Type VIIC Deck: totally wood or part metal? - Advise wanted on deck-material

[toneburst]

[color=#000000]Hi,

finally I'm coming close to finishing my U47(U96). Right now I'm in the phase of weathering the model. The boat is really starting to look 'used'. Just finished larger part of the deck. As far as I know the deck was made of wood, and during maintenance this deck was painted with a preservative that made it look flat black. This preservative stained pretty soon when on open see, so I weathered it like this (wood shining through and stained). Couldn't find out though if the front part of the deck under the chainsaw on the bow and the part of the deck at the stern (after the antenna-supports) was made of wood or metal. So before weathering these to parts]

[koeze]

The deck on bow and

The deck on bow and stern are made of metal. I have no idea how they were painted but I think they would look slightly different from the rest of the hull as they were most likely painted with somekind of anti skid paint.

EJK

[toneburst]

Thanks EJ,

I try to use

Thanks EJ,

I try to use colors indicated at http://www.u-boote-online.de/dieboote/farben.html (stand 1940). This list indicates all horizontal surfaces above waterline should be flat black. I've concluded this goes for the two (as you indicated) metal deck-parts. The idea this was probably anti-slip sounds logical and is conveniant: must anti-slip paint comes in black (or the gras-green you see often on civilian ships). Flat black will do just fine.
So right now it's back to the airbrush....
Thanks again.

Jos.

[safrole]

I don't know, that green

I don't know, that green could be just the thing...

I am almost at the point of painting my deck, too. It's brass and I wonder if you've ever heard of sanding with a coarse paper to simulate a woodgrain? ...more of a scratching than really sanding. I'm thinking to use dark grey on the deck and then a black wash afterward to try to give the deck the texture of woodgrain in the scratched lines. Probably the scale of the scratches would be too big, but maybe it would be better than a single color deck. What do you think?

[toneburst]

I think this is a

[color=#000000]I think this is a good option. Since you will not be looking at the underside of the deck when it's installed I would experiment with some grades of sandpaper before attacking the 'to be viewed' upper side of the deck. Even using a little rotating steel brush could do wonders....
Another option is to use paint to which some fine sawmeal or dust is added. This wil definitely look like anti-slip paint and roughen the whole deck.
Since I still use the original plastic deck (will change to a more realistic deck when it comes available overhere) 'scratching' like you plan to do is allmost doomed to fail because of the original pattern of holes in it.
By the way, you might consider using brown (teak) as base color instead of the grey. The early VIIC's were supposed to have a wooden deck.....
Adding some pics (not to good of color -flashed-) of my work right now. Pls be advised]

[safrole]

Well as soon as I

Well as soon as I get this deck finished (photographing each step to make directions) I will run a few batches through the etching tank and they will be available. I've been telling people who call that it will be the middle of March, but it is likely to be sooner. (check my other post)

see pics here...

www.modelbrass.com
(tell your friends, too.)

I didn't see pics of your deck work on your site yet but I'll keep checking it.

[JWLaRue]

The fore and aft areas

The fore and aft areas of the deck (as previously noted) were metal. However, the color paint used on those areas varied. What color were these parts painted? It depends on the boat. There are photos of boats showing what appears to be the same color used on the wooden deck as well as those showing these areas painted the light grey colow used for the upper hull.

Unless you are building to a specific boat, pick which style appears to you.

-Jeff

[safrole]

I see it now. Also

I see it now. Also I see how the rivets look after being painted. I didn't think it would look so good, but it really does add a lot.

[toneburst]

Two pics that are not

Two pics that are not added to my site]http://http://home.planet.nl/~beast/Pics/DSC01608.JPG[/img]



I must add the colors are very different on these pics then they really are 'live' .

Jos.

[safrole]

http://home.planet.nl/~beast/Pics/DSC01607.JPG



Edited By safrole on 1077285592





Edited By safrole on 1077285592

[safrole]

okay here it is.
http://home.planet.nl/~beast/Pics/DSC01608.JPG

okay here it is.

[toneburst]

Hi,

thanks for getting the pics

[color=#000000]Hi,

thanks for getting the pics displayed...what was the clue?
I also did some resizing so you they both visible now. In future will use smaller res.
As for the planking]

[safrole]

The "http://" was done twice

The "http://" was done twice on accident.

Yes those DA towers look very nice. I have been thinking about that as a future possibility for my boat. Is your tower already attached to the boat permanently? I see you have not put the Robbe periscopes on yet, so I thought maybe it was still loose. I am wondering how the "footprint" perimeter shape compares to the Robbe tower. Is it a little bigger or smaller?

[toneburst]

The tower's still loose. First

The tower's still loose. First because still working on the project, but secondly I plan to keep it loose 'cause of two servo's I will be placing under it. Thinking about a way to 'screw' the tower down (like in the original Robbe tower).
As for the periscopes....will not be using the original but again a DA product (they are on the 'status' part of my homepage, just above the 'weathering' pics, though unpainted).
The footprint is pretty much the same, had to remove about 20% (totally) of the aft (sharp) part.

Jos.

[safrole]

Maybe you could solder a

Maybe you could solder a long thin bolt onto the end of each periscope, if the bolt would not hit either servo. (?)

Kind of like the capstans can be used to mount the deck in place.