JSC U-35 Submarine 1:250

redhorse

Member
I've built enough free kits that I've decided to build something I actually bought. I'm not up for that big Shokaku yet, so a little 1:250 JSC WWI U-boat will do.

The kit is two pages with English instructions included and is hand drawn. The framework is different than normal as there is no laminating, the parts are made into little boxes for strength.

The hull is green and I'm wondering if anyone knows if these submarines actually were green?
 

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redhorse

Member
The side frames seem to be a bit oversized, but I'm not sure if the hull plates are sized for them or the keel. I glued them on flush with the top and figure I can do some surgery if the bottom plates wind up being too small.

The deck and top sides are all one piece and seem fit fine. I'll know more in the next step when I put on the bottom hull parts.
 

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cjwalas

Member
I just pulled this one out of the pile over the weekend, thinking I might actually start my submarine kit collection. Looking forward to your findings on the build! Best of luck!
Chris
 

redhorse

Member
Hello,

Here is some more progress on the U-Boat. It turned out that the hull plates were sized to the side frames, so I added cardboard to the keel to give me something to glue the plates to.

I also made a mistake and realized it when I was about have done plating. The tabs on the top plating look like they should be cut off and then glued back on aligned with the dotted line so you get a nice flush fit. Oh well, I guess it's not that noticable :eek:ops:
 

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redhorse

Member
There are some fit problems and a number of the hull plates had to be trimmed in order to fit and then others were slightly too small. As can be seen in the photos, the stern was the worst. The bow needed the frame cut back a bit as well.

Now it's time for the superstructure...
 

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cdcoyle

Member
My very first card model was their hand-drawn 1/400 Mikasa; it had the same sort of fit problems in abundance. That building experience has caused me to shy away from other JSC products.

Good luck on your project!
 

redhorse

Member
Well, the fit problems have been fun but overall I'm really enjoying the build so far. I do think I'll go with something computer generated next...

The deck is made in two sections and then glued to the hull with the conning tower on top of that.
 

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redhorse

Member
I made the gun by turning a toothpick against a file and sandpaper in my foredom tool. It's kind of neat, it actually elevates by means of a paper hinge. Then it just presses into place in a hole in the deck so it can rotate.

Now, it looks like I need to make some railings. The instructions don't show any around the gun and the only photo I can find is kind of fuzzy on that so I'll have to guess a bit as to how they should look.
 

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redhorse

Member
I took a break from modeling for a while for stuff around the house and a vacation. Now that I'm rested up, I've had a chance to get back to work.

I started the railings and looked for a picture on Wikipedia of the U-35 to guide me. It showed extra railings around the gun, so I made those as well as the conning tower one.

The railing in the kit is printed and I wanted something smaller than that, so I used silk thread. I made a template based on the kit part and wound the thread through notches I cut. Then I covered the thread with super glue. I used a really sharp blade to cut along the edges and then seperate it from the cardboard. Finally, I used a marker to color them.
 

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redhorse

Member
Glueing them on was more difficult than making them. Because I had to bend them to fit I could only glue one stanchion at a time. I used gell CA, but it still detached a few times before it all held.

Now I've got the doubled parts drying and hope I can finish this week.
 

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redhorse

Member
It's finally finished. I'm going back to a computer drawn kit next. A lot of parts didn't fit and even the templates for the periscopes don't match up to the side view drawing.
 

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redhorse

Member
But, now I have a submarine! Overall, it looks pretty cool and my freighter has some company in port now. I made a little stand for it with photo shop and did a very simple rigging job. Every picture and model I found contradicted each other on the rigging so I left it pretty basic.

Here are the rest of the pictures...
 

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redhorse

Member
The color is kind of odd... I'm not sure why they printed it in green, maybe it's camouflage for the green ocean :)
 

cjwalas

Member
Green or not, problems or not, I think it came out quite well! I was getting discouraged of ever attempting this one myself, but seeing how well yours came out, I may get it done someday!
Congratulations!
Chris
 

Fred Bultman

New Member
Nice way to do railings. I'll have to try that. I know the old hand draws have problems but remember, to really screw up takes a computer...
 

cdcoyle

Member
It turned out nicely, Jim. Don't you think, though, that all those merchant seamen on your freighter might be a tad nervous about having a surfaced U-boat so close at hand?


PS Do you ever get puzzled looks from people hearing about a redhorse for the first time? Around here, we have plenty of California roach, which are not insects, and which also get confused looks when one says something like "I saw a lot of roach today."

Regards,
 

edi

Member
green or not green, interesting question, and so I asked some people in Germany which should know the answer:
the green color seems to be okay, maybe a little bit darker; literature says also yes.

There has been an experimental choice between green and gray, and so some boats were green

Edi
 
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