Starting to close up the hull last night. Got tired of looking for my airbrush, so I picked up a couple of cans of spray paint.

that's what I plan for my hull interior Testors gloss black in a can (left over from something) figure the gloss will be kinda relefective like it was wet. Probably run a piece of real thin cardstock down the centrline to avoid the hollow look effect. But I still have a 113 for the Bucket campaign and an M-46 for the Korea campaign to build and I'm finally working again so yours will probably be done before I start which is a good plan as I'll get all the great tips from you.

Wow, got two days in a row of things done. Glued the hulls together last night and reinforced the seam today with epoxy.

I also got the baffles installed.

HI salt
I just came to the same point where you are now. The hull halves are together, and now I can start puttying away all the holes and gaps between the torpedo tubes and the hull (got a bit carried away with the dremel tool... lol. In the beginning you told that you were planning to keep 2 tubes open, but on the pics I can't see if you did that or not. ON my model all 4 tubes are open, but something really looks wrong... I'll try to add some pics to prove my point, but I was wondering if you experienced any problems on that part.
If I look from the bottom of the hull upwards, there is just open space just above the upper torpedo launch tubes, which shouldn't be I guess. I was also wondering if the torpedo tubes shouldn't have some kind of doors attached??

That detailed bulkhead piece depicts the front end of the torpedoes. I believe the closed hatch / door would be at the other end of them. The doors you opened up are for streamlining the vessel for sailing the so called "outer doors". So no you don't need anything else unless you are going to have one of the torpedoes as having been launched, then you'll need to build a tobe around that area. Talk about super-detailing...HOOO BOY !!!

I think there should be a plate or bulkhead above the upper pair of torpedo tubes. Since I was going to close the upper doors I didn't bother. I believe there needs to be an outer door for the torpedo tube in addition to the hull outer door. How else would a torpedo be loaded? The question is is the hull door opened first or the outer torpedo tube door.

Here is a photo of the torpedo doors.



Also any ides on replacing revet detail? I'm thinking of using a divider to mark the locations and then using epoxy.

I am meerly speculating, but I believe the outer doors are always closed when not in use, are watertight so that when the torps are loaded they are ready to go. I've never heard the command open inner doors given in the moives,,,sorry but I am a tanker not a submariner. You might go on the maodel warship or steel navy web asn pose the question, in fact I'll go do it as now I am curious.

White Ensign is do a set with the doors.


http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/pe/whiteensign/72-uboat/u-boat.html

What I found out that salt 6 did as wll with his WEM set diagram is yes there is a set of doors. In order to fire a torpedoe, they have to be opened first, then the outer doors which would obscure them. so you would never see them. When ship was in dry dock, you might have reason to just open outer doors thereby showing the inner doors.

Hey Steve,

That's really good info on the doors. Still have to make one for the rear tube. Better just one than five.

Small update tonight.

Trimmed the prop shafts so that the mounting lug won't show through the vents. Also replaced some detail with strip styrene. And last I finished the wield seams on the saddle tanks with stretched sprue. I also super glued some Evergreen HO scale 4x4s on the lip for the deck. This will bring the photo etched brass deck up to the correct level.

Hi Salt6

You've been working a lot!
I have the Nautilus models wooden deck (real neat for the boat I intend to do) with WEM PE set... They are both great and will simplify some work and lighten your wallet
But still waiting for the final item and then will start making it!

Please keep up the excellent work and keep us posted and updated on your work!!

Skipper

PS: just a silly question: don't you want to join the "Dive!-Dive!-Dive!" Campaign?

I'll have to think about joining. I've only got about 90 minutes of modeling in since the last update.

Hi Salt6!

No need to hurry - I don't have many time either... so the indecision in what model should I enter with...

We have untill May to end the project we propose!

But give it a tought
No real pressure on my post - My wish is that you finish the model in a way that you feel that you have acomplished a real masterpiece!!

Keep up the good work,

Skipper

The only problem is the start date. He is well on his way to completing model. Technically you aren't supposed to start the kit until the official start date, which is why I put mine down after drilling out some of the drain holes, You could go out and get one of those cheap little 400 scale Uboat's from Mirage to actually do the campaig with, pose it next to your show iece 72nd scale. That's my fall back if it looks like I won't fiinsh my Revell kit

Got some work done to the conning tower. Had to trim the front tabs on the Modelbrass deck but otherwise a nice fit and look.

I also questioned the torpedo doors. I brought it up at uboat.net and the all knowing Rainer Bruns enlightened me:

Author: Rainer Bruns (---.goeaston.net)
Date:   12-13-04 22:59

Hi Jess,
since you mentioned 'Anatomy of...', I must assume your query is regarding the type VII boat.
On the type VII the fairing doors were hinged on the fwd edge and cranked inboards toward the center line by means of a worm gear and crank. Once parallel to the C/L it would be clear of the outer tube doors. The tube doors were hinged on the inboard sides (i.e. port ones on right, starboard one on left sides). They would swing open also parallel to the C/L and the eels could be launched.
The stern tube arrangement was different: Outer fairing would be cranked upwards into a free-flooding compartment directly above and the outer tube door were hinged on top instead of the side as the fwd tubes. Rgds, RB

If you have any questions about u boat technicalities, he can answer them.

Jess

It's been awhile but got some work done on the conning tower. Work and the Type XXI seems to be getting in the way. One thing I found out with the Modelbrass set is the tower hatch needs to be shimmed.

I'm at the finishing stages of mine. I had perfect fit of the conning tower pieces. I cut up some sections of the original deck sanded them down and used them as attachment points for the brass decks. took the long remaining pieces and made a styrene bracket to lower them a half inch or less and put them in hull to eliminate the see through look and give idea of pressure hull from top. at bottom added a couple of pieces btwn the bottom cutout replacement pieces. I'm curing now, (painted the deck 4 days ago and the conning and upper hull yesterday) but tomorrow will probably finish up with the dark lower hull color, then onward with the detailing and that rigging whcih I am going to do in "b" string extra fine guitar string

I just made another batch of UBoat sets
2 scopes 2 guns and propeller shafts
$36.50 for all plus shipping

Steve, got the scopes and barrels. Sweet! Shipping container was thinking out side the box.

Anyway got some things doe and am closer to closing up the hull.





http://www.salt6.com/u_boot.htm




SB