Piet

Thanks Mark, we'll be pursuing this further. I forgot to mention that even the Skype test call didn't hear me, that's why I'm suspecting my own build in mic. Cheers,

Ah yes, I remember Stars and Stripes winning the America's cup in 1987. I was then a brand spanking new green card immigrant, living in New Jersey and of course rooted for the Stars and Stripes to win the cup for my newly adopted country. Correction: I made a grave error in the date of my arrival in the USA Chalk that one up to old age ???? I arrived March 13, 1957 and became a citizen in May, 1962. Let's see, 1987 I was a director of QC/QA and Engineering for a regional airline near Philly. I'll be following Pete! Cheers,

Hoi Freek, nice progress you've made and am looking forward to the paint job! "kimkielen" is the plural for "kimkiel." This would translate to "bilge keels" in plural and "bilge keel" in singular. As all of you may have noticed that on my model of the O19 she doesn't have "bilge keels" because she has those mine compartments on the side of the hul making her rather stable. All other models of the Dutch subs do have them though. Cheers,

Thanks everyone for visiting, your comments and likes. @ Remco: That makes two of us my friend, I can't wait either till it's finished. This thing is complicated and takes some thinking when to attach what part so I don't have to desolder them. @ Pete48: Thanks Pete, yep, it's taking shape already but the real tough jobs lay still ahead. @ Popeye: Thank you my friend, she's very slowly progressing but that rework is really bugging me but that's all part of scratch building - - - they say No work on the launcher today, as a matter of fact no work in the shipyard at all Been busy shopping, running all over town trying to find a lapel mic for the computer and some hardware. At least I was successful with the hardware but the mic is another story. Trying to connect via Skype with our daughter and grandson is failing. I can see and hear them but they see me but cannot hear me. I checked all the settings in my iMac and they seem to be correct. Perhaps, maybe, my internal mic bit the dust. I did buy a headset with boom mic and try that tomorrow, I hope. Anyone have any suggestions? Cheers to all,

Didn't spend much time in the shipyard today Had to do some domestic chores, mow the back yard and trimmed a few shrubs. Then some needed correspondence but was able to spend a few hours in the shipyard I'm still pondering the rework of the deck structure sides though but I started by removing the doors and cut down the lower side of the opening on the starboard side and removed some wood on the forward and aft ends. Like I mentioned in a previous post this'll have to be an as I go project, slow and carefully trying not having to remove a large portion of the side plates. Making the hinges for the doors will also be a REAL challenge now that I have very little access to the inside with the top deck closed. All yuns please keep your fingers crossed for me. I found that I couldn't install the pivot pin so had to drill a 1.7 mm hole through the top deck where the inboard rails meet to allow me to insert the pivot pin. Well, I lucked out - again - in that the hole lined up perfectly with the hole in the hull Next I started making the tube flanges. The launch tubes are made up of four separate pieces that are bolted together, which is a rather obvious part of the launcher and can't be missed. I had been thinking for days how to make these flanges but then I remembered I have some 0.4 mm brass square rods. So, I bend them around a scrap piece of 10 mm tubing and finalized them on a wooden dowel to make them fit snug on the launcher tubes. Lucked out again and am ready to tack solder them to the tubes. This I'll do tomorrow afternoon after I have done some shopping for hardware and a set of earphones and a microphone. I may have a problem with my iMac build in mic and can't talk with our kids via Skype. So I'll try an external mic and see if that works. After these flanges are soldered on I may have to dress them a little as well as cleaning up some of the solder. I need to make two more flanges at one of the ends for the tube doors, I ran out of time and besides my eyes were getting tired. He, they are also 80 years old, so what can you expect I took only two pics for my archive and sorry to say, I didn't make a running series on how I made these flanges, I figured y'all know how to do that. Perhaps tomorrow, when I make the next two, if I don't forget. Okay, here are the pics and don't forget that they are still not soldered on yet but just loosely stuck on for the pics. This shows all 8 flanges loosely placed on the tubes at their desired locations. This is another view of the flanges stuck on the tubes. Here you can also see part of the square brass rod at the top of the picture. Cheers,

Thanks to everyone for visiting and your likes. @ Michael: Thanks Michael, interesting indeed and a real challenge too. @ Dave: Good to see you again and thanks for your kind words. Well, yes, this is actual living history that goes with this build. I was actually on this submarine in 1940 when my father took me on board for a visit. Sweet memories. Not too many people can add their own personal involvement with the models they are building. Although EdT who's building a model of Webb's extreme clipper "Young America" gives us also a very detailed description of the ship, although not from personal experience - - - is that not so Ed . @ Popeye: Thank you - thank you @ Pete48: You are too kind - but thank you very much for your kind words. I can say the same for your work, amazing! I'll try my best to make it look as realistic as possible. Just somewhat concerned about the deck rework though Cheers to all,

