AFV 1/350 1943 Gato Finally DONE

Getting the other prop guard, bow planes and PE struts/rams, and the 3 conning tower PE ladders on today, Will do the cig deck and lookout PE railings and deck rails done after paint and do those with a brush.  Hopefully get the black painted on Sunday, and the grey weathered decks next w/e.

Well, closing up for the night, todays PE as above went on way easier than the first prop guard, the second one just about fell on.  Might just get the black on tomorrow ( MM acrylic aircraft interior black.) Will try out the new NEO (on the other hull first)

Been hammered at work and two short weeks to boot, and buried for the next two weeks at least,so only have the w/e's to work on her.

Noticed the differences in the two hulls, the '42 version has freeing ports (limber holes) full length and the longer conning tower, as well as the full height front section on the tower. The "43 version has limber holes only back as far as the conning tower, and has the shorter tower, and the cut down front version, and the 'scope shears opened up as was done during refits during the war.  The limber hole difference is due to the full length hulls being built in Navy yards, and the shorter hole boats being built to Electric Boat specs.  Depending on which boat you are building you might need both the 42 and 43 versions.  I don't think the difference in the conning tower footprint is going to be that noticeable when I'm done, but I'm not steady enough to fix it.

I'm excited to see the progerss GH.

GH,

I have to agree with you about working in 1/700. After messing about with the 1/72 and the 1/144 Gatos, that puppy is tiny! The picture of the conning tower and the dime next to it darn near knocked me off my seat!

Looking good so far.

Steve

By the way, my brother gave me a cool book named U.S. Submarines Through 1945 by Norman Friedman. Black and White photos, a good deal of them from NavSource. 

Yeah, at 1/350 and that size, I'd hate to think of a 1/700 Gato.  At least the 'scopes and shears are one piece.  I'll be glad to get to the 2 footer later this year.  Not going to get her painted this w/e, too cold in shop and sliding doors to the compressor are frozen shut right now.  Been in the low 20's for the past couple of nights with a couple of more coming.  Gives me another week to get over to HL for another quick disconnect for the new AB when I go to a VA appointment on either of the next two Mondays.

Got the Squadron book on Gato's....Lot of great pics and differences in the class depending on when and who built, and when refittted during the war.

Thanks for the kind words, will put a few more pics on the gallery tonight.

Click on one of the pics above for the gallery, and then you can click on a pic for a bigger version.  Having problem getting them to load right now on here.  And I know it is me..... 

Well, got the black (MM 4767 Aircraft Interior Black) on the hull, tower and main gun this morning,  will add pics after I get the grey fade on the decks.

Will be mounted in a clear case with black base, with the engraved brass plate.  Still undicided what color to paint the stand, torn between brass, gold or the same grey I do the deck with

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As you can see, lost some of the black and will have to do a little repair on it.  Click the pic for the gallery and the rest of her to this point.

WOW!!! 

Man,  much larger than I thought a 350th Gato would be but still tiny. Nice work so far! Too bad about the paint lift.

goldhammer

As you can see, lost some of the black and will have to do a little repair on it.  Click the pic for the gallery and the rest of her to this point.

 

All my bad.  Didn't wash the sprues, no primer, just MM Acrylic. Theblack had a week to dry/cure too.  Used Tamiya tan tape and killed it on pants and shirt, but not quite enough I guess.  When I repair I will soft mask the upper edge with post it notes.  They didn't lift on the other hull I am using as a test bed. 

Probably going to have to get another '41 or '42 version for the 3rd 20mm that Wahoo carried.

Jester75

Man,  much larger than I thought a 350th Gato would be but still tiny. Nice work so far! Too bad about the paint lift.

 

No biggie, at least it is a quick fix.

Thanks!

goldhammer

All my bad.  Didn't wash the sprues, no primer, just MM Acrylic. Theblack had a week to dry/cure too.  Used Tamiya tan tape and killed it on pants and shirt, but not quite enough I guess.  When I repair I will soft mask the upper edge with post it notes.  They didn't lift on the other hull I am using as a test bed. 

Probably going to have to get another '41 or '42 version for the 3rd 20mm that Wahoo carried.

