Calling all Gato-class (SS-212) fans

[carr]

Ahhh... the light comes on! I think I've got it now. Two side-by-side vertical columns (magazines) separated by that center horizontal bar. Each side holds six rounds. It feeds all six from one side and then the remaining six from the other.

Thank you very much for pointing that out to me!

It's amazing that twelve of those rockets could cycle through there in 4.5 seconds.

Regards,
Bob

[rtheriaque]

And now we race to scratch one for our Barbs!

[Russ2146]

Glad you guys figured it out. What struck me was the weight of the thing, which seems bit heavy to manhandle around the small deck space of a sub.

Somewhere out there is a movie of the things being fired from the deck of a landing support ship where you can see the rockets dropping in the framework.

You might also be interested in http://www.hnsa.org/doc/plans/index.htm Just scroll down to the subs.

BTW, that wasn't an article but pages from WWII Navy publication.

[rtheriaque]

I had DVR'd Crusade for the Pacific: Battle for the Marianas. Low and behold, in the first segment our little rocket launcher appears mounted to the back of a jeep. There's a beautiful shot of it firing off a rack load.

[Walt]

It's not often that I feel like I need to comment about a kit or kits in this forum. In fact I think this is the first time for me. But having just completed AFV Clubs 1/350 scale early Gato and presently working on the 1942 version of the Gato Class and eagerly waiting for the others promised by them I need to say this.
I am an old DBF and Nuke Boat sailor and have a pretty deep Knowledge of the Gato/Balao class fleet boats. AFVs 1st kit was a charm and almost spot on for a early production EB Gato.. Exellent fit, accurate detail and the PE is excellent.. Only complaint I had was lack of exhaust ports on the mid stern turtle back sides.. These are easy to correct being that a pin vise doe's the trick.. I also wish they would give a port and starboard anchor location option.. Maybe on future kits eh?
So yesterday I purchased the 1942 kit.. I figure it's just a knockoff with a cut down Conning Tower.. Surprise it's a whole new tooling with the steel deck replacing the teak after decks and added "ship yard" limber holes as well as the missing exhausts all there as well as the early sonar tracking on rear hull . It's a beautiful model of the Gato class early war before they were refitted with later towers and gun sets etc. The design team at AFV has got the details 95% correct and I applaud them especially for the variety of versions they are planning on releasing..
I guess my point is for those of us who love WW2 Fleet Boats and have spent many hours with YMW excellent resin kits or struggling with the 1/144 scale kits availible and don't have the room for the nice Revell 1/72 monsters or long wait is over..We can now add accurate fleet boats to our UBoot and IJN Boat collections.
So this being a ship model forum I thought my 2cents would be okay. Thanks AFV ..I look forward to them all.

[Joe Ellias]

I have the AFV Gatos that have been released as well. They are excellent kits and fun to build. Looking forward to the mid/late war versions as well.
joe

[Hugh Williams]

Hi,

I have often wanted a plastic kit of a Gato, and having received one recently, I can only concur with what has been said here. A fine model. Thank you AFV, now how's about some DE's and sloops?

Regards,

Hugh Williams

[Capt652]

Does anyone know where I can find a overhead picture of the (for lack of better term) flying (maybe navigation) bridge and steering station of the later cut down (Mod 3) fairwater? I've looked through Navsource, maybe missed something.

Thanks

Timm

[Russ2146]

Hobby Easy is listing the 1943 Gato.

http://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/category/SHSUB/index.html

[Tony Bunch]

Hi Guys,
I have to chime in here too.
i love the AFV subs. I started on the earlest Gato and I love it! I did notice the lack of Free access holes and flood vents on the hull bottom. This does not aggravte me much, as I'm a w/l builder. Having said that, the hull bottom fits so darn nice to the hulls' upper half; it's a shame to trash half of the model!
Maybe an action display with sub in heavy swells, or in the act of diving or surfacing; a display that would at least partially mitigate the installation of the hull bottom.
Also, I ordered the 1942 version already, and the GUPPY 1 interests me too. As previously mentioned, I too have done the deed with a YMW GUPPY.
Heck, I may have a Gato and a 1/350 PBY from L'Arsenal transferring personnel or whatever.
If anyone has any pics of this a/c and sub combo, please let me know.
Sorry for the shamless request.
Build on, Oh Gato fans!
Tony

[Russ2146]

That's OK Tony, you're allowed to chime in once in awhile.

