Trumpeter 1/44 scale Gato Class su : Presentation!

[wds]

This is Trumpeter’s USS Gato SS-212 1944 (kit #05906) in 1/144 scale
I will represent the USS Cero – 225. My father served on this boat in 1952 when she was recomissioned to serve the Fleet Sonar School based in Key West Florida.
I have purchased the White EnsignModels photo etch set for the railings and the antennas.

Anchors aweigh,

Bill

 

[jknaus]

USS Gato SS-212 1944 (kit #05906) in 1/144 scale

This will be interesting. Looking forward to watching the build.

James

 

[moon puppy]

USS Gato SS-212 1944 (kit #05906) in 1/144 scale

How neat, nice to have a personal touch to the subject.

 

[lupanzer]

USS Gato SS-212 1944 (kit #05906) in 1/144 scale

... With full interest...in time : love subs...

Best!

Luiz

 

[wds]

USS Gato SS-212 1944 (kit #05906) in 1/144 scale

Thanks James.
Thanks Bob.
Thanks Luiz. I really like the two submarines you recently completed!

The kit is very spare on details (to be expected at this scale I guess) and that photo etch is going to be a challenge. We'll see how it goes. It's all going to come down to paint a weathering (As always on every model :laugh: )

A new task (for me) will be sourcing some more decals, and figuring out how to make a work/finish base. (T-nuts inside the hull?)

Thanks for your interest,

Bill


Really? How does one bend that antenna into a compound curve? With a tiny english wheel?
Help wanted: Lilliputian sheet metal worker needed for short term employment. Must have own tools and healthcare coverage.
:laugh:

v24

 

[wds]

USS Gato SS-212 1944 (kit #05906) in 1/144 scale

The first step in the dance was to secure some hard points inside the hull for mounting the hull to a base. The plastic “stand” that is included with the kit would not do. I wanted a sturdy work stand as well as being set up for a finish display stand at completion.

I sandwiched a couple of 8-30 “t”-nuts in between some styrene stock and glued it up against a bulkhead in the hull.

The wood uprights on the work stand are provided so that I can turn the hull on its side. The cutouts in the base of the stand are so that I can work from either side. The work stand is oversized so that I can use it again on a larger model that I have in the stash.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers,

Bill

v37

 

[Adam Baker]

USS Cero SS-225 : Hull and work base

I really like that base.

I'm working on my 2nd ship model right now, and have found that having a base to hold the model in place while working, separate from the finished display base, makes working on the model so much easier.

 

[moon puppy]

USS Cero SS-225 : Hull and work base

Would one of those ball shaped burnisher work for the radar dome? pressing it against a piece of wood maybe?

 

[wds]

USS Cero SS-225 : Hull and work base

Thanks Adam. It was a combination of forward thinking (20%) and dumb luck (the rest). :laugh: :pp

Thanks Bob! We'll see how it works out. Those tiny parts scare me. hmy: It looks like if I scew up the main one, I can default to another slightly easier one. :idonno :idonno .

______________________________________________________•••_____________________________________________________

The stand has come in handy for working on the bottom of the hull. I’m glad that I didn’t round over the uprights any more than I did.

I felt that I needed to get some paint inside the Bridge before I buttoned it up.

The deck is only supported at the front third (ahead of the sail at the forward deck gun, and at the stern. From the pictures that I have been able to reference, it appears that there should be a small gap or “reveal” between the vertical side of the deck and where it meets the rounded side of the hull. The deck piece is unsupported in the kit (like a bouncing plank supported only at the ends), so I added some thin styrene stock in two places on each side, just inboard on the verticak deck side. I think/hope that it won’t show when it’s all painted.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers,

Bill


v65

 

[lupanzer]

USS Cero SS-225 : Propulsion and decking

... Looking very good!

Luiz

 

[Sherman 18]

USS Cero SS-225 : Propulsion and decking

 

[moon puppy]

USS Cero SS-225 : Propulsion and decking

This is going to be a show piece for sure

 

[TomN]

USS Gato SS-212 1944 (kit #05906) in 1/144 scale

Thanks James.
Thanks Bob.
Thanks Luiz. I really like the two submarines you recently completed!

