32nd Parallel Type VII-C Refit

[apa-228]

I have been working on refitting my 32nd Parallel Type VII-C U Boat for a couple of years now, and decided to put up some pictures of what has been done. The boat was designed as a Dynamic diver but I wanted it to be a Static diver, and am installing a 3.5 Sub-driver into it. I also want to say that for it's time, this model was ground breaking. I have seen criticism of the accuracy of Simon's kit when compared to today's kits, and would like to offer this comment. Henry Ford's Model T was a ground breaker in it's day, but compared to today's cars they are primitive. I think 32nd kits should be viewed in that light.

So far I have 1- removed all the internals from the hull, 2- rebuilt the keel to proper dimensions, 3- fabricated new bow planes and wings, 4- fabricated new prop shaft exits, 5- rebuilt the propeller/dive plane/rudder support, 6- fabricated new rudders and linkages, 7- installed saddles for the 3.5" Sub-driver, 8- modified the conning tower area to support the SD snort snorkel. I am hoping to get the sub wet this summer. I received some helpful suggestions from folks on this site and I scoured all the info I could find on other peoples work on their 32nd Parallel Type VIIs. I want to thank Dave Merriman for allowing me to run his Skipjack at Nauticus and Kevin McCloed for his help with setting up my electronics package.

I made an album in Flickr showing some photos of the work so far showing the U Boat as received and as redone- https://www.flickr.com/photos/tom_go...57697750542004

[salmon]

Yeah, I agree that for the time it was one of the best options. I poured over their catalog. We can always make a comparison, but the bottom line is you made a running submarine! I am sure people could criticize, well, any of my subs. That is O.K. Some people are passionate about accuracy, some about the engineering, and other like me are just thrilled we get it to work LOL
Your sub will be and is an excellent sub. It will look great at the pond again. Thank you for sharing and keep on posting.

[JWLaRue]

I really like seeing those old(er) 32ndP Type VII's being refurbished and back in the water! Looks like you are making good progress.

-Jeff

[bob the builder]

Looking good so far!

[sam reichart]

The shot of the Type VII underwater that was on the back page of their color catalog was what made me believe I could build that boat.

So I did.
So, looking at your photos, I did a double take.
If you don’t mind me asking, where did you acquire your boat?
I’d swear that was my boat. My paint scheme; looks exactly like my model from back in 1992.
Last time I saw mine, it was in Larry’s garage back in Dallas, Texas in March of 1993...

[thor]

You really need to stop selling all of your beautiful boats, Sam! I still can't believe you sold your 1/24th Type XXIII and your 1/72nd Alfa!

[apa-228]

Hey Sam- I got it on Ebay from a seller in Wilmington, NC. He had had it for several years and it also had been displayed at a local dive shop. He sold it since he was moving and downsizing with no room for it. Tom

[apa-228]

Hi Bob- Thanks, not up to the quality of your work, but arthritic hands do the best they can.
Tom

[sam reichart]

Hey Sam- I got it on Ebay from a seller in Wilmington, NC. He had had it for several years and it also had been displayed at a local dive shop. He sold it since he was moving and downsizing with no room for it. Tom

Well, thanks Tom. I really do believe somehow that boat was the one I built 28 years ago. All the original linkages and dive planes look like what I had fabricated years ago. I built it with Simon and Sheila’s help; using wooden boxes, shur flo pumps, Lexan tops with clear silicon seals under the lids held down by a pretty large quantity of nuts and bolts. I had help building the electronics from some friends in the North Texas boat club I had joined. In fact, our own Don Spielberger supplied the magnetic switches I used to turn everything on, so I didn’t have to remove the lids. The guy I traded it to wasn’t a sub guy, so I wouldn’t have been surprised if he let it go. I had to leave it when I relocated to Virginia because I had no way of boxing the monster up. I figured it would have gotten smashed to bits in the move.

Regardless, best of luck rebuilding her, and I hope you get it into the water soon!

[apa-228]

Hey Sam-
When I got the boat there were no internals but the Lexan covers were there with a lot of wing nuts. Where in VA are you? I am on the Eastern Shore. I will put up a couple of detail shots of the boat when I got it which might help you decide if it is the one you built or not. https://www.flickr.com/photos/tom_go...57697750542004
Tom

[sam reichart]

Hey Sam-
When I got the boat there were no internals but the Lexan covers were there with a lot of wing nuts. Where in VA are you? I am on the Eastern Shore. I will put up a couple of detail shots of the boat when I got it which might help you decide if it is the one you built or not. https://www.flickr.com/photos/tom_go...57697750542004
Tom

I'll be damned; that was my boat. I hand painted the "Noch und Noch" onto the tower. I'm embarrassed to see all the slop I left when I built the damn internals boxes, but back then, I was a rank amateur and no such thing as a WTC existed. I built the wintergarden railings right on the boat; something I've done with other models since then. I was so proud of myself on how all the railings came out.
I bought that hull in 1988 (the year my daughter was born), and really "built" it when we lived in Dallas from 1990-1993. So, it was probably about 2 years in the making. I still remember that monster sitting on my kitchen table the day I took it for it's first run. I used the soft cover "U-Boats in Action" book to pick out the paint scheme (common knowledge now that no one had a red hulled boat, but back then I like how it looked). Wow. A 30 year old hull.

I'm halfway between Richmond and Williamsburg these days, in New Kent county.

Looking forward to you resurrecting her!
-sam

Ah, one other thought. Those hulls had the wrong joint where the outer casing meets the inner pressure hull. It was reversed. I could never figure out an easy way to correct that error. That's how I always knew I was looking at a 32nd P hull.

[apa-228]

That's great news Sam, I'm glad your question was answered. I'm happy to learn the history of the boat too. The hull flexed a lot when I got the internal casings out, it sprung inwards 3/8" and the way I got it out was with the saddles for the WTC. The work you did on the weathering is great. I am trying to save that as much as possible. The tower has been removed to allow for the snorkle portion of the snort system and I hollowed it out to save topside weight. I used a printed circuit board to vent the tower deck and ordered an air periscope from Shapeways since I won't need to vent the original tanks through the tube at the forward edge of the tower.
My sister-in-law lives in Wiliamsburg so when I get the sub finished I'll see if I can bring it by to show you.

[sam reichart]

That's great news Sam, I'm glad your question was answered. I'm happy to learn the history of the boat too. The hull flexed a lot when I got the internal casings out, it sprung inwards 3/8" and the way I got it out was with the saddles for the WTC. The work you did on the weathering is great. I am trying to save that as much as possible. The tower has been removed to allow for the snorkle portion of the snort system and I hollowed it out to save topside weight. I used a printed circuit board to vent the tower deck and ordered an air periscope from Shapeways since I won't need to vent the original tanks through the tube at the forward edge of the tower.
My sister-in-law lives in Wiliamsburg so when I get the sub finished I'll see if I can bring it by to show you.

that would be awesome! hey, post around and see if someone has some photoetch decking for the tower and hull (Herr LaRue?) for that model... it adds amazing detail.

[steveneill]

I still have mine. Still working too. Thanks to Matt!

[steveneill]

This is what Matt sent me to start. The above picture is today. This picture was taken in my old garage years ago. One of my favorites.