S.M. U9 - Das Werk - 1/72 (static)

[DrSchmidt]

Final addition to the Boat...Das Werk have created 2 sets of resin figures (3 man each) specifically for the U9. 3 Man for the bridge and 3 man deck crew. I got mine via eBay from Australia (cheapest option). The figures are highly detailed and modeled in very realistic, living positions. Quickly built and painted. Great addition to the kit that gives the boat this little extra...

[DrSchmidt]

Thanks David. That's waht I like about those old boats. Lots of detail and old technology from a time where they still were finding out how to design and operate thes boats.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

A beautifully executed display piece, Doctor. A study in stunning, eye-popping detailing.

David

[DrSchmidt]

The last Detail, that had to be added are the foldable masts for the radio antenna. I depict the late version of the boat that had hydraulic mast actuation. As the plastic of the kit is brittle and not very stiff, I decided to replace the masts by self-made brass versions while only using the kits mast base. The masts were made of 0,8 mm, 1mm, and 1,2 mm diameter brass tubes that were threaded onto 0,5 mm steel wire. The still wire also served as connecting pins for the mast base. The counter weights, drive rods and rigging points are from the RCSubs PE set.









The masts were painted neutral gray and the put onto the support blocks on the port tanks using 0,5 mm brass axis. The rigging was dine using 0,3 mm rigging thread.









Then the antenna was rigged using 0,15 mm black copper wire and then the conected to the fixing points on the deck and the insulator mast.





The masts finally got their A-struts made of 0,5 mm brass wire and their final touch ups ....





The search light got its electric cable....



And the boat its flag.....job done.

[DrSchmidt]

Actually I'm really bad at rigging. I folllow some threads on a different forum where some guys do miracles rigging ancient sailing ships. This is just thread and superglue . But it looks good, nevertheless....

[trout]

Wonderful rigging! It really makes the other details pop.

[DrSchmidt]

The exhaust tubes for the petroleum motors were erected using a cable pull. To make that work from the horizontal position one need as deviating point, that was realized with a v-shaped bar. I used 0,3 mm spring steel wire as cable. Over the cable I put a short piece 0,8 mm brass tube. The brass tube was the glued at the right hight and connected with the v-bars which are made of 0,8 mm brass wire. As the spring steel is quite solid, the whole assembly is rock solid as well.





Then the exhaust were then anchored using rigging thread as were the rescue buoys that were onnected to their below-deck winches.





Then the dive plane protection struts were rigged. What looks like blocks are turnbuckles...a triffle chunky but O.K. on the final boat.







Then the search light found its place in front of the conning tower and the 3,7 cm machie gune on the foredeck.







Finally I put the boat on its stand. The base plate is 19 mm maple wood. I gave it a nice edge using a router, stained it mahogany and sealed it with a clear coat. The supports are 3D-printed and painted old brass. The name plate is 3d-printed as well.

[DrSchmidt]

Thanks Dave!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Nice. Very nice!

David

[DrSchmidt]

I'm pretty much done with the basic weathering of the boat. After the sub surface bleaching effects I took care of the above surface parts. The decks were airbrushed in hull color. The surfaces on the side tanks were again bleached using white and gray washes and dry brushing. The main deck got additional dirt effects using brown washes. Everything was finished using oil-based rust effects by M.I.G.. The decals were an easy fix and then blended in with the rest of the boat using gray washes. I painted the scum line free-handed using Vallejo German field gay, a gray-green color. Last the props and the retractable exhausts were put into place. Latter will become its detail work next....

[DrSchmidt]

After the base colors are on, I painted the whole boat with a gray filter. For that I take Vallejo gray wash and thin it down 1/10. The filter adds subtle color variations to the even base coat. After that the whole boat goat a gloss clear coat which helps to petter position washes in groves and edges. Then I applied the first step of the weathering for the sub surface part of the hull. My approach aims at a similar effect as the toothpaste trick by Dave, but it's easier and faster. Dave's approach is superior when you aim for more prominent effects, as the technique shown results in a subtle shading.

I take a chopped of round brush and Vallejo white wash. I fill the brush with wash and dab the whole surface of the bottom hull unevenly with the wash. Let it dry....et voila.

[DrSchmidt]

The PE lit is a big ad on....you'll like it allot.

[Thorbrandr]

Thank you for posting this. I have the PE parts on the way now for my builds.

[DrSchmidt]

I added some details and worked on the base colors, basically everything that I want to get done before I apply the first layer of filters. I added the four recovery buoys (red) and the phon buoy in front of the coning tower (also red, not included in the kit). Finally a hand crank was added on the port side of the front conning tower platform (black, no idea what it was for, nit included in the kit). Then I took care of the bridge. The bridge was made of fabric wound around a steel rail. I've seen photos of U9 with very dark and white fabric. I chose white. I masked the inner and outer bridge and airbrushed the fabric in Vallejo flat white. The rail itself had to be hand painted...took some time and allot of corrections. The flor boards got a basic brown with some lighter accents and the steering wheel got its black color. That's it for now....

[DrSchmidt]

Masking galore...used up a whole role of masking tape on the decks and the outer hull. But it went much easier than expected. Airbrushing the light gray (Vallejo) then pretty much went straight forward. Some touch ups and the two stripes across deck hatch domes and the base paint on the hull was done.