Hr. Ms. O 19 by Piet - 1939 - 1945, scale 1:50, submarine Royal Navy Netherlands - Finished

[Piet]

Thanks folks for dropping in!

 

John, the detail will all be on the outside, which will be the most time consuming.

 

@ "The Learner", yes please, keep dropping in, you and everybody else is always welcome.

 

@ Mark, well, the start is going okay now that I have solved the minor warping problem. The bulkheads are 80% completed, a few more to be made.

 

Cheers,

 

 

[Piet]

Center keel build-up-1

 

As seen by the pictures below I have secured the keel assembly to the build dock with steel angels.  I placed them on 1/4 inch strips so the angles could clamp the dock keel tight to the build dock.  I had to bend them to an exact 90 degrees to make sure the keel was perfectly vertical to the build dock.

 

My next project was to cut and glue blocks of pine molding from a length I bought at the local building supply store.  They just happen to be perfectly 90 degrees and 1/2 by 3/4 inch.

Before I could glue them on to the keel I had to first take out the warp that fortunately ran lengthwise.

I used a wet sponge to run it along the concave side and watched it straighten itself.  While still damp I temporarily clamped a few of the blocks to the keel to keep it flat and let it dry.

 

Well, it worked and I could make a start with gluing the blocks to the keel with TiteBond.  Unfortunately I don’t have enough clamps to do all of them but they would be in the way with about half of them anyway.

 

I’ll be using the paper stern and bow pieces for templates.  Still pondering how to make the 1/16 inch bow center vertical frame.  This also has to support the cable and net cutter.  Thinking of cutting thin strips of box or maple and bend it.  If I make about three of them and glue them together I’ll have a relatively strong frame.  It needs a taper to attach the hull plating to.  I plan to make the bow section solid from balsa.  We’ll see and I’ll experiment with it to see how it goes.

 

Hopefully I’ll get to start gluing the bulkheads on sometime this week.

 

Center keel in the process of being flattened. You can see the wet sponge at the ready.

 

Bulkhead braces being glued onto the center keel.

 

Cheers,

[Jim Lad]

Now she looks like she's really started, Piet!

 

John

[amateur]

Warping seems to be you major problem in this stage.....

 

She's going to be a large ship. unless, you're much smaller than I think ( ), your model is quite a bit larger than I expected.

I exepected it to be around a meter length or so....

 

I once saw a buildlog of someone filling in all the spaces between the bulkheads with some kind of isolationfoam, to make an

even surface, and make the forming and planking of the hull easier, without increasing much to the weight of the sub.

 

Jan

[Piet]

Hi John,

yeah, she is beginning to fill out.  I put most of the bulkheads on the center keel frame for a look-see and could see the shape coming together.  See next post!

 

Hey Jan,

Thanks for checking in!  Yes, she's going to be 1 meter 6 dm.  I got the warping under control, no problem. 

Well, I bought the model drawings for the O 21 submarine through Remco and that one is also on a scale 1:50 and the same length as the O 19.  Originally I didn't plan on making my model this big but a smaller scale would make it appear rather skinny so I agreed with Remco to go for the same scale.

Yes, I'm rather short in stature 1 meter 7.  Used to be a lot taller though, 1 meter 8 dm   

Actually I didn't start to grow till I was 16.  Before that time I was as tall or short as a 12 year old, which gave me lot of problems.  Growth was stunted during my incarceration with the Japanese, malnutrition and all that.

Funny you should bring up the foam business.  Last Monday I bought a can of industrial strength insulation foam.  The planking has to be done with very thin planking material and covered with heavy paper to simulate the steel hull plates.  The hobby store in Daytona Beach has .5 or .7 mm plywood, just what the doctor ordered

 

Cheers, 

 

 

[Piet]

Dry fit of the bulkheads.

 

The majority of the bulkheads are now cut out and shaped on the disc sander.  One of my most indispensible tools in my shop, at least in my humble opinion.

 

I have also cut and shaped the stern and bow center keel pieces.  They still need to be joined to the main center keel frame and I’ll be working on a method of how to do that.

