72-012 USS TANG CONVERSION SET
The USS Tang was a Balao class boat, but there was a major difference in the fairwater construction. The Conning Tower (CT) inside the fairwater was built longer to allow for more freedom of movement in the CT, the central hub for attacks. The lengthening allowed for the addition of new radar plot stations without over cramping of the compartment. The lengthening also forced the relocation of the Main Induction Valve (MIV) into the hull superstructure, a location that was found to be inferior because it was closer to the water and much wetter when on the surface. In later boats, the addition of the separate SD mast allowed for more space without lengthening the CT structure, thus preserving the utility of the MIV.
This conversion is applicable to the following boats:
| MARE ISLAND BOATS | ELECTRIC BOATS | |||
| SABALO | SS-302 | PERCH | SS-313 | |
| SABLEFISH | SS-303 | SHARK | SS-314 | |
| SEAHORSE | SS-304 | SEALION | SS-315 | |
| SKATE | SS-305 | BARBEL | SS-316 | |
| TANG | SS-306 | BARBERO | SS-317 | |
| TILEFISH | SS-307 | |||
Resin casting by Commander Series Models, photo-etch & laser cut wood decks designed and produced by Nautilus Models.
5"/25 WET MOUNT SUBMARINE DECK GUN
Now you can upgrade your Revell kit to it's 1945 configuration with our 5"/25 gun. Available separately, this gun consists of 10 finely cast resin parts.
3"/50 Mk 19 Deck Gun Set
As the American Fleet entered WW2, the standard deck gun for the US Submarine was the 3"/50 Wet mount. Some of the subs carried the Mk19 mount, while some of the older units were left to fight with the Mk11 (coming soon), an identical gun with a shorter pedestal. This gun was the standard gun issued to the new build Gato classes as they entered the war, and gun can be mounted on the Revell GATO class submarine right out of the box, as several boats retained these guns while the fairwaters were reduced due to a shortage of suitable 4" and 5" guns.. Some later boats were also issued this gun for work ups before reaching the war zone, due to a shortage of suitable guns until late 1944 finally retired the Mk19 from everything but the Atlantic Fleet training boats.
Fleet Boat Machine Gun Set
The war in the Pacific saw a great variety in the smaller guns carried by the
US Fleet Submarine. This set comprises the following guns often found on US
Fleet Boats:
1x - M1921 Water Cooled .50Cal MG - Comes with two styles of 200rd
magazines and the associated water pump housing and hoses and pedestal.
2x - ANM2 (M3) .50Cal MG with 50rd magazines
3x - M1919A4 .30cal MG with 100rd magazines
3x - M1919A2 .30cal Water Cooled MG - with 100rd magazines
This variety of small arms will allow the detailing of the sub to any era and has enough weapons for two or three models, depending on how you install them.
SD Antenna Mast
By 1944, there was too much new equipment to be housed in the Conning Tower. On solution was to lengthen the CT, but it didn't work out very well. The next solution was to mount the SD radar on it's own mast behind the CT on the cigarette deck. This allowed the SD repeater to be located in the main control room, which had more available space. The SD Mast also served as the base for many postwar radar and radio antennae and as such is left in a basic shape so detailers can easily modify it to whatever use they deem fit. It does have the rung step locators cast into both sides.
20mm Twin Cannon Deck Gun
As the war continued into more of a surface action against small ships and sampans, the fleet boat skippers began to add more firepower to their boats. One of the things they did was to install the 20mm Twin Mount Machine Cannons to various positions. Some skippers had them on the cigarette decks, while others added them to unused 5" gun foundations on the main deck. In either location, these guns will add that added touch of realism for your boat. Each pack come with two guns.
1/72 Gato/Balao Class Submarine Photo Etch Brass
This fret of brass, developed for the Nautilus 1/72 Gato conversion sets, is also available separately.
The set consists of the following parts and has many uses on various submarines and even some use on surface ships.
20mm Sights x2
20mm Shoulder Braces x4 (2 mounts)
40mm Sights x4 (2 mounts)
"Tractor" style seats for gunners x8
Perforated Signal Bridge Deck (lookout platform)
36 Shear Ladder Rungs
Lookout Safety Rail (for signal bridge/lookout platform)
SD antenna
Angled Railing Stanchions x16
Vertical Railing Stanchions x16
Aerial Outriggers plus Drilling Jig
Vertical Ladder x2
Inclined Ladder (with centerline & outboard sides)
Coming next - laser cut plastic replacement superstructure sides with vinyl templates for different limber hole patterns.
NEW!
FLOOD VENT TEMPLATES!
The Trumpeter Gato kits lack one of the most important features for any submarine: The free flood openings and the flood vents found along the bottom of the boat. Without these features, the boat would be little more than a low riding destroyer. These templates are designed to be used along the bottom of the hull (the keel) and are located in the following positions. Please note that not all sheets will have all of the numbers indicated, due to the different patterns.
Side View of Location
This drawing is of the bottom of the kit and shows the weld lines on the hull. The numbers indicate which panel of the template goes into a given area. All of the panels are to be placed centered on the keel.
72-701 Gato/Balao Class Flood Templates
This set is designed for the majority of the boats. This pattern was used on the later Gato class and all of the Balao class units. It is designed to be applied between the weld lines present on kit hull and includes the free flood openings, flood vents, fuel tank manhole covers and sonar openings.
| Porstmouth Naval Ship Yard (PNSY ) | 285-291, 308-312, 381-410, 417-424, *298-299 comp. by PNSY |
| Cramp Shipbuilding Company | 292-303*, 425-426 |
| Mare Island Naval Ship Yard (MINSY) | 304-307 |
| Electric Boat Company | 313-360 |
| Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company | 361-380 with 361-364 being completed as GATO class units |
| Boston Naval Shipyard (BNSY) | *296-297 completed at BNSY |
I have found a reference which suggests some of the very late units of the 1940-41 contracts were completed with the improved
Balao style:
| Electric Boat Company | 240-245 |
| Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company | 273-274 |
72-702 Tench Class Flood Templates
This pattern was used on the Tench class units. It is designed to be applied between the weld lines present on kit hull and includes the free flood openings, flood vents, fuel tank manhole covers and sonar openings.
| Porstmouth Naval Ship Yard (PNSY ) | 417-424, 475-490 |
| Boston Naval Ship Yard (BNSY) | 522-525 |
| Electric Boat Company | 435 |
72-703 Gato/Prewar Classes Flood Templates
This set is designed for the majority of the boats. This pattern was used on the early Gato class units, plus the prewar Gar, Tambor and Sargo classes. It is designed to be applied between the weld lines present on kit hull and includes the free flood openings, flood vents, fuel tank manhole covers and sonar openings.
| Perch Class | 176-178 @ EB, 179-180 @PNSY, 181 @MINSY |
| Salmon Class | 182-184 @ EB, 185-186 @ PNSY, 187 @ MINSY |
| Sargo Class | 188-190 @ EB, 191-192 @ PNSY, 193 @ MINSY |
| Seadragon Class | 194-195 @ EB, 196-197 @ PNSY |
| Tambor Class | 198-200 @ EB, 201-202 @ PNSY, 203 @ MINSY |
| Gar Class | 206-208 @ EB, 209-210 @ PNSY, 21 @ MINSY |
| Gato Class | |
| Porstmouth Naval Ship Yard (PNSY ) | 228-235,275-280 |
| Mare Island Naval Ship Yard (MINSY) | 236-239,281-284 |
| Electric Boat Company | 212-227,240-264 |
| Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company | 265-274 |