1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

[salmon]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

Yes, I recall saying something like that with my Type XXIII. Once you go down the that detail trail, it is hard to turn back.
For me, seeing a Gato/Balao completed is a beautiful thing. I love these subs.

[PaulC]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

Marco, looking very nice. You are really making progress.

TomC, "crazy"?! I'll have you know I'm doing the bare minimum of detailing on my boat

TomK, love it! Can't wait to see it all assembled and primed.

[jefftytoo]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

Ditto to both Toms.

JeffP

[ober freak]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

Once you go down the that detail trail, it is hard to turn back.

Indeed it is, but those details on the sail are much more prone to "battle damage" than the bow section.

Today I assembled the bow plane retraction mechanism and installed it into the bow.


And I glued the 2 bow sections together.


So far,
Marco

[PaulC]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

VERY nicely done, Marco!

[ober freak]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

My next progress are the glued sidewalls of the superstructure.


And I did the footrests an diesel exhausts in the deck parts, I also did some further frame marking on the decks.

[ober freak]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

There is no way back, I cut the front and middle deck part in 2 pieces each and opened them to the bones.
The area above the bow planes and the complete stern part of the deck will be detachable.

[boomerfunker]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

Very nice Marco!

I'm considering following in your very talented footsteps here. What reference are you using for the frame locations and how/what are you using to cut out the waste in between? It looks extremely sharp and tidy.

Signed,
Curious

[ober freak]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

Hi Tom,

I used the frame ruler and frame plan by AMP, compared to the Pampanito plans and checked with several Gato photos, as the Pampanito is a PM built Balao.
Photo checking was just simple holding the deck parts in front of the monitor and zoom the pictures to size based on the sail marking.

I milled the waste areas with a 3mm cutter, it cuts through the styrene and melts it immediately to large chunks.
(The forward moving part of the cutter needs to go forward, so go clockwise on the inside and counter-clock on the outside of the part!)


After milling I filed the cuts to shape.

[profesorul]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

HI @ Ober Freak

FAR from me to criticize Your work but In my opinion this time did not come out great and will require a lot of work and patience .......
- It was much easy if you did a little pattern cut into a piece of steel and start easy and progressively to cut with a cutter and then on every corner , made a small hole where you insert a smalll handsaw
and continue with it ? ;

Is guest my opinion . I believe would not work fast but would be much accurate cut at the end .

MARIUS

[ober freak]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

I think both ways lead to a similar result with an relative equal amount of time.
You need to support the deck from below to counter the hollow areas when using a saw, as the strips are quite thin (orange tape is 1.5mm, green is 3mm).
With my milling way there is the danger of warping due to heat (happened on some strips).

So it's up to yours 100% sawing vs. moving the rotary tool around 50% and filing 50% of the time.
And you have to open the saw on every tile, with the rotary you only need to bore the hole to start with.

[ober freak]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

Hi Guys,

I made some more progress this weekend.
The milled areas are filed to shape.

I tried to rebuild the bow buoyancy tank, after reinforcing the bow halves with more glue attached to the seam.


The capstan base is moved 2 frames forward, and interlocking tabs are added to the undersides.


The foremost part is glued onto the bow,


and the hatch got some magnets salvaged from old cellphone speakers.


Last, but not least, I started with the gun area deck widening.


So far from my yard.
Marco

[scott t]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

Marco, what are you planning to use for deck planks?
Your work is looking great.

Scott T

[ober freak]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

Planks will be .020 x .030 evergreen strips, with .010 spacing.
Have bought 20 packs, hoping it's enough.

[ober freak]

Re: 1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

Ahoy,

There is some more progress to Gurnard's deck.

I made the marker buoys and the muffler covers from .020" sheet, those holes in the covers are 0.4 mm.


The gun areas are done.


The stern deck part is now also cut to the bones, interlocking tabs added, engine room hatch has moved 2 frames forward and the molded marker buoy is gone.


Those new marker buoys are attached and the muffler covers are layed onto the deck.


I added magnets to the gun stations.


And finally the central deck was glued to the hull permanently.


So far,
Marco