Wildo
Cheers

Hopefully you will get it all sorted.
Keep us updated.

Martin555.

Thanks for yr interest Martin.
Problems revolve around wanting to make the rear dive planes and rudders slightly bigger to improve control. And then the petty fragile stays on the end of the rudders and dive planes...they are simply not going to stand up the a working model environment. .. Probably going to mean making up the stays with soldered wire rather than plastic.
One prop blade from the kit has already parted company with the prop hub and a replacement/s (25mm) has proved to be unobtainable from local hobby shops and local member caches. Sourcing from the UK (normally someone from the village is either coming or going from the UK and are able to hand carry small items in their baggage) is difficult our our postal service has just about collapsed and Covid 19 hasn't helped as we are just coming out of total lockout of international flights leaving the only way to get stuff is to courier it...at costs that presently makes ones eyes water!
Anyway ...no problem is insurmountable and soldiering on will get thing sorted...eventually.
Cheers

These problems are they something that our members could help you with ?

Martin555.

Thanks Martin, I did rec yr PM.
I will get around to sending some pics...after I have resolved the numerous problem areas I am faced with at present.
Cheers

Hi Joburg-sailer,
I know all about "Free Flood' holes and vents i Have done so many that i have lost count.
It would be nice to see photos of your progress in a build log.

Oh i did send you a PM.

Martin555.

Thanks Doug. Received.
Assistance appreciate as always.
Regards

p.s. Progress is very mundane at present. Cutting out zillions of "Free flood" holds in the hull, sorting out a suitable perspex tube for the WTC. (Not too critical an item as I am building the sub as a Dynamic" diver so intend to not loose sight of the periscope when underway so no water pressure problem anticipated!)

Ahoy Joberg Sailor,
As promised herewith
'How to build your very own U-Boot Typ IXC' 1940-41 build standard, as U-160.😊
I've scanned the plan in three A3 pages, with a generous overlap to make it easier to piece them together.
Have fun👍 Looking forward to the Build Blog progress reports. In particular the RC conversion😉
Cheer, Doug😎

Das ist sehr gut Admiral. Vielen dank.
General Arrangement + cross sections would be wundebaar when you have the time.

Evenin' Tertius,
A few photos of IXCs in Lorient.
(From the Bundesarchiv😉)
Cheers, Doug 😎

Your wish is my command Oh Southern One😁
Whose a lucky boy then?😉
I also have an original build plan in 1:50, with general arrangement and cross sections.
I'll scan the relevant parts later, now it's eatin' time!
Cheers, Doug 😎
PS Guard this with your life!! It's a Staatsgeheimnis!
(State secret)

Brilliant Intel Sir!
Thanks so much (although I am sorry that I am unable to use the kit new bridge bits).
Any idea where I might find drawing of original bridge as fitted to U160??
Thanks for all the help with this research.

Hi Tertius,
"Could U160 have had the new refit before she went to South Africa?"
Short answer is; NO!
Attached is the last page of the signals records of U160 from her 5th and last patrol, i.e. up to her loss.
(Translation also attached) Been ransacking the German archives😁
From the reports it is clear that U160 was ordered back to base on 13th July to have the extra Vierling Flak fitted and alterations to the bridge (Conning tower) or Sail as the USN would call it.
Therefore as she set sail U160 still had the original 'as built' tower set up.
BTW; Last time I flew over the Azores, on the way to Caracas, they were still in mid North Atlantic!😉
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Azores,+Portugal/@36.1181666,-36.0366328,4.33z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0xb467f1e11e43b05:0xe2911b674bce0c1d!8m2!3d37.7412488!4d-25.6755944
Cheers, Doug 😎
Seek and ye shall find!😉
http://uboatarchive.net/U-160/KTB160-5P2.htm
http://uboatarchive.net/U-160/KTB160-5.htm

" I have not found a way to attached a .PDF file in Model Boats.com."
Procedure is exactly the same as posting a picture Tertius😉
Don't worry that it will appear in the Editing window as an empty red square.
In your post it will appear as an Adobe Icon. Click on it and it will open on the MB site, or you can download to your hard-drive - or whatever.
Cheers, Doug 😎

Apologies Guys. I have not found a way to attached a .PDF file in Model Boats.com.
If anyone is still interested in reading up about the Uboat operations in Southern Africa, then I can only suggest you type in "U-Boats Off Natal Natalia" in the search block.
Thanks Doug re your comment about the U160 skipper. He was indeed Georg Lassen.

Regarding my model of U 160. I am having problems as to what conning tower she sported in Feb 1943. If it was the larger type III with the "Winter Garden" platform, then it must have been fitted before she was deployed to Southern Africa in late Feb 43'as part of Gruppe Seehund that is noted in the "U-Boat off Natal report. She was recalled on 14 Mar '43. As U 160 was sunk in the South Atlantic south of the Azores in Jul 43' it can possibly be assumed that she could have received the new larger tower between the time she returned from South Africa and her last mission.
My Revell kit blurb states that U505 received the new type III tower "during the Spring of 42". Could U160 have had the new refit before she went to South Africa?
Any thoughts and deliberations would be appreciated.

