The Ship Model Forum

HAPPY DAYS!!!!!! I got back to my desk this afternoon at work, and voila...a package from Modelworks. I have to say that shipping it between two pieces of 3/16" Luan Plywood is ingenious.

Basic review so far:

Good points:

1 - It has pieces I need to authenticate the Revell model.
2 - Shipped in a nice package
3 - Price, was not that bad
4 - Product itself, appears to be of decent quality ( Not the thickness of the AMP PE, but still nice)
5 - Workability.....I will get back to this in the near future.

Cons:

1 - The package it was sent in was a hair too short. So they bent the piece along an etch line.


2 - There appears to still be some of the pitting from the etch process still on the sheet. I have experimented with my own etch tank and FeCl3 (Ferric Chloride) and when done with the etching, neutralization needs to be done and the final wash. They may have rushed this.


3 - The shipping time and lack of knowledge of where the package was. The site mentions about a two week lead time. BILL, you mentioned 4 weeks....you were pretty much right on.

With this out of my system now, I can focus on getting back to work. As I mentioned the product itself appears to be in acceptable condition and I can move forward. A little sanding and cleaning with Acetone...should be good as new.

Cheers

Somewhat update to what has been going on at the docks....


Been working on the pressure hull for starters. I decided to used some toilet paper rolls as a base. Three girls in the house and a lack of sheet stock....made sense.



I have been slowly working on the Modelbrass vents. Not as easy as it seems getting them to fit just right. Still some filling and such, but coming along...


Ended up removing parts of the doublers here and there, which will easily be replaced...




I have just recently added some filler to the pressure hull. Been sanding and filling. Once I get it placed I will add a few details only, the scuttle for the conning tower, some piping, not too much. It is fairly dark in there and would like to begin pressing on. I figure a few more weeks and I might get a chance to fit the deck! ::)

Cheers!

You have very patient, TRM!

Excellent job!

I will following your work!

Regards,

Joe

Thank you for the kind words Joe. Patience? Not too sure about that, just have learned to know when to what away from the frustration.

Cheers!

A continuation on the pressure hull....still a little sanding left.

Hello .

Herculean task

Travail de Titan

This is amazing! I am excited to see more!

Merci beaucoup, Madmanu!

Thank you, Mark!

On to some internal framing before the hull is set in gold.

Cheers!

Quick update:

Been real busy, side jobs and dances for my girls, birthday parties and we have been puppy sitting for a friend....been trying to steal time away!

Managed a little:
Some internal framing (Thanks Ernest for your hard work on the plans!)


Quick prime job on the P-hull. Most of the fitting will go on after the install:


First application of interior lower vent framing:


Inside shot:


The little house guest! (Demon seed!) The guest is the one on the right. Cote! Mine is the one on the left, Shiloh. Both are Mini-Australian Shepard. Shiloh is a tri-color and the ....let's say, tenacious one, is a Blue Merl. Sure, he looks cute....eats everything and poops!!!!!!! Get my house back tomorrow!


Cheers!

Finally....somewhat progress. Been working side projects while the money is there and the weather is fine! Doesn't leave too much time for hobbies :'(.

Anyway....

I finished work on the torpedo doors. I need some help with something though.....I am unsure about the functions of the inner torpedo tube covers. Did they open BEFORE the exterior doors and sit behind them, or, did the open after (as I have done, and could easily rectified)? I made the inner cover movable....not sure if it should appear open or closed. I will stuff a torpedo in it if it remains open....opinions are always welcome. ;D





I was also able to actually connect the two halves....I had to fight with the pressure hull (about a hundred dry fittings, then it doesn't fit! >:( Finally it came together, after removing some of the interior framing. I also began the saddle tank extensions, fill, fill, fill, sand, sand, sand


You can see I made some early reference marks to below deck placement. Any suggestions at this point would be helpful....

Not shown, I have begun to sand the entire hull, AGAIN! I am removing my rivets that were added after oil canning, in preparation to purchasing the Archer set. Once I saw what is accomplished with this set, ,I think the time spent putting them back will enhance the project a lot better.

Ohhhhh, This finally came yesterday:

All the missing vents and then some!
After sanding I will begin to add all the hull fittings from the Modelbrass and Eduard PE set to the hull and saddle tanks and work on some "light" scratch on the pressure hull.

Cheers!

Hi TRM! Very nice build so far. I like the way you make the strips of rivets, I will steal your idea and use it to make rivets for the superstructure on a destroyer I am building.

Thanks Bilge Rat! The riveting too is one of the best purchases I have made, so far. Oddly enough, I am actually removing what I have installed. I will be remaking and re-applying the doublers, since I have decided to sand off my attempt at the rivets in favor of the Archer set as explained. Realized after-the-fact how clean they look. Still a bit out on this, but getting ready!

Cheers!

Bow section:










Stern opening ???


Cheers!

I was informed a "missing vent" in the stern section. Overseen by the modeling companies as well as PE manufacturers, well, Modelbrass appears to have attempted it, but not completed it:
Missing vent, between the sailors' feet:


Modelbrass attempt:



Went to work to rectify the "missing vent". I will be cutting out the section of the Modelbrass deck and using the Eduard PE stern section.
I plotted the vent and drill a small pilot hole:


Then using a larger bit and finishing off with a round file:


I cut a small ring using aluminum rod and sanded it as fine as I could. This will be the escutcheon plate that (from what I can see) caps the vent on the deck"


Using some left over 1/700 railing stock, I cut the grates for the deck vent:


With the escutcheon ring in place, I wanted to add a section of tubing below deck. Probably not seen, but in the right light???


A small cap from sheet stock for good measure:


I am thinking it came out, not half bad.


I notice a little CA residue on the edge of the vent....then thought it will work out nicely with the "gunk" that can get caught up in the vents, algae and stuff.

Now an update...

Interior framing set



Put down some 1mm thick strips to pad up for the deck.



Placed a support where the decking pieces come together



Modifying parts



Warning!!!! This is my feeble attempt to fill some of the "void" under the deck. I did not want to go overboard, soooooooo, I made some piping, loosely based......very loosely based one one of Simon's drawingstill need to connect the exhaust ends to the mufflers....be kind, most , if not all is barley seen. Just trying to add some definition. ::)






Removed hatches from original kit and doug-in





Going with the Modelbrass hatch with this one. The eduard doesn't match, at lest in the one picture I have of the U-69 deck in this spot.


Need to add something to the edge on one side, seems to be a larger "bulging" rounded edge than the PE

Modelbrass part


Eduard Part


More to come....

Cheers!

Couple of more...

Started cutting hatches to add the Eduard PE




Started putting them back too. Added a wire handle..




Finally, started the rounded hatch(really need to look up what hatch this is....so I can stop calling it "the rounded hatch") Removed the hatch that is standard on the Modelbrass deck. Adding the supplied replacement seemed to make it too layered. Trying to correct the rounded lip as well.



If I can figure out how to attach the mufflers to the tailpipe ??? ??? ??? I would love to prime the innards (PH) tomorrow maybe! ::)

Cheers!

Topedo loading hatch?

Thanks Les! Works for me.

Moving along....




Certainly some missing stuff, but it should get rid of that "empty" feeling

Cheers!

Not much of an update....Been sanding and awful lot lately. Just about completely removed all the rivets I had added onto the hull. I received the Archer rivet transfer sheet and am looking forward to priming the hull so I can add them. Still need to add a few more things to the hull and get the deck secured (this will be a while). Thought I would post a couple of the upgrade kits....


The Archer rivets for VIIC by Glenn Cauley

WEM's 37mm upgrade kit....will most likely order a brass barrel replacement


TBC...