Advice Needed On Revell 1/72 Gato Class

Eduard has a PE set and I know there are several resin accessories for it. On one of the websites someone did a WIP build which he incorporated both aftermarket and scratched items. AWESOME!

Since your doing it as a museum boat about the only things that need adding or correcting are the exhaust openings on the sides and the hand holds, also the torpedo shutters are wrong they should be the flat Balao style, which is strange since the model is based on the Cobia but the shutters are more like the Silversides which was built at Mare Island in the San Fransisco Bay Area where the Cobia is a Electric Boat built in Groton, CT.

There are lots of pictures out there and a few decent model builds.

I have found that if you use different search engines you will get different results (google, yahoo, etc)

NavSource has a page on her here.

If you where going with an in service boat I would also suggest adding the openings on the bottom for the ballast tanks, opening the doors on the sides of the fair water since those are only on the museum and removing the broom off the shears.

Depending on how much time and money you want to sink into the model there are blue prints from WWII available at Floating Drydock

After market PE sets from WEM and Eduard Models both available at Squadron.

WEM also puts out resin deck guns.

E...

Thanks for the info guys.What I'm after is making it look as good as possible,not necessarily super accurate.

Are there any kit parts that should be replaced with after market stuff for a better finish?

Unless you want to upgrade the guns or at least the details on them there really isn't much needed for a nice kit.

I would however suggest looking into adding the exhaust ports on the sides which will have to be done from scratch and the use of photos.

Unless you are really really picky, I wouldn't be worried about the shutters. In my humble opinion, is not worth the extra time involved on this change, again, that's my personal opinion with my due respect to Division 6. Apart from the PE suggested by Hawkeyhobbies, just should consider adding some crew members to your GATO. As I write this, I'm giving the finishing touches to mine which I too decided to built as the COBIA. I built mine OOTB and it gives a good conversational piece. The kit does not bring any figures and this baby is BIG at 52''. I have received some oohhs and awws! from family members and friends already.

My recommendation, get crew members for it and you will see and appreciate even better the scale of this model. I went with some crew kits available from Sprue Brothers and another kit is coming, The armament crew in port. Enjoy your kit.

My only complaint with the model is that, for the price, it should have included a PE SJ radar antenna. It will probably be the only aftermarket item that I'll buy for mine. Maybe some figures, too.

I agree with you 100% subfixer.

Thanks guys.I do plan on putting figs on her.I was gonna paint a couple to represent me and the wife.We got a photo taken just aft of the conning tower.

BTW,I've seen this kit normally go for well over $100.There are some on Ebay in the $70 range.That included a whopping $3 for shipping.

$66.82 + $2.99 shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Revell-1-72-US-Gato-Class-Submarine-/110520276823?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19bb859757

Not a bad price, I've seen the price going down a bit lately. I did paid around $85 tax included in my local Hobby Town like 6 months ago. Have a nice weekend.

WEM puts out the radar PE set.

For those interested Eduard has the instructions for their PE sets on their site that are larger and better detailed that the ones that come with the sets, I have them printed out in my research binder for quick reference.

The only PE set I don't have since it's post war (WWII) is the deck and siding set, it does have the advantage of having all the air recovery valve plates but like the model has the wrong marker buoys that are the larger post war versions and actually in the wrong place for the boat I am depicting.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keep in mind our friend plans to make her as a Museum boat so unless depicting her getting the torps added some years ago he would be better off with civis with cameras on the deck.

For all out museum detail adding the museum mods and safety additions might be a fun exercise in scratch building.

There are pix of Batfish getting a torp installed about a year ago, she is currently in the process of getting the decking replaced so there are a few nice under deck pictures available.

For those building any boat as commissioned you will need to open the doors on the fairwater (as I mentioned thay are only on some of the Museum boats) and remove the broom off the shears (unless you are depicting a boat coming back from combat, then I would replace it with something at actually looks like a broom)

If depicting the boat with the front dive planes down you can add more detail by adding the air flasks behind the openings where the dive planes rest.

Photos below are from the Cod and Pampanito.

Poke a round on Submarine Museums for pictures and information on the boats by the people actually working on them, lot's of good stuff in the forums section.

The Eduard PE set Cat. #BIG5301 has lots of small detail pieces for the fairwater, guns and things like handles and such.

Pictures of parts and instructions can be found here, you will have to put Gato in the search window since their site doesn't give you a direct address to specific items.

For those interested in replacing the bow shutters AMP sells an assortment of different styles here.

Once again,thanks for all the great info fellas!

I can't wait to get going on this beast.

Gotta knock out a few TIE Fighters for a buddy first.

BTW,if anybody built this kit and didn't use the 2-4-5 for the conning tower,I could use those decals.The kit only provides enough for one side.

PM me if you'd be willing to part with them.

PM sent

PM replied to.Thanks D6.

Decals are on the way.

Thank you.

The main deck gun on these boats was constantly being changed.  The photos I've seen of the museum boat have a 3" gun different from the kit gun.  Nautilus Models sells 3"/50 Mk 7, 11, and 18 guns.  I'm not sure which gun the museum boat has or which was mounted on the Cobia in service but this may be a change you would want to consider.  I ready a few years ago where the museum was going to change out the main deck gun and I thought it was to one of these guns.  Again, you'll have to do a little research.

Dave

The tour guide at the museum did say it wasn't the original gun.I have no idea what it actually is.

She originally launched  with the 3" according to Navsource.

Looks like she may have had a 4" in 1945

Submarinemuseums.org  has some pix of her at the moment with the fairwater being repainted and has a base coat of red.

Might want to contact Karen the museum curator for more information on it.

I agree.  She started with the 3", probably all dark gray in color.  Then the 4" as seen in the burial at sea photo, and finished her service with a 5" mounted forward, and the 40mm moved to the mount at the front of the coning tower.  There are pictures of that as well.  Good idea to contact the museum.  I'm sure they have excellent information not found on the web.

Dave