Hi, I going to include any photographs ( the photos are very poors, sorry), of my model u-99 revell 1/125. I'm trying to make the u-boat type VIIC model U-552 of Ericc Topp. All the details have been working with scratch building. Thanks to Joe, your model is my guide.
Rest a lot of details but I'm going to try to finish it soon..













Thanks and happy new year from Spain.

Holla Miguel,
Como estas?

Your U-552 is muy muy bueno!

Now back to English
I see that your u-boat is coming along very nicely!
Regardless that you say that the photos are not so good,
I see that the paint has added so much to the bare plastic
of when you first posted the pictures.

The tones of this boat are coming along just beautifully.
I like the lighter grey of the upper hull with the contrast to
the lower hull.

Just can't wait to it finished and with the decals for U-552.

I remember when we first corresponded on this forum
and you told me that you wanted to build the U-96 and I
made you some decals. Then you decided to model
U-552 (The Red Devil). I remember making and send-
ing you those little decals and u-boat badge that you
were so thankful for.

Ironically, I learned after X-mas that Admiral Erik Topp
passed away. It is certainly sad to loose such a famous
u-boat commander and a man who did so much in his
post war carreer.

I guess the building of U-552 will have so much more
meaning now, it will be like rendering hommage to the
man who commanded it: Herr Erik Topp.

Talk to you soon and anxiously waiting for the final
pictures.

Have a nice day and happy modelling!
Joe

Joe, Gracias mi comandante. In english, Thank you my commander.
It is an honour for me that you like it my u-boat. Yes I like to make this u-boat because I think that Ericc Topp was a great u-boat's man. But You need to know that without your help it would have been impossible for me.

Both your decals as the badget are waiting the moment to be included in the work. I hope that my u-boat will be reproduced as well as possible the what was the u-552.

Thank you very much Joe for your support, and I hope soon to show any photographs with more details.

I'm working with the guns, anchor and...probably in the next days I could to put your decals previous to continue with the paint working.

Ah, I like very much to see your new work, I see your new u-boat and it is fantastic.....since it is normal in all your models.

Thank you. I hope to see soon. Best regards and we need to continue with ours "u-boat silent running".

Thanks and happy day, my friend.

Chao , hasta pronto (see you soon) and take care (cuidate).

Chao.... Captain.

Holla Miguel

Your u-boot is turning out great! I can see that Joe has helped a lot on your work, but I have to say that YOU HAVE DONE IT

I really enjoyed all the extra details you have added to the Revell kit.

Please keep us updated on your work - and see if you can take better pictures, maybe for a MOD feature?

Hasta

Skipper

Coming along very nice!

Thank you Skipper, I am sorry to answer you very much so late. I have had too much work. Thank you very much for your support. Yes the photographs are not good. I hope that the next ones should be better.
In this moment I am working with the guns. I hope that this working can be finished soon.
Thank you for all.
Happy day and I hope to see soon.

and sorry. thank you very much Rokket2001, I?m very happy that you enjoy this model. Thanks (amigo)+

Chao.

Holla Miguel

One suggestion with your photos:
Try to take the picture "un poco mas lejo de lo modelo"
I think that your camera doesn't have a good macro lens, so take them a little more distant.
You'll see they will be better

Hasta
Skipper

Hi, Skipper, Yes Ok, I will try to take the photographs a more distant. I am not an expert, sorry, but in the next photographs I will try to make the photos as well as possible.

Ah, Skipper your Spanish language is very good, thanks.

Soon , I hope soon to finish the u-552 u-boat. In this moment I am working with the antennes wire and paint details. Two days ago I had a problem with the paint on the connig tower. You remember, the conning tower is painted with a mixing of Gunze light grey+flat white tamiya+ gloss white tamiya...
I don´t had any problem with the upper hull , but in the conning tower I see the surface too gloss.
I prefer all the u-boat in matt colour... and probably I'm thinking don´t apply any matt barnish, because I don´t have experience about barnish.

I have a Microscale Flat barnish, but I don´t know if this product is good to apply on this close zone, where I see this gloss effect.

So, it is probably, in order to solver this problem, I will apply tamiya flat white (matt colour) on this gloss surface. I hope to recover the matt colour another time.

Thanks, and happy day.

Holla Miguel

Gracias por el complimento, más mi español no heres assi tan bueno! Verdad?
Nosotros estamos solamente lejos 600km, la proxima vez que io vá a Madrid, o lo mejor nos encontaremos - o si tu visitares Lisboa!!!

Ok - now with the common language!
If you can get Humbrol Matt Varnish, get it.
Once you shake and steer it well, it is very easy to apply, even with a brush and the result is great!
It goes well over acrilics.

Give it a try!!!

Gracias por todo! E io aguardo tus photos de lo U-552 para um MOD!
Skipper

Thanks Skipper. Yes of course, the distance between Lisboa and Madrid is very short. I will be very happy to see you in Madrid or in Lisboa. I'm thinking to take some days on holidays (i don´t know but it is probably for the next year) to visit your city.

Yesterday, I take the connig tower with the Tamiya flat white thinning with X24A and "voila" the new coat is matt colour.

