Railing for 72 scale U-boat

[modelnut]

I can't do it. I am either too ham-handed or have more than the usual quota of thumbs.

The railing on my Revell 72-scale U-boat is kaput. I bought it preassembled thinking I could fabricate the rails and rigging myself. But after many failed attempts at scratchbuilding the conning tower railing I must reluctantly admit defeat.

Can anyone here help me out with some good advice? Is there a helpful PE set out there that is useful for replacing the railing etc on the VIIc?
As I said this model is mostly already assembled. She came in the mail that way. She was half the price of the pristine kits at the time. Maybe a third of what I see the kit going for now on eBay. I don't need decking or subflooring. Just the railing and maybe some bits and bobs for superdetailing might be nice.

It would be a shame to let such a good kit languish half-finished. I need your help.

- Leelan

[tom dougherty]

Re: Railing for 72 scale U-boat

Not So Good news & Bad news. Yes, there were actually two photoetch sets for the Revell 1/72 U-boat. One was by White Ensign and the other by Eduard. They did NOT however, include railings, juts other detail parts. Also, these are long OOP, as is the kit itself. Your best bet might be to see if someone who makes an R/C kit in this scale might sell you a railing set.

[myles yancey]

Re: Railing for 72 scale U-boat

Hi

You mite want to try this company they mite beable to help you.

Modelbrass metalworking

www.modelbrass.com

good luck

[tom dougherty]

Re: Railing for 72 scale U-boat

Nice stuff Myles, but no hand railings for the conning tower visible on the photoetch sheet.
He is looking for new railings.

[myles yancey]

Re: Railing for 72 scale U-boat

you are correct but the gentleman makes those decks as a hobby and mite be inclined to make a set of handrails for him.
there is no harm in asking and you will never know unless you ask......

Myles

[brucethebrush]

Re: Railing for 72 scale U-boat

Just form new ones from plastic rod or wire. You'd be done by now. Myles, it should be "might" not "mite". Just saying.

[modelnut]

Re: Railing for 72 scale U-boat

I have tried stretching sprue and using floral wire. I guess I am too ham-handed to get it to work. Once I get the handrail positioned an upright breaks. Not just once but many times.

I thought about making a cone in the shape of the tower railing and forming the rails on that. But I am sure that I would just end up super-gluing the whole thing to the paper cone.

That's why I was hoping that somewhere out there was a PE set with the railing just waiting to be pulled into shape without my having to glue every freakin' joint.

I suppose I could cut out the rails in plastic card. I have a brand new circle cutter so I should be able to cut them very very thin. Then I could use the floral wire for the uprights . . .

- Leelan

P.S. For those of you who took this kit RC, how did you keep your rails from breaking every time you put out to sea??? These things are delicate! CA won't hold 'em and neither will liquid cement.

[steveuk]

Re: Railing for 72 scale U-boat

Handrails for the wintergarten - Use paper clips, bend the wire to shape, use superglue and a kicker to speed up the drying time. Start by glueing the uprights onto the top rail. Then bend a smaller circle for the mid rail and cut small sections from it to fit between the uprights. Your cone former idea actually sounds pheasable, so long as superglue can't stick to it.

[raalst]

Re: Railing for 72 scale U-boat

how about sowing needles ?

[bob the builder]

Re: Railing for 72 scale U-boat

Pretty sure that Meriman did a write up on fabricating new rails in the Caswell newsletter. Not rocket science, but its a nice walkthrough of the process. Might want to check it out.