Ahoy David,
The models I mentioned in the previous post will lend themselves very well to
a surface or docked u-boat. The Nichimo or the Mini Hobby Models kits hulls are
split at the waterline so if the u-boat is in "water" you don't have to go through
the ordeal of cutting the hull.
There are two more kits available with split hull at the waterline.
Mini Hobby Models 1:200 IX-B ........single deck conning tower. The IX-C had the
double decked wintergarten.
Academy Minicraft 1:150 Type IX-B u-boat. This kit has an unusual diving mechanism
(toyish) but if you use the upper hull, deck and tower, it will make for a fine model
when shown on the surface. The are a couple of holes that will have to filled in though.
There is a build of this kit at:
http://www.steelnavy.com/AcademyUIXBjp.htm
This the Academy 1:150 scale Type IX-B that I converted from this kit.
Please note that the conning tower was superdetailed and the propulsion
and dive mechanisms were heavily modified.
Cheers,
Joe