Santa Claus in disguise as the UPS deliveryman came today
and left two new 1/144 Submarines at my house.
The Revell OG U-Boat type VII D and the Trumpeter Gato.
Two very, very nice kits. Finally we have a US submarine that you can build OTB.
Yeah, some PE will be forthcoming and it will be even better but even without the PE
this looks like a winner. The detailing is terrific.
The Revell kit is equally as nice. Straight OTB looks as if it will be a "beaut" too!
Best regards,
Gary

Well Hello, Gary!
Sounds like you have a bit of building to do, mate! And both of these model kits have been touted as good ones, and I for one would really appreciate you keeping us posted throughout your builds of these two subs (did you sign up for DDD 2 campaign? Now is a perfect opportunity if you haven't! You have TWO great entries there!! ). . . and maybe even a review, or build feature? (hint-hint! ) Either way, I wish you luck on the builds, and above all have fun with it!
Cheers,
~Gunny

Hi Mark,
I am signed up for DDD 2 and have a Type IIA Mirage U-Boat on the bench.
Been working on a couple of freelance projects this past month so no modeling lately.
Should be finished this weekend and it could be on to the "Gato". It's a fine kit.
Trumpeter is to be congratulated on this one! Long over-due, but boy did they deliver!
I'm not to familiar with the different MEASURE paint schemes so I'll have to do some research.
If I do build it right away, I'll take progressive shots and post them.
Gary

Hi Gary

As far as I know, and I have to say that I don't know everything , for that version of the sail of the Gato, meaning it's an early version, the painting scheme would be Measure 9 (overall Black) for 1942 period.

Skipper

Hi Skipper,
Thanks!
That's basically what the painting guide with the kit indicates but it also shows some areas with dark sea grey. I'm at the office now but when I get home I'll take another hard look at it.
I suppose that some of the boats that survived till the end of the war may have had some late war modifications?
Thanks,
Gary

hi Gary (again)

Yes, some of the subs suffered severall updates in sails, weaponry and also different Measures applied.
There is also the difference of the flood holes / Limber holes, which were representative of the shipyard that build it, but also some modifications ordered by the CO while on duty (enlarging the holes so that it would submerge faster).
Another situation is the Gato / Balao Class difference: for us modelers it can be made with the same hull*, since - appart from the above mentioned differences even in subs from the same class - the main difference were thicker pressure hull, different machinery, different electronics. So with some work any of the Gato/Balao subs can be made using this as a base.
Good references are needed, of course - I can give you a list if needed.
BTW, of the US WWII submarine force, 52 were lost in combat

Skipper

* it's what we have been doing for decades with the Revell Flasher/Lionfish model

Hey Gary


you're a lucky man, you've got two of the finest kits of the moment right in front of you now.

I can't give you any tips on the Gato, still waiting for her, but I'm currently also building the Revell VII-d (pics can be found in DDD2 sitrep post), and she's a really nice kit to build. hull lines up perfectly, deck fits in with less than a mm difference in total. Only thing to watch out for is stuff like railings, because they break very easily, without bending first...

good luck on the build.

brgds
warvos

Warvos,
I like what you're doing with the VII D.
The damage from a depth charge is a great visual. Great idea!
Did you have much trouble drilling out the flooding holes? It really adds to the look.
That's one nice thing you'll find about the Trumpeter Gato...the holes are actually holes...no drilling required!
Gary

This Gato is a pretty good rendition of an Early "EB" boat. The problems are few but annoying just the same. The lack of Ballast flood ports in lower hull and Screw guards which were found on some pre-warpatrol early Gatos. The 4 after torpedo tube outer doors are molded open.
( On the real Boats only one door at a time could be opened )
A nice touch was to give you port and starboard anchor wells so as you can model either a port or starboard anchor boat just by filling in the well that isnot used. The problem is they are all wrong in shape and size as is the anchor, I do know that the aftermarket company IBS has made replacement parts for these as well as a new deck gun in "wet storage configuration". I am looking forward to their upcoming late boat which is supposed to have many of the "mare Island revisions". I have heard that aftermarket PE will cover the many variations of limber holes and screw guards etc. This boat has the "correct" early pattern federal limber hole arraingment.
One last note the exhaust ports are missing from the Starboard side of the turtle back.. This is an easy correction with a pin vise..Just drill corresponding holes on same location on Starboard side that are already molded into the port side. All in all the best "plastic" fleet boat yet
.

hey Gary,


t
Drilling out the flooding holes in the nose and alongside the hull went very easily. (I used a Black and Decker rotary tool, on slowest rotation with a normal sandpaper drill thingie...Only thing I didn't drill out was the ones below the propellors, because the plastic is just to thin there. I'd recommend you to do the same, although I'm curious to know if anybody can actually drill those out without damaging the bodywork.

Does the GAto have fully drilled walking plate paterns on deck, or the same as with the VII-d, half drilled holes and below that just alot of plastic?
(i drilled every hole on the deck on my 1/72 Vii-c completely, but on the 1/144 it's just impossible, there's more plastic than there are holes....

once you get started on the GAto, please post as many update pics as possible, cause this is a project a lot of us will want to follow up on on close range!!

brgds
warvos

Warvos,
Glad to hear that the drilling on the VII D is fairly easy.
Will take some close-up photos of the Gato deck and tube openings, etc and post it this weekend. It has very delicate detail for the planking and there is an inner tube (pressure hull?) that fits inside the hull the length of the sub. Even with the errors that Walt pointed out, it's a great kit. I plan to start on it towards the end of next week. OOB with no PE. I'm putting PE on the little Mirage IIA u-boat and it's a pain. Just want to have fun with the Gato though, so NO PE for me.
Gary

Well...

My Gato is in the mail - should be a good surprise when it arrives!
Good point outs by "Smiley" (Walt Magnavice) and good hints for AM companies
We just have to wait and see what pops out in the next couple of months

Skipper

Hi Skipper,
Congrats on your expected delivery. You can bet some PE for the Gato will be out soon.
I think it's going to be a popular kit cause alot of folks aren't going to want to do a "room addtion" to their house for the Revell Gato. :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
Seriously, not having started to build it yet, it appears to be vey nice kit.
Gary

Ahoy mates!
Sorry it took so long to get back with these images.
My freelance work kept me tied up till this weekend.
Hear are shots of the fore and aft tube openings and the deck scribing.
I just rubber banded the three hull and deck pieces together and the fit is pretty good. Minor sanding will be necessary where the forward portion of the deck fits into the right and left sides of the hull.
As you can see the deck scribing is very delicate.





I don't think that correcting the aft tube openings should be that hard.
Anybody have any reference photos?
Gary