Posted by Kevin McClure (via Matty) on December 24, 2009, 19:05:08
"...Here is the first (couple) shots of the S-Boat...you spied on my workbench:
Click on Image for FULL RES
...The S-Boat is a 1/350 Yankee Modelworks resin kit that is in the final stage of weathering and rigging...
Click on Image to Enlarge
** Click on Image to Enlarge
...As best I can determine, she is most like (and will be) a Group One S-class boat. I chose S-26, sunk in a collision with a support vessel in the gulf of Panama in 1942, because that is what the pattern maker used for the master...
...Here's a top shot:
Click on Image for FULL RES
Note the asymmetrical deck and rail layout.
Click on Image to Enlarge
Click on Image for FULL RES
...The bottom of the hull will get several coats of a heavy black wash over the anti-fouling red to represent the WWII scheme in use at that time, although there is no concise evidence what paint scheme she had at the time of loss. So, we have some freedom to choose until proven otherwise...
... BTW - I'm using an 8 megapixel camera in a macro, high-res mode, thus the large file size of the images. Great for zooming in, but file size hogs!"
I am intently scrutinizing and comparing this model to my own build of S-37, in (so far as I can tell) exactly the same fit! And, by-and-large, I'm gratified that it is clarifying/confirming the vast majority of my interpretations of historical pics.
There are, howver, a couple significant aspects in which my model disagrees (or will disagree) with this one - some of which I undoubtedly got wrong, and others which I'm pretty sure I got more accurately than this model did. The first and most prominent of which is the foredeck asymmetry - the bulge to starboard, outboard and just aft of the crew access hatch - which I already mentioned in my reply to Donny. Again, I am sure my interpretation of this feature is far closer to the truth, especially as revealed by these pics.
On the other hand, another pretty prominent feature - the shape of the hull "peduncle", just before the "whale tail" - on this kit continues to taper, no doubt correctly, while on my build it was forced to widen back out, to meet the (probably too-wide) tail surfaces. I could probably correct my build accordingly, without too much trouble.
The final thing I notice is the very coarse deck-planking depicted by this kit - continuing exactly the same from the gun platform forward, and also aft - yet the relevant historical pics indicate the YMW planking is far too coarse - for even the coarsest of gun-platform planking which, when present on early- and pre-war boats, did not extend beyond the platform to the (finer-planked or bare-metal) surrounding deck areas, fore- and aft. (I may even make a plank-count from some of the clearer pics, to present some actual numbers to work with.)
Kevin, I really appreciate this look at this model - in addition to your excellent workmanship on it, sir - as it greatly helps me visualize results for my own build decisions, and steer them accordingly. Again (and for the same reasons) I will be very interested to see your modified, final paint job on her, as well!
You gotta love Kevin's work - which is not over yet, on this build! Plus, I personally am very interested in it as a potential reference for essentially the identical fit as my S-37 build.
However I believe I have done better than this kit in figuring out the deck asymmetry Kevin mentioned, which could only be the same as identified with the "trunk" on some of these boats, and which this kit has depicted oversized, (incorrectly warping the limber-line) and positioned incorrectly, as well as its associated hatches ("trunk"- and crew access) on the foredeck.
Not that Kevin need worry about it for this build, which is already very nice and will only get more so, in any case - in fact, I'm waiting to see how good his gray-over-black scheme will look - and if it will convince me to switch from the all-black I'm currently planning...