Wolfpack - triple build

My team at work went through another namechange and is now called Wolfpack, after the WWII submarine naval tactic.

I'm not a boat-guy, since I prefer tanks primarily and airplanes (perhaps illustrated by the stalled build of the USS Missouri), but this change inspired me to learn more about submarines, their development, technology and tactics.

This in turn led to the inspiration for building my own Wolfpack, potentially for display at work. It would help for the team identity and potentially serve as a conversation starter. (If not, I still found an excuse to build something and mention it at work)

What I really wanted was a 1/72 Type VII, but it's HUGE, rather expensive and I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it justice. Classic "I'll try to first build up my skill with a small one"-excuse.

I bought a mix of 1/144 German U-boats at the nearest (online) hobbyshop, together with some more MRP colours and other supplies. 

Weird wolfpack?

Ok, I do realize that this specific combination of U-boats is unlikely to have made up a wolfpack at one point or another, but I've checked some facts:

• of the 20 Type II B commissioned, 6 survived until the end of the war, when they were scuttled on may 2nd, 1945.
• 568 Type VII C were commissioned between 40-45, so any one of those was on active duty.
• 63 were build of the type XXIII late-war (44-45). They were a coastal submarine, also serving in the Mediterranean. They entered the war as early as june 1944.

The type XXIII's earliest commission date forces my wolfpack back to the last 6 to 10 months of the war, knowing full well that the golden era of the wolfpacks was pre-1943. 

Still, with 6 Type II B's still afloat and plenty of Type VII C's to go around there's enough to make this a plausible group.

Construction

I only realized afterward that the Type VII is a LOT bigger than the Type II and XXIII, but it doesn't really matter.

Part count is also hugely different, so I'll start the smaller two and work my way up. They don't have many parts. Basically, they have a 2 or 3 part hull, some diving planes, rudders and antennae/masts and that's it. Should be a straightforward build. (The Type VII will take longer)

Type II B sprue, not much there

And in 1/144, some details are teeny tiny and a real challenge to assemble. The deck canon consist of 4 parts, all very fragile.