I'll be on the lookout

[cunumdrum61]

Iam hoping someone could help me verify the weapons fit of the Flasher at the end of the war. I know she had two 40mm single mounts on the con stations. Just not sure of where the 5" gun was forward or aft of the con.

I have a photo that shows the Flasher about to be scrapped after the con was removed. I have a link for the photo:
http://navsource.org/archives/08/500/0824915.jpg
Does that look as if she has a 5"gun on the stern behind the con?

This photo shows her with what looks to be only a 20mm mount forward of the con on the deck and if so this would indicate that the 5" was mounted aft.
http://navsource.org/archives/08/485/0824900.jpg

Just wanted someone to verify what I am seeing is correct.
Thanks.

[carr]

The second photo clearly shows that there is no 5" gun mounted forward. Other Navsource photos prove that Flasher had a 5" gun. The implication is that it was mounted aft of the tower. In fact, this was a common location for the 5" towards the end of the war (my own favorite, Barb, had this same location), although I don't know why (easier access to ammo??). I think you'd be quite safe in assuming the 5" was mounted aft.

[Tom Dougherty]

To quote from William McCant's book "War Patrols of the USS Flasher": "Flasher's four-inch forward-mounted deck gun was replaced by a ...five inch on her after deck. Her two problematic 20mm machine guns forward and aft of the bridge were replaced by a more effective 40mm Bofors gun forward, and a twin 20mm machine gun on the cigarette deck. A mounting for one of the displaced 20mm's was installed at the former deck gun location."

The book has a very nice set of 3 diagrams of Flasher's fairwater and surrounding deck at various time periods. The 1945 drawing shows the 20mm on rthe forward deck, the Bofors on the forward conning tower gun station, and the twin 20's on the cigarette deck. The 1945 Flasher also has the late war SV radar replacing the SD antenna.

[aircommando130]

This is my first post on this forum! I'm building a 72nd scale USS Barb in the all black paint with 20mm guns on the sail, 4 inch gun forward with another 20mm aft. I've taken the doors off the sail and removed some of the gun lockers the Barb didn't have. I need some wide gun deck pieces for the 4 inch gun and who makes those hull depth numbers that look welded on? I know there were two air induction valves in the back part of the sail (aft of the door I removed) but was there a bulkhead on the front side of the door. This is a pretty cool website! Thanks for your help on my submarine. Ron

[carr]

I'm doing the 72nd Revell kit and had looked at Grunion, Wahoo, Tang, and finally settled on Barb. So I have a *little* familiarity with those hulls.

Tracy, I did a search on "Barb" and didn't see a build thread. Are you working on this and, if so, do you have any photos of your work? I've been fascinated by Barb since I read "Thunder Below".

Thanks,
Bob

[Thundergrunt]

Hello all

A new ship guy here with a WWII sub ?, I want to build a model of the USS. Salmon (Salmon) Class Sub, for a buddy of mine whohas that last name. and was wondering if I go with a 1/350 Gato the 1941 version, would that suffice?? Or are there huge changes. my rookies eyes say maybe. Im a new ship guy and cant really scratchbuild. TIA
Thunder

[falcon04]

Just got the "Gato 1943" - the third AFV Club kit - from HobbyEasy. In addition to the cut down front of the tower and exposed shears, it has a third variation on the upper hull re: limber holes and deck layout.

Instructions again show a MS-10 scheme like the "42", decals supplied for "shaded" hull numbers as in that kit. Not too useful for the subs, but the size(s) may work for pre or after-war DD's.

Has anyone spent some time determining what subs can be built OOTB from the "1941" and "1942" versions, and what subs are "close" for minor scratch building ?

Another nice kit - wish they would do a series of Type IX U-boats.

[rtheriaque]

1943 variant looks like it might have some Barb potential, based on the box art.

Granted, that's like judging a book by the dust that you swept off it...

[falcon04]

here are 2 pages from the AFV Gato '43 instructions - I cut the kb but left the size large - looks close to the late Barb to me - perhaps a swap of the 40mm / 20mm.