Pity there's not a current campaign for small boats. Looks like I might actually finish a model! This is Revell's 1/72 Schnellboot. I've been working on it for a few weeks and completing sub-assemblies. So far I'm using Griffon PE, which is, at times, a real PITA, and some scratch detailing.




1001 Archer rivets and weld beads later, I got the forecastle and bridge/wheelhouse done.

That conning tower looks very nice, mate!

That's PRETTY nice work on the rivets and weld beads - -!! Looking really great so far!!

Cheers,
Jan

Ditto that! The rivets look very convincing. Is 1001 the finish, or have you only just got started

cheers
Michael

I think (hope) that all the rivetting is finished. The rivets look a little over-size, but when painted, look better. I think it's because the actual rivet is smaller than the colored dot it's printed on. These are HO scale rivets. The N scale would have been good for the smaller rivets, but the scale spacing makes them too close together, and they end up looking more like a weld bead. It's difficult to study the actual rivet pattern from photos because the rivets sometimes don't even show much. I may have left out a few rivets - any rivet-counters out there?

The interior of the bridge. Looks a little spartan, but there's not much reference available. Again I added some riveting (the N scale ones here), and corrected the communication window between bridge and chart room, and added simplified vertical MG ammo racks. PE doors from the Griffon set.

BTW, the targeting computer platform has to be lowered by about 2 1/2 - 3 mm's, as it's too high for a properly proportioned computer column.



A new and improved targeting computer:



And the roof of the chart-room:


I scratched new cable spreaders, and the radar with clear radome. I made the clear radome from the end of a plastic capsule that a model RR company (Kaydee) uses to market tiny coupler springs in. They're almost exactly the right diameter.

And finally, the chart room rear wall:


I correctly repositioned the cylindrical vent (or whatever), and added a wood platform between the signallers steps, as some S 100 class had them. All for now!

...and not only your rivets and weld beats look great, all your other build here as well!! Very nice job!

Cheers,
Jan

- - but chart room rear wall, lower row, I think you're one rivet short

In my opinion, you're doing a good job.

Some good work going into this

I'll be watching your progress with interest

Kev

Thanks. More pics tomorrow.

I better be...I'm using one of your books for reference!

Lordy, no ................................

Impressive start so far! I will surely watch your blog as I have the same boat with a lot TLC lurking at the shelf...

May I ask you which specific rivets from Archer you did used at your boat? They have so much different

Cheers

Thomas

Ahoy Biggles2

Great subject.

Great build.

Great thread.

Please keep posting the updates.

Cheers


Sean

Hi Thomas;
I used Archer HO #88103 1.25" rivets, but on retrospect I might have used #88025, or 88026 for the smaller rivets. For the welds, #88062. http://www.archertransfers.com/SurfaceDetailsMain.html

Hi Garth;
I'm using three books (including yours) as reference. I'm just about ready to start painting and all three books are vague, or contradictory, concerning the hull colors. Since I'm building a late S100 class, would the lower hull be painted overall black, or red with black bootstripe? Or does it matter?

Will be watching this build with interest.

Be careful when building up the torpedo tubes, Revell made a goof - the loading doors should swing outwards towards the guard rails, not inwards as the instructions show.

prinzeugen.com

Good on-line reference, big section devoted to S-boats.

I missed that detail! Too late for that as they're already completed, but as I'm modelling them closed it won't be overly obvious.

Some more progress pics:

Cable turnbuckles. May not be 100% accurate, but they're better than nothing, and are good-looking turnbuckles. They're actually 1/48 scale WWI aircraft turnbuckles from Gaspatch.





Dry fit of components. I combined Griffon PE parts and original kit parts on the torpedo racks as some of the PE was really impossible! The gun PE really looks good, but the 3.7 cm is completely PE and is very fragile. I've ordered replacements from CMK - they're resin, PE, and turned brass. Should look even better. I scratched new containers on the men's mess roof, either side of the hatch. The kit ones were simple moulded-on cones.
More later.

My motley crew. Crew men are from Hecker-Goros, and the bridge crew from Andrea:


Looks like the officers have been into the rum! Or are doing a victory jig! They're posed that way to suit the bridge cockpit.
I don't know why Hecker-Goros had to include one guy with pre-war cap!

The 1:72 late war Schnellboot Stan built for me has an overall black bottom - which - as I was told by David Krakow, correct ... so ---

Thanks Garth!

Rightiroo.