Well guys now that the Washington is done I'm starting on another project. The type 17 U-boot.

I know, where is the video of the Washington? Well it's too big for my pool to get anything real decent so I'm waiting to get to the lake before I do that. Too freaking hot to even leave my house for awhile so that's on hold.

David Merriman was nice enough to send me his very good book on the boat. Everything I need is in there. All in German but my neighbor is German and can translate as needed.

Here's a picture of the book and the plans I'm working from. Also some pictures of a modeled type 17.

So far I'm done enlarging the plans to the correct size. What scale? Well it fits the D&E miniatures 3 inch WTC just right. If someone wants to figure out the scale the model is 45 inches long. Since I can't read German I'm not clear on the actual size of the full sized boat. Maybe someone can help there.

Now to print out the formers or bulk heads and wire cut blue foam. This will be built in to halves. Right and left and molded in ultracal 30 as Darrin did so I can make a few epoxy glass hulls. Merriman will do the appendages.

That's about it for now but now that the tread is started it will keep me going and I will post my progress as usual.

Steve

BTW this will be offered as a kit if anyone is interested.

Steve

Hey Steve, if you want to head out to Balboa early one morning before this frikkin' heat I can shoot some vid of your subs. LMK

Tom

Tom,

thanks Buddy! I appreciate that very much. But lets wait until we pass this heat wave! I'll stay in touch. Send me an email so I have your address for the updates on the events and other neat stuff I can't post here just yet.

Steve

Hi Steve

As this boat is my current project too, I can give you this info you needed :

Length of the XVIIB : 41.45 meters (12.59 ft)

My hull is made in Germany and its scale : 1/30.

If your model was 45" the scale would be about 1/35th.

Good luck and keep us posted !!!

Antoine.

Hey Antoine! Long time no hear.

Didn't know anyone made a hull. Be sure to send me pictures to my email address: sneill@socal.rr.com it would be helpful as some details fo the hulls surface are not clear in the book.

Thanks for the scale to. 1/30 sounds about right.

Steve

P.S> I have MSN U812

Hello Antoine, Steve, FWIW, my 2-volume book set Navies of the Second World War, German Submarines (Vol.) 2, p. 27, Doubleday Edition published in 1967, describes the Type XVIIB as being 136 1/4 ft. long, 11 1/4 ft. beam and 14 ft. draft, with 312/357 tons displacement. U-1405 through U-1416 were projected, but apparently U-1410 through U-1416 were not built. U-1408 and U-1409 were cancelled.
Interestingly, U-1406 was scuttled at Cuxhaven (2/5/45), later salved and was used by the U.S.N. in 1947. U-1407 was also scuttled at Cuxhaven (2/5/45), later salved and used by the R.N. as N.25 in 1946 and finally scrapped in 1950. Because of their postwar histories, U-1406 and U-1407 might make interesting U-boats to model.
This information is as presented in the above publication, and is offered in the interest of helping you to make your models as accurate as reasonably possible.
Best of luck to you both in your respective builds; please share your work with us-
Bill

Bill, thanks so much. I assume it's availble? Should I check Amazon?

I sure will share. I'll be posting progress of the build here later tonight.

Thanks again!

Steve

Got the side view printed to scale. And the bulk heads.

Next is to 3M 77 the bulk heads to plywood and cut. Wire cut the sections in blue foam and get going. That should happen tomorrow and the wire cutting is very fast. It's the sanding, glassing and filling that take the most time.

This is a big boat for it's 45 inch length. Still there's just a little room to spare for the D&E miniatures 3 inch WTC.

Here's a few pics to give you an idea of the size. The good stuff comes next.

Steve

Now THAT is a project that I'm looking forward to seeing! Being a U-boat enthousiastic, I've seen so few of these sub's made into models, most people like to stick with the Type VII (awesome boat) and I've seen few photographs of this sub, never saw it full hull... anyways, good luck!

Steve, What scale is the boat. I am still working out the intermediate masters on the 23. Hope to pull a couple parts within the next few weeks. Have you done any research on the vacform stuff lately?

DH

Captain,

Thanks I'm glad to see some interest in this boat over another boomer. I like history too. History in motion is the best by far!

Darrin,

Where the hell have you been? You missed our sub run. Having one again on the 20 th at Balboa.

It's about 1/30 or there abouts. Can't wait to see the 23 done. Dave Welch and myself sure would like one.

Ah the vacuum form stuff. If your going to go that route I would go with male molds and build your own table. I just don't trust these guys with my hard earned molds ever again.

Steve

Ok got those bulk heads glued with 3M 77 to the press board. Cheaper that model aircraft plywood by far and will sand nice and smooth on the edges so the wire cutter will cut without hanging up.

Next. Go to the skill saw and get these out.

More later,

Steve

Steve,
How thick is the foam you cut out? Do you then mount them on a central spine?

Dave,

I have a 3 inch by 4x8 piece I will cut sections from placing the formers front to back and then use a wire bow to cut. The pictures will explain it better when I post them. Right now I'm just cutting the formers out.

You just make exact blocks to the bulk head spacing, glue on and cut. Real easy stuff.

Steve