Planning & Preparation

With my U-625 build under my belt, it was now a bit easier to find out HOW to get the information for U‑673 as well as WHERE to get it. There are lots of very good model ship/sub sites throughout the Internet, and I tapped into many of them to get some information on U‑673.

Unfortunately, the research results were not as forthcoming as I had hoped, there being only a few scant pictures of U‑673 available, and even those showed different AA configurations on the forward AA platform. Luckily, these pictures were fairly clear and showed other hull details as well. So armed with this information (and more information gleaned from other very knowledgible people across the world), I planned my build:

  • BASIC KIT:
    Revell of Germany #05045
    German submarine VIIC/41

  • Wooden Deck:
    Custom-designed wooden deck from Nautilus Models to fit the VIIC/41 kit.
    U-673 was a converted VIIC (not a VIIC/41) with a slotted wooden deck and without the bow life raft hatches.
    The wooden deck we designed was a slotted deck that combined elements of VIIC and VIIC/41 (with some alterations) and was designed to fit the VIIC/41 kit hull.

  • Forward AA Platform:
    Nautilus Models Turm VI conversion set (72-004)
    (includes forward AA platform + 20mm Flakvierling {quad})

  • Gun barrels, periscopes:
    Schatton-Modellbau (20mm gun barrels, 37mm cannon barrel, periscopes)

  • Tower detail set:
    CMK Exterior Set Part 1 - Turret (CMK N72004)

  • Brass mesh:
    Scale Scenics Brass Micro-Mesh (652-3501)

  • *NEW*   Resin rivet & weld details:
    Archer Fine Transfers 1/72 Revell U-Boat Super Detail Kit (AR88023)
    Review on ModelShipWrights here

Photoetch (PE) Detail Sets

I used several photoetch (PE) detail sets to build U-673... each one had a particular use to me:

U-Brass (available from White Ensign Models)
  • Type VII U-boat Flood, Drain and Vent Holes (PE7232)
    Corrects numerous inaccuracies in the hull

White Ensign Models
  • 1/72 Type VIIC U-boat (PE7203)
    Excellent overall PE details

Eduard
  • 1/72 U-boat VIIC/41 (53015)
    Excellent overall PE details for U-boat
  • 1/72 S-100 Schnellboot Flak 38mm (53033)
    Details for 20mm Flakvierling (quad gun)

Griffon Models
  • 1/72 Standard Armament Scheme for WWII German U-boote Type VIIC/41 (GMA-N005)
    Excellent PE details for 37mm Flak M42 cannon, and twin-20mm guns
  • 1/72 WWII German Schnellboot S-100 Class w/ 2cm Flakvierling 38 Premium Edition (BPN-72002)
    Details for 20mm Flakvierling (quad gun)

Yankee Modelworks
  • 1/72 U-boat VIIC (YKM-7202)
    PE intake vents for saddletanks

Modelbrass
  • Revell 1:72 VIIC PE Brass Upgrade Kit (1REVELL)
    Bow & stern lower flooding vents

 

Painting

Referring to The Wolfpack : A Collection of U-boat Modelling Articles (written & copyrighted by Dougie Martindale, AMP), here are the main colours that I painted U-673:

  • Hull (below waterline)
    colour: Schiffsbodenfarbe Grau III
    (WEM ColourCoats Kriegsmarine paint - KM05)

  • Hull (above waterline), Conning Tower
    colour: Schlickgrau 58
    (WEM ColourCoats Kriegsmarine paint - KM11)

  • Deck
    colour: Black
    (stained with MinWax Wood Finish™ Ebony #2718)