Hi Guys,

Here's a link to see my latest build, U-100. It's the Revell 1/125 kit with Nautilus resin CT w/ photoetch. Plus Steve Nuttal's scopes and barrels which look fantastic.
I did a little modification such as filling and reopening the forward most flood holes, 2 starboard, 3 port. I sanded away the exhaust cover and opened it up. Opened a couple of more flood holes under the exhaust opening and the 3 holes aft the saddle tanks. I also put in the semblances of a pressure hull with torpedo containers and exhausts.
The paints are WEM's Kriegsmarine colourcoats: Lower hull is Schiffsbodenfarbe III Grau, Upper hull is Hellgrau (Baltic), and the CT, although not WEM, is MM Light Ghost Gray.

U-100 makes for an interesting build because of the slightly darker CT and the scopes with light gray tops.

I plan on weathering and rigging it so I took pics before the gloss coat.

Enjoy!

Take Care,

Jess


Link, click here.

Hello Jess!
Hey I made your link hot for you, hope thats ok.

Congrats mate! That is one fine U-boat model! It all came together very well for you, super job!

Garry

Thanks Garry! I'm cross-eyed now but it was worth it.
No really, my first model was the 1/72 uboat so I wasn't used to dealing with such small pieces. I really felt like I went blind sometimes.

Now... the weathering....

Take Care,

Jess

Ahoy Jess!

You have done a very fine U-boot!!
I really enjoy the conning tower change! Also, Steve Nutal's periscopes and barrels are very delicate gem's (I bought one set for my old Revell 1/125 U-99).

So, let's go to the weathering and the rigging!
Try using streched sprue, with some small glass beads (for the insulators)...

Keep up the good work Mate and keep us posted!!

Skipper

Thanks Skipper!

I thought of using fishing line for the rigging.
I've never done stretched sprue before.

I never thought of glass beads. I've seen this model done with painted glue drops that looked convincing. Do they really make glass beads that small?


Thanks again,

Jess

Hi Jess!

Streched Sprue:
1 - Just grab a "clean" (without the corner parts that lead to the models pieces) lenght of sprue with 3 inches.
2 - Using a candle, place the center of the sprue about one inch from the tip of the flame. Keep rotating the sprue within your fingers, so that all that area of the sprue get the heat
3 - When the sprue starts to bend into the flame, grab the other end of the sprue and gently, but firmly and with constant speed strecht it.
4 - according to the speed you strecht the sprue, you'll get different "gauges".
Faster = tinner
Slower = ticker

Practice a while, don't use the first one.
If you'll change the speed of the strechting, you'll get a non constant gauge at your streched sprue - and this is a no good...

The beeds where just an idea - I have also seen insulators made with glue - some of them not so convincing, though

I am online now - if you need further help on the streched sprue, please ask

Skipper

Jess,

Here it is a little "graphic help" - kind of clumsy, but I think it serves the porpose!

Skipper

Wow, thanks!

Why do people use stretch sprue over thread or fishing line? Is it stiffer and/or stronger?

Just curious.

Thanks again, I'll give it a shot.

Jess

Mainly because it's the same material as the rest of the kit!

The "raw material" is there and you can have yards and yards of "line" for nothing more than a price of a candle!

Over the years I have tried line (when I was a kid), streched sprue, wire, fishing line, but I always come back to good ol' streched sprue!

But this is just me! Probably Garrybeebe will have another favorite "cable" source

Skipper

Jess she looks great! I should check into those after market parts, I like the venting along the side of the CT.

Skip... you're a Renaissance Man! You model, you do computer banners and now...you draw! What else is in that bag of skills of yours?


Yo ho ho and.......

I can read and write :-) :-)
Seamen are very skilled persons

Skipper

Stretched sprue has the advantage over other materials in that once stretched, it doesn't distort, like some nylon threads can (I heard of an aircraft modeller who rigged a biplane with nylon thread which subsequently contracted and pulle the model apart!).

Plus, being polystyrene based, it can be attached with standard cement though be careful as the finer filaments can dissolve away if too much is used.

If it hangs too slackly, I hear it can be tensioned by holding a hot knife or similar underneath. Again, practice before trying this on a model...