1/35 Schnellboot Typ S-38 rc conversion

[Greg Law]

That's looking great Arjan.  

I got all excited yesterday and glued the rubber dingy together without looking at the instructions.  A few minutes ago I was cleaning up the joins and noticed these sections that didn't close up. Well looking at your photos here I see why. I didn't put the pe cross seats in. You would have thought I would have learnt by now to check the instructions first before adding the glue.🤔

 

Thanks for the flag tip. 

Did you use the kit Stanchions or are they brass? I'm sure if I used the kit ones they wouldn't even survive the build. I think I will get some brass ones.

[Arjan]

Thanks Greg, we all keep making these kind of mistakes 🙂 . After having glued the dinghy to the rear air intake I realized I had forgotten to fit the flag pole. There was not enough room for the post to be positioned at the correct angle so I had to remove the dinghy and tie the threads again (I hate working with thread). Fortunately I had used Gator's acrylic glue which can be removed quite easily.

 

I have used the original plastic stanchions, the 0.3mm styrene sheet I glued to the stanchions provides quite a bit of strength and rigidity. I have discovered with my previous S-100 model it's best not to glue the stanchions to the deck with plastic glue or solvent. This makes the plastic more rigid and brittle and the stanchions are then more likely to snap off at deck level. I have now used  Gator's Grip acrylic glue to fix the stanchions to the deck. Of course brass stanchions are always better than plastic ones.

 

Regards,

 

Arjan

[Hummel]

WOW! just wow! Epic build and great attention to detail, So many reference photos too for when i get round to detailing my S100. One thing i have left to find out though, how did the deck skirts attach to the railings/stanchions on the real boat?, I cannot find any close up photos anywhere.

 

Thankyou for an awesome build thread!

[Arjan]

Thanks for your kind words. Two pics of how the dodgers were fitted to the railings :

 

 

Regards,

 

Arjan

Edited March 5, 2021 by Arjan

[Greg Law]

On 10/12/2020 at 02:43, Arjan said:

Thanks gentlemen ! Not much progress, I drilled out the navigation lights, added MG pintles and some basic detail to the inner side of the bulwarks. I will paint the inside of the nav lights black to prevent light from shining through the plastic.

 

 

Regards,

 

Arjan

Arjan, can you give more details on the lights you have used here.

Also a link to the crew you got from China.

[Arjan]

Hi Greg, the leds I used are 3mm /3 Volt (in reality closer to 2.5 V). I got the U_Boot crew here :

 

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/33012639891.html

 

In hindsight I don't know if I can recommend them, most of the figures have beards which was not common for S-Boot crews (apart from those operating in Norway). One figure is using an Azimuth sight ? I think which makes him difficult to put to use. Perhaps it's best to use some other resin figures or the Italeri Kriegsmarine crew with resin heads to replace the rather awful original ones.

 

Regards,

 

Arjan.

 

 

[Greg Law]

Arjan.  

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I can't get the S-boot crew. They seem to have sold out everywhere. As a result I have ordered the Chinese ones and the heads to see if I can Frankenstein them.

[Greg Law]

Another question I'm afraid. 

What lipo battery size did you get?

Thinks for the images on the 20mm. This mount inthe ,it is different.  I will take a photo tomorrow. 

[Arjan]

Hi Greg, I always buy Turnigy (nano-tech) lipos at Hobby King. This is the one I'm going to use (I bought it for my 1/16 Chris Craft Sport Fisherman) :

 

https://hobbyking.com/nl_nl/turnigy-battery-nano-tech-2650mah-3s-25-50c-lipo-pack-xt-60.html

 

It has the same weight (215 grams) as the 2S lipos I have used for running my S-Boot models so far.

 

I also have two of these for another boat but they are over 100 grams heavier which is probably a bit too heavy:

 

https://hobbyking.com/nl_nl/turnigy-battery-nano-tech-4000mah-3s-25-50c-lipo-pack-xt-60.html

 

Regards,

 

Arjan

 

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by Arjan

[Arjan]

Since my S-38 model is nearing completion I have turned my attention to my old S-100 model. After all, it would be nice to take some pics of the two side by side. I couldn't decide which S-100 boat I wished to model I only knew I didn't want to finish it as yet another S-204 or S-205 model. After having read some action reports of the 2nd S-Boot Flotilla (at Den Helder during the final war months)  I became interested in S-180 of this unit. Of course mostly because she was one of the few boats that had been retro fitted with a 2cm Flakvierling. The problem is that there do not seem to be any pics of S-180 so I don't know which play card symbol she sported. My hunch is that S-216 (displaying the ace of hearts) may well have been the intended replacement for S-180 after the latter had been lost. Apparently the signs for the intended Flotilla were already added at the Lürssen or Schlichting Yards. 

 

 

I have also finally started adding pe parts to the guns. Detailing the twin Flak took me most of the day, I still have to add the spare magazine rack. I haven't used all the available pe parts, some are simply too small or have little added value. I haven't replaced the barrels even though I have some Schatton brass ones. I feel the added value (better detailed muzzle brakes) doesn't justify the amount of extra work.

 

 

Arjan

 

[Greg Law]

Good to see you finishing this one off. Where are you getting the Flakvierling from? The  mounting was a bit different from the land one. I looked into this when I had the S-100 kit.

I should start to get the parts arrive from China next week. I think my hold up will be the running gear from the UK as they said there would be a delay.

