Scratch Build Project 685 Plavnik K-278 Komsomolets NATO: Mike

[gantu]

[gantu]

Some more picīs

[Davidh]

Thanks for the pictures Gantu,

As mentioned in the last write up, the overall shape of the boat and the deck section are pretty much established. As mentioned this boat does not really have the complex curves of a boat like Resolution, A type 7C or a Foxtrot. I am pretty much working with 40-80 grit at the moment. Finely making the shape that I want.

What I have found is that the curve of the Sail fillet area is incorrect. In the previous photo's you can see that there is a more pronounced radius at the front of the fillet and it tapers off at the back. This is not so. The fillet follows a consistent radius that is quite large. So I cut up a template profile to follow from both sides and make sure they are symmetrical. Then go at it with the Stanley knife. Cut down vertically sand a little and more filler. I marked an axis line down the centre and has simply made sure that the variation either side of the axis line is consistent. If you look at the plan view there is little room for crew members to walk around the side of the sail. The fillet then has a gentle slope back down to the sloping hull.

I have spent a bit of time at the front end. The lower bow section has needed extra filler in order to increase the radius around the front of the bottom. I have applied plenty of filler to the front section and then hit is with the 40- grit. Then more filler into the low points. The upper bow section needs less work however I really need to the start developing the templates to check for symmetry and consistency of radius. The overall bow section is looking nice and generally fits the shape according to the plan however appearances can be deceptive. So to making templates I go.

I have screws at the bottom of the PVC pipe that hold together the circular inserts that reinforce the top deck. I have taken the screws out at either end as they were getting in the way of sanding the two turned ends. I will take the rest out further along the build. The inserts have glues to the deck and are now stiff. I will have to look at giving the deck a coating of resin to close the grain and take it out of the equation so I can then work with a sealed surface.

Anyway, enough for now.

david h

[gantu]

Here the plan of the sail.

[Davidh]

Hello all.

Wow every things quiet. Thanks Gantu,


I've got to say I'm not a big fan of this new format... photo's don't do what you want them to..

Anyway...

After looking at the sail fillet area and applying more filler after cutting the more correct profile and simply sanding back, I then turned my attention to getting the rectifying the straightness of the main deck. If you look down the hull from the stern or bow you would see that the flat deck had a slight bend in it. Imperceptible but there. I bought a longer 600mm ruler. $5 as opposed to a 1000mm rule which they were going to charge me $28 for! Took the ruler and measured down both sides of the deck and then marked out. Once that was done I would simply start sanding back along the side of the deck at a gradual angle to shave away any material outside of the line and straighten up the deck. I could sand, however found that the edge of the rule worked brilliantly as a shaver of sorts and would easily cut through the filler and also the outer layers of PVC pipe although I don't like to go that far.

Putting on a coat of grey primer reveals in the reflected light the grain of the timber of the deck. Would have to fill this grain in and so have over time applied a few layers of polyester resin. This would then be sanded back and then probably re applied and sanded back to give a smooth consistent surface devoid of wood grain. I have not really started too much more work on the bow shape. Just getting the deck looking right has been the priority.

Today is the last day of my winter holidays here and I'm back at work tomorrow, oh joy. So updates will simply not come as quickly. Probably once a week if that. Maybe every fortnight. Chilly today, got down to 8 degrees. It was almost snowing up in Queensland that never happens!

Anyway, would love some feedback.

david h

[Davidh]

Hello all,

Back at work and trying to get my head out of holiday mode. I have managed to spend a bit of time in the evenings looking through all the different forums and reading up on HWSNBN's work. I have some pics that I have managed to drag from the net.

These are some photos that I managed to find on some Russian sites. Can't understand the writing but the pictures are really usefull. Sometimes If I highlight some Cyrillic that mentions what looks like 'npoekt 685' (project 685) then you're onto something and you can might find some even better pictures. than the usual stock stuff.

These two pictures show the Komsomolets under construction. A tantalising view from both. Pity about the tarpaulins in the way and covering some strategic details that would be really useful. What is also interesting is how there is no building hall and that these boats were launched sideways. The building area looks really chaotic and messy. I am curious as to what the large boxes on the sides of the boat are. What also frustrates me is that if these photos exist then there must be more like them. Ones that could really reveal a lot more detail. As mentioned earlier probably in some old filing cabinet in Severodvinsk gathering dust. I am curious about the wooden blocks that are attached to the ropes that hang at intervals down the side of the hull in the forward overhead shot of the bow. Can anyone enlighten? Also the cover on the bow . In many build photos you see the Soviet navy flag. This just looks like a covering. Does anybody know if Komsomolets had a bow logo so common on Russian subs?
Does anybody out there have any more pictures beyond the standard ones you see in the first or second round of Google image searches for this boat?

Please get back to me...

David h

[Davidh]

Hello anybody?

[HardRock]

Hi Dave, I'm bumbeling around in here trying to figure out how this thing works. I feel like Steve Wonder. For some reason I can't see the last two photographs mentioned. This build looks great and I can't wait to see it first hand.

