Battle of the Atlantic - 2011

The plot thickens with this scheme. I just can't get my head around the photo on he left being the same type VII u-boat. It seems to be quite different, the saddle tanks seem lower down the hull, the deck around the conning tower is narrower, there is an exaggerated slope down to the stern of the boat. In comparison, the saddle tanks on the kit are quite close to the deck.

I've found another photo of U-33 wearing the same scheme as on the left, see below, it's the 2nd u-boat from the right. This one has it captioned as a  Spanish Civil War scheme from 1937. Looking closely at the conning tower , it proves that the design of the camouflage was asymmetrical when comparing port to starboard, but unless I believe that the left photo above is U-33, I don't have a photo of that side.

The right photo above and the photo below are 100% consistent in terms of the pattern of the scheme. However the little bit of conning tower shown in the photo below is not consistent with the left photo above.

If it is indeed U-33, it was quite different to the Type VII as depicted by Hobby Boss, and it probably isn't appropriate to use this kit to depict this scheme.

I seem to get stuck  at this point on a lot of models...this time I'm going to make a decision and complete the build. At the moment it looks like going back to a standard grey scheme, unless I can find more clarity on the scheme above.

Cheers

Tony

Hi Andrew,

This is the one....

cheers

Tony

White camo scheme on a U=boat, very interesting cant wait to see :)

Andrew

Here's an update on the Type VIIa...It's currently being primed. I'm using Tamiya aerosol Fine White Primer (my favourite for car models) as the camo scheme is based on white, so it will also form the basis for that. It's a little moist at the moment, so no photos tonight. I'll try to get some in tomorry.

I've been suffering from a bit of modellers block recently, so this is just what I need to get cracking again.

Cheers

Tony

Hi Stikpusher,

The U boat is one of the new Hobby Boss 1/350 kits, that include a photoetched fret.On the basis of this one I've just gone out and bought their Type IXb as well. Good thing is, they're cheap.

With regard to your Academy Spee, how do you find it ? I've not seen anyone attempt one of these or comment on it's quality before.

Cheers

Tony

Konigwolf, your Swordfish is just gorgeous! A beautiful big clean build!

Taxtp, I like that U-boat. Is that one of the Revell kits?

Today I made some more progress on my Graf Spee. Today I removed all masking and touched up the wooden planks for an even base color. I also applied some dark gray to the appropriate areas on the forward superstructure.

After I took these pics, I finally glued down the main decks to the hull, but don't have any pics yet of that.

Thanks Andrew. I think that 1/144 is actually a better scale for WWII subs. This one is a little small for my liking, but I've built a few of the DML 1/350 subs and want to keep it to a constant scale. BTW, that's a nice clean Swordfish you've completed. It's actually the first of these kit that I've seen complete, so that's a good effort.

Cheers

Tony

Going Tony, looking nice. I have Trumpeters 144 scale USS Gato on the work bench at the moment (I have the outter hull together, its low priority at the moment). Its my first sub and has been fun so far, look at yours is giving me some incentive.

Andrew

Thanks Greg.

Here are a couple of early photos....

The hull, complete except for a few details. I've shaved off the clunky molded in anchor in order to replace it with a U-beaut etched brass one that comes with the kit. It's hard to see in the photo, it just looks like a lighter smudge on the upper forward hull.

I've filled the rear torpedo tube, as the Type VIIa didn't have on, although later type VII's did.

This kit obviously shares common sprues with the other Hobby Boss Type VII,s including twin rudders. Once again the Type VIIa had a single rudder, so I've filled the locating holes, scratchbuilt a single rudder, and modified some of the fitting's around them, I don't know what they're called., but they're white in the photo.

The conning tower is off being primed at the moment.

I've got some photos of U-33 in an interesting camo scheme from February 1940, so that's what I'm going for.

Cheers

Tony

Welcome Tony, Andrew and I were getting pretty lonely here.  I am hoping to finish this month too, except I've been plugging away on mine forever it seems.

Cheers,

Greg

Thanks Andrew. That's an impressive array of GB badges you have to your name. I'll try to post some photos soon, as I want this one to progress quickly.

Cheers

Tony

Tony, I dont think it would be a problem cept for the fact that Aurora 7, the guy who was hosting this GB hasnt been around (or at least I havnt seen him) for a few months. IMO jump in anyways if you want there's still a few of here posting who will see and take notice.

Andrew

Hi Everyone,

I haven't been around for a while. I realize I've come across this GB late, but I've just started a Hobby Boss Type VIIA U-Boat this weekend. It's 1/350, I'm planning a fairly quick build so I should be able to get it done. It hasn't got that many parts anyway. The hull is already together, I'm just mucking about with the rudders as the kit has two, as per a later Type VII, I think the Type VII A only had one.

I'll be disappointed if it's not finished in the month of November.

I'd like to belatedly join this GB, if that's OK. Please let me know.

