Hr. Ms. O 19 1938 by Piet - FINISHED - scale 1:50 - submarine of the Royal Navy Netherlands in service 1939 - 1945

[Piet]

Thank you all for visiting, including all yuns who clicked on "like."

 

@ Mark: Thank you for your kind words and today we'll see the conning tower close to completion, with the doors open and closed and painted (primed only).  See next post.

 

@ Remco: Thank you!  Yes, the 0.5 mm brass tubes would have been a little too delicate for this work.  It would work but the plywood for the doors are too thick and actually out of scale and thus these tiny hinges would just disappear.  In retrospect the doors could have been made from brass sheet stock of - - - oh, about 0.15 or 0.2 mm thick.  But then we'd run into a whole other set of problems such as the door frames and etc.  So, where do we stop - - - and all metal boat?   Hmmmmm, now that's an idea - - - like the brass model steam locos - - - ????   Not!!  In my next life perhaps     As mentioned before, even this is way beyond what I had originally planned to do and it'll have to suffice - - - for now.  I may leave the aft two doors closed and just keep the forward one open so we can see some "stuff" inside, like a chain and cases of Heineken beer  

By the way, I also tested the deck slats by spraying them with workable fixative I use for my art stuff.  It works like a charm to seal the dye so it doesn't bleed when I put glue on it.  Problem solved.

 

@ Daniel:  Thank you for your very kind words but you give me too much credit   I love it though.  No, no jeweler.  Time for a career change is long gone at being 80 years of age.  I just like to challenge myself and see what I can still do.  Some of this stuff just can't be done with hard or silver solder, the flame blows things away and clamping or affixing it is not much of an option.  The biggest challenge is holding all these tiny parts together to be soldered.   I guess I'm too lazy to try at this point so I soft solder these things.  

 

Cheers,

 

[Piet]

Well, I'm coming close to finishing the conning tower.  The remaining tasks are the foot treads in the rear, the handholds and final painting.  Oh yeah, let's not forget the AA guns, the antenna mast and the periscopes.

The foot treads are already made, they just need to be cemented on.  Remember that I had a problem with them not wanting to stay glued?  I'll have to retry it and hopefully reinforce them from the inside of the conning tower through the rear crew hatch hole    Fortunately I left the crew hatches un-cemented and they can be removed.

 

I cut the tubing for the periscopes and the antenna mast.  The actual periscope heads still need to be made and installed then they need to be checked for raising and lowering and adjusting the focus of the lenses    Kidding of course but I'll cement a simulated piece of glass to the scope tip, at least it should look like it has a lens in it    More detail work.

 

The cross arm for the antenna mast will have to wait till I'm ready to rig all the antenna wires.

 

Okay, now for the pics of today's work.  btw, today was our 51st wedding anniversary!     The Admiral said that she'll keep me a bit longer, am I lucky or what 

 

This shows all the conning tower doors installed, closed and latched.  The wide-angle lens distorted it somewhat.  You can also see that the rear AA gun has it's elevation rack installed and that the snorkel exhaust shroud is on and painted flat black.  The rear steps will go into the half-round holes in the rear. 

 

This picture shows all the doors open.

 

This is the conning tower painted with a primer coat and the antenna mast, periscopes and snorkel intake installed.  The tops of the periscopes are 1.5 mm copper tubes with a flat filed in them for the fake lens glass.  The hand-hold rail will be just below the top level of the doors and between the upper foot holes.  I'll wait with putting the O19 number on the con till the boat is completed.

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mtaylor]

Fake lenses?  And no cross-hairs either?      Seriously wonderful work, Piet.  It's one thing to make the stuff look good and it's another to make it look good and actually work.  You're doing the look good and work part and it's great.

[popeye the sailor]

looks great Piet!   you have really put some fantastic work and detail into this build....paint should really spruce her up!

[Piet]

Thanks everyone for your overwhelming support and "likes," I really appreciate it.

 

Well Mark, the cross hares are in the optics down below and we must just let our imagination go to work and picture ourselves at the eye piece   Thank you for your compliments, makes me feel good.  The Admiral was also impressed with how she's looking.

 

Thank you also Popeye for your compliments!  Talking about paint, see pics below.  As soon as the starboard side of the con is done and the hull painted then I'll spray paint the con with a final coat.

 

Cheers,

[Piet]

Today I installed the handhold rail on the port side of the con and installed the steps at the rear.  I also gave all that a coat of paint.

