3D printed 1/48 Thresher

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  • SubDude
    Captain
    • Dec 2019
    • 803

    3D printed 1/48 Thresher

    I have started printing a 1/48 scale Thresher. It will be almost 70" long with just under an 8" beam. The bow just came off the printer. This one is being done in ABS+. It turned out very good.

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    As a kid I remember reading a book I found in the school library about the Thresher, it's tragic loss and subsequent finding of the wreckage and I was fascinated. I later found out that my ex-wife's sister was engaged to one of the crew members which helped cement in me the tragedy of an event that happened a mere two months before I was even born. For a very long time I have wanted to make a model of the Thresher, not out of a some morbid curiosity but as a remembrance of those 129 souls. May it never happen again. Thank you Bob for putting out the files for this boat aka the Permit class.
  • He Who Shall Not Be Named
    Moderator
    • Aug 2008
    • 12253

    #2
    A tease. Here's on in 1/72nd.

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    Who is John Galt?

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    • SubDude
      Captain
      • Dec 2019
      • 803

      #3
      Originally posted by He Who Shall Not Be Named
      A tease. Here's on in 1/72nd.

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      Stunning as always sir!

      Few questions for you if you don't mind?

      1. I have read that the Thresher had a 5-blade prop while the rest of the boats in the class (Permit) had quieter 7-blade props. Is that true?

      2. Do you know what diameter the prop was on the Thresher by chance?

      3. Did the Thresher have anti-fouling paint on the lower hull and if so was it at the water-line or middle of the hull?

      Thank you in advance.

      Comment

      • He Who Shall Not Be Named
        Moderator
        • Aug 2008
        • 12253

        #4
        Originally posted by RCJetDude

        Stunning as always sir!

        Few questions for you if you don't mind?

        1. I have read that the Thresher had a 5-blade prop while the rest of the boats in the class (Permit) had quieter 7-blade props. Is that true?

        2. Do you know what diameter the prop was on the Thresher by chance?

        3. Did the Thresher have anti-fouling paint on the lower hull and if so was it at the water-line or middle of the hull?

        Thank you in advance.
        Not at all, sir.

        1. I too have read that, but have never seen photos of the THRESHER (a Government design) outfitted with the five-bladed wheel. Likely -- as SKIPJACK, THRESHER, The early SSBN's, and STURGEON class used the same S5W propulsion plant -- the THRESHER had the five-blader for comparative speed-runs. The new wheel was quieter (a premium characteristic), but less efficient.

        2. The seven-blader is about 14-foot in diameter.

        3. Until later in the last century the government yards on occasion used a black anti-foul paint. Yet there are pictures of the PERMIT launched from Mare Island (a government yard) with anti-foul red from centerline down. I may be wrong, but at one time I believed that THRESHER, a Portsmouth (government yard) boat was launched with black anti-foul, but I've never seen a color shot of the boat on the ways to tell if it was all back, or had anti-foul red from waterline down, or centerline down. Still remains a mystery to me.

        At time of loss I think THRESHER had anti-foul red from centerline down.

        Sorry. Short answer is... I don't know!

        However, all that said: there is a video of the boat sliding down the ways where there does appear to be a color/shade demarcation line at centerline. Not clear enough to make a definitive call.

        One more thing, in most of the video of the boat cruising on the surface, topside was painted in the 'Pacific' scheme.

        David

        Who is John Galt?

        Comment

        • SubDude
          Captain
          • Dec 2019
          • 803

          #5
          Originally posted by He Who Shall Not Be Named

          Not at all, sir.

          1. I too have read that, but have never seen photos of the THRESHER (a Government design) outfitted with the five-bladed wheel. Likely -- as SKIPJACK, THRESHER, The early SSBN's, and STURGEON class used the same S5W propulsion plant -- the THRESHER had the five-blader for comparative speed-runs. The new wheel was quieter (a premium characteristic), but less efficient.

          2. The seven-blader is about 14-foot in diameter.

          3. Until later in the last century the government yards on occasion used a black anti-foul paint. Yet there are pictures of the PERMIT launched from Mare Island (a government yard) with anti-foul red from centerline down. I may be wrong, but at one time I believed that THRESHER, a Portsmouth (government yard) boat was launched with black anti-foul, but I've never seen a color shot of the boat on the ways to tell if it was all back, or had anti-foul red from waterline down, or centerline down. Still remains a mystery to me.

