Gato deck gun?

[crazygary]

O.K., Y'all!!

Ran into a bit of a problem with my 1/144 Gato build!

The linkage I made up to make the forward dive planes deploy and retract sits a little
higher than it should, and rather than rework my linkages, which are working pretty nicely
right now, I'm looking to add a "non-prototypical" gun to the forward deck centered on the
fwd. dive planes.

I need to open up a small cavity through the deck for clearance purposes and was thinking
about a "smallish" gun there. I don't know if, anywhere throughout submarine history, a skipper
has ever opted to mount some sort of weapon that far forward! Machine gun mount, maybe??

It looks like a capstan(?) is to be located in pretty close proximity to where I need to make my
opening, but appears to be mounted off-center. The "hole" in question only needs to be about 1/8" wd. x 5/32" - 3/16" lg., if that!

Any suggestions, or opinions?? (And, no! Reworking my linkage is not an option! It's working too well to mess with. Hah!!)
Thanks in advance!

crazygary

[redboat219]

Go for it. During WWII, it was common to find vehicles mounting ad hoc weapons. Take PT-109, she had a 37mm anti-tank gun mounted on her bow for taking out enemy barges. Maybe your Gato captain saw a need to mount a machine gun or autocannon near the bow for a "special occassion".

[crazygary]

Hey, thanks a bunch, Redboat219!

I was considering just cutting a square, or a round, of .010" thick styrene and calling it a hatch, but an added gun was on my "hope" list!!

I was pretty sure that the boat skippers could arm their boats as they pleased, but was a little concerned about placing one so far up
on the bow!!

Maybe something like a twin anti-aircraft gun?? Hmmm!! Ya got the juices flowing now!!

Thanks again!

crazygary

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

How do you service that gun way up there, at the bow? Getting the guns, gun-crew and ammo up and down the forward escape trunk would be a total *****. And putting a mounted gun well forward and aft makes for a very pitchy platform. That (and properly designed access for gun-crew and ammo) is why the mounted guns are on and around the sail, the boats center of rotation.

M

[redboat219]

A single 20mm Oerlikon.

[crazygary]

Sub skipper was Capt. Guido Sarducci! ( One-a my home-a boyz!!)LOL

He musta made somebody an offer dey couldn't refuse!! Baba-BING!!

CG

[crazygary]

Good call there, M!

I think I'll go with my first thought about an "auxillary" hatch,
so Capt. Guido will have a place to stash any contraband pizza
he may wanna hide from the crew!! Hah!!

The thickness of the deck itself looks like it'll be sufficient clearance.

But, I'm also thinking about mounting a single 40mm. Bofors in
front of the con. One hell of a "fly swatter"!!

"Victory through superior firepower"!! YEAH, Baby!!!!

CG

[vital.spark]

Gary,

It's also keeping as much fiddley stuff off the boat which will quickly get knocked off! I'm speaking from experiance!!

Myron

[crazygary]

I, too, have had the "honor" of such experiences!! Hah!!

Not a fun thing, but, some of the "fiddleys" just look so darned neat!!!

I'll settle for the single Bofors up forward, and a nice little 3"/50 aft of the con!

Just gotta make sure my "fat fingers" and "pay attention module" are synched up
prior to handling!!

CG