 

Now that the conning tower is completed on the port side I decided to paint the upper part of the hull above WL 7 green, as the manufacturer's model shows.  Gino and I have already explained the reason behind this color scheme.  Remember that this model depicts the boat as she was in 1939 and 1940 when my dad sailed on her and it was still peacetime then.

It's different and will invoke questions I'm sure.

 

Okay, I have now turned my build dock around so I can work on the starboard side of the conning tower.  All that needs to be done there is install the handhold rail and the crew steps in the rear and put the grey primer paint on.  As soon as that is done I may just go ahead and paint the upper part of the hull green.  

 

I'm still contemplating cutting one of the mine buns open and install a mine bun and a hinged lid.     more detail work - - - am I nuts or what?   If I do then I'll have do that before painting, it'll make a real mess.  Right now I don't quite know yet how to worm the side frames in and the visible parts of the pressure hull.  Hmmmmm, cardboard comes to mind with caulking compound and a lot of luck.  That also means that I'll have to make a few mines   

 

Okay, here are a few pics to show today's work.

 

Here she is all dolled up in a fresh coat of paint.  The weather was nice and warm, no wind, ideal paint weather.

 

A close-up look of the completed port side of the conning tower.  I found a rather heavy chain inside but no cases of Heineken beer.  Perhaps they put them in the aft part, I need to have a look see 

 

Cheers,

 

 

Edited May 15, 2014 by Piet

[Remcohe]

Wow Piet what difference with the green on it. I had to get used to it but I like it, it's something else than the usual dull gray (or occasion pink ) 

 

Remco

[harvey1847]

Beautyful green Piet! She has changed a lot and now I do understand the thing about the rivets and the fake iron bolts we discussed months ago... She looks pretty industrial to me.

 

Best wishes!

 

 

Daniel.

[Sailor1234567890]

The crosshairs would not be visible from the lense up there. It would be painted on the lenses lower down in the periscope.

[Piet]

Hoi Remco, thanks for visiting and yes, it's different alright with these colors.  It'll take getting used to and it'll invoke many questions from people who are used to seeing "the grey wolves."  Pink subs, hmmmm, let's see - - - only one though - - - the one from the Beatles     

 

Hello Daniel, thank you for your comments.  Yup, adding rivets would have been an impossible task, scale wise and work wise.

 

Hi Sailor, exactly, cross hairs are in the optics and isn't that what I mentioned to Mark a few posts ago?      

 

Cheers,

[Kerry]

Gidday Piet,

I have just discovered your build log, and read with interest  your historical tie to this build.

your craftsmanship is impressive, but your sense of humour is huge

thank you for sharing

Kerry  

[Piet]

Thanks to everyone for visiting and your like votes !

 

Okay, the build dock is turned around so I can work on the starboard side.  I made the conning tower handhold rail and installed it.  I also cemented the four steps in the rear of the con leading up to the aft gun deck and then prime pained the lower part of the con light grey.  Final painting of the con will be done after the green is on the starboard side.

 

Well, I made the bold decision to install one mine bun with hinged lid - - - I should actually get my head examined - - - so much extra work, and I just hope it's gonna pan out okay.  Keep fingers crossed.

 

I picked a spot between two bulkheads and lucked out that the aft one was close enough to act as the real thing.  Actually, there are no solid bulkheads inside the ballast tanks, just steel framing, but don't tell anyone 

I had to pick a lot of foam out that I used to give the thin planks I used for the hull some support.  So far so good.  Next is to figure out how to install the simulated pressure hull that can be seen when the lid is open.  There is not much room to maneuver a lot of material through the opening.  We'l see how that's gonna work out.

 

Oaky, here are a few pics of today's work.

 

This shows the starboard side handhold rail for the lower con.  Same material as I used for the port side.  I decided to make this off the boat, it made it a little more difficult to install but after some fussing with it it worked out okay.  

 

Front view of the handhold rail installed.

 

Side view and you can also see the rear steps and it's painted.

 

Another view from the rear. 

 

This picture shows the start of cutting out the opening for one of the mine buns.  Standard procedure, same as I used when making holes in aluminum aircraft skins.

 

Here it shows the opening pretty well cleaned up.  It'll need some reenforcing behind the lip for the door to rest on.  I may use some file folder card, it's easier to let it flow along the curves.  

 

Sometime last year John Texxn5 was goading me in doing this (and I was rather reluctant then) I did make a test lid just to see if I could do it.  This is that lid but I have to make a new one, this one is not good enough, it needs just a little more of a bend and the little holes are a mess.  No problem tough, it has to be good.

