The official Submarine Warfare Group Build 2016 - 2017

I had enough issues doing a 1/350 Gato, would never even attempt one half that size (being around 6 inches long).  Your tweezers are going to get a workout

Looking forward to her.

I got you down Buried,

I will be intrested to see that. Your 4yo has good taste.

I know I may be to late to the party, but I just joined up.  I have a 1:700 scale USS Balao I'd love to build - and I could use the GB as a means of kicking my rear into gear.  I know its a rather small kit, from Hobby Boss - but it was a birthday gift from my 4 year old and I know he'd like to see me build it up. 

Thanks Steve

Yes I can get the stretched sprue super thin like hair but like 3 out of 5 glue points it melted and dangled, even using CA.

I found it very easy to cut off left over EZ line by using the Xuron clippers that are SUPER sharp.

That looks great PJ. Subs are a tedious weathering project, especially on something as large as a 1/144 Gato.

I've tried EZ line and like it however it seem s to be very susceptible to temp changes. I typically don't use it for mast rigging because there’s no give and it's tough to cut if there's a little bit hanging off after attached to a yard, but for life lines it looks like it works very well. I can get stretched sprue down to the width of a hair which makes it hard to see but can also tighten it up with using the smoke off an incense stick, which also make the house smell better.

Your almost there!

Thanks Steve. I have been slowly plugging away at the weathering using different color oil paints. Whats great about using the oils is that I can go back and remove what I want with no problems, even if dried, the thinner damped brush will fade the oil paint away. It's tedious work going over all those tiny holes but worth the effort IMO.

I also wasn't happy with the stretched sprue wire railings and used the recommended EZ line and man what a difference. It was so easy and fast to attach. Thanks again Rob!

The sprue took me hours to attach and was a bit thicker than what I wanted. Any thinner and even the super glue disolved the join point and the railing came loose. The EZ line attaches with tiny drop of thin CA and grabs within a couple of seconds. It took me about 10 minutes to do the railings with the EZ line.

I sound like a sales rep for them for from now on, that will be the rigging of my choice.

The flash makes the colors stand out more than under normal light. I still have to weather the starboard side and add some rust colored washes along with some more pe parts. The deck guns will also get a very light drybrushing to pop details.

Well the Hunley is about 1.5 inches too long for my Vac-former. That stinks.

Edit:

It's not much, but at least I've started!

mach71

I'm thinking of Vac forming the hull so I can do a wreck diorama also.

That would be awsome.

I think the kit is designed around the H.L. Hunley as it was found.

Everyone was surprised to see the curved bow when She was recovered and many

thought it was designed that way. 

Sometime later It was determined that errosion caused the curve along with the hole

on the forward starboard side.

I also believe the current thinking is the missing forward conning tower porthole

was caused by an anchor snag well after she sank.

I'm thinking of Vac forming the hull so I can do a wreck diorama also.

That's intresting that they would mold the bow as found and not designed.

I hope to start the Hunley this weekend;

There are not a lot of parts.

Right off the bat I see I'm going to have to fix the bow. The curve is a result

of errosion during the 130 years underwater.

Getting the spar torpedo correct is going to be interesting.

That is really looking great PJ. I like the color modulation on the hull. The weathering is going to make her look fantastic.

rob44

You may want to try ez-line. I use it for antennas for airplanes etc. It is stretchable and snaps back to it original taughtness if disturbed.

 

http://berkshirejunction.com/ez-line/

 

Rob

 

Rob I want to thank you for recommending EZ line. I have heard about it before but never tried to use it so I ordered the fine line from Ebay.

I wasn't happy how the streched sprue cable hand rails came out and took me several frustating hours to attach but the EZ line took me just minutes! I'm realy impressed at how easy it attaches with thin CA. You can even leave some slack for a natural looking droop in the rigging. I may just order a thicker one for other applications.

Need to clean up a couple of the stanchions where the sprue was removed and retouch with black paint. Hopefully i can start the weathering/rusting very soon.

Happy B-day Tony, we share that one, only I turned 64 today.  Boat looks good.

Looking good with those tiger stripes Tony. Some weathering will make it pop.

Hi Everyone,

How's this for dedication ? It's Easter Sunday, my 50th birthday, and I'm still posting progress updates here :)

Here's where my Type IX U Boat is up to. 

I always think that when my models are just painted, without detailing and weathering, that they look like toys. This one definitely needs to have an injection of realism.Cheers

Tony

Yup, I keep thinking about that painting.

The Hunley center scientists say that is the most accurate depiction of the sub.

I've always liked this painting. Nice piece of Americana.

I would go with the new version, but I like wrecks so....

Thanks for the welcome!

Looking back on the builds here, It's kind of intimidating! 

Some seriously impressive builds here. 

I'm trying to figure out where to go with my H.L. Hunley. 

What to build? 

The boat as new? as a wreck? as she is now?

Build her as a standalone or as a diorama?

The Hunley is kind of a conundrum. Lots of info available, but much of it is wrong.

The exterior hull is the pressure hull, so there are no limber holes. 

It seems that there is 1 forward ballast vent starbord and one aft port just outboard

of the conning towers. 

Steve

You missed the part I posted about "the rusting begins". The weathering is yet to come.

GH

What a difference the paint makes on the guns, they no longer look like ghosts.

And one vote for the plate.

I'm partial to brass nameplates myself.  If you go that route, maybe mount the patch to a clear acrylic panel behind the tower.....?  Your choice in any case.

Looks great so far.  Those guns did pop with some color on them.

Got one vote for the patch..............

I've been waiting to spray the guns so finally they got some NATO black.

I still need to shoot a thinned coat od NATO black to tie things in and then the rusting begins.

The guns are not glued on yet but just on to see how they look.

Comments and suggestions are welcome. The flash lightens the dark paint a bit.

I like the patch IMO, but either would work well.

Thanks GM and GH. I hate how this dum phone changes my writing.  I finally shot some  black on the deck guns and they look fabulous. Still blending the colors with the air brush.

I have a shop not far that makes the small metal signs as you described GH. I had one made a while back on another projec.

You guys think the patch is ok or the metal sign is better? 

I'm leaning on the metal sign more than the patch.

If you don't want to use the patch, you can go to a trophy shop and have a name plate made to your specs for a few bucks.

Awaiting the paint and such on your beauty.

That sure looks great. There's a lot of fine detail In there.

I look forward to your paint work.

Thanks Steve. I started this morning spraying using a combo of RLM 70 Black Green, Panzer Dark Grey and NATO  black In layers to capture the descoloration effect on a Measure 9 scheme. Thank God for the invention of the air brush and adjustable psi.

Looks great PJ, that's some fine PE and rigging work. I agree, the painting and weathering are my favorite as well.