Hi Tertius,
That link refers to a private Mail account so none of us will have access to it.☹️

But anyway; something doesn't quite add up here!?
I've done quite bit of research on U Boats, started when looking for details for my Type 1A.
According to my archives Oberleutnant (later Korvettenkapitän ultimately Kapitän zur See) Wolfgand Lüth was never commander of U160, or U190 for that matter. His last operational command (before moving to the Marine Academy in Flensburg and coming to a sticky end) was U181. A Type IXD2. Which he indeed operated off South Africa and in the Indian Ocean.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-181
https://uboat.net/men/luth.htm
U160 had two commanders (the last Oblt. von Pommer-Esche for only one month before he was sunk!)
16 Oct 1941 - 14 Jun 1943 Kptlt. Georg Lassen (Knights Cross)
15 Jun 1943 - 14 Jul 1943 Oblt. Gerd von Pommer-Esche.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-160_(1941)
http://www.ubootarchiv.de/ubootwiki/index.php/U_160
https://uboat.net/men/commanders/935.html
List of all U-boat commanders-
https://uboat.net/men/commanders/

Whatever!😉 Have fun with the build, looking forward to your account of the conversion to RC👍
Are you going to 'kit bash' it into a Type C crazy deck version?
All the best to you both, cheers, Doug 😎

Hi TJ,

I tried following the link and the box, I think that it is referencing an email in your email account, but it keeps bringing me to my gmail account home page like Martin.
Could you post just the file attachment please.

Bill

Hi Tj,
I am Unable to open it, just get a gmail page.

Martin555.

Oops!
Disregard my previous message re the address line, simply click on the box below the entry.

Hi Guys
Further to my "What is it" query and whether to bite the bullet and build the Revel Type IX C/40 sub. Might want to take a look at the rather long "Bedside reading " material that my son came across regarding wartime Uboat activities in this part of the world. It pricked my interest as being something that I could hang my hat on being "local". I could find no incidents of use of the Type IX C/40 (funny deck) but I did find the use of the Type IX C. After hunting thru all the model shops that I could think of in SA I only found one that had stock of any Revell 1/72 subs and that was for a Type IX C. So, putting all previous deliberations away, I have acquired a Type IX C that I am going to modify and build as a working U160 that was part of the "Gruppe Seehund" flotilla in these waters. Also because it came up the with U160's skipper's name of Wolfgand Luth who received the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves from Hitler while in sight of the South African shoreline making him the 2nd most successful uboat commander of WWII.
Highlight and copy/paste the address below into your browser:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgxwKjKlMffxsbdWxNHHgcbxcslSC?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1

Happy reading!

Hi Tj,

You might find this interesting,I think there are 37 videos on building of this IXC/40 Submarine.
This will help you decide on making this model.
Enjoy.



Martin555.

Thanks to Martin and Doug. I think we all seem to have spent some time on trying to sort this out? I think it really must boil down to the type number and subsequent modifications.
Only 2 boats of Type IXA were built, a few more for Type B and over 50 for TypeC (with a normal uboat deck).(See pic)
Several more of the modified (crazy deck) Type IXC/40 were used. Two issues were noted in my research. " Although the boats did not have any major design faults, they were known to be difficult to handle due to their poor stability AND SLOW DIVE RATE".
And again "It carried more torpedoes that the Type VII but was handicapped WITH SLOW DIVE TIME and more vulnerable to attack - mainly due to its comparatively large size".
For those who haven't seen the /40 version and the normal Type IXC, I attach some pics.
For all the "warts" they seem to have performed well that allowed them to account for a large tonnage sunk over the 5 years or so of service.
Reading several build articles it would appear that she is and "interesting " model to build. I might just be persuaded to treat myself to the Revell 1/72 kit!

BRAVO ZULU Martin👍
I too spent a while searching for info last night.
Found a lot about 190's history and only one photo showing the odd upper deck but no explanation.
Most photos show it in it's conventional 'as built' state.
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hi TJ.
I found Your question interesting and it did spark me off to see what i could find out.
I spent quite a bit of time on this and found myself going around and around in circles.

The only reference i found was this :-

http://uboatarchive.net/U-190A/U-190Photos.htm

In this article it says.

'This view offers a good view of the cut-away upper deck which was intended to reduce time to dive.(see attached)'

Martin555.

Hi TJ,
Take a quick look in the HOW-TO ARTICLES on the home page and you will see a QUICK SITE GUIDE.
In it I have put a section on posting photos.

Should help.

Martin555.

Apologies but I have forgotten how to post pics...I am past my "sell by" date!

Just Google "type IX C /40 submarine". You will notice what would appear to be 2 types of IX C/40 subs. The one with the carved up main deck and the other looking much like a normal U Boat. There must have been a reason to modify the type but I have failed to find any references.
Cheers
TJ

Hi TJ,
Can you post some photos of it please.
It might help us to get you more information.

Martin555.