[Davidh]

Thankyou Hardrock,

I am going to try and re-post those images. On my laptop it shows them on the site however on my Ipad you can't see them. I am not a fan of this new format. It sometimes will not let me put things up.
frustrating. Anyway I hope this works and maybe people can get back to me with answers to the questions that I posed previously.

David h

[Davidh]

Hello all,

I am hoping that people can see the extra pictures of the Mike in drydock and also the picture of the front end. This photo in particular is interesting however I am finding it hard to work out what is deck structure and what is works men's ropes and equipment on the deck.

Anyway back to the build.

The deck looks smooth with a layer of resin to seal the wood grain and look more consistent however then are small undulations that will need sanding out. The edges of the deck are also a little rounded and smooth and will need to be given a more defined and abrupt edge that runs along the length of the flat section of deck.
In the meantime I have started looking at the bow section at the start of the flat deck section. Komsomolets has two retractable bow planes. These pivot out on shafts from a door on the side of a raised section in the top of the hull. Although very subtle it is one of the main deviations to an otherwise predictable hull shape for the rest of the length of the hull. As you can see from the below picture it is sizeable and is tapered in shape. This opening runs along the lower edge of the raised section of the hull and comes in the form of two raised bulges that run parralell and for a short length of the bow. It's hard to pick up in photographs, it's quite subtle and only slightly rises above the level of the flat deck section of the bow. Most of the photo interpretation for this section comes down the analysing the changes in light off the slight differences in angle between the different surfaces as they meet .

To make this section I am going to cut a small strip of fig that I have left over and with a knife take the angle off the top edge and the glue it down to the section already marked out on the bow. Once this is glued down I have then used more filler to fill out the perimeter of the two fillet pieces. These are going to be heavily sanded down as because mentioned this raised housing is very subtle. I will be making templates to make sure that the raised section on both sides of the deck are symmetrical and even. On the front view they appear as two raised bulges, they are not joined. Then once the filler has dried it is a case of sanding it back. I have done several layers of filler and will use the templates to gain consistency and symmetry as mentioned.

david h

[Davidh]

Hello all

Is there anybody who can give me some answers to the earlier questions posed?

Anyway back to the build.

I have sanded down the raised fore plane section above the front of the bow. I will come back to this and make sure that it complies with the profiles that I have yet to make to make sure that it's obviously scale and conforms to the photo's as best I can interpret them.

[Davidh]

I just uploaded the photos and it cut out half the text. I don't like this new format..

Anyway I'll re type it. I got hold of the drawings of Komsomolets and made some copies of the bow section. Then I cut out the profiles of the bow horizontally and vertically to get a plan and side view. Then cut them out and stick to some stiff cardboard. This is the first stage in getting that elusive genie we call symmetry. The photo's show how the front edge of the template hits the bow well before that section of the template should fit snug against the area where the plug joins the PVC tube.This would require further sanding around the PVC area to allow the template to more easily fit over. Once this was sanded back the profile fit was already pretty good.

The Bow of Komsomolets gently slopes at the top and reaches its furthest point forward just below the axis line. Then the lower curve back is more of a tight radius to meet the bottom of the hull. The plan profile is obviously symmetrical but not a predictable round shape. It's more elliptical and the very front point a subtle tip.

A couple of hours sanding here and sanding there to get the profiles as best I can see them.

The last couple of photo's are my tribute to an amazing little spacecraft. Well done New Horizons, You've been going for nearly ten years but your big moment in the spotlight and the most amazing discoveries this year but only 2 minutes worth of airtime on channel 7 news because Mike Fannings little shark slap was more important and got nearly ten. Seriously?!...

Anyway I would love some answers to the earlier questions and any advice would be great.

david h

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Patience, Dave. It takes time to work up a proper 'answer'. Your work is much better than your last effort. It's a joy watching someone learn the ropes as you have done. Keep at it, kiddo!

M

[Peter W]

David, Ha d a look through my stuff and these are 2 pics that I haven't seen in your thread hope they help although they are not that clear.

Peter

[bwi 971]

1)

I just uploaded the photos and it cut out half the text. I don't like this new format

We have to deal with it, maybe this can help

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7t...ew?usp=sharing

2)

it's quite subtle and only slightly rises above the level of the flat deck section of the bow

As far as I can see on the pictures they were quite pronounced sideways and raised above the flat deck, looks like a notch. Imo this was done to create room for the mechanism of the bow planes.

3)

Does anybody out there have any more pictures beyond the standard ones you see in the first or second round of Google image searches for this boat?

beside the pictures I have posted here http://forum.sub-driver.com/member/1593-bwi-971/media no can help.
Unless you need them in a bigger format, just let me know I can sent them by mail.

4)

the wooden blocks that are attached to the ropes that hang at intervals down the side of the hull

I think they are just fenders to protect the hull, from staging and other stuff like the boxes. another example below.



5)

Does anybody know if Komsomolets had a bow logo so common on Russian subs?

Imo this was not done in those days, this was actually the first sub that the Russians gave a name.

6)

I am curious as to what the large boxes on the sides of the boat are

After studying the pictures it seems they were always positioned iwo the hull sonars, I believe they have something to do with the applying the GRP or something lookalike, see picture below as example of the lookalike stuff.

Grtz,
Bart