The official Submarine Warfare Group Build 2016 - 2017

you bet! Not a terrible big difference in the two, and they were both used at the same time and in the same theaters. I'll just have to select a different wreck and location. This one will be an early model VII without the modified gun deck, and will still have a deck gun mounted. The later model VII  from what I've read had the modified gun decks with a four barrel flack gun and no 3.7 deck gun. 

thanks

Doug

Well, I finally was able to get some work done on my sub...If there were no others doing this one, (I looked through posts and unless I have over looked I didn't see any one doing the Boat I setteled on), I'd like to do the U576, an early Type VIIC commisioned 1941, and lost to combat action July, 15th 1942 of the coast of North Carolina, (Cape Hatteras). Her remains were identified October of 2014. She was sunk by both deck gun fire and depth charges dropped from two Kingfishers. All hands lost.

As I said earlier, this kit leaves nuch to be desired, but is still a good sound base to start with, I am by no neans a rivet counter, but would like to be fairly acurate in my building, and am relying heavily on the referance books and what ever photos I can come across.

I'll be attempting alot of scratch building as this claiming to be "Highly detailed" Wasn't, lol...

Laying out the upper hull/deck pieces...

according to pictures I've found, this lower hull, rudders, prop shaft ect... are goung to have to be completely re done...

Thats about it for now, Starting to get the decking on, having to dremel each slot in the decking plate... but, its coming along...

Thanks and more soon,

Doug

Doug,

As far as I  know, no one is building U576 so your safe. Bish is doing type VII though.

Steve

Thanks Steve... didn't think I had seen any one on that one. Yeah, I guess thats like building a Bf 109, there were about 33,000 built, but U-boats were only about a thousand (?) of all of the various types, so much harder to select a subject without over lapping with someone else. But hey... I'm easy to get along with... lol. Thanks again and more to follow...

I don't think anyone is planning a wreck either. 

MC- Every time I follow one of your builds, all I can do is shake my head in wonder.  You keep pulling rabbits out of the hat.  You have to be overrun with fur balls by now.  Very nicely done.

Got about half the hull seams filled and sanded.  Then to prime and see where I need more work.  Putting off starting on the 'scope shears and the rest of the PE til that is done.

I am following this great Group Build. Unfortunately I dont have the time to participate. If I might suggest for those interested you might like the 1951 book "The Cruel Sea" written by Nicholas Monsarrat. It tell the fictional story of the flower class corvette "Compass Rose" and the battle of the Atlantic. A 1953 British movie was also made that follows the book quite closely. Both well done.

And Revel has just released a 1/44 flower class corvette kit!

rob44

And Revel has just released a 1/44 flower class corvette kit!

That might make a nice addition to my collection. 

MC...I'll show some of my ignorance here, is "oil canning" the uneven texture of the outter hull plating? If so, the work youv'e done is outstanding! I'm going to learn alot here by the looks of it. Lots of good work going on.

Doug

Doug,

As far as I understand it, oil canning is caused by several things. The flexing of the structure caused by stress, expanding and contracting of the metal going through temperature changes and pressures cause by wave action and even depth charging.

Aircraft get oil canning as well as ships.

Yup, I thought thats what you were talking about, yuu've done a masterful job recreating the look. And yes there are many reasons for the effect on the metals to cause this. Many years ago I worked at a company that made machinery that "streched" aircraft skins. They were very thin and were allowed to do this to avoid the skins from cracking, from tre constant flexing and as you stated, constant temp changes and friction. Thanks for explaining the procedure and providing the pictures... again, very nicely done!

Doug

Hi-

Rather than blather over on the thread about the "Hell Below", I would prefer to join this GB. I haven't done a GB in a while. I'm in the middle of a move, so I won't get started for a bit.

Subject- the Trumpeter 1941 Gato, with interior added. I have the model, I have the references, I have a WEM 3" 50 caliber naval rifle and a set of 12 Mk. 14 torpedoes. I also have the WEM PE set.

What more could a guy need? Well, for starters the rest of the interior. That which comes with the kit looks all wrong. 

And four Fairbanks Morse OP's. THAT I have good drawings for, being an old model railroader and a huge fan of the FM "Trainmaster".

Shapeways has a great range of little 1/144 sailors, recently used to populate my Type XXI. Not in this pic., but here's where that project currently is.

Subject: I think I know but I'm not sure so I'll hold on that yet. A Mare Island boat on eternal patrol of course.

Goldhammer, you were saying that the upper hull coaming to hull fit of the Gato was gappish. I remembered this photo of SS-238 leaving Mare Island on 14 July 1943. She has lots of sea water running out through a gap there, in addition to the limber holes, it must be a couple of inches tall. Maybe that's the way it's meant to be.

