Attack Tiger U-Boat Build - Kooklik Repaint

[airdave]

Conning Tower...as promised (in jagolden's thread) here is my attempt to sort out the Conning Tower assembly.

I took apart my previous construction
and gave it another try...
it almost fell together on its own this time!
Its amazing what a little shared information and study can do for you!

Heres what I got so far:

I started with the already assembled inner framework...only mod I had to do was sand down the front curved section to get a tighter fit of the front skin (Part Y1)

attaching the rear lower skin panel (Part Y4) is a little more complicated.
You can see in the picture the three parts I preassembled before attaching the whole thing to the inner structure.




...bend over all the tabs of Y4a to attach the deck plate (U21)




and then attach the front panel Y1, hopefully pulling it around on both sides to meet Y4...the joiner strips (Y1a R + L) will help with that gap.
Then I fitted the two R + L Y5 parts...they have a slight curve.




Now I prepped the upper deck for install...you have to attach the two panel extensions on the underside (Y8 R + L)
but first there is a strip (I think its Y7 R + L) that attaches to the deck plate to create a thicker deck structure.
For my reduced scale version, I used some thick card to create the thicker deck structure
and I left out a section in the middle to fit over the lower structure.




You can see in this next pic where Y7 would be in place of the thick card I have used.
I have already installed the stepped section of this deck into the front of the Conning Tower,
now I just glue and drop this rear part down over the lower structure.




Heres a couple of shots of the assembly so far.
you can see my "flying upper deck" sits a little high because of the thickness of the card I used
but this will be hard to see once it is all installed.




I'm now in the process of fitting the inside assembly for the Conning tower...
for my small scale build, I have to cut a few corners on some tiny parts fitting,
but I'm basically following Jagolden's assembly (take a look at his photos here)

[Zathros]

Wow! This thread is very informative and I love the paint scheme. I too have fat fingers and though this model might be undo-able for me (still may be). Great Job!

[Papercut]

OK, great detail/photos for assembly of Conning Tower. I will do as you have shown and re-sand the frame and see if I can get my skins to fit as good as you did. Thanks for the in-put.:DRick

[airdave]

some of you guys don't believe me...
I am in need of glasses (getting too old)
I have stubby little fingers (one hand went through a tablesaw!)
I am very impatient (I'd rather finish than do it right)
I am clumsy (always knocking stuff over and tripping through life)
I am lazy (if I can find a way to get around it, I will!)

but...
I do have an artistic background and that helps me be creative
I have photographic abilities and can hide some defects in the photography
I have digital skills and can always clean things up if necessary
(but I do try to avoid any seriously misleading alterations).

if I can build this U-boat...and at half scale, and make it look this good, then just about all of you can do the same!


and, thanks for the "informative" compliment.
I may seem a little OCD or anal at times, but I like to present things in the same manner i would like to receive them.
I agree that many of these kits are seriously lacking in instructions which is always a problem for lesser experienced builders,
and although Kooklik's instruction pages are very well designed and detailed
even his models can benefit from a builder's point of view.

if anyone is thinking of buying this model, I hope the info that jagolden, papercut, f18fixer and myself are presenting will help you to go ahead and give it a shot!

[jagolden01]

Dave, your conning tower looks great. You certainly moved faster than I did. I hem and haw over each piece before committing to it.

You're so right about a "builders perspective" going along with the instructions.
I am still referencing Padre's build, but more detail is still needed.
U-Boat Type VIIc by Kooklik/Thai Paperworks

He build it soon after initial releasee and did great job!

[airdave]

Originally Posted by jagolden01

Dave, your conning tower looks great. You certainly moved faster than I did. I hem and haw over each piece before committing to it.

You're so right about a "builders perspective" going along with the instructions.
I am still referencing Padre's build, but more detail is still needed.
U-Boat Type VIIc by Kooklik/Thai Paperworks

He build it soon after initial releasee and did great job!

wow I did not see that thread!!
why not?...I must be blind.