The bun itself will be made from styrene, if I can find that sheet - - - I must have put it in a real safe place - - - somewhere   

 

Cheers, 

[DORIS]

Hello Piet,

You project looks wonderful, I like your sense for details and interesting workflows. That is a nice inspiration.

Have a great time and joy during the build

Doris

[popeye the sailor]

so.......your going to do it......GOOD FOR YOU!!!    with the amount of quality you have in this build,  I couldn't see why not  {I know you were debating whether or not to do this}    gonna look sweet ..............as with you current progress.  nicely done!!

[mtaylor]

Piet,

I almost can't believe you're doing this.... almost.    There was a reason you kept that lid and good for you.  It will look great when you're done and of that, I have faith.

 

BTW, my line about the cross-hairs was meant as humor. 

[Piet]

Hello dear friends and wow what a response, thank you all for dropping in and "liking" my build.

 

Hello Doris, I'm so happy and pleased seeing you here and thank you for your compliments.  I am also enjoying your build of the Royal Caroline, which is an inspiration to me to do my best in making my model acceptable to my father.

 

Hi Popeye, thanks you for your accolades, much appreciated.  Yup, I bit the bullet and waiting for the consequences 

 

Hello Mark, yes, I got your "tongue in cheek" funny alright but my remark was directed at what Sailor posted  yesterday on post 839.  And yes, I figured why not doing the mine thing and see where the chips may fall.  So far it seems to be working okay for me.

 

Cheers,

 

 

[Jim Lad]

She's really coming on well, Piet!  I'm glad that you're doing the open mine door - it'll certainly work out OK!

 

John

[Piet]

As shown in a previous post I have cut a hole in my model soooooohh - - - - I have now a holy sub - - -           oooooooh, I crack me up     

 

Okay, enough of my sick humor, snicker - - snicker      I managed to pretty-up the opening a little by putting a file folder back-up to the underside of it.  It still needs a little more dressing up but that'll come after I have cemented the mine bun in.  I don't know yet how I'm going to do that but we'll come up with a solution.  Originally there were brackets attached to the pressure hull and the bun was fastened to them.

 

I also managed to worm a pice of file folder card stock inside to simulate the pressure hull.  That piece is held in place with caulking compound.  Then I made and installed a piece of framing between the the bun areas as is shown on the actual build photos.  I lucked out on that operation.  See pics 6 and 7 below.

 

Then I started with making a new bun lid from a small piece of 1 mm ply.  There are a few framing pieced on the underside which I made from boxwood.  First I had to make a template for the correct curvature of the hull in that area and used a piece of styrene - - - yup, I found it - - -

All very time consuming work to get the right curves in these little pieces of wood but I think they are correct.  We'll know tomorrow when I'm going to assemble the door / lid for the bun.  If not, then we'll go to plan B, make another one.

 

I also started to make the bun from styrene.  I rolled it around a ⅜ drive long socket wrench of the right inside diameter and clamped it together with 6 water hose style steel clamps, then dunked it in very hot water for about 20 minutes to take the strain off.

Then dried it off and re-clamped it back with Duco cement and a reinforcing strip on the seam to make the weld hold tight.  I'll find out tomorrow how this is holding up.  Then comes the task of cementing it inside the ballast tank.  But first I need to paint the inside of the ballast tank dark grey to match the color of steel.

 

It doesn't look like much work but it was all very tedious and time consuming.  Yes, it is a challenge but actually fun

 

The biggest challenge will be making the hinges for the lid.  No clue yet how I'm going to do that in such a way as to make the actually hinges not visible when closed.  I'll have to make a test piece first I think, before messing around with it on the boat itself.

 

Okay, here are a few pics of today's progress.

 

This shows the main parts for the lid.  The long straight piece will be cut into three sections to fit between the 2 longitudinal pieces, shown here with the curves.  I don't know yet what glue or cement I'll be using, either 5 minute epoxy or CA.  There is some tension on lid piece to keep it in a bend.  See pic 6 below.

 

The next three pics show the inside of the ballast tank where the mine bun will be located.  Here you can see that end frame and a part of the pressure hull.  I modeled the end frame after the real one as shown in the actual build photos.  See pics 6 and 7 below.

 

This is the bulkhead of my model and I plan to paint the bottom of it black leaving the top part grey with three black circles to simulate that top frame piece.

 

This shows the simulated pressure hull.  It'll be painted dark grey to simulate steel.  I may even reduce the width of the lip where the lid rests on.

