Gato Submarine - Revell 1:72

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Nov 29, 2016
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Location
Atlanta, GA
Here are a few pictures of my 1st model ship build back in 2011. My father-in-law served aboard 3 submarines, the USS Halfbeak, the USS Atule and the USS Crevalle, and purchased this kit in hopes to build. He passed away before he opened the box and my wife and I inherited this kit along with a 33' Yorktown sailboat! LOL We eventually sold the sailboat when we moved across country but I thought I would try to build this boat in his memory.

I found this kit pretty impressive with it's detail and pretty massive in it's size! I did take pictures while building this boat but did not keep a really detailed log of any kind. I did read up on subs and the crews that served aboard them and I guess this is how I got hooked on ships. After I started working on this kit, I decided I would also try my hand at weathering to make her 'feel' like she was at sea. I used oil pastels, graphite and watercolors to get my effect. He also told me about a time when he was on night watch in the North Atlantic when a large wave broke over the sail and broke his nose against the rail from the force of the wave. I added CMK's Gato sub crew to show him on watch. I used a .011 Super Slinky guitar string for my railing instead of using the thread that came with the kit.

After this kit was completed, I now have a love for ships. I am currently working on my 4th model, that being a wooden kit. I am coming along with learning new skills and I look forward to new challenges that lie ahead.

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Very nice build, Robert. Anyone who served on subs demands great respect - I certainly could not do it. My first wooden ship build was to finish one my Dad had only just started before he passed away and it brought back a lot of nice memories of us building together when I was a kid.
 
Very nice build. I am with Graham, it takes a special kind to work in a submarine. Fantastic tribute to your father in law.
 
1st off, I'd like to thank all of you for your comments on this kit. Revell did a great job with this model. It really was a 'special' build for me seeing how it was a tribute to my father-in-law and also as my 1st model build since AMT kits from 1962. I learned quite a bit about submarines building this kit and have a great respect for anyone that can be 'sealed' in one of these for months on end! Cheers!
 
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WOW - very nice - very realistic !
 
Superb build. I hope you post another model on the forum soon.
Many thanks, Brian077 I worked on this on & off for about 1 year. Towards the end I decided I'd try my hand at weathering. I used pastels, water colors, and graphite to get my effect. For my 1st build, I am happy she turned out like she did. I had visions that I'd ruin this boat when I first started ;)
 
Very nice build, Robert. Anyone who served on subs demands great respect - I certainly could not do it. My first wooden ship build was to finish one my Dad had only just started before he passed away and it brought back a lot of nice memories of us building together when I was a kid.
Thank you, Graham for the compliment on this one. You are right about bringing back memories of our dads. My 2nd build was the SS John W Brown liberty ship to remind me of my father, who shipped out of San Francisco on the USS General T.H. Bliss Squire-class transport ship on his way to the South Pacific in WWll. Here's to our father's Cheers!!!
 
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