Calling all Kriegsmarine U-boat Type VII fans

[rshoker]

What is the best 1/72 photo etch detail kit for the REV 1/72 VII (First issue)? And why do you think so?

[les]

I've used the Eduard set. There's plenty there. Instructions are good too. There are bigger sets. It just depends on how "fiddly" you want to be and your skill level.

[rshoker]

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:22 pm Post subject: Do I drill out the deck flood holes?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok guys, thanks to this great forum I now have the right photo etch, all the hull flood holes are drilled out. do I drill out the deck holes? I have done a couple, And I must say they look awesome!!! But holy cow, this will easily DOUBLE the build time. Do you guys think it is worth it? Just looking for opinions. BTW, I did it by very carefully using a grinding ball from the back, then when I got the paltic very thin, using an excto knife to open them up.

Thanks!

Randy

[les]

You could sand the underside of the deck to expose the holes or get a wooden deck.

[Tracy White]

I think the deck looks fine with a wash, but a deck with the openings drilled looks GREAT in the pressure hull area.

[krgf15]

Were the later wooden decks stained like the U.S. navy did?

[John]

does anyone know if there is a photo etched set for a u-boat type IX C in 1/400? I thought I heard Mirage did one but can't find it anywhere----Have got 1/400 Mirage U-176---Thanks---John

[Olaf Held]

Randy, I think there are brass decks with opened holes available as well. If you already drilled out a few of the deck holes, your question about whether you should drill them out came a bit late, eh?

About the wooden decks, yes, could be called "stained" but I'm not sure about this. They slabbed something on it that prevents rotting. The initial colour was black but it quickly faded to grey. Possible that the wooden colour came through after some time. Plenty of possibilities for U-boat modellers...

Hope this helps ~ Olaf

[bb-56]

Hi what is a great U boat kit to build?

[HMAS]

Without a doubt the best U-boot kit to build is the OTW Designs
http://www.otwdesigns.com/
http://www.otwdesigns.com/NewStuff/News.htm
not only does it look fantastic it works!
Tony
ok a sub nut as well

[Guest]

How is the 1/200 nichimo kits?

[Guest]

Type VII is very reasonably priced and detailed from the box. 1/72 scale (3" long). OTW is nice... if you want a second mortgage or have to have RC. Revells can be made several diferrent ways and there is a ton of aftermarket

For a Type XXIII- Special Navy is very nice

BTW, Toms Modelworks produces brass etched sets for 1/400 scale u-boat

Dave

[bb-56]

Step by step video of a Revell build, the rust weathering in part 2 is a must see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nmcstQnPYM

part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTnjcxeq ... re=related

[Guest]

Are the MiniHobby IX-B and IX-C kits the same kits as Nichimo Wolfpack IX-B and IX-C??

[klein loewietje]

Question about the VIID-minelayers.
Where those equiped with the extra portside antenna, fitted to the outside of the conning tower?
I am quite sure they were, but I'd like to have some photographical (or official documents) evidence, especially for U215, that they had indeed the antenna, and if they were as build or added later.

Thank you in advance, Johan (who's back on the forum after a 10 month break )

[V-103]

I got the new Flagman 1/350 Type VIIc recently. It's quite a nice kit in some areas, but it will need a bit of work in others. Here are some points I've noticed so far...

Detail - Nice and crisp in some areas, a bit soft in a few areas. The deck planking in particluar is excellently done. On the port side of the hull the details are nice and crisp, but on the starboard side some details have gotten a bit of soft. The area around the torpedo tubes will need some careful rescribing and re-detailing. also there are a couple of sinkholes on both sides of the stern, but a quick puttying and sending should take care of them, as long as I am mindful of the details around it. Other smaller parts like the periscopes, deck guns, and dive planes are surprisingly fine for a limited-run subject. This kit shows that despite some flaws, Russian/Ex-Soviet areas are getting better at injection-molded kits.

Fit - So-so overall. The tower in particular will need some careful trimming in order to get it fit together. Again, some puttying will be mandatory. Some parts, such as the top deck, needed some clipping in the back in order to ensure a good fit.

Markings - Made by Begemot, they are of good quality and include a variety of shields to display on the conning tower. This kit portrays a Schnorkel-equipped U-boat. However, a look through uboat.net revealed that some decal options, like U-307, were not equipped with the schnorkel. You can also build a post-war Soviet navy Type VIIc. The kit gives different conning tower parts to represent the subtle differences in the Soviet U boat.

Overall - A nice first from Flagman. It's great to finally have a Type VIIc in 1/350, but hopefully they can fix molding problems in their upcoming projects. They have a non-schnorkel Type VIIc in the works, plus many other German U-Boat types from the IXC, the Milk Cows, and the Type II coastal subs as well. There's even some "Monsun" boats in the works! On their website they also have some CAD drawings of their next sub in the works, the Japanese I-19. I'm definately looking forward to building that one. It interests me more than the I-400. Hopefully, Flagman can consider making a series of Gato/Balao kits in 1/350 scale so we can have all the major fleet boats of WWII represented.

I'll post some pics of my progress so far on this kit later tonight.

[Timmy C]

Flagman Models site: http://www.flagman-models.com

[Bob Cicconi]

I'm doing the Revell U-99 as the U-84 (also a type VII B), which had an additional AA mount in a tub behind the sail/conning tower. The book "Kriegsmarine U-Boats 1939-45", and the Schiffer book "German U-Boat Type VII"show the additional gun to be a single, but the Mirage 1/400 kit shows the additional mount as a twin. I can't find anything on the web that tells me which is correct. Also- the model shows no lower net cutter under the bow, only the one above the deck. Again- I don't know what is accurate. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Filipe Ramires]

Amazingly I couldn't find a single photo of U-84 in my U-boat books!!! By the way, Bob...the U-84 was a Type VIIC not a Type VIIB...at least checking the book U-boat fact file by Peter Sharpe the submarine is identified as being a Type VIIC...however, U-83, U-85, U-86 and U-87 were in fact Type VIIB's. I've found some photos of U-83 and U-86 in mid war 1942 and they still both show only a single 20mm on the conning tower. Not sure if it is of any help this information. Try to ask the question on the Uboat.net board...I'm sure there are more knowledgeable people there regarding U-boats.
Cheers,

Filipe

[Bob Cicconi]

I could have sworn the U-84 was a type B. I'll check my sources again. The books I have show the U-84 having an additional mount on the deck just abaft the sail/connong tower. My only question is whether it was a twin or single mount.

I just double-checked my sources and Ubootwaffe.net, and they all list U-84 as a type VII B boat.