1/144 Trumpeter USS Gato COMPLETE

OK,how do I move this post to the SHIPS section?

It's a space "ship"  why move it?  :)

Chris

Nice build,by the way

Chris

Thanks.I can't believe I goofed like that.

Thanks for the assist Aaron.

My RSS feed shows it in SHIPS!? Nice job. Can you elaborate on paint, weathering, techniques, mods, etc?

Thanks.Aaron moved it for me.

The Gato was brush painted with Polly Scale colors.Flat black for the lower hull and stern,and a mix of Israeli Grey with some blue mixed in to more or less match what the Silversides and Cobia look like today for the upper hull and sail.There is a bit of dark grey used on the sides,but I forget the exact color.Good old fashioned Testors Gold was used for the props.

I upgraded the kit using White Ensign Models PE.If nothing else,I had to have the prop guards.

The railing on top of the conning tower was made with fishing line and kit supplied stanchions the the PE railings replaced.I have a reference photo of the Gato fitted with these railings.Being a typical anal modeler,I couldn't ignore them.

The model was shaded with thinned flat black and highlited with a bit of white,drybrushed.

I used the Tamiya weathering kits for the rust and sealed it with a blast of dullcoat.

I didn't include any rigging because I couldn't find a photo of a Gato class boat with the early style conning tower that had any.

Incidentally,this kit comes with a full pressure hull(including the conning tower),bulkheads(with hatchways) and floors.

One nice feature is that the limber holes are molded open.Only the really small ones needed to be drilled out.

I was a bit surprised at how much larger the Gatos were compared to the German stuff.All the subs in this photo are 1/144 scale.

i386.photobucket.com/.../018-6.jpg

Here are a couple more pics.I never know which ones Photobucket will let me copy and post.

That's a very nice build.  Congratulations!

Thanks.I'm itching to do the 1941 version in all black.

I am liking what I see. You have done a very nice job on her.....Cheers mark

Nice job on the Gato. I have this one on my "to do" list.

Nice looking Gato as well of the rest of them in your collection there. I've got to get out of the a/c forums more often.

Very nice build!  What did you use for the rust staining on the sides coming down from the deck?

Mike

Thanks everybody.The rust is from theTamiya weathering kit.It was applied dry with the sponge tip included in the kit.www.michtoy.com/item-TAM%2087080-Weathering_Master_B_Set.html

Here are a few other upgrades for the Gato class boats.I wish I had known about these sooner.

www.whiteensignmodels.com/.../1

Oh yeah bro...nice build......I gotta do the 1:144 now!