 

Next step is to cut small grooves in the bulkhead edges where WL 7 is because I need to remove the paper templates.  It’s not a good idea to leave the paper on because I want to seal the wood on the inside of the hull and also for possible balsa and foam filling.

 

I again checked the level of all bulkheads at the WL 7 line and they are right on the money.  Makes me a happy camper.

 

I also checked the center top of all the bulkheads for level; they too are right on the money.

 

After I have removed the paper templates from the bulkheads I can then glue them to the center keel frame.  Then I may need to add a few more bulkheads, especially at the stern and bow.  I'll also add stabilizing blocks between the bulkheads to make sure they are parallel.  I’ll have to check where specifically I need an extra bulkhead with a long thin strip of wood to see where it may not have enough support.

It’ll be a doing, trying and fitting as I go along just as I have to do with the VOC ship. 

 

90% of the bulkheads are now cut and shaped, ready for a dry fit to the center keel frame. 

 

Most all the bulkheads are now loosely placed on the center keel frame looking forward. The most aft part of the center keel needs to be shaved thin starting half way between the bulkhead 16 and the stern end to 1/8 inch.  You can also see the can of foam next to the bottle of carpenter's glue, which is btw equal to TiteBond in holding power

 

This is looking aft.  The few tall pieces up front need some more work, that's the bow torpedo tube area. Here you can also see the lateral strips I glued to the tops of the bulkheads.  That and the vertical blocks prevents things from warping. This has been sitting in the garage like this for a few days and is holding its shape.

 

 

Looking straight down the center towards the front.  The rounded part on the top of the bulkheads are actually the top portions of the round pressure hull.  The parts outside this circle are for the ballast tanks and the mine storage tubes.

 

Cheers,

[augie]

Straight!  Nice.  Very nice.

[Old Sea Dog]

Great history and pic's thank you for bringing it back to life.

[BANYAN]

Hi Piet, 

 

I had not looked into your log before but I am so glad I have found it.  This looks like a very interesting build, and I very much like the additional information, history and personal attachment associated with your build.  I have now bookmarked it to follow along

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited April 5, 2013 by BANYAN

[Adrieke]

glad i found this log too

 

its good to hear these stories from peolpe that experienced the war and to let us know how much suffering it has brought on both sides

 

i l be following your build with the others

[Remcohe]

Looks really great Piet, it's nice to see the contours emerge.

 

Remco

[amateur]

Hi Piet,

 

I'm a bit strugling: most frames suggest a normal 'tube-like' hull, but the aft frames have an upward extension: what is that for?

I can see them on the frames-layout, but I can't relate them to the pictures of the sub itself....

 

Jan

[amateur]

Oh, now I see,

It's the base for the upperstructure...

That changes my question: why didn't you use this 'upward extension' over the full length of the ship?

 

Jan

[Yambo]

That changes my question: why didn't you use this 'upward extension' over the full length of the ship?

 

Jan

Ship?!  

 

Submarines are boats   and if you are a submariner, everything else is a target!

[Piet]

Thanks my friends for stopping by, I appreciate your interest, comments and questions.

 

Indeed, submarines are always called "boats."  However, aircraft engineers, mechanics and pilots refer to them as "sewer pipes."  But submariners refer to aircraft as sewer pipes with wings.     We just can't win.

 

Augie, all the wooden blocks I glued to the dock keel kept the center keel frame in a straight line. Then the bulkhead blocks stiffened the center keel frame and kept it flat and vertical as well.  I'm happy with the results so far.

 

Adrieke and Jan, most of the Dutch submarines managed to escape the NEI to Australia when the Japanese invaded the NEI and were based in Fremantle.  They did an admirable job and loved the Aussies.  There is a museum there as well.

 

I'm glad that you like to hear some background info and history associated with this build. Most of us build ships where the history is scant or none existing but this is living history as told by someone who has been there and seen it, also this boat.

