Tom Cumming’s
CMK compartment work
CMK compartment - raw
cut-away hull compartments
CMK Engine Room with wire mod
CMK Engine Room
CMK Engine Room painted
CMK Engine Fwd Torpedo Room - bits
CMK Engine Fwd Torpedo Room painted
Control Room
Loading Torpedoes - interior
Loading Torpedoes
Complete
Complete
Tom’s Notes
Revell part fit is generally very good, with little or no flash. Deck is OK and detail is acceptable, but I replaced it with the Nautilus parts.
Take great care trimming the CMK resin parts. Be careful of the dust as it can be harmful. Dry fit and trim many times until you get everything square, especially the torpedo room. Sand away excess resin on the torpedo room side wall (back face) as it may foul within the hull. The torpedo room is the most difficult to build and get square. Don’t trim to the line you think is there if you get my meaning, as you may find due to warpage or shrinkage that it is better to err on the side of caution and slowly nibble at the trimming. Warped parts can be heated in hot water and straightened, some torpedoes were warped. Paint each of the sides of the compartments, floors, roofs etc individually and then assemble. I didn’t do this and with hindsight wish I had.
The engine is tricky to build and I replaced some parts with plastic card and brass wire. It is very tricky to build and a lot is hidden from view but the satisfaction is there if you get it done. The webs on the CMK batteries had come off in transit and I replaced this with this self adhesive tape to simulate the strengthening webs and replaced the battery connections with copper wire to simulate jumpers. Many of the hand wheels were mounted on short lengths of copper or plastic rod to make them stand out from the surfaces of the bulkheads. There are no transfers for the dials and I suggest that you either hand paint them or get some from an old kit. I have yet to do this.
Always dry fit many times and also check for fitting within the hull and check where you are going to cut the hull openings. Align the conning tower hatches and periscopes with the CMK parts in the command compartment. Torpedo room is most difficult to align. Some bulkheads will require sanding if you are going to butt the command with the galley and engine room.
I opened up all of the vent holes where possible and fitted internal bracing to simulate bulkheads. A must do and doesn’t take long to do. Replaced the resin hatch cover springs with copper wire and Eduard parts.
The Nautilus deck is beautifully made but requires a good sand and seal to avoid a hairy effect. I painted straight onto the wood and it came up OK after a bit of work and sanding.
The wire cutter at the front can be replaced by the Eduard parts but is a frustrating build but worth it in the end. The hull is littered with many Eduard and WEM parts to enhance it. Choose the ones you think best but there is not much overlap between the sets and both can be used. Rigging thread was polyester and not the kit supplied part as it was too hairy.
Propellers are painted with Tamiya Titanium Gold X31, sanded, painted again and then satin varnish. Blades were thinned with a scalpel and sanded where practical.
I used the CMK torpedo hatch parts and the WEM torpedo loading brass part as I found it difficult trying to align the CMK part with the torpedo loading area. Very difficult to get it all aligned and I had many dry runs before finally cementing it all in place. Replace the torpedo loading tube with either a brass tube or plastic tube. I couldn’t roll the WEM part into a perfect circle and join it to my satisfaction.
Everything was sprayed using an Aztec 407 or Iwata airbrush. Most paints were mixed with 1 part paint to 1 part thinners. Once everything was sprayed I sealed everything with 1 part Johnsons Klear (acrylic floor polish/Future) mixed with 6 parts of Tamiya Flat Base 21. Internal parts were painted using Humbrol and Revell enamels.
At this point in time I am doing no more to the model but there are some things that I want to improve upon such as adding the CMK provisions and figures. Some parts need the painting touched up.
Pictures taken with a 6MP Panasonic FZ7 camera, 12 optical with a 2.5cm macro facility.