By the way. Where do you locate the battery in your boats?

[Arjan]

I used to be an avid AFV modeller so I have built quite a few Tamiya Vierlinge over the years and I still have a Tamiya kit in my stash. The Dragon ones are better but I think the Tamiya Flak will do for me. I have quite a few period pics of Vierlinge on Artilleriefährprahme, these show a great variety of shields and probably mounts as well. These pics were taken on the Kanaal door Walcheren in my home province of Zeeland :

 

 

The funnel shaped object is a RAG (Raketen Abschuss Gerät), a rocket launcher for firing cables attached to a parachute into the air. This was to impede/hinder attacks by Jabos (fighter bombers). These RAGs can also be seen in some late Schnellboot pics.

 

For the test runs I have simply put the lipo flat in the middle of the boat but in this position the lipo wiring tends to interfere with the turning motors/shafts :

 

 

 

I'm going to position the lipo on its side similar to my other rc models . In this way you can easily slide the lipo back and forth until you have found the ideal position (center of gravity) . Also the lipo wiring doesn't interfere with moving parts. The lack of a middle motor/drive is a great advantage for positioning your lipo.  An advantage ignored by people who insist on including a third motor/drive. I have seen people building PT boats with three motors and once these had been installed they discovered fitting a lipo proved very difficult (next to impossible).

 

I still have to make some brackets to secure the lipo :

 

 

My Vosper:

 

 

PT boat :

 

 

By the way, I installed my 20A esc's and 3S lipo yesterday and tested the motors (only a dry run). The result was a bit scary, I think the boat will run like a bat out of hell 🙂.

 

Regards,

 

Arjan

Edited March 14, 2021 by Arjan

[Arjan]

The 2cm Flakvierling mount/version on the S-38b boat turns out to be a standard Kriegsmarine version and not a field conversion as I had thought. Apparently the same mount/version was used on the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen :

 

 

Vierling on the right in this pic :

 

 

Comparison of the Wehrmacht and Kriegsmarine versions :

 

 

 

Arjan

Edited March 18, 2021 by Arjan

[Greg Law]

Yes this is what I was pointing to. Having looked into these in the past I  was aware there was a difference between the land and the sea mount, which means having to make changes if you what to use a, say Tamiya kit one.

[Arjan]

I've been working on my old ADV resin figures. The S-100 boat commander is nearly finished now, the transparant plastic windows have yellowed a lot after 12 years (probably a result of UV light).

 

 

Arjan

[steve5]

nice work on the figures arjan , very jealous , I'm hopeless on them .

[Arjan]

I have glued down some figures (more or less a point of no return).

 

 

By the way, I had ordered two Kriegsmarine ensigns at Cornwall Model Boats and they sent me 1 correct one and 1 Swastika one I have absolutely no use for . I complained twice about the wrong flag they sent me but didn't get any response ..... Very disappointing service,  I have now paid €16 for one 1/35 flag which I think is a bit too much .......

 

Regards,

 

Arjan

[Steve D]

1 hour ago, Arjan said:

I have now paid €16 for one 1/35 flag which I think is a bit too much

Arjan, just paint one yourself.  Looking at your figures, your painting skills are certainly up to the challenge.

Get a linen handkerchief, mount it on a board with masking tape over a print of the ensign, paint and use fabric paint (https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Tulip-Multi-Slick-Set-Pack/dp/B01HOS8106).  This set will last a lifetime of flags.    

Takes 20 minutes max per side, second side just trace the first, paint the outline in clear varnish before cutting to prevent fraying and that you can then drape it once soaked in weak PVA to deliver the perfect ensign with the folds disguising any flaws in the painting  

I get it that this might be a tad fiddly at 1/72nd but larger scales are fine

 

Steve

[Arjan]

Thanks Steve, I've got two Kriegsmarine flags now. The one in the pics of my previous post is the 1/35 Bronco one I touched up with some paint. This is the correct BECC one I received which I have now fitted to the S-38 model. I think it looks quite good and it's not too expensive as long as you get what you ordered and  paid for 🙂.

 

 

Regards,

 

Arjan

[Greg Law]

That's interesting.  I just realized I didn't order my flag from them. I will have to follow up on that.

[Valkyrie]

Great progress, sounds like the company to avoid then, having just caught the Kriegsmarine bug and bought lots of kits I’ll stick AMP or Hannants. Might give the homemade flags a go.

 

[Greg Law]

1 hour ago, Valkyrie said:

Great progress, sounds like the company to avoid then, having just caught the Kriegsmarine bug and bought lots of kits I’ll stick AMP or Hannants. Might give the homemade flags a go.

 

No my mistake I think. I must have thought I ordered them, but when I checked my history they were not on it. It is a good company.  My stantions I ordered from them were the first to arrive. 

[robgizlu]

Looking hugely impressive - The figures really set it off

Rob

[Arjan]

The weather was perfect for an rc outing today. I have tested the S-38 model with a 3S lipo. I'm very pleased with the result and there's no need for any other changes now.

 

 

Arjan

 

 

[Greg Law]

Looking good Arjan. You must be pleased to call this done. I will miss your updates.

I'm fiddling with a lot of bits and pieces now. I added the top bridge doors last night.  The Starboard door was a bit awkward to fit. The strange thing is the doors were not mirrored as they should have been. Also the doors open the wrong way.  I saw a photo of the real boat with the doors hung on the forward side of the opening. Which is opposite to the kit.