Flankerman Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 To add to my collection of US Navy early cruise missile subs....... USS Tunny.... .... USS Grayback.... .... and USS Halibut.... I decided to have a go at making the first of the breed - the USS Cusk. This was a Balao Class wartime sub converted to launch a US-built copy of the German V1 flying bomb - called the KGW-1 Loon. AFV Club to a range of Gato class submarine kits - so I selected the 1943 boxing - with its cut-down conning tower - as the nearest thing to a late-war Balao......... Apart from the upper hull, this sprue is common across all versions.... This lower sprue is unique to the 1943 boxing...... AFV Club include an etched brass fret for the propeller guards, railings etc.... and a 'generic' decal sheet...(but no 'USS Cusk' title for the rear decking) They even include a pressure hull inside - totally hidden from view.. All I need do now is build the model more-or-less as kitted, then add the hangar, launch rail and scratch-built Loon!! Watch this space.... Ken PS - The rest of my 1/350 scale submarine builds (including the US Navy Ballistic Missile subs) is here Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 Further research reveals that the conning tower on the Balao class subs was cut away at the rear end - under the 'cigarette deck' - so my Gato tower was chopped off accordingly and as I didn't have any suitable square-section plastic, I used a piece of square wood to form the core.... .... and 'skinned' it with thin plastic card - using filler to make the sloping undersides.... It still needs a bit of a clean up - but the basics are there. I also removed some of the raised detail and access hatches - not seen on Cusk. On my model of USS Tunny, I used a piece cut from a pipette to make an 'open' hangar, but Cusk's Loon hangar is smaller. I worked out the approximate dimensions from photos (length and diameter relative to the conning tower) - and simply carved a length of 8mm plastic knitting needle to shape...... As it is solid, it can't be shown open - but it looks OK. Here's the tower and hangar temporarily tacked onto the hull..... That conning tower needs more work...... more later. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 The sail/conning tower/ is very fiddly - I don't get on with etched-brass railings. The hangar is finished - apart from some aerials.... Now for the launch rail and Loon... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 Trying to replicate exactly the missile launch ramp - given the lack of close-up photos plus the tangle of support struts - is not easy, especially in this scale... So, with a bit of artistic licence, this is my effort...... I might add a few more struts...... Almost ready for the paint...... Now for the Loon...... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 I am always happy when you post pics of your latest builds. There are a lot of interesting subs that I have never seen before. The hanger turned out nice and building that launch ramp in 350 scale must have been a real challenge. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 I'm now going a bit Loony - scratch-bulding the KGW Loon (V-1) - in 1/350 scale. The fuselage is carved from a length of suitable diameter sprue, the wings are thin plastic card (sanded to airfoil section!) and the pulse-jet is made from a length of tubing and plastic rod.... The assembled Loon - wingspan is 15mm - and my old eyes need a rest :bandhead2:/> All the converted/scratched parts in place.... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wh1skea Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 If you would have held off a couple days, you could have joined the "Iron Men, Plastic Ships" group build. I love what you've done here, though. I've wanted to do either Cusk or Tunny with the 1/72 Gato I've got in my stash, but as there is not a conversion kit, and my scratchbuilding skill are almost nil, I may have to go another route. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 Ready for final assembly...... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Gorgeous work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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