Cargo Submarine U-Deutschland Artifacts and Model

[Asparuh Frangov]

Hello,

We are having an Antiques and Historical Memorabilia auction this week, and one of our lots happened to be this postcard. I thought you may find it quite interesting. It was made on the occasion of the first voyage of Paul König with the world's first Merchant Submarine Vessel, the U-DEUTSCHLAND.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item...knig-submarine

I spent quite a long time researching it, this forum certainly helped!

Thanks and Kind Regards!

[rogge16]

I finally took the time to get my collection of U-Deutschland artifacts out and snap a photo.

Luke

[HARRY THE MOLE]

That's a great-looking collection Luke, and I'm sure I recognise one of the trays! Or mutual friend Dwight Messimer, would be proud to have that lot in his own collection.

Cheers,
Steve.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Very nice indeed! Thanks Luke.

[rogge16]

Thanks, Steve and Ade! You should recognize the one tray, Steve. A seller in the UK wouldn't ship to the US so Steve was kind enough to pick it up for me and send it over my way.

Luke

[drmessimer]

Luke: Steve is right, I am envious of that assembly of John Bull-produced U-Deutschland/U-155 memorabilia. You have some really nice items in that impressive group. Dwight

[drmessimer]

The Robert Smith & Sons ashtrays are particularly nice. At the rate you're going, my friend, you will soon have a corner on the market. keep at it. dwight

[drmessimer]

Over a year ago I decided to rebuild the U-Deutschland model that I built in 1992. A photo of that first model is featured in Post # 1 of this thread. Over its span, this thread provided me with several new photos that showed detail that my initial model lacked. And during the same period I acquired much better plans and line drawings of the boat. I stripped the original hull of all its parts, retaining only the basic hull and the empennage.

This first photo is the model as it looked when this thread was launched in December 2011, the rest of the photos are the model as it appears today.

The most noticeable change in these two full-length views is the absence of the two tall antenna masts that were rigged standing on the initial model. I decided that this time I would have the boat rigged for sea with the tall masts housed in the hull.

I added the stern light and flag, and added the missing black exhaust skirt and both exhaust stacks on the port quarter, which are not visible in this starboard quarter view, but they are there. The propeller guards are soldered brass as is the empennage

The conning tower is entirely new and I went through six versions before I finally arrived at this one. This final version took me two weeks to complete and involved just under 80 hours to get this feature the way I wanted it. The chariot is brass sheet, cut to shape and sunk into the well deck that forms the outside bridge. The rolled conning tower rim is a strip of .025 brass wire that I soldered to the upper edge of the conning tower and chased with jeweler’s files to achieve the rolled appearance. The outside helm is brass rod and tubing with a pewter wheel that I adapted from a spoked sailing ship’s helm. The lifelines are commercially made, stamped brass. The cylindrical inset in the cutout on the side of the conning tower is again, brass sheet that I cut, bent, and shaped to fit the opening. The grab rails above the cutout are .032 brass wire. The antenna spreader atop the conning tower is brass tubing and rod, soldered and chased with jeweler’s files.

The forward antenna spreaders on the foredeck are also brass tubing and rod. The circular item embedded in the deck under the antenna spreader is an old bolt washer with a pewter slug set in the hole. I have no idea what that thing is, but it is clearly visible in several photos that I have, so there it is. The antenna insulators are just black beads that I bought. The deck hardware, including the life line stanchions, are commercially produced items.
The forward diving planes and the guards are entirely new and are made from aluminum sheet. The diving planes and guards are taken from drawings that I found in three of Eberhard Rössler’s books, so I know they are correct.
The lettering used for the boat’s name came from dry transfers made by Woodland Scenics.
The display case is being made at Tap Plastic and should be finished by the end of August, and I already have a new shelf up and ready for the model. When the display is complete, I will post a photo of it. Dwight

[HARRY THE MOLE]

That's a lovely model Dwight, and thanks for showing.

[drmessimer]

Thanks for the nice comment, Steve. I am truly pleased with the results of the rebuild and I am now considering building the U-155. I have the materials for the hull and probably enough brass and aluminum sheet for the conning tower and the dive controls, as well as plenty of brass rod and tubing. The items I lack are the commercially produced hardware and small parts, but there is still a source in business on the East Coast. The problem for scratch builders of large model ships in the US, such as myself, is the approaching extinction of supply houses that can provide the small parts that are really difficult foe me to make. Age, arthritis, and trembling hands have pretty well put me out of the small part making business. In fact, I had a hell of a time putting together several of the assemblies for this model. But where there is a will, there is a way. Thanks again for the comment. Dwight