- Joined
- Jul 18, 2024
- Messages
- 534
- Points
- 353
Some years ago I built the 1/72 scale Revell Type VII C/41 and still have that sitting in a good spot in my 'study' (the place my wife allows me to put stuff like that). At that time I already thought about opening up the hull and even bought a few of these cast innards. But untrained hands and work and ... so I built it from the box, albeit I scraped dents in the hull to show the effect of ocean waves on the plating and did a fair bit of weathering. Overall a good model, but still a kit.
Thinking about a new project I accidentally found the 13 page 'Planmappe: Uboottyp VII C' by Kohl and Nestle. And it clicked: I am going to build the mid section of that U boat, showing all the complexity of the inside. This is the U boat with the 'Winter garden', so with the extended deck and armament behind the tower. It will be from plans, finding my way into the design. Lots of CAD work. I am sure there's nothing like it on the market.
I still need to think about where I am going to cut front and back of the conning tower. 1/20 scale is going to make it about 45cm tip of extended periscope to keel. Nicely biggish to go for detail, but you don't want to take too much of the hull into consideration in width. 'Desk size' may be imposing, but where to put it once it's finished.
Plan is to make it into a 'peekaboo model', so at first glance focused on the exterior, but at closer look with some good sized organic cuts that show interesting parts of the interior. This way I also can add some lighting stuck in a less visible corner. And this also allows me to build interesting parts of the exterior. Hmmm ... I need to look at which side has most interesting details.
First task is to collect images, read books, see what other people have done that supports my build, watch YouTube. Luckily there are quite some good ones from, amongst others, U995, which sits high and dry in northern Germany. Second task is to create a project plan of some sorts, as finding out you forgot an important interior panel after closing up the model is not fun. And I will need to plan what to 3D print, what to build from strips and tubes and what to do in metal.
It will take some time, I'm sure. Belly feeling? more than a year. But I could be off by months. But then again I am not in a hurry.
Some images that show my area of interest. By the way: did you spot the British flags on the two U boats? So May 1945 or later.
Thinking about a new project I accidentally found the 13 page 'Planmappe: Uboottyp VII C' by Kohl and Nestle. And it clicked: I am going to build the mid section of that U boat, showing all the complexity of the inside. This is the U boat with the 'Winter garden', so with the extended deck and armament behind the tower. It will be from plans, finding my way into the design. Lots of CAD work. I am sure there's nothing like it on the market.
I still need to think about where I am going to cut front and back of the conning tower. 1/20 scale is going to make it about 45cm tip of extended periscope to keel. Nicely biggish to go for detail, but you don't want to take too much of the hull into consideration in width. 'Desk size' may be imposing, but where to put it once it's finished.
Plan is to make it into a 'peekaboo model', so at first glance focused on the exterior, but at closer look with some good sized organic cuts that show interesting parts of the interior. This way I also can add some lighting stuck in a less visible corner. And this also allows me to build interesting parts of the exterior. Hmmm ... I need to look at which side has most interesting details.
First task is to collect images, read books, see what other people have done that supports my build, watch YouTube. Luckily there are quite some good ones from, amongst others, U995, which sits high and dry in northern Germany. Second task is to create a project plan of some sorts, as finding out you forgot an important interior panel after closing up the model is not fun. And I will need to plan what to 3D print, what to build from strips and tubes and what to do in metal.
It will take some time, I'm sure. Belly feeling? more than a year. But I could be off by months. But then again I am not in a hurry.
Some images that show my area of interest. By the way: did you spot the British flags on the two U boats? So May 1945 or later.