As with my last thread, I've already posted this elsewhere. Some of you, also, use that other site, but, I like to share with as many as possible. If you have specific questions, go for it. I'll answer as best I can.
OK. I've got three upgrade kits in. Nautilus, Modelbrass and Eduard. Each has something to offer.
The Nautilus wood deck is a superb piece of work. really beautiful. That, I'm definitely going to use. Also some of the small fittings are cherry. It was worth the price.
The Modelbrass conning tower deck and deck fittings and detail will also be used. Another set that justifies the price. It was a close call, on the deck, but I like wood.
The Eduard stuff just got here today. Equisite! It appears to be mild steel rather than brass.
This is all the stuff I wanted, that wasn't part of the other two. I'll cut the fore and aft deck off the Nautilus deck and the tip off the Revell deck. Then I can use the Eduard fore and aft decks. The rest of parts border on the unbelievable. The vents, gratings, overboard discharge and intake fittings are beautiful. They look like they were made by taking the originals, soaking them, in hot water, and, then throw them in a drier till they shrink down to the proper scale.
One thing, though, I'll probably have to use 0.75mm plastic stock, to shim the decks up to hull level. It looks, to be, half the thickness of the brass deck.
At over $50 it's pricey (almost the same price as the boat), but, I think, worth it. It looks like Eduard got the Modelbrass and Nautilus kits, identified the few parts they thought they could do better, and then, made all the stuff, that wasn't there.
And, last, but far from least, they did a great job on the instructions. I don't see any problems, there. If I find any, I'll pass it on.
One thing obvious is, that with the Eduard stuff, I'm going to have to fabricate a horizontal bulkhead, over the torpedo tubes and cutouts.
Now all I need is the WEM kit and the Yankee Modelworks hull. I ordered the two CMK interior kits, this morning. With luck, I should be able to start, serious, construction in January. For now, I'll have to settle with cutting holes and installing vents and grills and stuff.
I'm letting things dribble in. If "The Boss" ever figures out what I'm up to, (not to mention the cost) she'll rip my lungs out and beat me to death with them.
Mike