1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

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5Craven
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1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by 5Craven »

Hi guys here is my entry into the Group Build and I have gone for another floaty thing to complement DC87's build. However I decided on doing something from the German side so here is my kit.

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As you can see there isn't a lot to this kit so it should be a nice quick build apart from a little delicate PE work :crazy:

As to why I chose to do this, well make yourselves comfy :pop: here we go.

SO I was browsing Google Earth the other day, like you do, around my home area and discovered an interesting little option you can turn on to show shipwrecks. So I had good look around my local area then zoomed out and looked along the channel coasts. More or less opposite across the channel are the Normandy beaches and it was showing a number of wrecks so I started looking through them. Almost the first one I found was the wreck of U-390. A little research later and I was hooked.

Following D-Day the Germans were losing the 'battle of the build up'. Basically the allies were pouring more men and equipment into Normandy than the Germans. Desperate to slow the allied rate of reinforcement the Kriegsmarine ordered U-Boats to interdict the supply ships. Given the allies overwhelming sea superiority it was little short of a suicide mission. U-390 was just one of the U-boats ordered to attack. She left Brest and headed across the channel to Lyme Bay travelled East close to the coast looking for targets of opportunity. Once past Swanage she altered course to cross the Channel again arriving in the middle of the Bay of the Seine ready to engage the enemy. There was no shortage of targets.

On the 5th of July 1944 U-390 went into action, she first targeted HMS Ganilly a converted anti-submarine trawler and sank her with the loss of 39 crew, this was the first kill for U-390. She then attacked SS Sea Porpoise an American merchant ship injuring 12 crew. Having announced her presence she then became the target of a major anti-submarine search. She located and engaged by HMS Wanderer (destroyer) and HMS Tavy (frigate). Sources conflict on what happen next; one says U-390 was destroyed by depth charges another says she was forced to the surface by Hedgehog attack and then rammed by HMS Tavy. She sank with all except one of her crew who was rescued by HMS Wanderer.

Here is what she looks like today

[youtube]J99jViHaDUE[/youtube]
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by Nige201980 »

What a great and intresting choice mate look forward to seeing it built.
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-TGcs5u_ZXSZ9kObNfsPg


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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by DBMiller »

Wow, a submarine! I love subs!
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by T3hGuppy »

Great choice dude and really interesting background. :th:
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by DC87 »

Great choice, shouldn't take long to build so plenty of time to weather.

Are you planning to show it on the surface/ dock or just on a stand?
Dan C

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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by fly1ngdutchm4n »

wow! great choice!
Deffo going to follow this one :thumb2:
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by wappynutter »

Now this is different!! :clap: :clap:
Well done on a very rare and unusual choice...
Good luck mate......
Happy Modelling.. :th:
:cheers2:
Regards Andy...Image
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by MarkVerploeg »

This should be good
I heared the kit is a nice build
And this subject is not mentionned that often when it comes to D-Day
Good luck
Cheers Mark
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by UKguyInUSA »

Hmm....I would have never thought about a Submarine....funny how the things that aren't seen often, due to being buried in the ocean depths, we forget easily.

Interesting choice....will watch closely to see how one details and finishes a sub?!
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by 5Craven »

Thanks guys for all the kind words of encouragement. I did consider doing this model to represent what U-390 looks like now.... but about 5 minutes later I came to my senses :nena: so she will be displayed as a full model on a stand for ease of completion. (After all I did not originally intend to anything for this build to try and keep the bench free for other plans)

So where are we so far? Well I made a start on this kit over the weekend and it really is a nice, sweet little build. Everything so far has gone together really nicely despite the small fiddly nature of the parts. All the major construction has been done and she is ready for the detailing with photo etch. So without further ado here are some photos.

The hull is a top/bottom halves design and the join needs to be lined up carefully, Extra Thin is your friend here!

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The side ballast tanks are then added. She now has that typical submarine hull bulge.

