1/48 scale Type VIIC U-201 build

[redboat219]

https://youtu.be/ksHPZE1yJ94

[Monahan Steam Models]

A quick overhead video of the type VII project as it is currently.

https://youtu.be/YUDKP_t2LCA

[Monahan Steam Models]

Nick,
How about a demo video of this working.

Hey Romel,

I will definitely make some videos of this latest version of the forward launch tube assembly working. I need to finish it first as I am sharing this build in real time as progress is made. There are videos on my YouTube channel demonstrating the early version working.

Nick

[redboat219]

Nick,
How about a demo video of this working.

[Monahan Steam Models]

Hey Rube Goldberg, here hold my beer…












Starboard side launch tube assembly just about done. Still some minor work to be done and a few more small parts to machine.

First time since I designed this thing about a year ago that I’ve seen both port and starboard launch assemblies together in person and not just a CAD model on a computer screen. Kinda cool.

Nick

[Monahan Steam Models]

Manfred,

Yes the type VII hull space fills up fast as you point out and that I am currently finding. It is my favorite boat design of the war for a lot of reasons. Thank you for your helpful advice and I will apply what you have suggested when it comes time to trim this build. As for the CG of the central ballast tank, I completely agree with you. I’d like it to be more centered. It will be interesting to see how this boat responds the way I have it designed currently. There is still some room to make adjustments.

Got a few more parts for the port side tubes machined and put together today.



Nick

[MFR1964]

Nick,

Getting the CG exactly under the tower would be ideal, but 28mm aft is not bad with your layout, those pistons will give you some more play with the volume.

Type VII boats look fantastic when you drive them, but the shape of the hull is a bit cramped, you are encountering this with building your torpedo nest, as for the balance, try to get some foam in under the waterline and beneath the lower tubes, the less weight you have to add at the stern.
The type VII i have is a dryhull, a complete different story, non the less everything is build to have as less weight as possible in every aspect.

Manfred.

[Monahan Steam Models]

Nick,

Trimming won't be the issue, with your CG under the tower you can add weight at the stern to counteract your bow, your ballasttank has to be big enough to counteract all that weight, maybe playing around with foam near the CG can help you out when bow and stern weight are equal.

Manfred.

Manfred,

Thank you for pointing this out. You make excellent points regarding counteracting the bow and stern weights around the CG. The main ballast tank is situated under the tower but the tank’s center is about 28mm aft of the tower’s center. This was about the closest I could get the main tank’s center to the tower’s center without a major redesign of the WTC. I assume that I could adjust trims for this with the forward and aft piston trim tanks. If having the main tank placed where I have it currently is a big issue, then I will need to fix that. I could modify the injection molded frames of the hull and probably move the WTC a little further forward too.

Nick

[MFR1964]

Nick,

Trimming won't be the issue, with your CG under the tower you can add weight at the stern to counteract your bow, your ballasttank has to be big enough to counteract all that weight, maybe playing around with foam near the CG can help you out when bow and stern weight are equal.

Manfred.

[Monahan Steam Models]

No wonder you need a receiver with alot of channels. Will you be able to fire the rear torp too?

All five torpedoes (four up front, one out back) as well as each tube’s shutter doors are opened, fired and closed using only one 3 position channel on the remote. Because of this, the launch tube assembly is a bit more mechanically complex.

[Monahan Steam Models]

Man that looks busy! How much does that assembly weigh? Will you have enough room for flotation foam to compensate for it?

Yup, there is a lot going on and it is all packed in to this tight space! LOL

Haven’t weighed it yet and it does add quite a bit of weight way out front. The majority of it is made from ABS though. The heaviest components in the assembly are the four mini pneumatic actuators and the four pneumatic poppet valves.

Probably won’t need to add ballast weight in this area when it comes time for trimming but who knows? Adding foam will be all about carving and shaping small pieces to fit into the remaining space that is available which is not very much near the water line. Might be a lot easier to attach the foam to the removable torpedo tube assembly instead of the hull in this area.

I’d say about ninety five percent of the assembly is below waterline with only a little more than half of the port and starboard upper tube’s poppet valves and air reservoir tanks sticking up above waterline.

I have never built a submarine as complex as this one with so much stuff packed in tight prior to this project, so this is all uncharted territory for me. Closest project that I could compare it to was the 1/125 scale type VII dynamic diving project I built many years ago. That hull was packed tight with components but was a dry hull boat. Well mostly for the first number of runs in it’s life….

Hey David, if you happen to be reading this, you certainly have way more experience than anyone that I know with building multiple launch tube assemblies and putting them in tight spaces. What have you experienced when trimming your builds?

Nick

[Sinksalot]

No wonder you need a receiver with alot of channels. Will you be able to fire the rear torp too?

[SubDude]

Man that looks busy! How much does that assembly weigh? Will you have enough room for flotation foam to compensate for it?

[Monahan Steam Models]

Well the grid is back online and so are the back up battery systems. Finally completed setting that system up. Next time the grid goes down I doubt we will even notice.

Spent the rest of the day today doing the finishing figment work to the numerous bits and pieces of the starboard launch tube assembly. Everything moving piece of the assembly needs to move freely and accurately with little effort needed just like the control surfaces on the model. No binding or excessive force in the assembly is acceptable under normal conditions.



The completed starboard launch tube assembly mounted in the forward section of the hull along with the mocked up port tube assembly mounted in place. In the foreground is the 5 solenoid valve bank mounted to the forward tube assembly. One solenoid for each tube. The central solenoid of the five controls the aft tube.

Top down view.



Looking through the port side torpedo shutter door openings at starboard muzzle doors and shutters.




Another angle of the completed starboard side Upper and lower launch tube assembly and components. The port tube assembly is not set completely forward in this photo.

Hoping to machine all the tiny parts for the port launch tube assembly tomorrow and begin the fitting process as well.

Nick

[Monahan Steam Models]

Okay, thanks. I’m glad I’m not wasting your guys band width posting this stuff. Here’s where we’re at currently.


Starting assembly on the starboard side forward launch tubes.



Port and starboard forward launch tubes starting to come together.