          At time of loss I think THRESHER had anti-foul red from centerline down.

          Sorry. Short answer is... I don't know!

          However, all that said: there is a video of the boat sliding down the ways where there does appear to be a color/shade demarcation line at centerline. Not clear enough to make a definitive call.

          One more thing, in most of the video of the boat cruising on the surface, topside was painted in the 'Pacific' scheme.

          David
          Excellent information! Thank you.

          What is a 'Pacific' scheme? First time I have heard that term.

          Comment

          • He Who Shall Not Be Named
            Moderator
            • Aug 2008
            • 12253

            #6
            Originally posted by RCJetDude

            Excellent information! Thank you.

            What is a 'Pacific' scheme? First time I have heard that term.
            Here you go:

            What Color Would be your guess? - The Sub-drivers Forum (rc-sub.com)
            Who is John Galt?

            Comment

            • Das Boot
              Rear Admiral
              • Dec 2019
              • 1149

              #7
              Money says I checked out the same book. “The Death of the Thresher” by Norman Polmar.

              Of the 40,000 men who served on German submarines, 30,000 never returned.”

              Comment

              • SubDude
                Captain
                • Dec 2019
                • 803

                #8
                Originally posted by Das Boot
                Money says I checked out the same book. “The Death of the Thresher” by Norman Polmar.
                It was over 40 years ago so it would have been copyrighted before 1981. More than likely it was "The Thresher Disaster: The Most Tragic Dive in Submarine History" by John Bentley published in 1975.
                Last edited by SubDude; 08-05-2021, 08:37 AM.

                Comment

                • Das Boot
                  Rear Admiral
                  • Dec 2019
                  • 1149

                  #9
                  Originally posted by RCJetDude

                  It was over 40 years ago so it would have been copyrighted before 1981. More than likely it was "The Thresher Disaster: The Most Tragic Dive in Submarine History" by John Bentley published in 1975.
                  Polmar’s book was first published in 1964.
                  Of the 40,000 men who served on German submarines, 30,000 never returned.”

                  Comment

                  • SubDude
                    Captain
                    • Dec 2019
                    • 803

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Das Boot

                    Polmar’s book was first published in 1964.
                    OK. Then it could have been. I tried to find the date it was first published but showed it was much later.

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                    • SubDude
                      Captain
                      • Dec 2019
                      • 803

                      #11
                      The first three sections of the hull are printed. The detail of the files is exceptional to say the least and the parts fit together very well. I have spent only a minimal amount of energy sanding them to the point that one good coat of high fill primer (Finish 1) will be all that is needed before paint. I am going to make brass catches to slide lock the upper hull to the lower hull to help lock the two together through the center. The ABS+ is some good stuff and the Ender 5+ is printing great. The way the parts are designed there is minimal if any need for support structures. I hate wasting filament on supports. I also downloaded and printed a 5-blade propellor (3-1/2") as I decided that is what I am going with. It may not be exactly true to the original prop but I really don't care. It will work. After I hit it with the primer it will make it very strong.

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                      Last edited by SubDude; 08-07-2021, 02:41 PM.

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                      • Das Boot
                        Rear Admiral
                        • Dec 2019
                        • 1149

                        #12
                        Originally posted by RCJetDude

                        OK. Then it could have been. I tried to find the date it was first published but showed it was much later.
                        I believe it was republished in 1981 and after 2000.
                        Of the 40,000 men who served on German submarines, 30,000 never returned.”

                        Comment

                        • SubDude
                          Captain
                          • Dec 2019
                          • 803

                          #13
                          Hey David, can you tell me a little more about this hatch detail?

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                          • He Who Shall Not Be Named
                            Moderator
                            • Aug 2008
                            • 12253

                            #14
                            Originally posted by RCJetDude
                            Hey David, can you tell me a little more about this hatch detail?

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                            Who is John Galt?

                            Comment

                            • SubDude
                              Captain
                              • Dec 2019
                              • 803

                              #15
                              Excellent! Thanks again.

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