A disappeared then re-appeared U. Boat.

spanner570

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In July 1944 Germany started to send U.Boats into the Indian and Pacific Oceans to assist her ally Japan in the war effort.

Many were sunk en-route by the allies. One of the boats that did get through was U.196. She was based at Penang, Malaysia.
On November 30 1944 she set off on a patrol - and shortly after, promptly vanished!

I've just read some fascinating accounts as to what might have happened to the vessel. Well worth looking up.

One account with much credibility claims she was full of gold bullion, arrived off the coast of S. America and then crossed over to New Zealand where her remains are rumoured to be.
I haven't delved further, but this gave me inspiration for a build.

So here we go. Apart from the work on the boat, I haven't a clue just where this will all eventually lead.... :upside:
But in my minds eye, she has been lying undetected in warm tropical waters. A sudden violent storm has shifted her further up the isolated and uninhabited shore line and finally exposed her whereabouts.

I know this type of U.Boat wasn't in the Monsun Gruppe, this was Kretschmer's 1940/41 U.99 VIIB ride.
Sorry, but I wasn't going to pay big wonga just for the correct type. A wreck is a wreck.
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All model submarines should have their water vent slots opened out. A tedious, but necessary job. But because the boat will be rusted and rotted to hell and back, I didn't have to be too fussy about the finished slots - any excuse!
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Deck fitted.
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Just enough required gear and conning tower glued on. I was going to leave the dive planes off, but I reckon it will look better, if a bit far fetched, with them in place.
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Who dares, wins....Just! :smiling6:
Surgery courtesy of a hard point hand saw.
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The bit wot I want! Ribs marked and ready for 'Modification' :fearful:!
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Cheers.
Ron
 

langy71

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I'm pulling up a comfy chair for this beauty,
i built the same Boat years ago...god knows where it is now...(landfill i guess),
looking forward to seeing this as it becomes a wreck..:thumb2::thumb2::thumb2::thumb2::thumb2::thumb2::thumb2:
 

spanner570

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Cheers boys, and welcome aboard the good ship submarine 'Muff Diver'

I've attacked the outer casing of the boat with a cheapo Dremel lookalike. Flew off went'id the handrails and other bits.

Can't whack a good grind on a Saturday afternoon!

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Free Fall.......This is fun!
 

adt70hk

I know its a bit sad but I like quickbuild kits!!!
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Do I like it, or do I like it?!?! Great idea and great start.

ATB

Andrew
 

spanner570

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Thanks for joining in chaps. Much appreciated.

Hi Ron
I'm in. Can't tell when your recounting facts or making up a tale :tongue-out3: Off to Google now to find out the truth.
Jim

Jim, on this occasion it's the truth. The story of U.196 makes for fascinating reading - Did she or didn't she ?

Back to the build.
Just to remind folks, a U. Boat had two hulls. The outer and inner. The inner was pressure proof and housed the crew etc. This was made up of over fifty preformed steel ribs, over which was welded rolled steel sheets. This created a very strong tapered 'Tube'.

Due to the bad corrosion on the outer hull of my model, the inner hull will be seen through the gaps, so I needed to make and insert one. I made it out of the inner bit of a toilet roll.

This picture doesn't show the taper very well, but it is there.
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Slotted in up to the torpedo exit thingies.
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Next up I'll add bits piping, a bit more metalwork around the forward tube exit area, and other detritus sort of hanging about between the hulls.

Then I can start to rust it up and add me barneecals, and also start to think how to display the hulk. probably half in, half out of the 'oggin, rammed between some rocks - We'll see.

Cheers.
Ron
 
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