More Pictures of the Revell 1/48 Type IXc.
My love for U-Boats started back in the early 70's when I first read Herbert Werner's "Iron Coffins".
I bought Revell's Type IX U-Boat as soon as it was out.
The build was pretty much straight forward. The size of the hull (42 inches long) is what makes it a bit more work painting wise. I spray canned most of it with Tamiya paints while airbrushing the conning tower and the light grey upper hull color. I washed the hull and deck with black and brown. The conning tower is light grey, salted, then Insignia blue over that, yes, blue, then the salt was removed.
I started off wanting to show a Type IXc in good shape. But when I was well along with this project I came across a fellow who put allot of research into U-505, the boat I wanted to depict, so I ended up including the damage on the conning tower from the depth charges and replicating the B&W photos with the US Navy boarding crew.
This was also my first attempt at salt treatment. I had to back it up with spot touches of paint on a brush over the decals but it all worked out okay.
I modified some of the figures to fit the poses I saw in the pictures of U-505's capture. Some argue that I should of had the decal saying "Can Do Junior". I didn't add it for two reasons. One is that it would have been hard to get it to lay down over the rough surface created by the salt and two, I thought that maybe that came after the boat was secured to a tow line, something that my figures are trying to do at the moment depicted.
Below are the three sites that I found to be very beneficial.
http://www.uboat.net/forums/read.php?14,55532,55537,quote=1
http://amp.rokket.biz/docs/u-boat_colours_with_photos_5.pdf
And this fellow was a pure joy to communicate with. And he's the U-505 aficionado that I had mentioned earlier.
http://uboatarchive.net/
Salt treatment; Fine Scale Modeler July 2003.
Also recommended reference, if not for just the pure fun of it;
U-Boat War, by Lothar-Günter Buchheim, pictures from a German reporter that went along on a voyage on a Type VIIc. By the way Amazon has it for under 9 bucks at the moment
And the movie Das Boot, which if you read the above book you will notice allot of the scenes might have gotten their inspiration from the photos.
That's all I can think of. I'll try to answer any questions as my time permits.
Now I want a Type XXI and my life will be complete.
Cheers,
John, Das Boob.
Thanks for adding more pictures. Very impressive build.
Yes indeed, thank you for the additional pictures and construction narrative. In all respects, ready for sea.
Wonderful story and remarkable build on the U-505, and your model is not that much smaller than the real boat sitting at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois!, I exaggerate of course. As a 12 year old kid I couldn't believe how small and tight it was inside the actual sub. I am with you in reading the books and reference you mentioned about life on a submarine. I have read those books and still have them. I'm not claustrophobic but being in that tin can for more than a few hours may do the trick. Unlike the modern subs that are a little bit more roomy, still I much rather be flying, I'll stick to that. Thanks so much for sharing.
Chuck
Really great job , if you ever get to Chicago please go see her and take the tour . You will be in hog heaven.
Thanks for the additional photos John thats a great piece of work there.
Many thanks for the additional photos, John. Very cool model.
The salt method goes very well with the wear left by sea water.
Regrading Das Boot: the character of Leutnant Werner in the movie and the according book is autobiographical. Buchheim widely talks about himself when talking about Werner.
Apart from his work as an author, Buchheim has put together a great collection of expressionistic art which is displayed in a museum less than 20 from the place I live: http://www.buchheimmuseum.de
Many of the shots from the movie were taken with models, one was radio controlled and 11 m long, one 5,5 m long, the smallest bellow 1 m. A scale 1:1 model was built in Munich to do all the interior shots.
John,
Absolutely gorgeous. You did a masterful job on this. Subs fascinate me but even touring one sitting still is way too claustrophobic for me. I admire anyone that ever served on one. If you get to SF, the gato class USS Pampanito is open for tours. I took my grandson on it for a tour and it was way to close and awkward for this old guy.