Measure 22 painting of the Fletcher Class Destroyer

I am starting the Measure 22 Camouflage painting of this model, hull red, black boot topping and dark gray are applied. Haze grey comes next but I am having difficulty reconciling the colors I see on the USS Cotten DD-669 which I am using as the basis for the model. The color images look like it is in the middle of a transition from Measure 22 to Measure 21! But the ship was built in M21 and then was painted in M31 (Dazzle Scheme) then went to M22. The painting info is from shipcamouflage.com the color images are from NavSource Online the photos are obviously late war after an overhaul and some upgrades.

U-73 Final Look

Mounted to its base, I have done a bit more on the water effects. Last thing to do is get the brass label with the ships info.

U-73 sea scape complete

I used Mod Podge, Acrylic Paints, and Cotton to do this. The camera is making the sea colors pop a little too much. it is bright but not as bright as the camera is making it look.

U-73 water effect preview

As I am merging the model into the sea base I am getting a preview of the coming scene, the white is the Mod Podge "stuff". I call it "stuff" only because I am not sure what it is. It has the consistency of Elmers glue about half dry, not a paste but not a runny liquid either. Anyway  while I was filling in the gaps, I am also adjusting the texture of the surface. So I then went and did a little "painting" of what I envision the water looking like. I am liking it, but once this is dry it is all clear, so I will keep playing until the submarine is totally merged into the ocean and then the real painting will begin, but at least I have a preview with out actually adding the paint.

U-73 is painted, weathered, detailed and set

 After painting the primary colors, The reference photos I am using are black and white but I believe I have the colors right. 

 This is after weathering and dry brushing to bring out the details, also the forward and aft communication wires are installed.

Set in the sea base, now I can merge the water into the hull and add the final texture and color to the water

Finally found figures for the dry dock on USS Scamp model

The three figures are Prieser HO scale figures, I noticed that the 1/72 scale sailors were close in size to the larger HO scale 1/87 figures which I have many of. I just pored through the figures box until I found ones that were the same "scale", by that I mean we are all different heights. The figure manufacturers tend to make them all the same adult height when they make a set, however there can be a significant variation between sets, some of the HO figures were the same height as the sailors or not significantly shorter so they work.

These three guys started as RR workers, I cut off the features that made them look like RR figures and then made little hard hats.They all had hats to start with, so I cut them down, dipped the top of the figures hat in white glue and hung them upside down. The glue mad a natural "drip" that looks like a hard hat. Once that was done I painted the figures and glued them in the basin.

Texture and Paint added for U-73 sea base

The texture has been added to the Styrofoam and I painted it to see how the effect would look. I used sawdust sprinkled over a wet layer of Mod Podge, and then multiple layers of it brushed over the saw dust base, I think it came out pretty good. I ordered the paint to paint the model, this needs to be done before I embed it into the base, once that is done then it will be neat to see it all done. I have been staining and sealing a base for it so that will be ready.

Sea Building for U-73

 I am using Styrofoam to build up the ocean. Here I am test fitting the sub in the cutout. 

 Two views of the second layer after cutting out and shaping the swells. Tooth picks are holding the Styrofoam pieces together while glue dries.

A little bit more of detailing the submarine model and then it will be ready for paint.

Cast details on Fletcher destroyer

 5 inch Gun mount base installed, structure detail added to the base of a gun mount and fair leads glued to aft deck.

 Forward fair leads glued in deck and anchor chain deck details added.

Forward 5 inch gun mounts.

Resin casting Fletcher details

The casting off the anchor is complete, so now I have the two anchors needed for the destroyer, two 5 inch gun mounts are complete with another ready to come out of the mold, and finally fair leads. All of the parts require cleanup after coming out of the mold. A couple of minutes with a jewelers file and sand paper and the parts will be ready to install.

U-73 Scale Comparison

 The U-73 in 1/125 scale next to the U-515 in 1/48 scale.

 A closeup of the deck gun and conning tower details. 1/125 scale is getting close to the smallest scale I think I can do details and such w/o going to magnifying glasses to build. I will build a 1/144 scale model in the near future but when you start getting too small it is no longer "fun" to build it becomes a frustration to me. When I was building armor and aircraft years ago I stayed away from any thing smaller that 1/72 scale.

2 cm gun with added detail. 

Scamp w Figures

I painted and added several sailors onto the Scamp model. Still searching for some good subjects for a group standing in the dry dock.

Moving along on U-73

 A few corrections in the conning tower, the model comes with the two periscopes, however the forward periscope is located improperly, the little bits of white plastic on the forward section are (L-R) Instrument, the scope foundation and voice tube base. Where the original scope base was I have added some bits for the UZO pedestal (Used to mount then large attack binoculars) and the attack periscope base has been extended to the correct height and hand grabs added (bits of brass wire). I have scribed some detail into the conning tower deck to simulate the perforations and panel lines. I am not sure if this will be visible after painting but we will see.

 Anti Spray Flaps added to the side of the main deck were the 8.8 cm deck gun is mounted, they need to be cut down as they are oversize now.

I have corrected the front of the bow by removing the bulge for the cable cutter that I am not installing and adding the tow cable port and fairing. 

Hold that U-Boat number

As I am building the 1/125 scale Revell U-boat I realized I had made a slight error! It is a Type VIIB not a Type VIIC. So it will have to be a different boat, the U-73. This submarine was a very successful boat sinking the British Carrier HMS Eagle.

Beginning the U-570

 As is my usual practice I have started another model while I am working one that is progressed along to the point that I am waiting for material, stuff to dry or am building sub-assemblies that must dry or set. I have chosen this 1/125 Scale Type VII C U-boat made by Revell advertised as the U-99. I believe this is a model that has been on the market for some time as it has minimal detail compared to more recent offerings. It is the same scale as the destroyer I am working on so it is an interesting comparison in size. I would place them both on the same diorama except it seems that almost every Fletcher class destroyer went immediately to the Pacific fleets. After some research I have found two that spent very short times in the Atlantic but I cannot find any records of them attacking and forcing a U-boat top the surface.  

The hulls limber holes have been drilled out, it took far less time than I had expected and I did it while talking with my wife and watching our favorite television series. How is that for multitasking! I am going to make this the U-570 it was captured rather early in the war and the British repaired it and commissioned it as the HMS Graph. I have not decided whether I will display it as the U-570 or as the HMS Graph yet, but that does not affect the detailing and work I am doing now. It will be displayed in the water as I am going to do with the Fletcher class destroyer.

Moving forward on the Fletcher class destroyer

 I cannot help myself. I was not going to try and fix every inaccuracy on this model but....I must fix the glaring issues. Here is masters being cover in latex molding compound. On the left are three fair leads, center is the 5" gun mount base see photo below showing where this will fit on each of the mounts. and the right side item is the anchor. The Fletcher's had an anchor on each side of the bow. The kit comes with a single anchor. I have also decided to purchase the Tom's Model Works PE set for this kit. This will be far easier than trying to scratch build the 40 mm and 20 mm guns and will be better for the mast and gun director details.

 Here the mooring bollards have been cut off and new plastic rod glued in place. They are tall and will be cut down to the correct height. And the upper cap will be done by pushing a heated steel rod to mushroom out the top (hopefully! as this will be an experiment). I have also drilled a new chain locker hole and anchor chain hole in the deck (holes with light color around them). The fair leads with the open tops are what will be replaced with the newly molded fair leads.

Here we see the offending 5" gun mount base, the new molded mount base will be glued around this base.