Call me crazy…go ahead you won’t be telling me anything new. Especially with all the other builds I have going on.
Well here goes.
I purchased a 1/144 Trumpeter Gato a little while back specifically for the Submarine Warfare GB coming up in Aug.
but there is an IPMS contest in Salt Lake City in Sep. and I would not have the time to complete it for the contest if I waited. So with many apologies to the other members who were looking forward to the Gato build during the GB, I will need to get a jump on it if I have hope of completion prior to the contest. Not to worry guys, I have several other subs to do during the GB.
So with that being said, here is my usual crazy off the wall idea.
BOOWA!
I’m calling it “The launching of the USS Puffer (SS-268)”. The Puffer was launched in Nov. 1942 at the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Manitowoc Wisconsin.
Now you may be asking yourself, what is he thinking? Well here it is. From my understanding the Trumpeter kit has its flaws. The gun is a mess as well as a few other cosmetic issues that need AM to make it a passable Gato. If I pose it during a launch it won’t need all that extra stuff to worry about.
This is going to be a very large water display with lots of acrylic gel and cotton. Even now as I write this I am formulating just how I will form the enormous splash and wave caused by the launch.
The build itself should be easy and quick, the water, well that’s a different story. It will be great looking if I can pull it off.
So stay tuned. I will be purchasing materials and get crackin on this very soon.
Steve
I went out at lunch today and purchased a 2X36 foam board to start with as well as a thin transparent plastic sheet. I’m thinking of using the sheet as a stiffener inside the wave and building up acrylic gel over and around it. Otherwise the gel itself will sag and go limp.
I just pulled the Puffer out of the hat because of the launching date (early enough to justify the 1941 fitting to match the kit) and interesting launching style. I always do some research on my build subject and I found that the boat does have a tie to me. It was sold for scrap on the day I was born, Dec 3 1960. HA, now how about that?
I sure would like to see you work on this - I always wanted to make a dio of a Vietnam river boat in a high speed pass, and your techniques could help me do just that…
Alright sir, I’m here and ready to learn. This is going to be an amazing dio. Your water builds just keep getting better, better and more indepth. The sheet of clear plastic your going to use to create the splashing effect. You know what…I am not going to ask the question I had on my mind. I am just going to sit back and be amazed. I really hope you enjoy the build. I’m here until she is done.
The Manitowoc 28 were all side launched into the river. The ManShipCo. built and launched all of their ships with the bow pointing up river. Tradition or historical rumor was that ships launched with their bows facing up river always returned home. The maximum angle of heel was 48 degrees.
A good book on the sublect is: Fresh Water SUBMARINES, The Manitowoc Story by Rear Admiral William T. Nelson, USN (Ret.)
An interesting USCG side note is that the USCGC TAMARACK (WAGL248), also built at ManShipCo, was outfitted with a submarine rescue bell and additional air compressors; she was used as a submarine rescue vessel.
Another interesting diorama idea would be the sub loaded on the floating drydock, on it’s journey between Lockport, IL., and New Orleans. Two different tow boats were used for the trip. Due to piloting errors or cross winds, there were several times that the bow of the sub was several yards into a cornfield.
This is such an interesting story to me. I never gave thought to were subs were built. I’ve always assumed they were built along the coast and I was interested to learn of some of them being constructed along the shores of Lake Michigan. I assume they were transported along the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans.
The scene is so striking to me that it seemed like a perfect diorama subject.
I would like to find that book and do a little reading.
An update to the kit.
As I thought, it’s going together quickly and won’t take long to complete. The inner hull was strange. I installed bulkheads in strategic places along with a floor. These bulkheads have holes where the watertight doors would be. This entire assembly is sealed up and installed into the outer hull. The only reason I can think is for a future cutaway version. I do like the fact that the Limber holes are open. I wish Revell would have done that to their 1/72 U-boats
This is where I’m at now. The inner hull, outer hull and deck has been installed. Everything fit well so I just need a little filler for the seams. I need to do a little research on which deck fittings were installed before launch.
I ran the DC Shop at Base Milwaukee from 1983-87, and that’s when I learned about the Manitowoc 28. After launch, the subs would go out to Lake Michigan for sea trials and training. Some would make practice torpedo attacks on USS SABLE or USS WOLVERINE, two side wheel steamer converted to training aircraft carriers. Some of the escorts for the SABLE and WOLVERINE were USCG 78’ Patrol Boats built during Prohibition. After sea trials, the completed sub would sail to Chicago. The route was the Chicago River, Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal, Illinois River, and MIssissippi River to New Orleans.
You can get the book from the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc. Last year the Museum hosted their 1st Annual SubFest. This year SubFest is July 8-10. It was a weekend event for the city. We went for the weekend with 3 of my r/c subs: USS HAMMERHEAD SS-364, in 1:96 scale; USS BARB SSN-596 in 1:96 scale; and the Trumpeter USS SEAWOLF. They set up a 20’ x 40’ pool in front of the museum for us to run our boats. The SubCommittee has a thread about SubFest 2016.
