Model Fleet: Matty's EARLIER U-505 (c.11/10/42), In Progress

Matty's EARLIER U-505 (c.11/10/42), In Progress

Posted by Matty on January 31, 2009, 7:44:16
Message modified by board administrator February 15, 2009, 23:10:59

--Originally Posted 1/28/09--

With two Type IX u-boat kits - one being a boneyard model, with no other value than to rebuild it - the idea of building a second U-505 naturally occurred to me. In addition, however, some findings of my research gave me a strong - and decisive - shove in the direction of doing exactly that:

Click on Image to EnlargeHere again at left is the picture of U-505's damage sustained from (depth-) bombing 11/10/42, off Trinidad. As already noted, it appears U-505 had a very different fit; lacking completely the lower aft wintergarten AA platform. Further corroborating this - and giving me a powerful shove towards building U-505 in this earlier fit - note the aft end of the Nichimo kit conning tower, at right, bears the same square ventilation gratings as (faintly) visible on the wartime pic, at left. (The Nichimo doors into the sail are too tall and too far forward, but otherwise corroborate the open door visible in the wartime pic, as well.)

This is (more than) enough to induce me to build this earlier fit of U-505 - perhaps even with this battle-damage (or perhaps not; we'll see). And, for variety (though I've found only the vaguest indication - on one reference photo - arguing for any historical accuracy to this) I am leaning towards giving this one a splinter-type disruptive camouflage; such as I've seen in several historical pics (of other subs) - and of course illustrations such as the Mirage 1/400 Type IXA box art:

Click on Image to EnlargeNote Mirage also depicts, for their Type IXA, the much more rounded prow, with less prominent bullnose than seen on U-505 (right). See what I mean? Interestingly, for their Type IXC kit (bottom, in link), Mirage depicts - on the box art, anyway - the latter, type of more angular prow. So that the Nichimo kit bow must actually have been patterned on the Type IXA or -B.

And U-505, launched with the short conning tower, lacking any lower wintergarten level, as typical of the earlier Types, must have been a rather unusual Type IXC from the get-go.

In any case, this second build adds in the possibility for painting a really cool camo scheme - which is a reason I might not want to mess her up adding the above, battle damage. Plus, the contrast it will offer against the other build, depicting her heavily weathered, as captured. We'll see...

Cheers,

-Matty