Sounds like something I'd do!

I did note when ordering a kit that there are several year versions! I could Gato ,yself to death!

Funny thing, the '41 and '42 are under $20 and the '43 is around $35.  I know the '42 and '43 have PE, and IIRC so did the '41.  I think the first two are pretty close with most of the difference in the tower.  The 43 went from the full height front on the tower to the cut down front with a gun deck and railing, and a shorter tower and more rounded at the back instead of "boattailed" and pointy. So the upper hull is a different casting than the other two.  The 43 is also the Electric Boat design hull with limber holes only back to the tower area, and the other two are the Navy Yard built boat with limber hole inpressions all the way down the hull.  And there is a pic in the Squadron book showing USS Harder before her loss, with no limber holes at all. 

goldhammer

Doing this thing, I don't know how you folks doing 1/700 stuff do it.......I'll be so glad to get to the 1/144 version.

I dunno, 1/144 can be kind of small at times:

But, yeah, 1/700 is getting pretty small:

Really good job on your build, so far. I'm dreading trying to do weathered black on my pending 1/700 Gato sub build.

As a retired submariner, I love to see threads about submarines!  Those 1/700 AFV boats are incredible models, especially for their dimunitive scale.  Great job! 

Bill Morrison

Bill, Thanks, I was kind of impressed with the detail on her in 1/350, along with the PE in the kit. 

mfsob- Thanks, those are impressive in their own right, very nice.  I know better than to even go there with my skillset and klutzy fingers.

On Sunday got my paint problem fixed, and figured out how to hold the PE railings and the antenna standoffs till they set, will get some of that done this next w/e.

  Also ordered the brass plate for the case along with the quote plate for the GB later.  Can't ever get over to that shop during their hours.  Got back from my VA appt. in time yesterday to finally get it taken care of.

So what did u do to hold PE?

Will be either a blob of silly putty or modeling clay just to hold them vertical till the CA sets up.  Won't be pressed down tight for fear of pulling more paint.

BTW, got the tube, wire and rod for your boat, will get it sent next week when I get to the PO.

Not being a naval person, I'm going to ask what might be a silly/dumb question.  The instructions show four, curved top uprights (I'll call them mini-davits for lack of knowlege and better word)1 forward and 3 aft of the conning tower, along with the forward, looks like nav light standard, and the flag staff at the stern.  How much of that would have been removed and stored on patrol?

Right now planning on using the railings on the main deck and the conning tower and the antenna standoffs and antenna setup from the PE, but the PE also has replacements for the kit styrene "davits". 

Not knowing that kit, but deep into the weeds with my own 1/700 Tamiya Gato, I'm pretty sure the things that look like davits were used to load stores and whatnot when alongside a pier or tender, and would always be removed before leaving on patrol.

If the standard is at the tip of the bow, that's the one for the jack, the blue flag with 48-stars that is flown only when the ship is docked. The aft standard would be for the national flag, on some boats, or that standard was at the aft end of the sail. Both would be removed before submerging. Nautical trivia - any temporary flag staff was called a "pig stick," according to my Dad, God alone knows why.

Thanks, I suspected as much because of drag and noise when submerged.  I managed to dig up some more pics of my lady...All that stuff was gone, decks clean except for lifelines and weapons.  Flag on staff at end of cig. deck on tower.

Got the railings/lifelines up on the deck and the lookout railings and cig deck railing on today.  That leaves getting the tower on, guns mounted (2-20mm's and the 4") and the antenna PE on and then painting the PE.  And paint the base, epoxy the boat on the base and the base into the case.

Have been busy with other things....sometimes life gets in the way of living.  Got the tower and guns put on her this morning, will get the PE antenna fit on her next w/e.All that will be left is painting the clear case base a dark blue, and epoxy the base to her and the base to the bottom of the case and attach the brass plate. 

just caught up with thread , man some of those part's look small , excellent looking build

steve5

Thank you!  This will be the first completed kit in over 40 years for me, and also the first playing with an AB.  Have been away from it that long.  Hope to do Wahoo's memory justice in the GB later this year.

Got plenty of kits started, but have not finished any yet.  Seem to get enthused to start then lose interest in them half way through.