Flankerman Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Braving the lockdown, my postman Martin has just delivered this new kit from Mikro-Mir Having already built a model of the USS Parche.......... I was going to pass on this new kit - until I realised it represents the pre-stretch early version........ As the boxart shows - the sail is different, she carries a DSRV (as a cover for her covert ops) - and the hull is 100ft shorter..... The shorter hull is is two halves - split horizontally... The only other sprue carries the sail, diving chamber, DSRV and other small parts... The assembly instructions and painting guide is printed on thin A4 paper folded in half... Completing the kit is an etched fret containing the single propeller and DSRV mounting struts plus a small, well printed decal sheet. Another very welcome kit from Mikro-Mir's expanding range of 1/350 scale subs. Nice one MM..... Ken 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted April 27, 2020 Author Share Posted April 27, 2020 I've made a start. As is usual with Mikro-Mirs limited-run kits, the parts exhibit some flash - quite an amount on this new model and it seems to be getting worse...... After scraping it off, I added strips of plastic card to aid alignment.... Joining the two hull halves reveals a prominent joint line....... .... that needs the application of filler...... The diver lockout chamber is in three parts - again with lots of flash (note the unfettled top piece)...... Ken 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted April 29, 2020 Author Share Posted April 29, 2020 The lockout chamber assembled.... ... the sides don't fit precisely - leaving a gap at the front end.... The parts for the sail - and its rear extention ........ I may need to buy shares in filler manufacturers.... Ken 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 With so few parts in these sub kits, you'd think that the manufacturers would be able make a better fitted kit. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 Lots of filing/sanding later.... The Lockout Chamber pannier, the hull and the sail.... Diving planes, sonar dome and Towed Array Sonar tube attached... The TAS tube is in two parts -just butt-joined and very delicate - and, guess what? - it needs some filler to blend in the front end!! Almost ready for a primer coat...... Ken 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestar12chris Posted May 5, 2020 Share Posted May 5, 2020 Looking good Ken, mines shelf sitting for the moment. Also looking forward to a future stretched Parched. All the best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted May 6, 2020 Author Share Posted May 6, 2020 I wonder if they'll do a stretched version....??? This new kit is a 'minimal' change to their existing Sturgeon kit - a new sprue for the lockout pannier, sail and DSRV is the only change. A stretched Parche would need a complete new kit from the bottom up...... And... they need to sort out the flash - even the new parts have an excess of flash that needs to be removed from almost every part.... Ken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted May 6, 2020 Author Share Posted May 6, 2020 In the meantime - the parts for the 'dummy' DSRV.... (it looks more like a torpedo) Tiny parts, lots of flash to clean off, massive sprue gates, no propeller supplied.... what's not to like......??? The instruction diagram shows vertical fins on the aft end of the DSRV - but they have moulded only horizontals - I suggest cutting two of them off to make verticals (guess who didn't?) The model is now painted - Halfords car spray rattle cans - Matt Black, Red Plastic Primer and Volvo Dark Grey..... I managed to break the towed array cable whilst masking..... It's only a weak butt-join - I'll have to try to hold it steady whilst glueing both ends of the part..... Ken 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted May 6, 2020 Author Share Posted May 6, 2020 PS - I found this image on't tinterweb thingy...... It shows USS Parche as first launched (top), followed by her conversion to 'Special Ops' (and as kitted by Mikro-Mir and finally, after having her hull lengthened by 100ft. My conversion - here - shows how to make the last version. (mine lacks the lower lockout chamber - due to scarcity of info at the time... Ken PS Apologies if I am breaking any rules posting this image....... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Nice build. Spent a good while looking at your other builds on your blog and did some background research on Parche. Are you thinking of building Jimmy Carter to finish the series? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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