 

Amateur Jan, you are correct in saying that a submarine is nothing but a round tube, the pressure hull.  What we must remember is that all submarines prior to the modern age with nuclear subs and the advanced diesel/electric boats, are surface vessels that can submerge to a restricted depth and a short period of time.  To accommodate the water ballast they have the tanks on the side of the pressure hull. The deck structure was attached on top of the ballast tanks and the upper part of the pressure hull.  I opted to build the deck structure separately on this model and will be build and put on later.  There is an opening between the bottom of the sides of the deck structure and the ballast tanks to allow water to drain out when surfacing.  I like to show that as well.  They also had a two-tube torpedo launcher assembly on top of the pressure hull between the hull and the deck structure and I also want to show that system.

These particular WW II subs were designed where the ballast tanks on the sides were extremely strong and could double as auxiliary fuel tanks for long distance patrol.  Just look at the specs.  This also allowed them to go to greater depths then officially advertised.

 

In future postings I'll continue to add the actual photographs of the build by the shipbuilder, this will clarify a lot of things as I will also add some commentary with them.

 

As of this writing all bulkheads are cleared of the paper templates and I'm in the process of gluing them to the keel assembly.  It's slow going because I don't have enough clamps.  Off to the store tomorrow to buy a few more.

 

Thanks again folks for your interest in my build, I truly appreciate it.

 

Cheers, 

 

 

[Kevin]

I spent 90% of my Royal Navy Time (total 33 years) in submarines, i am watching with interest as you bring this idea into reality,

 

well done

[amateur]

boats, ships, floating or submerging things,

sorry guys, I didn't want to offend anyone by my choice of words

 

Jan

[Piet]

Well hello Kevin!  I was hoping you would find your way to my submarine build.  I knew you were a submariner from visiting your build on MSW 1.0, your Victory.  Submariners are special breed, my hat's off to you and thanks for your service!

I chose to go the other way, up. Aircraft design, maintenance and piloting them.

 

@ Amateur Jan, no offence taken my friend, common error.  Even my admiral keep saying ship, I just have to glance at her and she smiles and then says boat.  She grew up with a father who retired a captain in the merchant marine and ship was the word.

 

Trivia question, what's the difference between a ship and a boat, not counting subs,?

 

This is the ship Gwen's father made captain on in 1955, the Musi 2 from the KPM (Royal Packet Company).

 

Cheers, 

[Yambo]

rivia question, what's the difference between a ship and a boat, not counting subs,?

There's a simple answer Piet but it's not a simple matter. The simple answer? You can put a boat on a ship but you can't put a ship on a boat, or one man can make a boat but one man can't make a ship. It might take many men to make a boat but it'll always take a lot of men to make a ship. A friend once answered the same question like this:

 

"A schooner is not a ship and yet it can have a cargo hold or several cargo holds and will probably carry one or more boats. A Brig or a Barque can be bigger than a ship but they aren't ships themselves. Same thing for Brigantines and Barquentines. The term Ship is a sailing term for a square rigged vessel that has a "course" sail on it's mizzen mast. The "course" is the lowest and largest square sail on the mast. Brigs and Barques do not have mizzen courses.

 

A modern ship would be identified by it purpose. A 250' commercial vessel is a ship. A 450' private vessel not doing work is a yacht. A tug boat is a boat but it can exceed 150 gross tons. Tonnage for ships is rated by cargo capacity not gross weight."

 

Then you can have barges and rafts - a car ferry might be a raft - and a barge, like a Thames barge might be a ketch or a sloop. Others may expand on this subject some more but be pleased, I think you've opened a can of worms.    

Edited April 6, 2013 by Yambo

[Kevin]

There's a simple answer Piet but it's not a simple matter. The simple answer? You can put a boat on a ship but you can't put a ship on a boat, or one man can make a boat but one man can't make a ship. It might take many men to make a boat but it'll always take a lot of men to make a ship. A friend once answered the same question like this:

 

that's how i was told

[Kevin]

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/1589-latest-full-profile-photograph-of-your-build/

[dafi]

Wonderful and interesting project :-)

 

Ciao, Daniel

[Yambo]

Piet, 

While this is a boat

 

I always say,  "pictures serve as a better explanation, rather than word descriptions"

 

Montani semper liberi. Happy modeling to all and everyone of you.

