US FLEET BOAT CONVERSIONS
These set are designed for the advanced modeler and comprise numerous resin parts. Sometimes the resin parts will warp during shipping, due to events beyond our control such as heat. If this happens to your set, simply place the warped part in hot water (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit) for a few minutes and then gently bend the part back into shape. If this does not work, contact us and we will replace the part, free of charge.
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The Bluefish sail represents the first major cut-down of the submarine fairwaters during late 1942. This set features the exposed periscope shears, an SJ radar set, two 20mm MG mounts for the cigarette deck, a 40mm AA cannon for either the cigarette deck or the main deck, and the 4/50" main deck gun often found beginning in late 1942 or early 1943.
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The Harder sail represents the second major step in the cut-down of the submarine fairwaters during the summer of 1943. This set features the exposed periscope shears, a further reduction in the side plating of the bridge area to reduce silhouette, an SJ radar set, two 20mm MG mounts for the cigarette deck, a 40mm AA cannon for either the cigarette deck or the main deck, and the 4/50" main deck gun often found beginning in late 1943 or 5"/25 main deck gun that began to appear in mid 1944.
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The Icefish sail represents the ultimate step in the cut-down of the submarine fairwaters during the summer of 1944. This set features the completely redesigned fairwater and shears of the Balao class, an SJ radar set, two 20mm MG mounts for the cigarette deck, a 40mm AA cannon for either the cigarette deck or the main deck, and the 4/50" main deck gun occasionally found on early units of the class or 5"/25 main deck gun that began to appear in mid 1944.
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The Gato sail represents the original configuration of the submarine fairwaters during the summer of 1941. This set features the completely streamlined fairwater and shears of the Gato class, the early .50cal MG mount for the enclossed cigarette deck, and the 3/50" main deck gun found on early units of the class. The instructions include directions for converting the sail into the mid-1942 configuration with the exposed cigarette deck.
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The Carp sail represents the Electric Boat approach to streamlining the sail for the GUPPY & Fleet Snorkel modernizations. The set has a full suite of 1950's electronic and optical periscopes, as well as various deck mounted sonar domes to make almost any configuration for the Fleet Snorkels.
The US Weapon Set combines all of the weapons found in our various sets, plus a few goodies: a 3"/50 deck gun, a 4"/50 deck gun, a 5"/51 deck gun and a 5"/25 Wet Mount deck gun. In addition there is a 40mm singles, two 20mm singles, the WCA sonar dome and a TBT.
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During WWII, as the silhouette of the submarine conning towers changed, so did the deck layout. The Nautilus Lionfish deck series covers five important deck variations in the war. The principle changes in the deck layout concerned the under-deck stowage of whaleboats and the locations of access points to the superstructure as well as minor items as air salvage ports and deck equipment locations. I have listed the decks here in their chronological order. All of these decks were drawn from US Navy blueprints found in the National Archives.
Independent Review on Steelnavy.com with tons of photos!
This deck is designed to match the first of the Gato class as commissioned in 1941. The deck includes locations for two whaleboats abeam of the forward gun foundation. This deck also had numerous maintenance points along the deck to provide access to hull fittings and such.
The primary difference with this fist modification is the deletion of the stbd whale boat, as skippers found they were not using them very much.
As the war progressed, the whaleboats were deleted entirely in favor of inflatable rafts. This deck also features radically revised deck access points as installed by Mare Island beginning in the summer of 1943.
The Balao class decks were vastly improved from their beginning, with revised access points as well as different locations for the marker buoys.
This was the final wartime evolution of the deck configuration. It featured a pierced steel plate on either end of the deck and much reduced wood planking. Most of the boats that served into the post-war fleet were eventually refitted with this type deck (Note: this deck does not include the Fleet Snorkel & Guppy conversions)
This was the final evolution of the deck configuration. and is intended for use with the Fleet Snorkel & Guppy conversions. It featured a pierced steel plate on either end of the deck and no wood planking. Most of the boats that served into the post-war fleet were eventually modernized were refitted with this type deck. This deck is laser etched black styrene and not wood.