Now, the next step, "the red devil decal". I have micro-set (of Microscale market) but my model surface is matt colour. I don´t know if it is necessary to apply one gloss barnish coat where I'm going to put this decal before to apply the micro-set product...

The question is: I can to apply the micro-set product with a matt surface or it is neccesary the gloss surface.

Thanks Skipper, and I hope to send you more photographs (the best) when the u-boat will be finished.

Thanks, and happy day, my friend.

Chao.

Holla Miguel!

Decals are best aplyed over gloss surface.
They set better and also let the air trapped to escape.
The film that surrounds the painted decals also "disapear" when the surface is gloss!
You should also give another coat of gloss varnish to seal the decal.
This way you will not have a silvering effect.

After that you can paint the matt varnish

Skipper

Thanks Skipper, Ok, Yes, I'm going to make your process. The decal is very small (You know the scale is 1/125). I'm going to apply this method only in the zone where the decal will be located.
The surface have not lines, rivets,... I think that it is not necessary to apply the microsol solution, so the process could be the follow:

1. Gloss coat on the surface. X-22 Tamiya clear or Microscale Gloss coat.
2. With brush, I apply the microscale set solution before to put the decal
3. Gloss coat on the decal. X-22 Clear or microscale Gloss coat.
4. Matt barnish.

I think that this process is correct, but I am not sure.

Thanks Skipper. It is probably I need to make some tests.

Happy day.

Holla Miguel

Yes, that's it

Skipper

Nice 7 Miguel, its comming along great!
Those details in the tower can be hard, specially the wood strips, painting those can be difficult! Looking forward to seeing more as you progress

Thank you very much. Yes, the details into the conning tower are difficult to reproduce because the size of the model is very small. But I'm going to try to reproduce as well as possible. (remember, this is my first model).

Now, I'm working with the guns, anchor and the wires. It is possible that u-552 model it is finished soon (I hope).

Thank you Skipper for your help.

I don´t forget it. In the next days, I'm going to make any photographs with the new advances.

Thank you very much. and happy day .
"Chao" from Spain

You're Welcome Miguel

Skipper

Hi, I have any photographs for my u-boat U-552 Type VIIC (Erick Topp). My u-boat is near to finish.
I hope your suggestions: Thanks











The photographs are very bad (the colour is burned), but I'm thinking to buy a digital camera in the next days. I hope in the future to take photos more detail and more beautiful pictures.


happy modelling.

Holla Miguel!

It was worth the wait because it turned out beautifull!
Excellent built and very good weathering - and from what I can tell, a very high level of detail!

Once you get the new camera, take some practice photos and once you get the feeling for the camera, take about a dozen or more for a MOD Feature on your U-boot! It deserves it!!

Una vez más, felicitaciones por un modelo extraordinario, muy bueno!!!

Skipper

Wow, it looks beautiful! Construction, painting, toning, wearhering, detailing all look perfect to me!

Congratulations, I wish I will be able to build mine as you have made.

Cagin

Beautiful work, Miguel!
Your U-boat is definitely something to be proud of mate! You did a great job modeling this subject, and as Rui has said, please take some more pics to send in for a MOD feature, so that we all can get a really good look at your build...thanks for sharing!
~Gunny

Miguel,

What can I say that has not already been said? I think you should be very happy and very proud of what you have created. When reading you initial comments, it sounded as if you had some concerns. I would say that you had no reasons to worry. Very nice finish indeed Miguel.

So, when can we expect another?

Thank you very much. Thanks for your supports and comments about my u-552 u-boote scratch building. I hope to take any photos with (in the next days) my new digital camara. All photos in this review have been taken with my old analogic camera. I hope in the futur to show best photographs and one review (building process and method) for my first u-boat.
I am very happy with the results but I have needed a lot of time. (for all modifications and added).

OK, Skipper, thank you very much, if you like when I will take any photographs with my new camera, say to me which is the method to include this model in the MOD's area.

Thank you very much from Spain

"happy day and happy modelling". Chao

Hi, Canbash, not long ago I have been in Turkey (in Ankara). My company send to me in order to work in TAI company. It is a nice country. I have big friends in turquia from this travel.
Regards from Spain, and I hope to see your model soon.

Awesome Miguel. How did the spiderwire work for you? Man, what a beautiful model. She looks like she has seen a lot of miles.

Kenny

Holla Miguel,

I have been away for sometime and today I check in, what do I see... an amazing surprize! ...Miguel's U-552 !

What a beautiful model...just amazing! I just love the details,
the paint and the weathering. BRAVISSIMO !!!

As skipper once commented, it is amazing what can be done
with a model from such an old mold.

Once again...BRAVISSIMO!

Have a nice day and happy modelling!

Thanks Kenny and Joe, Thank you for your support me with this model. The spidderwire was included in the lateral landyards. it is a great material, thanks for sending to me this material, I am very satisfied with it.
As you can be see, Joe, the "red devil" and the badget are included also. They are great details for one u-boat.

Now, I just buy a digital camera ("sony") and the memory stick. I had to do a big effort (is a lot of money). But now, I can to do a new review with new photographs. I hope to obtain better results. Thank you for your help me .
and happy day form Spain