Thanks

Tony

Fantastic!  Andrew, you did a great job.  It looks as if someone could climb in, start it up and fly it off.  I think you are only the second person to finish a build here.  Hopefully, I won't be too far behind you.

Cheers,

Greg

Well here it is, the final round of pics for this bird.

Weathering? dont know. While I weathered the cockpit well I dont know what I what if any I'll do on the outside as most of pics of seen show almost no external weathering and this kit is big enough that she already has enough shadows etc giving depth.

Some of the pics are a bit grainy, I dont think i had my camera on optimal setting and couldnt find the mount connection for my tripod, but overall I think you get the picture (pun intended)

Woot! Complete!

Just a quick post for now, I'll take some more pics tomorrow morning under better lighting.

There were a few fit issues but I enjoyed it overall, a real pleasure to build but a royal pain the but in regards to quality info, while there is plenty out there most of what I found was all over the place, and almost all B&W or wrong angle, but I'm well armed of I go again on a string bag

Andrew

Thanks Greg, I'm I say this is an average build for me, but considering theres been some fit issues around the PE I'm not dissapointed. I would love to do another Swordfish in a few years though dont know if it would be the tamiya or the trump kit again though maybe in mk II or II with wings out this time.

As for your Junkers, looking great, I want to see this monster finished (bigger than my string bag and a smaller scale). At least I have almost nothing in the decal department LOL.

Andrew

Hi Andrew, your stringbag is looking good.  I've never built one before, but seeing yours makes me want one in my collection.  I don't think I could do it as well as yours, but yours would certainly be the reference I would use.

I did get the third color (rlm74) on my Ju-290.  I do have to get the splotches done that go down the side before I can clear it.  This sucker has a lot of decals, not to mention all the things I have to glue back on (that I broke off).  I have several other German heavies in my stash, I hope their wingspan is at least an inch or two less than this one.  This one is just a little bit too big for my paint booth.

Hopefully, I will have this thing done in a couple of weeks.  Anybody else besides Andrew still going on here???

Cheers,

Greg

Well been doing lots of fiddly bits, and lots more fiddly stuff to do (mostley painting or 2nd coating parts), plus decals and the torpedo (havnt even started on that, first thing tomorrow I guess for that.

Andrew

Thanks Andrew.  I used their Bronze and was too dark.  Yours is perfect!

Cheers,

Greg

Hi Greg, I used Tamiya's XF-6 Copper airbrushed on.

Andrew

Andrew, you won for sure!  That looks good.  Trumpeter should pay you for showing a great example of their kit online.  On another note, what color/brand of paint did you use on the exhaust collector ring on the cowl?  I've been trying to get that look on another project.

Cheers,

Greg

Thanks Greg.

Well just spent the entire evening arguing with the PE bracing on this bird. While I won,I dont think the results are that pretty, but I'm starting to get a hand of PE now (I think). I just wish that Trumpeters PE was 1/2 as good as eduards.

Anyway enough belly aching, heres my nights effort, wings about 95% done.

Andrew

Andrew, looking good!  It is very impressive.  Glad to see someone else it still going here.  I managed to get some painting done too.  I just need to paint one more color in the camo scheme on my Junkers.

Cheers,

Greg

Well been burning through the paint without getting much done, huge best and wings took three coats of grey to get a good coverage. So as you can see not alot more build just ALOT of airbrushing

Andrew

Well seems I'm not the only one whos had a break from the GB. But looks like there should be a few finishing together so thats good.

Anyways got some more building done today, filled and sanded the wing issues plus painted and built the engine. Over the next couple of days I've got alot of painting, wing assembly and a few things here and there after that. I'd say the painting will be biggest single left, and on a bird this size it will be some work. Anyways here's a pic of where I'm at.

Andrew

I got the hellblau done yesterday.  It came out pretty good I think.  Its size made it a challenge.  The wingspan is too big to fit inside my paintbooth.  I can work around it with a lot of moving around, but that gives me more opportunity to drop it!

Here you can see the pre-shading effect.

Here is a silhouette picture to see all the doo-dads that hang off this thing.  There are more I have to put on, but they weren't in the hellblau, so I left them off for now.

While I was at it, I painted the propellors and spinners.  I am finally making progress. 

Cheers,

Greg

Looking swell, and ditto on the blue. Stik, I run testors acrylic usually oob in my badger. So, I feel the need to get out the O'Brien and getterdone.

Thanks Greg!

This Graf Spee is really getting my interest up in ships again. If you are gonna try a ship I suggest a 1/350 destroyer a good cross between scale and size. I know that's what my next builds will be. But capital ships are very impressive in 1/350... I do like my Cold War navies...

Looking good Stik!  I haven't built a ship since I was a kid.  One of those Revell kits.  If I ever finish anything, (I did finish my Korean corsair!) I might give it a try.  I really like yours, but I think I would have to go with a smaller scale.  Heck, I have no idea where I'm going to put the Junkers.

Cheers,

Greg