Brokeneagle
Master at Arms
Hello again and welcome back to my 'fantasy sub book' list - hopefully it will get done.
U-190
What a banger of a sub project and a really interesting version of the Type 9C/40.
Launched on the 8th June 1942, it was a slotted style deck boat built by AG Wesser in Bremen.
Over the course of the war the boat was up-graded with
- the longer larger tower (Turm 4) fitted with 2x Twin 20mm on the upper platform and a double 37mm on the rear lower platform of the Conning Tower (CT).
- An early version snorkel, fitted during July/August 1944
- then later (1945)a 'fast dive' forward deck which allowed the boat to dive quicker due to the narrowing of the forward upper deck platform.
Because this was a later version, the 9C/40, it also recieved various small upgrades to the hull details, exhaust and lifeboat hatch on the rear deck.
When the forward deck was modified with the fast dive section in 1945, it was changed from a SD to a Plank Deck (PD). However the last section of the forward wooden deck [up to the steel plated front, traingular decking] was left in the slotted style, as was the section right next to the CT as well. There seems to have been a policy with the Kreigsmarine and the U-boats that set about to try to be economic with repairs and replacements/upgrades(as with other arms of the German military) - don't replace if its not neccessary. I have seen this with U-516 as well. A lot of materials and parts were being used in keeping the submarine flotilla effective and in operation against mounting odds, so quick and neccessary was the rule.
Further to this detail, I still believe there is a 50/50 chance that the rear deck was still in the old slotted pattern and had not been replaced as it was not modified. I do not have a clear enough picture of the rear deck pattern (but the photo above left looks to have retained slotted patterns rear of the CT).
As a result, for this model I will be using the Planked rear PE DECK pattern supplied by RC SUBS, however for U-516 I will be using the slotted rear PE from U-505 decking.
Since buying this PE set RC SUBS has started creating 3D PRINTED parts and has upgraded the PE panels to Mod the Conning Tower with a new set that has created the modified forward section as a whole 3D Printed part with extra railings and other details for the command section.
....I also just purchased this kit and its on its way in the mail as I type this.
To add to the PE decking, I came into contact with a guy on a U-BOAT forum on DISCORD that was producing laser cut underdecks to match the RC subs PE. These were cut in the exact same pattern as the real underdecks on the subs.
I started buying these underdecks from him even before RC Subs started advertising them on their site to go with their kits. This then led to me supplying the detailed plan view photos of the U-190 and U- 516PE for him to produce the laser cut underdecks for them. These are now only available on RC SUBS as far as I know. The great thing about getting in at an early stage was that I got all the decks direct from him at a special price that was way cheaper than they now are through RC Subs.
The final section will be on painting this beast, which by 1945 had a very scrappy, peeling finish with plenty of rust.
Should be a blast!
This kit will be modeled on a stand so that all the details and the rust can be authentically reproduced in 1/72 scale.
Looking forward to getting to this one in the next few years
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