Yamato by ted99 - FINISHED - Nichimo - 1:200 - PLASTIC

[ted99]

The German Type IX C, U-511, MiniHobby Models 1:200 ready for painting.  A little kit-bashing by replacing the gross injection molded handrails with left-over Yamato PE brass, plus a few small bits.  Not much here, so this was fast.  I'll use the Yamato 25mm single AA guns from Yamato in place of the poor ones in the kit.  Guns to go on after hull painting.

[ted99]

Well, that's one done.  These subs go quickly.  When researching the colors for U-511, I found that it was sold to the Japanese Navy on 16 Sept '43 and was re-designated as R0-500 of the IJN.  Participated in Coral Sea and Leyte Gulf battles.  Surrendered in Aug 45 and subsequently scuttled.  So, I have a "Japanese" sub and a US Fleet sub.

 

Something I didn't know is the size difference between the German U-boats and US Fleet subs.  Picture shows the completed U-511/Ro500 (Type IX9-C)and the hull of SS-212, USS Gato.  Size difference is very apparent.  Both are 1:200.

[rvchima]

Beautiful work on the Yamato, Ted! I am anxious to see a build log for the Missouri. Thanks for showing the photo of your display wall too. I always wonder where builders put these big models.

Rod

[gak1965]

5 hours ago, ted99 said:

Something I didn't know is the size difference between the German U-boats and US Fleet subs.  Picture shows the completed U-511/Ro500 (Type IX9-C)and the hull of SS-212, USS Gato.  Size difference is very apparent.  Both are 1:200.

The Balaos and Gatos were all designed with having to transit the large distances of the Pacific so that they could operate with the battle fleet. As a result they were designed with certain comforts such as enough racks for each sailor to have their own and lots of food storage. While the nominal range of the Type IXC was longer, it seems like (at least in the beginning) the Germans were anticipating shorter patrols and less need for the creature comforts that took up space in US fleet subs  

[ted99]

Thanks to all for the compliments.

Rod--I will do the Enterprise CV-6 next and a build log.  Experience says that this will take about a year to complete.  "Tain't a Hobby if you hurry". I will probably not do a build log for the Missouri as there are several of these and I will benefit from all of them.  I'm sticking the two subs as an appendix to Yamato as they really don't warrant a build log and they are part of my WW II "set".

 

When I went through the six-month Sub School in 1965, the end had a two-week cruise on the USS Dogfish, SS-350 (Balao-Class), where we practiced diving and firing torpedo's.  On my turn as Conning Officer, I fired one 21" steam fish and one wire-guided electric fish.  MOT for both.  We students worked our way through all the diving stations and firing stations, in turn.  It had the WW II-era analog Torpedo Data Computer which required three officers to man the data input stations. As I recall, there were about five of us on the "Dogboat" and my hot-bunk was in the forward torpedo room next to a torpedo.  This was in the early days of Nuclear Subs and old Fleet Boats were the school boats.  After another year in Nuclear Power School, I reported to USS Pargo, SSN-650.  It had a modern (for then) computer-based TDC.  It's living quarters (for a crew almost twice as big) were a five-star hotel compared to the Fleet Subs.  So, my experience spanned from the Fleet Boats to a Nuclear Fast Attack Boat.  I retired from NASA in 1997 and a person I worked closely with had been Orville Wright's driver when he came to Washington for meetings at the old NACA.  Now, THAT's a span of history, as we were just starting work on the Space Station.

[ted99]

Both subs now completed.  The RIICH USS Gato did not require any kit-bashing.  Came with PE railings.  Quality of the injection molding is very good, also.  This could have been a Trumpeter kit in some earlier incarnation.  Much better than the MiniHobbyModels U-Boat U-511/Ro500.  Research says Fleet boats were flat black.  Added the IJN flag to the Ro 500 conning tower, as shown in pictures of it.

 

A few views of Gato before painting and of the two in their display position showing relative size between them and the battleships.  This completes this log and preparations are underway for USS Enterprise, CV-6.