    Crackers    

 

 

Mmmm, I reckon that's a dinghy. 

[Piet]

You guys are awesome!  You know your nautical stuff and with pictures too, I'm impressed.  Pour the champagne    and let's have a party.

 

Hey Anthony, is that thingy a dinghy?  Bet it's a fun thing to sail.  At least you have a boat, which is more then i can say.

 

Cheers to all,

 

 

 

 

[Piet]

Well, I'm in the process of gluing the bulkheads to the center keel and figured a way to do the bow.  I cut a 1/16 inch slice from a 1/4 inch poplar piece and sanded it smooth.  I cut a 1/16 inch groove in the center keel extension then glued these two pieces together.

Next I made a double #125 bulkhead and glued them together to give the splice of the main center keel and keel extension support with additional support blocks.  See pic below where all the clamps are at the bow.

At this point I could assemble and glue every thing together.  I used stainless steel aircraft safety wire as a clamping method to the forward dock keel, worked like a charm.  

 

I still need to make a few more bulkheads, specially at the stern end but i'm almost done with the bulkheads I already made.  So far they are all at the same WL 7 level and need to add just a fraction of a mm to the top of one bulkhead.  You can't win 'm all.

 

Hey, it's getting time to make a run to the hobby shop in St. Augustine or Daytona Beach for that very thin plywood for the base hull plating.

 

Gluing up the bow center keel. There will be about 6 more bulkheads added to this part of the center keel. That's the location for the four bow torpedo tubes.

 

Cheers,

 

[Trussben]

Such an interesting build, I will continue to watch with interest.

Can't wait to see the finished skeleton.

 

Ben

[TRJ]

Dear Piet,

 

As a boy I liked to read and reread with fascination a memorial book on 40 years of Dutch Royal Navy Submarine Service, which details very much the exploits during the 2nd World War as well as the building history of the O16, O19 and O21. Some of the pictures you posted are therefore familiar to me! 

Now I will follow with equal fascination your build-log.

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Tjeerd

[Piet]

Hello all,

 

A belated responce to Kevin, I have been to your build log when you re-entered in MSW 2.0 but failed to drop you a note.  My apologies.     Nice going on your Victory, love the coppering job you did!

 

@ Ben, thanks for visiting my build and you are always welcome to visit any time, just bring the beer (Belgian!) and popcorn. 

 

@ Tjeerd, Thanks for stopping buy and you too are welcome anytime!  Yes, there are a few fascinating books on the Dutch Royal Navy.  There is a new one in the works about the final days of Hr. Ms. Java and of course the entire allied striking force that found their demise at the Battle of the Java Sea.  Obviously I am also interested in the history of the MLD (Naval Air Arm) and their PBY and Dornier flying boats.  When my wife's father was a young man he served in the KM as navigator on the Dornier D0-24 Wal flying boats and later joined the KPM.

 

My father had a long career with the KM and served on several boats before he was assigned on the O 19.  I too like to read the history of the Dutch build boats and their exploits.  I'm glad you enjoy my banter about this boat and my dad's involvement.

 

My wife's father (in the middle) posing on the sponson of a MLD Dornier DO 24 Wal (Wale), most likely at the MLD base in Soerabaja (old Dutch spelling) early 1930s.

 

Cheers,

Edited April 8, 2013 by Piet

[Piet]

Hello folks,

 

Just a little update.  Most of the bulkheads are now glued to the keel and checked again for level and square.  I also made a few more, especially in the stern but are not glued on yet.

 

Next I'll glue spacer blocks between the bulkheads at the outboard sides to make the hull more rigid so I can take it off the build board for some fine tuning and fairing of the bulkheads.

 

Final check for level. Seems kinda redundant because I must have checked this many times but it makes for a nice picture.

 

Overall view of the hull.

 

Cheers, 

[BANYAN]

She's coming along very nicely Piet, can't wait to see her wityh the first skin on

 

cheers

 

Pat