Global Scale Modeller

A few years ago, I toured the USS Cavalla (SS-244), a Gato-class submarine set up as a museum ship in Galveston, TX, so I decided to build a model of it. AFV offers different 1:350 scale kits of Gato-class submarines built in 1941, 1942, and 1943, so I chose the 1943 version, that being the year USS Cavalla was built. A little research showed me, however, that USS Cavalla was extensively modified in the 1950s, with a new sail fitted, two of the forward torpedo tubes removed , and a bulbous nose fitted to the bow to house new sonar gear. I decided that these modifications were beyond my scratch-building abilities at such a small scale, so I built USS Cavalla as she was during WWII.

NIce! I like the weathering effects.

You've done a great job there. The weathering gives it a fantastic look. Interesting to hear about the updates to the USS Cavalla during the 50's.

Paul S.

Thanks for the comments, guys, and thanks for looking. The Wikipedia article on USS Cavalla has a photo of her at sea in 1957, after the modifications, as well as a current photo of her on dry land as a museum ship at Sea Wolf Park in Galveston, TX. The sail installed on the Cavalla in the 1950s looks alot like the sails retrofitted to the GUPPY-class submarines, though Cavalla's sail was installed prior to the GUPPY program.

Mpfiend wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 9:45 am NIce! I like the weathering effects.

Same, the effects are really good!