She's looking fantastic Mark!! Cheers,

Magnificent work Pete! I enjoy watching the Boxing Kangaroo take shape. Cheers,

Well, as all yuns may have surmised - I decided to tackle the deck launched torpedo launcher. I did make some progress today, at least I got the swivel or rotation plate with the swivel pin tube soldered and both the torpedo tubes soldered to it. Next will be all the other hardware that belongs on the launcher made and soldered to the tubes. There is a lot that's associated with launching torpedoes as can be seen in the original photo. I think though that the biggest headache will be reworking the openings and doors in the deck structure. It'll be a head scratcher for sure. I may even have to remove some of the side plates and remake them. But, such is the ways of scratch building with a lot of afterthoughts - - - of - oh, that'll be nice to incorporate - - - without first having the drawings or photos that came to me at a much later date. But so what, I'm not shying away from a challenge and we'll overcome this one too. But it still beats a total rebuild like Mark Taylor did and this too will end up looking good. At least I'll do my best to work it in such a way that all this rework will be invisible, like it has always been there. This area has been taken apart several time. Now for a few pics. This is a copy of one of the several original photos from the Dutch builder I have on file. Here we can see how much work is involved to make my model come close to looking like that. This is a crude soldering jig for soldering the rotation table / base plate as the base of the launcher unit. I still need to add a wooden disc blow it to allow the tubes swiveling outside the deck side. Here I have clamped both tubes to the rotation table or base plate and centered, ready to be soldered to the swivel tube and the base plate. This is a heat-sink for when I have to solder all the parts to the tubes without having to worry that it'll fall apart. I may not need it but just in case, better to be safe then sorry. The tubes are now soldered to the base plate and put inside the deck structure for a look-see. Hmmm, beginning to look like something Here I rotated the launcher to hit the forward and aft sides of the openings to see how much I have to widen the openings. Fortunately not much, I'm lucking out here. I also need to take into account that the closing doors of the tubes will add to the lengths. From here on in it'll be mostly trial and error with the rework. Cheers,

Again my heartfelt thanks to everyone for visiting and your likes. Hello Ian, good to see in my shipyard and appreciate your comment. Cheers,

Thanks everyone for visiting and your likes. Hey Andy, thanks for the link and yes, I was aware of the anniversary and had plans to go but more important doctor visits prevented that. Hopefully next year. I did visit the USS Cod last year with my grandson and had a private tour by Paul Farace, the curator. He was thrilled meeting the son of the Dutch Navy guy who was the official Quality Control officer on the O19 when she was build in Schiedam, the Netherlands. Sjors and Anja live nearby. My father sailed on her on all the proving runs and also to the Netherlands east Indies in 1939. I'll add a few pics below for anyone who's interested in the story of the rescue of the crew of the O19 by the USS Cod back in July 1945. There is also a video on YouTube about the rescue operation. Sorry to be a little slow in spooling up to productivity after our visit at our daughter's in Moon Township, PA. A lot of stuff to catch up with, like doctor visits, lawn and etc. Today I mowed the front yard - - - again and after lunch helped Gwen put her office chair together. She tried doing it herself and followed the instructions but had "massive" problems, her words Sooooh, as a "good" husband I offered my assistance and the first thing I did was throw the instructions aside. Men don't need no stink'n instructions - - - I did it my way, which worked, of course - - - well, a little more muscle helped. Gwen is rather limited in that department due to her carpel tunnel issue, poor girl. Okay, so back to work on the O19. I dug up a few pics of the deck torpedo launcher thingy and will do that next, wish me luck, it's all brass work. Here are a few pics related to the USS Cod rescue operation of the O19 as Andy so kindly pointed out. The USS Cod in the background with the O19 stuck on Ladd reef in foreground, in process of transferring the O19 crew. btw,that's the O19 dingy you see. It had to be abandoned. A nice pic of the USS Cod. This photo was taken just after the war ended when both crews threw a party, long to be remembered and cherished by them. Both crews posed for their picture. This is a composite pic of both crews with their ladies at the party to celebrate the war ending and rescue just after the war with Japan ended. The reunion in 1997 at the USS Cod Memorial and Museum in Cleveland, OH. These are the few men of the O19 crew still living in 1997. They have now all passed away. This is a picture I took last year of the USS Cod conning tower with her war record on it. You can see the number O19 on the con and a martini glass. The martini glass is to commemorate that infamous party with both crews and their ladies. A picture of the USS Cod's battle flag. Here too you can see the martini glass with the number O19. The word below the double dolphins is in the Netherlands language and means "Submarine Service." Cheers,

