Probably something with a typical German sense of humour like "iron life jacket" or "self propelled coffin"
Cheers,
Julian

Al

Looking really good Alan.

For the grey, i would reckon XF19, sky grey, under a bit weathering should look anbout right.

Si

Thanks Simon.

Al

Hi Guys,

Bit more progress, PE fitted. On Parts 4PH and 5PH you need to cut 3mm off the length. I found I needed to take a little more so fit and adjust with these two parts. They bend/fold in a certain fashion, if you fold them the wrong way and try and reverse it then they will probably snap as happened to one of mine.

Also note when you fit these parts to the side supports that although they are fixed to the side of the sub, the supports are still very flexible which makes fitting the parts tricky - good luck there.





This leave the periscope to be made and the top hatch fitted. I re-located one of the brass dials above the control panel and may or may not move the other. There are also 2 small side fins I need to make from plastic strip and fit to the side of the sub as per the reference pics.

Paint is on order, so with a bit of luck I should get most of the main work finished by the end of the week.

Al

Oh, a torpedo question? would the rear end be a brass/nickle type colour and the war heads copper? Thanks

Al

Hi Guys,

As well as the torpedo question above would I be correct in thinking that the first of the tall 'masts' on top of the conning tower is the periscope. If so does it need a little lens drilled into it?

Thanks

Al

Torpedo, from the images I've seen they seem to be Brass at the front then variously steel, painted or brass to the rear and the middle sections in museums always seem to be painted but in period pictures bare metal. Some times the head was painted red 1/2 & white 1/2, divided longways.

The build is looking good and also there is a good library of reference material building up for other builders (me) in the future...

Cheers

Adam

Hi Adam,

Thanks, a timely reply as I'm just painting them now, so a gun metal type colour for the centre sections perhaps?

Al

Hi Guys,

Her she is with a first coat of XF 19 Sky Grey. The only addition are the small side fins I added last night. Also a couple of pics of my periscope base, which I made from plastic rounds.

Al

Hi Guys,

here's how things stand after a playful few hours.



Would the subs have had a matt or semi gloss/gloss finish?

thanks

Al

Hi Guys,

Here are how things stand at the moment.







Al

I must say that your Biber is comming out nicely - may I suggest a Seehund next ? - putting a figure next to it - would show the scale nicely.

Cheers/Jan

Hi Jan,

Many thanks,

No German Sailors I'm afraid although i do have some Royal Navy Chaps:) regarding another, if they bring out an X Craft I would most certainly get one of those.

I have done a tiny bit more weathering but I thik this is about done.



Were do you put the finished picture?


Al

Ahoy Alan,

Excellent work! I really like the fact that you have kept the weathering subtle.

I see that you have added the piping aft of the tower/sail to represent the
Biber at the IWM.
I have always wondered what that pipe assembly is for
as I have never seen it any of my reference photos.
Also from reading , the U boat crews were very ill equipped as far as
daily work wear, lots of handed down surplus wear from other branches
so any tank crew wear or maintenance crew in overalls would look appropriate
around the sub....just paint the caps appropriate for the KM.

I am presently modifying & painting a u boat capt. figure in captured British combat dress as see in many reference photos. So artist license is
appropriate when it comes to daily work dress of KM personnel.

A suggested book: Osprey U boat crews 1914-1945

Cheers,
Joe

Hi Joe,

Many thanks. I'm afriad I have no idea what the addition is, some sort of exhaust vent perhaps?

The two crew that come with the kit I'm converting to RN Petty Officers. I originally bought the kit thinking it might make an interesting load for the back of a 4.5 ton trailer I have (yet to build) but it might be a bit big .

If so, I can think of a few othe options to use it in, being inspected by some Brits perhaps, or a a prize being carted off in a LCVP/LCM 3 . Time will tell but it wasa fun build, not something I'd tried before.

Thanks for all you help..

Cheers

Al

A very nice looking build Alan. Looks suitably weathered. The exhaust extension looks very good, I still can't figure out what the two thin pipes in front of the fin are for though.
Julian

Hi Julian,

Many thanks. I can't help there at the moment, they look electrical, but I have no idea what they are for I'm afraid.

Al

Looks really Good Al,

like the nice subtle weathering not to heavy, I have a feeling those boats didn't have a long life expectancy

Shall definitely be picking on up.

Si

Hi Simon,

Many thanks, my first sub lol, lol. It's a pretty basic kit so look for a good price. I don't know a lot about them but many never returned and poisoning from the fumes seems to have been a real problem either that or dying from the cold.

Not quite a one way mission but pretty close.

Cheers

Al

Excellent work Al. I'm not really into boats but seeing this tempts me to go searching for a bargain on the interweb

Thank you Pat, kind of you to say so.

Makes for a nice change form the OD

Cheers

Al

Nice build. I'm working on the Bronco Seehund right now and want to find a figure to sit under to domed hatch.

Hi Steve,

Thanks. U models have some German Sailors that might be useful. I've seen others but I can't remember who, maybe Royal Models or Warriers.

Al

Thanks for the tips. I'd like to snag something simple and cheap like the figures Italeri supplied with this kit.

Very helpful thread! Thanks!