by Bill Dunn
1/200 U-128 Type IXB (Nichimo)
This is my recently completed 1/200th scale Type IXB U-Boat by Nichimo. This is a great old classic kit with very fine and accurate detailing. I selected U-128 for the subject of my project based on some nice colour photos appearing in the book "Vom Original zum Modell: Uboottyp IXC" by Fritz Kohl and Axel Niestle. I replaced the overly thick kit railings with generic 1/200 scale PE and used some very fine brass mesh for the conning tower deck grating along with some fine brass wire for the wintergarten railings. Enhanced the conning tower and deck guns with some extra bits and careful modification. UAK markings appearing on the conning tower are made from tiny pieces of cut up decals to form the playing card symbol. I carefully removed the over scaled fore and aft steel deck details and replaced with scratch built items and more realistic flood holes made with a pin vise. Rigging is some very old and very fine silk thread with the insulators made from tiny drops of white glue. The crew members are 1/200 scale train figures from Preider. Flag was made on on inkjet printer with thin paper. Finished in Model Master enamel paints, some black and brown washes, and sealed with Krylon clear flat. Displayed in a framed, clear plexiglass wall mounted case that I made myself.
