Battle of the Atlantic - 2011

Ok, it's official. 

I will be doing Tamiya's 1/700 Prinz Eugen, with WEM PE rails, anti-aircraft guns and radars.  I will do it as it appeared during Operation Rheinubung during the time after the encounter with the Hood and Prince of Wales which took place on 24 May 1941.  The Prinz Eugen (and Bismarck) originally had the Baltic Scheme which included some black and white angled stripes, dark gray bow and stern with fake bow waves painted at each end before the dark gray ends.  When the Bismarck and the Prinz Eugen arrived in Norway on May 21, 1941,  both ships had a hasty coat of light gray applied to them by their crews so as to make them look more like a British Warships and aid in their attempt to slip past the Royal Navy.  In photos of the time you can faintly see the Baltic Scheme through the thin coat of paint. 

I can't wait to get started on this one!!! 

Just a bump as a reminder for the build and a 'Hey, check this out!'

Over at the Model Shipwrights' website, some one (Kostas Katseas) did a great Bismark/Hood build.  I thought it was appropriate to put a link here, given our build theme.

Scott, I know you must have seen this:

http://modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=2921&page=1

A terrific inspiration for this GB.

Ya I was checking those out yesterday.  Both ships are amazing and I really like how he replicated the rough seas, gorgeous! 

Kostas knows how to model water. This is one of my favorites of his, just because of the water effect.

http://modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=2767

Would Tamiyas V-1 rocket qualify for this build?

Hello, ww2psycho,

Technically, the V-1 weapon is not considered part of the Battle of the Atlantic. They fired across the channel to the UK.

The Battle for the Atlantic build is about the fighting for control over the Atlantic sea lanes.

Ok just thought I'd ask.

Welcome  aboard, Dariusz! I'm anxious to see that kit. I've been thinking of adding it to my WWII seaplane collection.

Well the Buchanan is now in my stash and the research for USS Quick is spluttering along.

I'd like to do a British E Class Tamiya 1/700 as the Electra.  Just got back into modeling after a 25 year absence.  Slowly adding tools and paints and this would be my first completion.  A lot has changed, technique/toolwise!

A lot has changed, technique/toolwise!

You can say that again!  I've been out of it for 15 years and am catching up slowly.

I'm still trying to decide if I should change my Corvette into a mid life Agassiz or and as-is Snowberry. 

Here's a link to a May, 1941 Australian newspaper (The Age) that has an article about 'The Battle of the Atlantic';

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VzkTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OZcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7023,2120846&dq=battle+of+the+atlantic&hl=en

More linke to get in the mood. Just about a month to go to launch.

Images from Haze Gray

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/canada/bota/

A Time line:

http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-at-sea/atlantic/battle-of-the-atlantic-index.htm

You tube videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7xu0DDLIP0

And if your into PC gaming:

http://silent-hunter.uk.ubi.com/silent-hunter-5/

Interesting sidenote: The national debt was $65 Billion and the pound worth about 3x to the dollar. This is in the story next to the B of A.

Ah, yes. And here's a few other prices from 1941 (from www.tvhistory.tv):

Car: $925
Gasoline: 19 cents/gal
House: $6,900
Bread: 8 cents/loaf
Milk: 34 cents/gal
Postage Stamp: 3 cents
Stock Market: 111
Average Annual Salary: $2,050
Minimum Wage: 30 cents per hour

And I just found this great site about the HMS Hood!

http://www.hmshood.com/

Just a reminder that the launch for this GB is the 24th. I've done lots of research for my corvette and I just bought a dvd of 'The Cruel Sea' for inspiration.

See you the 24th.

Hi Aurora7. I was toying with starting up a group build but A- I'm committed to a few others already, and B- I just found yours already setting up, and think there's enough crossover that I'd prefer to just pass the info on to you, for any interested parties to explore.

2010 is the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy. Considering the 100 years, there are ample subjects, including ships, subs and aircraft. Whether there are any kits available is another thing though.

http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/centennial/

Vance,

Yeah, I came across the Canadian Navy anniversary during my research. Another reason I'm glad to be starting work on it this year.

Well I'll keep an eye on this group build for sure. If I manage to get through what I've already committed to, then ball season, I have a Hobbycraft Seafire in Navy markings I'd like to add. Talk to you later,

Vance

No Problem, Vance.

It'll take me a better part of the year for my conversion to the corvette kit so you'll have plenty of time to decide. I purposely left my end date vague, for that reason.

I decided on my boat. The HMCS Spikenard, K-198. 

I thought would be a good tribute for the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Navy. 

She had a short career: commissioned December 6th, 1940 and lost off Iceland on February 11, 1942. 77 of her crew were lost with only 8 survivors. 

Her vanquisher was the U-136, which itself was sunk in July of that year.

If I do another (or if someone else does) a 'Battle of the Atlantic'  GB in 2011, I'll use my Revell 1/72 VIIC U-Boat kit to do the U-136 as a companion piece to the Spikenard. 

Well, this is the official launch of the build. I won't have any images to post until the weekend but I'm starting my work on the hull to reduce the overly large keel and to work on squaring the stern to get her to better resemble the Spikenard (the Spikenard flower is what I'm using for my avatar). I thought the Spikenard was a good subject to represent the sacrifice that some had made during the Battle of the Atlantic.

Now that I've just about finished the construction and finishing for my wife's dollhouse, I'll have time to spend on my corvette. I've watches 'The Cruel Sea' several times since the beginning of February and I've just bought the theme to 'Victory at Sea' for my ipod. 

I'm looking forward to seeing others' builds and hope everyone has fun.

Allright! I actually opened the box of my Ju-290 today.  It looks quite impressive!  I think I am going to try and source some AM pe for the radar antennas.  With any luck, I should be able to post some pics in a few days.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone else's progress too.

Cheers,

Greg

My Fw200 is on my work bench.  I hope to be able to start this weekend but I have been keeping an eye on a spot on the ceiling above my bench where, above which is the upstairs toilet that recently had a leak and consequently did some damage to the floor/ceiling beneath it.  If that has finally dried out, I believe my main task this weekend will actually be to repair that damage.

Ok, I want to finish up a Japanese destroyer I am nearly done with before I start another ship. I think another week or two at least before I kick off my Graf Spee.

Camera batteries are dead

But so far I only have the hull sections together and I'm trying to get the aft section square by using hot water to soften it.  If I don't like the results I'll have to cut out a section of it all together and build it out of sheet plastic. I hope I can get the bending to work.

Aggieman, nothing like house maintenance to interfere with modeling time. But you can't live in a model. Good luck with the toilet.

Hey Aurora-7,

I recently had a "bender", a revell car body that was twisted and bulging on the roof near the windshield. Very obvious & had to go. I couldn't get the hot water method to work (without burning hands!) so I resorted to a hairdryer. Had to be very careful not to heat it too much, but it did work,

Vance

Ah, Thanks, Vance. I thought the Hot water would be more effective but I guess the hair dryer would be give me more control (and less chances of getting burned).

Yes, my fingers were getting pretty red (in steaming water) and the plastic wasn't giving way yet. It's probably a fine line between "just right" and "I melted a whole through it" using the hair dryer though! Good luck,

Vance