 

Here is the styrene bun clamped on a socket wrench acting as a mold.  The cement should hold after 16 hours curing time.  Then it needs to be prettied up, trimmed to size and cemented into the ballast tank area.  Yes, and painted too 

 

Here we see the O19 at the Navy base in Den Helder when she was brand new.  And yup, I'm sure that's my father standing at the aft end of the conning tower, it's the tall fellow with his head cocked a little, his typical stance    The reason for this picture is to show how the upper braces in the ballast tanks look like and why I modeled them as I did.

 

This photo was taken in 1938 when she was being build. It also shows how these braces look like.

 

We are not there yet making mines but this picture shows how they look like and how they load them babies.  This photo was taken in 1944 during her war patrol era.

 

This picture does not belong here but I like for you to go back a few posts together with picture 6 above and compare my work with the conning tower with these pics.  This one shows the snorkel exhaust pipe exstanded with the shroud on the bottom.  I think I came pretty close 

 

Cheers. 

[Piet]

Thank you Anthony for dropping in and I'm glad you enjoy my efforts and your "like" votes.

 

Thank you John for dropping in and your encouragements, It's really appreciated.  Well, so far things seem to be working okay with this endeavor.  As you can see we're making progress. 

 

Cheers,

Edited January 30, 2014 by Piet

[Remcohe]

Really great to see you're doing the mine bin. Although I had expected you would make the lid from brass as you did such a fine job on all the lids on the conning tower........(hint...)

 

Remco

[Piet]

My dear friend Remco, do you know what you are doing to me          You are pushing the envelope for me - - - brass mine bun lids - - indeed    Now, that would be the easy way out, at least for me and if this wooden thingy is not working out I may just go that route.  It seems a shame to make it from brass because it'll be painted anyhow.   But then again, it aint over till it's over - - - or after the fat lady sings. 

 

As it is I had to remove one ply from the plywood so it would cooperate with me in making the bend.  I now have a piece of bywood        This morning I cemented the little braces to the lid cover but then had to go to the dentist for my FINAL visit on the restoration project - - - hip, hip, hurray   

 

I'll be going to the shipyard right now and clean that little sucker up and dry-ft it.  If it doesn't look good I may just go for the brass.  It really would solve my hinge concern too - - - hmmmmm - - - thanks for the hint though 

You know, when I was puts'n with the inside of the ballast tank yesterday I had this fleeting but sickening thought popping into my mind - - - why not do the one next to it as well.  Well, like I said, it was a fleeting though.  No, I'll leave it with on.  You all know what happens when you do two, from there it's three then ten, then - - - you want to see me totally nuts and berserk and run into the sunset to Beserkistan - - - never to be seen again????  Doomed to a life making brass thingies   

 

The styrene bun is also made and dry fitted, seems okay.  I also figured out how to cement that one in place.  I hope to have a few pics this evening.

 

Oooh - -  what tangled webs we weave but thanks for the hint Remco  

 

Cheers, 

[jud]

Perhaps wood covers, with the inside braces made in brass, would make the hinges easier to attach and it looks like the photos show the hinges being part of that inside cover reinforcing. Watching this model take shape has amazed me as you created the details and then remade them until you were satisfied, keep it up, you are creating an heirloom. that being your intention or not..

jud

[Piet]

Hello Jud and thank you for dropping in and thanks for your compliments and the suggestion.  Yes, that's the normal way I attach the hinge material when making wooden doors.  I'm always very leery in cementing brass to wood, it has a tendency of coming loose.  Using brass for the inside braces may not work too well because there is very little material to cement the brass to the wood, 0.7 mm thickness of the brass.  I'm thinking of another way, also using brass but thinner yet as the base for the hinge part on the lid.  

The hinges have to be a little more outboard from the two center braces because the bun is in the way.  I'll need to put my engineering hat back on and make a test piece.

 

Yes, sometimes things just don't go as we want them and spending so much time on building a model my father would approve of doesn't allow me to just slough things off.  There is no harm done in remaking something both he and I can be proud of.  What is a few more minutes between friends, eh what?    

 

I'm pleased you like my build, drop by any time, the coffee is always up and hot, with cookies too  

 

Cheers, 

[Piet]

Let me first thank everyone for visiting and hitting the like button.

