1/72nd Revell Gato Wolfpack

[jefftytoo]

Wow, thanks for following, Scott, and for the advice. A couple more redo spots to do on the port side, and have also now started on the starboard. More progress shots soon!

[jefftytoo]

After a lot of painstaking refinement, custom cutting, and many redo’s, the PE is finally—FINALLY—done on Harder’s main deck, nearly covering it! It’s all far from perfect, but her starboard side did turn out a bit better (this shall now be her “good side” for later photos) because I started with the port side and improved at installation as I went along… Rigorous employment of steel wool afterward served to remove most of the scratches and blemishes and even much of the evidence of my over-gluing. I’m hoping the paint job will further serve to cover a multitude of sins.

More next time,
Jeff

[Ben Brigham]

Jeff, that's amazing work! So much of the topside has gotten this etched plating!
With all the 3rd-party add-ons, at what point does it no longer qualify as a Revell kit?

(and will you need to apply ferric chloride to etch the brass prior to painting?

[QuarterMaster]

Now you need to start working with HY-100.

[jefftytoo]

Thanks, Ben. And good question! Some fast primering in tests spots earlier has shown the paint to seem to stick okay, but I dunno—maybe I will need to pickle the metal first. I'll have to check with my buddy Lars, who's been commissioned to paint this girl when she's ready. (He's the guy who made my Nautilus look so exceptional.)

[jefftytoo]

Thanks, SubEd. But I think I'll leave that to the experts at EB—I'm finding styrene and brass quite difficult enough to work with! ;-)

[jefftytoo]

With the whole-deck PE work described above now finally behind me, it was time to move on…

A Harder reference photo showed her anchor well more rounded on the right side than the kit’s squared-off version. This was confirmed by photos of other fleetboat anchor wells sent to me by my pal Tom Kisler. So I took a Dremel tool to the well’s right edge, filled in the kit’s existing mounting hole with a small chunk of styrene, made a new hole to fit the stem of the more accurate 1:72 scale Shapeways anchor I’d obtained to replace the kit’s clunky anchor—and voila: the anchor presentation now resembles the photo of Harder’s actual anchor. (Huzzah!)

Next I’ll start work on her fairwater; there’ll be mods to her shears and such there too. But for now the whole boat again gets set aside as I get back to work on the next SubCommittee Report. The new issue comes out soon!

[jefftytoo]

Wanted to post here simply to get this thread once again in a more easily findable area of the new forum architecture. There is invaluable advice throughout this thread for anyone building a Revell 1:72 Gato. My own build of USS Harder (SS-257) has been ongoing, but has lately been documented only in the last few issues of the SCR (though in great detail). My bad. I’ll try to get any progress from my next workbench session with her posted here as well. I am currently working on trying to cosmetically convert the kit’s generic sail specifically to Harder’s configuration…

Hmm, can’t seem to get a photo to upload. Will have to work on that…

[jefftytoo]

Here’s a recent shot…

[scott t]

Looking brassy.

[jefftytoo]

Thanks, Scott! Howzabout a harmonica serenade instead of something from the brass section?

[bob the builder]

Moved to the Build section!

Bob

[jefftytoo]

Thanks for the update, Bob! Thumbs up!

[jefftytoo]

Strange: the content of this particular build forum is now all out of order; must be something to do with having moved it to this new location. Oh well, I'll post my latest here and hope it shifts back into sequence or otherwise works itself out...

I've been busy working on the next installment of my ongoing USS Harder conversion article for the new SCR coming out at the end of next week. More pix plus full progress report there and then!

Jeff

P.S. Hey, how come the attached pix are so small and must be clicked on to see?

[wlambing]

The head assembly of Forum periscope (Observation) is NOT correct! The attack scope looks good! Has Forum been modified to be a snorkel tube?

Bill

Former God of Scopes, masts & antennae 57H, R-4, NSSF Groton 1992-1995. Career Submariner.