Thanks everyone for your very kind responses and also for the likes. Yes, it's good to be back home and in our own environs. The daughter is a real slave driver - - - put me to work in the yard and help with cooking the meals Good is that we quaffed a few brews before dinner, out on the large deck back of the house. @ Dave: yep, that makes two of us, I'm also pondering what to do next myself. @ Remco: Hmmm - ball bearings eh? I'd rather think thrust bearings to take the loads both ways, forward and reverse. Yes, they are with balls but with specifically formed races and cones. Kinda similar arrangement as with large piston aircraft engines. @ Popeye: Thank you my friend and ref to more armament, well - - - that's what I'm pondering on. Deck launched torpedo thingy, which is a rather complicated gizmo - - - and I have to rework the deck structure the openings are too small for the scale torpedoes. Soooooooohhh - -- here we go again - - - doing some more surgery. @ Pete 48: Thank you and yes, it's nice spending time again in the shipyard - - - in between chores that is. When the Admiral is happy then I'm happy. Today was a lost day in the shipyard, helping Gwen with an alleged computer problem on her Mac notebook pro. I could not duplicate what she sees. She'll give me a yell when she encounters it so that I can see what she has. This is like the blind leading the blind Also had to make some changes to my investment allocations to spread all my millions of dollars to the most advantageous items - - - and if you believe that then I have some prime sea shore property for sale in Death Valley Just dreaming here So, we'll wait till Sunday before I can start a new project on the O19, who knows what it'll be - - - surprise. Cheers,

Hello all, We are back home from a very nice visit with our daughter and grandson. Obviously we had many domestic chores do do after the two weeks being gone but today I had the chance of actually doing some work on the O19 in the morning I finished the port propeller except for the final clear cote to protect the shiny copper blades. I'm now contemplating the next project on the boat. The biggest will be the deck torpedo launcher and the rework on the opening and doors. The dingy will have to wait till the launcher installation is completed. It's either that or work both at the same time, which is not really desirable though. I like to work only on one thing at a time but we'll see. Okay, here is a picture of the stern end showing both propellers on the shafts and they rotate when blowing on them. Cheers,

That's beginning to look REALY very nice!!!!!!!!!!! Outstanding job. Cheers,

Hello Pete, just outstanding, gorgeous, beautiful, fantastic, lovely and - - - - - Cheers,

Birth day? Did anybody say - - birthday?? Oh, its Marks birthday - - happy birthday Mark and many more - - - - - - - without broken ribs Safe me some apple pie, okay? And ice cream, vanilla please Cheers,

Happy birthday John and many more! Stay safe and in good health. Give our best to Diana. Cheers,

Magnificent work Dave. It's a pure joy watching your magic. Cheers,

Yep, a redo - - - join the redo crowd - - - why should I the the only one here I'm not worried, what - - - with your skills - - - it'll work out just fine. Chalk it up to practice Cheers,

Happy birthday Sjors. Cheers,

So sorry to hear about the mishap but great recovery! "Stuff" happens at times Cheers,

Hello Mr. Pucko, When building my father's submarine model, the O19, to a scale of 1:50, the hull is basically made from wood and the sides and deck are planked. After sanding the wooden planking smooth I had to use very little wood filler and then I used a VERY thin Dacron fabric, slightly heavier then a woman's hose, with resin. A second coat of resin was applied which did not appreciably added thickness to the finished hull. A light sanding was done to look for any unevenness and then I did use some automotive body filler to smooth out the few imperfections. To finish the hull and simulate the steel hull plating I used regular file folder cardboard and glued them on in the pattern as shown on the original photos of the boot. I opted for the cardboard instead of either copper or brass "stick-on" foil for economic reasons. In one of my careers as aircraft mechanic I am very familiar with fibre glass work and indeed the cloth used is way too heavy for model work. The cloth I used was bought in a fabric shop and worked out just great. The added thickness, including the cardboard plating was less then 0.3 mm, which was for my scale acceptable. If I had the money I would have used the stick-on foil though. However, my model had to be painted and then the expensive foil would be a waste of money. It would reduce the added thickness though. If interested you can look at my method by clicking on the O19 build log in my signature below. Cheers,

Thanks Pete4. Yep, we are enjoying our stay, it's been a year since we have seen the kids. Hey Popeye, first I thought you may have eye problems and in need of new glasses But being computer illiterate is a real handicap - - - I know, when I look at a confuser they have a tendency to break Yep, we are enjoying, and I'm ready to go outside to quaff a good Belgian ale with our daughter, she is one cool dudet. We are very proud of her. Cheers,

Wow, Popeye, you have been busy! That little boat looks really terif there on deck! Cheers,

Hello everyone, Gwen and I arrived safely in Coraopolis, PA or Moon Township as it's officially called, at our daughter's place. We had a nice welcome and quaffed a few brews before some Chinese take-out dinner. If yuns want to know where Moon Township is located, it's S W of Pittsburgh and only a few miles away from the Pittsburgh International Airport. Today is lazy time day, Gwen needs to recover a little after sitting in the car for 13 hours. No Sjors, I'm not angry at you at all, I like you very much! It just so happened that when I hit the "Add Reply" button and immediately logged off. Your post came later and therefore I missed it. Stuff happens like that so once in a while. You and Anja have a great time in good ol England and give my best to Mobbsie and his dear bride. Hi Popeye, thanks you, thank you. Hmmmm, it isn't a three bladed prop? Did you look closely?? Yeah, it's a three bladed prop alright and the fix went rather smooth. Now I have to wait for two weeks before I can continue with the build but we have other things going on that are equally fun. Stay tuned, same place, same station. Cheers,