"that's Not A Japanese Sub"

[cthulhu77]

So, the kit I have been waiting for...the new 1/72nd Revell Gato class.  Of course, I have to update it to a Baloa class in order to model the greatest submarine of my childhood...the SS Seatiger.

[cthulhu77]

The massive warp had to be removed first...lots of hot water and a lot of cold c/a adhesive:

[B777LR]

     

[cthulhu77]

You can see the sheer size of this kit by this shot...a 1/72nd 6x6 next to the bow assembly...just the bow assembly !

[dragon]

I built one some time ago using the old Revell USS LIONFISH and some resin and photoetch.


Can't wait to see it in 1/72.  How are you going to modify the Sail?

[cthulhu77]

This project is going to take months...patience !

  The kit sail is actually close to the Balao used in the film, probably since it was the first in the class, and dang near a Gato.  I have to make new masts, remove all of the guns, and move a hatch...nothing major. Yeah, right.  I bought the dvd so I can capture screen shots of the sub and make sure I get it correctly...if I am going to war with the jmn's, I want evidence!

[dragon]

There were actually three Balaos used in the film.  One of them being the USS Balao herself.  The part that might be difficult is the "cigarette deck".  You have to put a set of steps and railings plus the railings and benches around the pintle of the aft Machinegun.  The other part is going to be mixing enough paint to get the correct "Sea Tiger pink" (the recipe is in the movie itself).  

You might find this useful.

[cthulhu77]

Yeah, I want to replicate the Balao in pink...not the others in grey.  The lead white and red antifouling primer I have down, though the mixture they used to actually paint the sub was not 50/50 as stated in the film, but 80/20 brushed on (you can see brush lines in the film). The bottom will be the typical black, but heavily salt weathered and showing a lot of rust.
 I didn't see too many railing mods...is there a chance you could point those out to me?  Thanks for the link...found that bit too, as well as this little charmer:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0828518.jpg

  Greg-dizzy from watching a film over ten times in a row

[dragon]

The problem with the raillings is the scale.  We are talking 1/72 scale.  Everything out there (up to now) is smaller.  For my SEATIGER I used a place called NAUTILUS MODELS for the resin and photoetch.  Again, I don't know if they make anything in 1/72, but I would not be surprised if that isn't in the works.

The "Sea Tiger Pink" I used was using the same ratio they claimed in the movie...Something like 20 cans for the entire submarine, however all they could find was 12 cans of white and 8 cans of red lead...or something like that.  

[cthulhu77]

Oh, I usually make my own railings out of brass wire and styrene anyway...I just can't seem to find a difference in the railings from the kit to the Balao. All the photos look pretty darn close to the kit locations.

[cthulhu77]

Interesting, but I think I'll be scratching the sail...my missus would kill me for spending that much on a 5" bit of resin !  Neat site, bookmarked for sure.
 Going over the film again, (I'll be quoting this movie a lot at parties) it looks like the Baloa was different only in a few areas, that, and the big change in the masts...

[dragon]

I like it.   Now it is possible to convert the USS LIONFISH model kit into a Guppy I or Guppy II.....I have been meaning to convert one into the USS TILEFISH or the USS CUBERA post USN retirement (a real world subject).

[cthulhu77]

Unsure at the moment...I did recieve a very nice reply from the great folks at IBS though, very friendly chaps.  I don't know too much about the Guppy class so far, though I could see some more conversions happening in the not-so-distant-future!

[dragon]

The part that might be different in the USS BALAO cigarette deck is that there are "benches" around the mid railling (which is not present in the usual photoetch.  Look at the DVD again, say around the time when Cary Grant is trying to unload the nurses off in the port and the Army guy tells him about stealing his own aide's half used cigar).   You will see what I mean.  

[Dork the kit slayer]

An Admirals ideas man ?  Where do I send my cv.