AFV Club's Gato class submarine

EdGrune

constructor:

 

 

I just recently saw it in the AFV Club site. It's probably not yet available anywhere. BTW, how different is it from the '41 and the '42 Gatos?

 

From a picture of the box art I've seen posted,  it is the first cut-down conning tower.   Also known as the 'covered wagon'.    It is not the ultimate late-war Gato/Balao with the fully cut-down conning tower.

First look reviews posted elsewhere indicate that there is a major error in the hull.  It is a post-war GUPPY hull with the mid-war conning tower & armament suite

Picked up a '41 GATO this morning at the Squadron Open House (Great sale!  Got the Academy Perry for 4 bux, the Mikasa for 8, and the AFV Club I-19 for 2.   Half off on a YMW resin destroyer.  Made the full price items seem affordable).   

Anywho,  in the GATO box there is a one-page addendum to the instructions which identify the mods they are modeling for their '41, '42, '43 and '45 versions.  

41 - as launched: high enclosed conning tower.  3-inch deck gun aft

42 - high enclosed conning tower, 4-inch deck gun forward

43 - first cut down,  4-inch gun forward, 40 and 20mm on the cigarette decks

45 - full cut down,  5-inch gun, with 40s and 20s

Has anyone built either of the Guppy boats?  I'm thinking of ordering the Guppy II boat they sell, but on the fence  still.  Of course, so far as I've seen it's the only game in town for 1/350th.  At least at a decent price.

Yeah, I heard the hull was post-war as well...I gave up on it and instead ordered the Trumpeter 1/144th Gato 1944 version and all I can utter is: WOW!  Incredible detail and crisp mouldings...I also got the White Ensign resin armament set and also a WE PE set that will really trick it out...very nice stuff if you really want a nice Gato model... 

NavSource has pix of the real boats and some of the mods made to them over their careers.

The real question is which boat is it supposed to be since no 2 where alike.

constructor

 

 

I just recently saw it in the AFV Club site. It's probably not yet available anywhere. BTW, how different is it from the '41 and the '42 Gatos?

From a picture of the box art I've seen posted,  it is the first cut-down conning tower.   Also known as the 'covered wagon'.    It is not the ultimate late-war Gato/Balao with the fully cut-down conning tower.

First look reviews posted elsewhere indicate that there is a major error in the hull.  It is a post-war GUPPY hull with the mid-war conning tower & armament suite

Manstein's revenge

...yeah, I've been talking about that kit for awhile now---is it available in the states yet?

I just recently saw it in the AFV Club site. It's probably not yet available anywhere. BTW, how different is it from the '41 and the '42 Gatos?

...yeah, I've been talking about that kit for awhile now---is it available in the states yet?

The 1943 variant is the type that was used from 1943 until VJ Day. Older Gato Class boats were often modiifed to this style when they went in for overhaul. The "Guppy" was a post war modification made to Gato's that improved their submerged performance.