That's "Working Over" as in a
thoroughgoing work, as I'm really been digging into all features of the conversion now:
Click on Image to EnlargeAt top, I think I've finally gotten (about) the correct shape for the portside conning tower trunk(s); after re-examining all the reference pics - and finding several which simply do not appear to agree on specific details - I have settled on the construction you see here. Though practically guaranteed to be inaccurate in some minute detail(s), it is nevertheless
absolutely more accurate for U-505, as captured, than either the Nichimo U-511 or the venerable Aurora kit, modeled directly after U-505 herself.
And my intent is to make the foredeck - the only deck area clearly displayed in our reference pics - likewise more accurate than the above kits, as well. Thus, at bottom, if the foredeck looks a bit less "busy" than the typical Nichimo kit - many of whose details were overstated (for any U-baot) to begin with - it's because I have carefully chiseled off a couple exaggerated radial tread patterns, as well as a far too proud and coarse diamond-star texture, originally at the tip of the bow. Already she looks more like a real U-boat, IMHO.
But the deck has gotten major, additional work as well:
Click on Image to EnlargeAt top, superglued (white) seams indicate where deck sections have been spliced together from both kits; which have significant differences in deck feature locations, and details. More careful pre-planning could have avoided much of this - in fact, all the main features desired were originally on the deck of the earlier, "Type IXC" (short conning tower) model.
In any case, I had always planned to copy one accurized foredeck in resin, for two (in fact, unlimited) builds, and the above is all working out well. Note the much-subdued radial anti-skid patterns around the deck gun mounts top and bottom-right, as well as around the forward capstan, at bottom-left. Even using the sharpest, brand-new chisels, it was impossible for me to shave these down without some slight damage to the deck in these areas; it may be possible to mitigate this - somewhat, at least - by scribing some of the (actually
raised) planking detail back over these areas. However the deck already looks quite acceptable, IMHO, even as-is.
Which is not to say, however, that the deck is
finished, by any means:
Click on Image to EnlargeIn addition to removing (i.e., filling) many hatches, several new ones are being transferred from sections of the unused deck (top), to the new one (bottom). Note the technique is to carve out their edges as much as possible (top-left), and attach dowel "stalks" to their undersides (top-right), before detaching them completely. This provides the cleanest cut-out of these plastic chunks - some of which are exceedingly tiny - and at the same time provides for easy handling and manipulation, once detached. After similarly painstaking cutout of the receptacle space in the new deck, the hatches, etc. then inserted and attached from below (bottom); using ample adhexive for a well-secured placement yet showing little or no glue in its seams. on deck.
This is slow work - but well over half of it has been knocked out now, by the end of the weekend. And it's looking
great, IMHO. You'll see...
Cheers,
-Matty
