Waterline vs Full Hull

[Petestein]

Originally Posted by Draco

You can be right, but it's like saying that we must remove the landing gear of the planes because they are usually seen flying, or like removing the bomb bay doors in the bombers because they are allways closed. The lower hull is part of the ship.
In fact, I remember seen a diorama of a type VII where the only thing you can see is the sea surface and a periscope. Whe could replace all the submarine models with just periscope representations.

You are absolutely right. Your comparison with aircraft sitting on a stand with no landing gear and propellers not moving (on propeller aircraft, naturally) is as strange as having a waterline model sitting on a flat wooden shelve. They are very nice to incorporate on dioramas sitting on a nice water or sea reproduction. And as most other life situations, it is a matter of personal taste. That is why I enjoy very much those card models which incorporate both versions, waterline and full hull, one example is the beautiful Digital Navy IJN Yamato. Not a cheap kit but extremely detailed and worth every penny and with the option of waterline and full hull, both to satisfy all tastes. And you want to see highly detailed full hulls? Just check Schreiber large Titanic and Great Eastern. Just two examples.
Pete