Teak decking

[aurora-7]

I'm in the process of turning my Gato into a Tambor class boat (the Tautog). I want to replicate the teak decking and wanted to ask for some one to confirm if the teak wood was raised above the hull plating on the deck. Photos I've seen of in service boats and even museum boats seem to reflect this. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks.

[Mike K]

Basicaly, Aurora, you got it right. It was teak. And, it was attached to "T" bar stringers running from one edge of the superstructure sides to the opposite edge.
   If you'll drop me an enail at << mkeatingss(AT)cox.net, I'll snd you the drawing for a Gato/Balao. The way the planks were mounted and the plank sizes were pretty much the same.
   The length, width, and location of fittings and access hatches did differ. But not the method of construction .

Mike K.

[aurora-7]

Bless you, Mike!

[Rokket]

Mike's The Man!

[Rokket]

Tell us more about your boat, aurora-7, unusual project and mighty interesting

Oh, "aurora-7" - a ref to Carpenter and his launch? A space interest? Some nice Real Space stuff out there. My wife has built an excellent 1:48 LEM and I'm doing some research on a bigger multimedia version...but that's a secret long term project. Do share!

[aurora-7]

I want to turn my 1/72 Revell Gato into the Tambor class USS Tautog (SS-199) as she appeared when in Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Tautog served until early 1945 and achieved the highest count in number of ships sunk for US subs during WWII. I would like to do a version of her as she appeared at the end of her tour when the Pearl Harbor version is done.

There's not as much information for Tambor class boats as there are for the Gatos but the Gato is essentially an uprated version of the Tambor. Tambors are 4 feet short than the Gatos and while I've cut my hull pieces in half, I've yet to rejoin them. I wanted to get an idea how to handle the decking before I do.

Mike's been helping me a great deal with information about the teak decking layout. When I start moving again on the project, I'll post progress pics here.

Yes, I took the handle of Aurora-7 from the Carpenter Mercury flight. I thought is sounded cool. I did a lot of real space modeling in the past and still have more kits unbuilt (including a Monogram 1/48 LEM) and have been lately thinking of getting an Atomic City Mercury capsule to do up as - guess!

[Rokket]

The AM Merc looks like a great kit, I've got the AM Dave Bowman 2001 astronaut. I have a secret desire to build a 1:32 or 1:24 LEM, but that's a huuuge project a long wa off. Of course, I just hapned to have started my research - NO time, foolish thing to do, but couldn't resist 2 great sources: a booklet from Space Miniatures (www.spaceinminiature.com), and a cool book by some Brits, advertised as the instruction manual for the LEM, not quite out yet.

Deck - I haven't completed the research or production research, but have thought (and semi started) having wood decks lasered engraved, but finding the right wood and clean laser results is tricky. Might prove too expensive an item. I think Nautilus (??) is working on a wood deck, but given their VIIC deck was exactly the same as the Revel kit, it might not be the best option.

[bill_c]

I think Nautilus (??) is working on a wood deck, but given their VIIC deck was exactly the same as the Revel kit, it might not be the best option.

I did not know the Nautilus deck was suspect. What options do we have?

[Rokket]

Well, the Nautilus Type VII was just a duplicate of the kit, slightly inaccurate but nothing terrible. They have come out with a wood deck for the Special Navy Type II, which we KNOW is inaccurate enough to be a problem, and Nautilus says on their site:

"The kit consists of a single piece main deck, with the proper deck cut-outs for the early Type IIA submarine. Special Navy must have used the same set of plans I have, as there are very few differences between the two (except for the wood)."


NOT a good sign. I don't see the Gato deck on their site anyway.

Some modelers have handmade the cigarette deck, and tho it's hard work, results are nice. I still have dreams of a laser deck. (accurate)