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General Ship Modeling
Discuss modeling techniques, experiences, and ship modeling in general.
Railings for 1/400 U-boat
swampfox
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United States
Joined: June 10, 2002
KitMaker: 52 posts
Model Shipwrights: 0 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 06, 2002 - 11:40 AM UTC
Anyone know if there's an aftermarket company that makes railings for 1/400 U-boats? If not anyone have a suggestion on how to make them? What I have Mirage?? 1/400 U-boat with "Bibber" mini subs on the deck. It's a nice kit, but the raised, circular gun platform at the rear of the conning tower has no railings. According to my references, not only does the railing have to be nearly a complete circle but it angles outward also. The only thing I've come up with is to drill some holes for the posts and angle them outwards and then make the railings with stretched sprue. I was hoping there might be an easier way.
modelguy2
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Ohio, United States
Joined: March 09, 2002
KitMaker: 818 posts
Model Shipwrights: 278 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 06, 2002 - 12:48 PM UTC
Hi Swampfox,

Gold medal Models makes quite a few 1/400 sets-nothing specific for the U-Boats though.
Toms Modelworks site has a 1/400 type II/VII set listed with a price TBA...MG2
Kencelot
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Florida, United States
Joined: December 27, 2001
KitMaker: 4,268 posts
Model Shipwrights: 0 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 06, 2002 - 05:44 PM UTC
Have a look over here: White Ensign Models
Thor
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Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: June 19, 2002
KitMaker: 190 posts
Model Shipwrights: 0 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 06, 2002 - 06:17 PM UTC
Hi there,

I faced the same problem with two 1/400 U-boats from Mirage Hobby i made. What i did to solve this problem was the following:

I took some small electric cables (diameter approx. 1.5-2mm) and stripped the rubber of them. Inside of each cable were alot of copper wires (id say 50 or so) which had a very small diameter = perfect for 1/400 scale submarines. I used these for the cables that go from the conning tower to the front and rear end of the boat. For the circular gun platform at the rear of the conning tower and the railings i used some wire (also from elecric cables) with a diameter that was slightly bigger then the diamter of the copper wire i mentioned. I made the railings by bending the wire with a pair of pincers until i had the desired form. I made the circular form of the gun platform by winding the wire around a pencil.

Its a very simple way to make the railings and it looks very good! And.......its cheap

Hope this helps!

Dolf

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