I would be honored to add you to the roster GM. That sounds like a fantastic build! One which I will be intently watching.

I'll add you to the roster in the morning. 

The honor is mine.

BTW not Wahoo.

Thanks GM, think you are right. That would let whatever water was left from the limbers to drain out.  Filled the big gap (in places looked to be about a scale foot) and will rescribe more scale looking gap.  The big water jets appear to be far enough forward to be the diesel cooling outlets, from one of the engine rooms.

In doing one with the interior, that will be interesting and will watch and learn.

I'm getting a bit more done  on mine ... I'm feeling kinda amaturish watching and listening to the welth of knowledge here, thats why I love these GBs... always able to learn something... Any who, heres some more from me,

got all the decking finished and in place.

according to pictures I've been able to find, the controls were totally wrong and I will attempt to scratch build most all of it.

old spare part bomb casings will work for the prop shaft housing ...

The rest of the parts are plasti struct, and other spare parts, including the rudders which are reshaped P51 mustand tail elevators. (a real Frankinstein here).

And lastly for now, a coat of primer to cover that awful red! Guess that will take a day or two to dry... Take care, Doug

If anybody can scratch build Doug, you can. I never looked closely at the type VII steering gear and it seemed too bulky, until I looked up some images. The actual type VII was bulky.

Doug

Since adding P51 parts to this  U Boat, wil you be replacing the conning tower with a Mustang bubble canopy?  

Great way to improvise digging into the spares box. 

lolol...wish I'd thought of that! lol...Thanks guys...

I just built that kit and I would be pleased to share everything I learned.

I did a WIP in "ships".

This is an extremely difficult but very satisfying kit.

First, do get the Breyer publication.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/German-U-Boat-Type-XXI-over-100-b-w-photos-drawings-48-pages-/162174287775?hash=item25c2573f9f:g:eUYAAOSw6aVUobFm

I also got a lot from this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-BOAT-CREWS-1914-45-WILLIAMSON-OSPREY-ELITE-60-NEW-BOOK-18-95-Offer-/261585255225?hash=item3ce7b23b39:g:NEwAAOSweW5U97KD

Shapeways makes a couple of sets of U Boat sailors at the scale. I would say they are kind of rough, but they'll be a good addition.

A really fun boat to build.

I got you down Colonel.

OK, Primer dry and I can do a bit more...

Next we will do the conning tower, again, this leaves much to be desired and will require alot of reworking, starting with the removal of the molded on anti-aircraft gun deck railings. Cut em off!

the beginings of a new one soldered together and partially done.

Added the navagational and attack periscopes, the loop antenna an anti-aircraft gun pieced together again from spare parts. I saw four different types of light weapons and decided on this one. I bent wire and fabricated some steps and the hand rail I had seen pictured in some books I have. A little history, during the war, the loop antenna systems  for all U-Boats were made by the family that founded the company I work for now.  After the war they came here and started several companies, many which are still operational today.

Fabricated the deck gun from spare parts.

Well, this is about what it will look like after completion. I still have a ways to go before I'll be happy with it, but its a start... Have a safe and Happy Labor day all!

Doug

Doug,

Wow, thathat kit does need some help. Nicely done with the railings and gun. Since this is going to be a wreck how are you going to pose it? Will it be covered in algie and silt?

Kinda sorta... I have a sonar image of the actual wreck site, (now declared a war grave, at the request of the German government) and she is laying fully on her starboard side in 690 ft of water, 30 miles off the coast of North Carolina. My vision is to portray her like at the end of hostilities May 8th 1945. U-576 was sunk July 15th 1942, which would be 2 yrs 10 mo on the bottom. I will pose her not fully on her side, but listing in that direction, and while not a total rusting hulk, the salt water will be taking its toll. The sonar image still shows a well preserved and still very much identifiable U-Boat complete with deck gun, conning tower and anti-aircraft gun. I think I can even make out some other items still intact on the deck. Yes there will be some silt and marine life begining to claim the wreck but not so heavy at this time period that I envision. The "weathering" is going to take longer to do then the build I think.

This is the actual sonar image taken upon her location in October 2014.

Thanks

Doug

Well Doug, your scratch building makes a huge improvement over the kit's poor details. Those railings and gun look super coo!

This will be another interesting dio to follow.

Did you get the new FSM issue yet? It has a cool picture of a Jap amphi tank on water with a plane wreck at the bottom. Sort of what Steve did with his Zeke. 

What a great image.

I love doing wrecks and will be looking forward to this month's issue.