Hello Einsamer,

Photos of U47 can be found at the following addresses -

[members.aol.com]
to
[members.aol.com]

[www.modellbauflotte.de]
[www.u47.org]
[meineseite.i-one.at]

You may be interested to know that there are a number of inaccuracies in the Amati kit. Amati may have used schematics of a typical VII-B U-boat to produce this kit because many features of the model are accurate for a number of VII-Bs, but not for U47. Most of the inaccuracies can be seen in the above photos. They include -

- the omission of the deck extensions outboard of the 88mm gun.
- incorrect railings on the conning tower. Amati’s kit has five railings just forrard of the ventilation holes. There should only be three on the starboard side. The port side also had three in this position, but had an additional three aft of the ventilation holes.
- the ventilation holes on the port side of the Amati conning tower have far too many holes.
- there are no channels forrard of both port and starboard navigation lights. This channel was quite noticeable on Type VIIs and allowed light to shine forward.
- the attack periscope housing, just aft of the UZO, is inaccurate. Experience had shown that the original air intakes for the diesels (the holes on the vertical walls of the conning tower) on Type VIIAs and Bs were too small and prone to flooding in high seas. These early models were modified in either of two ways. Some, such as U47, U48 and U101, had air trunking fitted up both sides of the tower. U47 had this air trunking fitted during its second refit in July and August 1940. Others such as U46 and U86 had an alternative style of attack periscope housing fitted. This housing was characterised by the prominent diesel air intakes (with horizontal grills) that were fitted behind the periscope. This is the housing that is incorrectly modelled in the Amati kit.
- the insulators included in the Amati kit are completely inaccurate. They are of the pre-war rectangular type rather than the more common oval-shaped type that U47 and most Type VIIs were fitted with. The plans are inaccurate in that they do not show the correct number of insulators, nor do they mention the tension adjusters. In each group there were three insulators, with a tension adjuster at either end. The two groups to the immediate rear of the conning tower have been completely missed out in the plans.
- the diesel exhaust holes are modelled as large oval holes, but were smaller and round in shape on U47.

There are a few other more minor inaccuracies. I have written a short article on the inaccuracies and omissions from the Amati kit. I've also written an article on U47's colours and on the modifications it received throughout its career. If you, or anyone else, is interested I'll send any or all of these articles by email.

Good luck with your U47 project!

Dougie