I did some more work on the conning tower last night
and its getting a little sloppy now!...lol
I'll post some pics later.
I am into the smaller parts now, and at this reduced scale, this is becoming a bigger challenge for my skills.
So, I'm not sure yet what parts I will omit for the sake of the size
and what I will attempt...the railings are a big concern!

I'm going back to the Hull skinning for awhile...
I have to sort out my mistakes in that regard.
I have resorted to trimming skins wherever I need to
but the minor misalignments (my fault) are only really causing me problems with the long hull opening just above the side ballast tanks.
I am hoping that I haven't destroyed the shape of that opening to any great degree.

[doctormax]

I would love to try it myself do with my clumsy hands and really bad eyes I think it be a really hard but it be fun to try it.

[doctormax]

I just ordered my christmas present to myself and I decided on this version dave something about the colouring just got me thinking go for this one.. so be looking on these build threads a lot.

[airdave]

The Uboat build has been on hold for a week or so
while I deal with some other card model projects
and, to be honest, to give me a break from it.

As I have stated, I'm not very patient with the small stuff
and I get frustrated easily.
...and thats a lot of what I am dealing with now (the small stuff!)

I'm also running into a few problems with fit, here and there,
totally as a result of my "quick build" technique.
I am completely positive that all the parts line up perfectly with a more careful and patient build.

Anyway, this is what I got finished up to the break...

I have all the main structure on the Conning Tower...and I am contemplating what detail parts I will tackle.
As you can see, I assembled the "forms" for the railing elements.
(This a is a great additon by kooklik!)
...unfortunately, I have absolutely no clue how to build these railings! lol
I don't know what to build them from...? or how to assemble them...?
Maybe I'll wait to see how others tackle this.




I am continuing to skin the Hull, working my way to the rear, and I think, the most complicated section of skinning.
I have been adding some extra, wider and thicker strips for support and gluing.




I have stopped skinning at the stepped section of the stern...and I am looking at the parts for the Propellors and Rudders, etc

In the meantime, I decided to try some of the top decking...
but first, there are some extra formers to go in.
Mostly in the center section of the Hull, between where the side ballast tanks go.
(The photo shows about half of all the parts to go in!)
...and I am also adding some more extra formers (front and rear) to deal with the tops of wavy Hull panels.
I'm trying to straighten a few of my sloppily installed "skin" panels!




and then this leads me to the deck plates and the importance of the flush/flat top to all the Hull formers.
I think this is the one thing you have to be very careful about and take the time to get all formers lined up properly with flush tops.
The "skin" panels also have to line up flush at the tops.

Mine don't.
...but, again, i would like to state, that its totally my sloppy build technique that has got me to this point.
I am satisfied with what I am doing and will make the best of what I have built.

So here goes a few deck panels... a little trim here and there,
a little stretch here, and push there...and a lot of colouring edges and visible gaps! lol




I also had to deal with that articulated Snorkel thing...which was a nightmare for me to build!
Sorry no photos of that...I was too frustrated trying to build it at this small a scale!
I was tempted to photoshop a new deck plate, but then I thought "why not give it a try?"...LOL
Anyway...its built ...and it actually swivels!
its just a little modified from the original intended assembly.




I did however have to make a small modification to the Deck panel that surrounds the Snorkel.
In my effort to make the deck panels fit as best as possible, I ended up moving the panels forward slightly and now the hole for the Snorkel doesn't line up.
I trimmed out a little extra from the front area (A) and left some material in the rear area of the cutout (B), which I coloured in with some gray shading.
The finished look is not exactly what was intended, but I think it works (especially for my level of skill!)




Now I am moving on to finish assembling the framework for the side "bulgy things" (Ballast Tanks)...and then I will try skinning them.

After attaching those to the Hull, I will go back to the Stern and tackle the Props, etc.

[B-Manic]

Looking real good Dave. The conning tower looks very realistic and the folding snorkel amazes me.