Just a Hobby!

One hobby I really enjoy is making plastic models. I like to build aviation and navel subjects. I also enjoy reading about topics regarding military history. This seems to go hand in hand with the model building since I can build subjects I read about. One problem is I get information paralysis. It is amazing how much conflict you will find in written history about what a certain color is or did this aircraft have a certain marking. It can make you go insane!

This model is a Mirage 1/400 scale U-Boat Type IXA. The subject is the U-40 which was sunk in October 1939 while on its second patrol.

The deck and railings are photo-etch and the antenna is made of stretched sprue (plastic). I built this a couple of years ago in preparation for a contest held in Ogden every year. It was lucky enough to win 1st Place in the submarine category.



I chose the subject not necessarily due to its (un)storied history, but rather because of its cool paint scheme.

The U-Boat quarter just to give you an idea of the size. The night before the contest while gluing the sail on, I accidentally tore of the photo-etch railing #(@&@!##. (see picture below) Needless to say I was not happy. It took about an hour to get the railing back on.

There is that railing. You can really go crazy working with photo-etch in 1/400 scale.

One other reason I chose this particular boat was the neat decal on the sail. You have to bring out the magnifying glass on this one.

A short history I found on the web:

On October 13, 1939, 'U-40 was sunk by British mines. U-40 was to operate as part of the first pack of U-boats in World War II; however, because it left port late, Barten decided to take a shortcut to its designated meeting point, southwest of Ireland. This shortcut was the English Channel, which was filled with British naval mines. Choosing to make the voyage nearly three and a half hours after high tide, the mines were not at their lowest point. The boat struck a mine and sunk immediately to the sea floor. However, nine crew members were able to exit through the aft escape hatch. Using escape equipment provided to them, they were able to ascend to the surface; however, one of the nine died on his journey to the surface. Once on the surface five died from the exposure to the harsh elements of the English Channel. Nearly ten hours after the sinking, three men were rescued and taken as Prisoner of War by the HMS Boreas (H77).