Revell 1/144 U-Boat VII C/41

[Valkyrie]

 I am really into the history of U-boats because of Das Boot I watched when I was 6 and also U-33 was sunk in 1940 just near where I live. Finished my first last week in the Blitzen build, U-20, a type II-B and got U-81 a type VII C over in the MTO III GB. So as I have caught the U-Boat bug, and I want to build a few really well, I thought the folks on here could help me build it better with a ride long WIP.

First job I knew to do was to hollow out the vents....

Using a brand new Swan Morton scalpel blade is not the instrument to use however...ouch, so a couple days break

 

 

 

 

[Valkyrie]

Finger healed well enough and first set of drain vents hollowed out.

Not sure the scalpel technique is the best or safest 

What do other people do?

Im wondering about continuing to do the rest, I know it will make for a better end result

 

[beefy66]

I usually drill the drain hole from the outer face and then use a Dremel tool with a grinding bit to thin out the plastic from the inner face but watch the speed setting to high will melt the plastic.  

 

Stay Safe

beefy

[Valkyrie]

I’m glad that work is done on the drain vents. Finger still pretty sore but healed. I found drilling three holes per vent made things easier to fully hollow out rather than 2. 

 

[Valkyrie]

Now the hull has been glued together and fits perfectly. There are 2 bulkheads which assist alignment and don’t forget the rear under the waterline torpedo hatch.

It’s a nice size too. Next up is the working snorkel. Well it’s moveable...

 

[Valkyrie]

Moveable snorkel works quite well, only glue the keeper in place, the rest sets quite nicely so it can be posed in use or stowed in the deck. The centre deck piece isn’t glued but it’s snap tight so that is a good sign for fit of the kit. 

 

[Greg Law]

Good work on the drain holes. As you suggest here. They are real pain to do.

[Al Gunthwaite]

On 1/30/2021 at 4:59 PM, Valkyrie said:

I’m glad that work is done on the drain vents. Finger still pretty sore but healed. I found drilling three holes per vent made things easier to fully hollow out rather than 2. 

 

Tedious to do (I've recently done it!), but worthwhile.

Incidentally, I see that you are using a No.10 blade.  I always manage to catch my fingers on the back of No.10s, so I always use No.11Ps as the blade is narrower.

Alyn

[ArnoldAmbrose]

8 hours ago, Greg Law said:

They are real pain to do.

In more ways than one, apparently.

Gidday, Good to hear that your finger has healed. While it may be a tedious job (I've never done it) I think the model looks very good because of it. Regards, Jeff.

[Valkyrie]

Thanks for the comments.

so next is the snorkel, an idea the Germans stole from the Dutch and allowed U-boats to run on diesel engines submerged at periscope death to charge batteries. The boat could only travel at 6 knots with the snorkel raised and when it hit a wave the air supply would cut off sucking then air from the interior of the boat bursting the ear drums of the crew.

 

 

[Greg Law]

9 hours ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

In more ways than one, apparently.

Gidday, Good to hear that your finger has healed. While it may be a tedious job (I've never done it) I think the model looks very good because of it. Regards, Jeff.

Yes definitely worth it. 

Don't let that cut get infected. A friend of mine has a cut like that and ended up really sick. I think we take these cut for granted these days and don't care for them like we used to. 

[Valkyrie]

So nearly a full day at the desk and it’s looking more like a U-boat bunker than an office at the moment.

Had a bit of a struggle getting the fore deck on in with a good bit of filing and trimming, but it’s on and happy with the fit. It’s a nice kit.

Deck in place and work has just started on the periscopes which like the snorkel can be raised and lowered once built. 
I have missed out the rudder and all planes as they have knocked off and lost written all over them. Il add them at the very end.

 

[Valkyrie]

Update: U-boat weather here in Scotland replaced the warm sunshine early afternoon so returned to this one. What is a really nice kit so far I have built up the superstructure but not fixed to the deck for ease of painting. I’ve skipped building the guns so next up will be the railings. They are a touch thick so I might spend Sunday thinning these down or look for an aftermarket set...

 

[Valkyrie]

Update: Decided to build as much as I can then paint. So screws rudders etc all in place. Deck guns, railings and anchor will go on last

The winter garden with the array of AA guns is well detailed and busy. Think getting the railings on and painting the deck will be tricky. Lost a ladder to the carpet monster...

 

[Greg Law]

Looking good.  I will be interested in your paint work on this one.

[Valkyrie]

Thanks @Greg Law...there is an interesting Arctic white and grey scheme in the box options for U-292 and I was thinking of doing the other of the 4 options as U-319 as it was brought to Loch Eribol after surrender then sunk off Scotland’s south west cost. Which was all over Dunkelgrau 51. I’ve also just received an extensive decal sheet from Peddinghaus so the options have increased further with some research. 
I think I’ll pre shade panel lines then prime in white and see how it looks....

[Greg Law]

Sounds good. Pre-shading works real well on U-boots. I did it on the Seehund. I like the white and grey option.

[Valkyrie]

Thanks @Greg Law that just gave me the confidence to do it and here is the pre-shading, done by hand and currently in the garage wearing a thin coat of tamiya fine rattle can primer....

 

[Valkyrie]

U-292 was deployed in the Arctic and featured a white/blue/grey scheme. Here I have the tamiya fine white primer base coat and I think it already looks good

 

[bismarck builder]

hi Valkyrie

is there any photo etch or wood decking to go with this kit 

love yours so far

cheers

gary r

[Valkyrie]

Thanks @bismarck builder You do get an aftermarket set for this, but this is my first attempt at this kit. While it’s really detailed if you wanted to go to town or even improve the railings which are a tad thick in the moulded plastic the photo etch railings would be a nice addition. I would next time.

[Valkyrie]

Demarcation lines masked and I’ll be hand brushing lifecolor Kriegsmarine blaugrau 58-1 III . Hopefully using downward brush strokes it might help replicate the salt water fading across the saddle tanks. The blue on U-81 in the smaller model gives an idea of the shade.

 

[Valkyrie]

Update: 3 coats of blaugrau on the lower portion of the hull below the waterline and between 1 and 3 downward passes above the waterline below the demarcation. Nice tonal effect as a base to represent the salt water draining out the vents.

 

[Valkyrie]

Rough coat on the weather deck. Pretty sure the u-boat decks were made of pine rather than teak. I used lifecolor RLM 74 as it’s a greeny dark grey and think is a good base for a weathered deck. Il use a combo of teerfinis 99 and some browns to detail.

 

 

[ModelMonkey]

On 2/8/2021 at 8:30 PM, Greg Law said:

Yes definitely worth it. 

Don't let that cut get infected. A friend of mine has a cut like that and ended up really sick. I think we take these cut for granted these days and don't care for them like we used to. 

Interesting thread here for a few reasons, one being that I like the Revell u-boats, having done ones in 1:72, 1:144 and 1:350. All modelling related stuff on here looks great so far. 

 

On the other front, I picked up a necrotising infection in my finger after a very innocuous looking cut got infected. I was very close to losing to my fingertip and even now (6 years later) have lasting nerve damage and am missing a chunk out of the top of my digit. Did little to improve my modelling or bass playing, but I did end up with a great set of grisly (and gristly) photos to show off to anyone who wants to see them!