Dougie
The pattern inside the blue circle: From my point of view this is a zink anode.Llook at the aft hydroplanes. There is a very similar pattern. This is a zink anode.
But if you look at the second picture (the colored one) you will find a hull opening just at same place. This should be the flooding pipe for the aft torpedo tube. So it is also possible that on U45 this was covered with a grid.
Maciek - very interesting on the grid for the cooling water system. I think it is also there on photos of U 47 and U 54 but not close enough to determine any detail. Perhaps you may have seen the grill on other boats.
I wonder if I may ask a few questions about it -
Was the grill in the exact same location as the opening on U 995?
And was the grill square or rectangular?
Lastly, any ideas when the grill was discontinued in favour of the hole we see on U 995?