"This inbox review is of the Revell Models Gato class submarine, in 1/72 scale plastic injection mold."

The Gato...

In the first few months immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor, it was the USN submarine force that began unlimited war against Japan. While the surface forces regrouped and repaired, the submarines began attacking Japanese shipping through out the Pacific.

Through the war, American submarines sunk the warships of the Imperial Japanese navy and cut the lifeline of merchant vessels that provided Japan with oil and other vital raw materials. They also performed other important missions like staging commando raids and rescuing downed pilots. The most successful of the U.S, Fleet submarines during World War 2 were those of the Gato class.

Evaluation-product detail

One of the first things you will notice with this kit is the sheer size of the box; it’s 54” long and very sturdy. There are 266 kit pieces, molded out of light grey and clear plastic. Revell has given this kit their highest build difficulty rating of 3 (12 years).

The kit can be built modelers choice, of four different Gato class submarines: the USS Cobia (SS-245), USS Growler (SS-215), USS Silversides (SS-236), and the USS Flasher (SS-249). Some of the kit sprue’s are shipped in their own plastic bag, while others have 2 or 3 sprue’s per bag. The molding is great, clean and clear, lot's of detail, crisp lines, with little flash on the parts. Very minimal cleanup will be required as you build this kit.

Parts Break-down

Inner cardboard:
Left and right Central hull parts are shipped wired on a piece of cardboard, inside the box.

Sprue 0384R11XX (2 ea):
This sprue has the hull assembly pins, stanchions, bow planes, bow plane strut, bow plane pivot, small locker doors and cleats.

Sprue 0384R10XX:
This sprue has parts for the deck gun, deck gun mount, top and bottom sail locker tubes, rear deck locker tube, rear deck gun aiming post, gun deck railing, and parts for the tower assembly.

Sprue A:
Top and Bottom vent cap, aft planes, propeller struts, rudder, and gun assembly.

Sprue B:
Parts for the base.

Sprue C:
Anchor, propeller shafts, propellers, propeller guards, and companionway trunk.

Sprue D:
Sail deck

Sprue E:
Forward deck

Sprue F:
Central deck

Sprue G:
Aft deck

Sprue H:
Front and rear bulkhead

Sprue I:
Bilge keel

Sprue J:
Side vent plates

Sprue K:
Right side sail and support structure

Sprue L:
Left side sail

Sprue M:
Aft sections

Sprue N:
Bow assembly

Sprue O:
Bow assembly

Sprue P:
Sail Front

Clear Sprue:
Gun sights and light lenses

Accessory bag:
Rods for base, thread for rigging, wire for sail ladder rungs, and periscope tubes.

Instructions:
Very nicely detailed instructions

Decal sheet:
Markings and signal flags for 4 different Submarine variants

Mission envelope:
Mission orders directing you to the revell site. You will be able to watch special movies with a code provided, and a chance to buy items relating to the Gato class.

Final Comments

This is a very finely molded kit. It may be a little high priced for some, but the cost is well worth the product that you receive. All of the sprue’s (except for 2 of them) were not numbered (I designated letters on my own), for review purposes and identification.

The instructions did not have any sort of inventory diagram of the sprue’s, where you could tell at a glace if something was missing. At the bow of the ship, the torpedo tube doors are molded in the closed position, and the aft tubes are molded in the open position, so if this an area that you would like to change, then it may involve some work. As a whole this kit will be a very nice "Out-of-Box" build.

Acknowledgements/further details

Revell.com
Modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net
Wikipedia.org