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The PE decking for the conning tower is added next. This was a beautifully done bit of PE, it has to be 100% accurate to fit the shape of the conning tower, fit around the hatch and get all the holes to fit the periscopes and mast to line up. Top marks Hobbyboss!! :th: :th:

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Next was the first fiddly part, the propeller shafts, aft diving planes and rudders. This section is made up of ten individual parts, not counting the lower hull. Again the fit was very good and the assembly method well thought out. The only minor issue was the support rod for the propeller guard was a little long. I had to shorten it slightly to get the guard to touch the rudders as it is meant to. Again this part of the build was made 1000% easier by using Extra Thin (other thin liquid hot glues are available :P )

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Finally another overall shot of the build with a Humbrol tin included for scale, the conning tower won't be finally attached until much later in the build. The next step is some very tricky bending of PE to go around the rear AA platform of the conning tower. Fingers crossed :roll:

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1/48 Revell SH-60B Seahawk (on hold)
1/72 Matchbox Supermarine Walrus II (Decalling)
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1/35 Hobbyboss ZSL-92 IFV (Building)
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by UKguyInUSA »

She came together fast! Looking good so far, and thanks for posting the Humbrol tin next to her to give the idea of scale! Will you be painting her yellow? :tongue:
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by Rob »

A great choice for the GB and it already looks fantastic :th:
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by wappynutter »

:clap: :clap:
Nicely done my friend....
Very fiddly work there! :eeek:
Well done... :thumb1:
:cheers2:
Regards Andy...Image
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by 5Craven »

So with this update the construction part of the build is complete. After doing the fiddly plastic stuff it was time to do the really fiddly PE stuff :crazy: However it all went a lot smoother than I expected. So here for your enjoyment :scratch:: are the pictures showing where I am now.

First off the bow area, the kit had a molded anchor and lower netting cutter which were removed first and replaced. Then you have the option of using either plastic parts or PE for the deck netting cutter, naturally I went the hard way;

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Next up were the railings, again for the deck railing there was a plastic option. When I was prepping the PE I used the plastic parts as a guide for bending the PE to shape, I then glued the straight section to the deck and worked around the curved sections tacking them into place with CA as I went. For the conning tower rails I found a drill bit the same diameter as the Anti-aircraft gun platform and gently wrapped the lowest section of railing around it allowing the upper section to follow the curve as it wanted to. As with the other rails it was gradually tacked into position.

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I think it captures that distinctive flared out look quite nicely.

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Finally the antenna wire tripods were folded and placed into position on the rear deck.

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Voila! She is all ready for primer. The only things left to add are the main deck gun and the AA gun, these will be painted separately and added after painting.

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Hope you are all enjoying this build as much as I am.
On the Bench

1/48 Revell SH-60B Seahawk (on hold)
1/72 Matchbox Supermarine Walrus II (Decalling)
1/48 Hasegawa Idolm@ster F-16C (Decals complete)
1/35 Hobbyboss ZSL-92 IFV (Building)
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by Willem »

That PE work is astonishingly good and the net cutters on the bow give it the iconic U-boat look.

I love it.

:cheers2:
Will

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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by AchtungPanzer »

Awesome "little" boat :clap: - Super work with PE details mate , well done ! :cheers2:
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by 5Craven »

OK its deadline day, so soon, again! However despite my lack of progress posts since I completed the main part of the build I have been working on this. The lack of posts is due to it being difficult for me to find time over the summer to do much modelling at all let alone being able to take decent photos due to the lack of a good lighting set up. But I have finished :o so pop over to the reveal section to see the horror that is my paintwork and attempts at weathering! :lol:
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1/48 Revell SH-60B Seahawk (on hold)
1/72 Matchbox Supermarine Walrus II (Decalling)
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1/35 Hobbyboss ZSL-92 IFV (Building)
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by Tiger131 »

Thats got to be the quickest build thread ive ever seen
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by Deacon »

Looking good mate. :thumb1:

I had this kit, but managed to mess up the propeller shafts and housings.
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by UKguyInUSA »

Nice build so far, those PE details really set her off. Looking forward to seeing her painted and complete with guns! :) :thumb1: :thumb1:
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Re: 1/350 Hobbyboss Type VII-C U-Boat, U-390

Post by chief5437 »

Great work! Well done. I really want to have a go at one of these tiny subs now!
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