 

Today I un-clamped the styrene bun and checked it over.  It looks acceptable after I cleaned it up and trimmed it down to fit inside the ballast tank area.  It just fits with no room to spare, just what the doctor ordered, I'm happy.  I needed to glue a thin piece of wood to the bulkhead and to a longitudinal stringer on the side to give the bun something to cement to.

 

Next I glued the small braces to the inside of the lid cover with CA, trimmed it and fitted it.  It fits like a glove and looks really good - - - but - - - - - - upon closer scrutiny I didn't put the braces in the correct location.  Instead of de-glueing them I decided to remake the lid, which is already done.  Next will be new braces and cementing them on making sure this time to do it correct.  

 

In the meantime I also painted the inside of the ballast tank and the bun.  After the paint had dried I glued the bun into place.  It'll be a close fit to load the mines into it.  

 

I may still wind up making the lid from brass but for right now I'll keep trying with wood.  It is now more of a challenge to me then anything else     This thing is not going to get the best of me.

 

Okay, here are a few pics of today's work.

 

This shows the completed lid loosely laid in place.  Looks good, right?  But - - - the outside looks are deceiving.  Wait till you see the inside but ashamed as I am I'll show it to yuns anyway 

 

The styrene bun still needing cleaning and trimming.

 

This shows the bun cemented in place and everything painted.  Now take a close look at the underside of the lid.  What do you see?  kinda clear to me that I royally screwed up and need to remake this lid.

 

This makes you look straight down the bun to the bottom of the ballast tank and you can see how close a fit it'll be for the mines.

 

Cheers, 

Edited January 31, 2014 by Piet

[Jim Lad]

Looking first class, Piet.

 

John

[popeye the sailor]

sorry to see and hear about the bun lid......they are small differences.......but if your not happy with it,  then I guess it will the next time we see it.  your making progress........very nice!

[FreekS]

I love the stand !

 

But everyone knows the beer was stored inside the pressure hull:

- it might not survive the pressure

- it needs to be drunk!

 

Seriously, beautiful boat. No-one knows which shade of green these boats were, probably anything available in wartime.

 

Fantastic project!

 

Freek

[hexnut]

I have been following this build avidly, although I haven't commented so far.  (not much to add, except "fantastic!") 

 

Earlier you had mentioned making decals--I don't know If you need graphics or have already made them, but I whipped up the "19" based on the conning tower shot--If you're interested, I can send you any size or resolution you want, or if you have autocad or a graphics software program I can send you compatible files...

Edited January 31, 2014 by hexnut

[Piet]

Hello John,  Thanks for your kind words but that screwed-up lid is certainly not first class.  However, I have made a new one that is much better.  I pictured my dad standing there, shaking his head and muttering under his breath, domkop 

 

Hi Popeye, thanks for stopping by and your compliments.  A little difference doesn't fly with me, it was a terrible looking lid but thought to show it anyway.  Some folks may want to conceal their mistakes but we can't learn from that.  Pic below of the new lid 

 

Hi Freek,  thanks for liking it and yes, I know of course that the Heineken didn't last long with all those thirsty sailors  And they were not stored outside the pressure hull either, it was meant as a joke     

On the color scheme, your are correct, except for the builder's model we still have a photo of and I try to match that as close as I can.   From what I have heard and read she was painted grey during her war time patrols.

 

Hello Bob, nice to see you back again, welcome.  No, I have no graphics or CAD programs and not planning on buying any, at least not for the foreseeable future.  But what a generous offer, thanks - - - however, Remco already made me the decals for the con and the bow.  So I'm all set except for the draft numbers.  We don't know what the numbers are and what size.  They are also white, which is a difficult color to make for decals I understand.  I cannot make them out and neither can Remco with his superman vision.  

Those are the only things on this build that is wanting.  I have not yet contacted anyone in the Netherlands on the different Navy forums but plan to do so.  I don't expect much help though.

 

Cheers, 

[Piet]

Thanks to everyone who have visited and clicked on "like."  It's really very encouraging.

 

I spend most part of the day making a new lid and playing with building a mock-up for the hinges.

 

The lid is finished and temporarily put on the bun hole.  Now I need to finish the mock-up and figure out how to make the hinges.  Looks like a bowed bracket may do the trick.  I may leave this for a while and do some main deck work like cementing the torpedo loading trolley tracks and paint the deck.  In the meantime I'll do some thinking on the hinges.

 

Well, here is the new and third lid.

 

The fit is passable, I may fiddle some more with it and I could even paint the starboard side of the hull 

 

As you can see the braces are now much better and so are the little holes.  I think I'll keep this one 

 

Cheers,