The kit is very spare on details (to be expected at this scale I guess) and that photo etch is going to be a challenge. We'll see how it goes. It's all going to come down to paint a weathering (As always on every model :laugh: )

A new task (for me) will be sourcing some more decals, and figuring out how to make a work/finish base. (T-nuts inside the hull?)

Thanks for your interest,

Bill


Really? How does one bend that antenna into a compound curve? With a tiny english wheel?
Help wanted: Lilliputian sheet metal worker needed for short term employment. Must have own tools and healthcare coverage.
:laugh:

v24

Hi Bill

Find something with a smooth rounded end, like a paintbrush handle. Lay the PE part on a piece
of card stock, the kind on the back of a pad of paper. Then gently roll the handle into the PE,
it should start to curl up. Go easy on it, takes a little practice, but you'll get it.

HTH,
Tom

 

[phantom II]

USS Cero SS-225 : Hull and work base

I really like that base.

I'm working on my 2nd ship model right now, and have found that having a base to hold the model in place while working, separate from the finished display base, makes working on the model so much easier.

Similar problem I have found while building the Clog .

I have also noticed that at times it would be better if the stand was attached to a device that could be rotated to a vertical position.

I wonder if my wife would consider a robotic arm ?

Cheers, Christian B)

 

[moon puppy]

USS Cero SS-225 : Hull and work base

Just do it Chris then ask for forgiveness...

 

[wds]

USS Cero SS-225 : Propulsion and decking

Back at Ya. Sorry about the delay and lack of progress.

... Looking very good!

Thanks Luiz!

Thanks Sherm, Bob, Tom, and Christian!

Well, the photo etch turned out to be a bit of a bust. Bending the compound curve in the antennae face was the easy part. I just used a soft point (end of a small paint brush) and supported the etch on a folded paper towel, and it formed great. The support pieces of the mount were way too small a fiddely (for me) and lacked (IMHO) adequate surface for gluing and attachment (.. so no go there). The railing stanchions didn’t line up with the existing holes in the deck, so that was going to have to be a total re-do. Filling holes and re scribing deck board lines would be the order of the day (week). (… so, … no go there either). I hoped to use the etch for the upper sail superstructure at least, but it kick my tail and told me in no uncertain terms that I was unworthy. (… so, …you know)

So I’m using the stock railing stanchions and their locations. I challenged my self and added railing stanchions to the top of the bridge structure for the lookouts safety. I purchased some of the the EZ-line thread (the stretchy stuff) from the nice folks a Berkshire Junction to use for the railings. I like it, and I think that it may just pull the whole project together. Fingers crossed. Sorry to go so long winded.

Thanks for checking in.

Cheers,

Bill

Lots of filling and sanding with Mr. surfacer. I love that stuff! I also added some diagonal braces per some photos that I have referenced.

I knocked together a jig to hold the sail for painting and adding all the busy bits.

More filling with surfacer and sanding.

I drilled out the sail superstructure, and installed music wire pins to fit the brass tube that is the periscope tubes. So far so good. (?)

v127

 

[moon puppy]

USS Cero SS-225 : Propulsion and decking

Hey Bill, looks good, sorry you had trouble with the railings, is that a issue with the PE or was it for another kit maybe?

EZ Line is great ain't it?!

 

[wds]

USS Cero SS-225 : Propulsion and decking

Hey Bill, looks good, sorry you had trouble with the railings, is that a issue with the PE or was it for another kit maybe?

EZ Line is great ain't it?!

Well Bob, I'll say it was an issue with the PE. But others have done just fine with this set, so i'll just say that I was not up to it.

Well, I goofed and used Mr. Surfacer 500 to prime it. (You: "No you Didn't!") … Yea,… I did. :pinch: Doh! I don’t know what I was thinking. It gives the whole model a rough pebble finish. Good for AFVs, not so good for 144 scale boats. Tamiya acrylics for the base colors. German grey (XF63) for the black hull and decks, and Sky grey (XF19) + 1/3 white for the hull sides and sail. The EZ-line works great for the railings.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers,

Bill

v151

 

[Paulw]

USS Cero SS-225 : Propulsion and decking

Bravo Zulu so far Bill, thats a ship shape boat. Are those bow planes molded in the bow or were they separate. Anyway, it is looking like a real fine rendition of a Gato class boat.

 

[moon puppy]

USS Cero SS-225 : Propulsion and decking

Looks fine Bill, can't tell any issue with the primer from here so press on!