1/48 scale Type VIIC U-201 build

[Monahan Steam Models]

We are going on day 8 of the power grid being down. Thankfully the back up 25kW generator allows me to keep the torpedo launcher part production undisturbed. Well for the most part. Machined parts are still suffering a production delay due to the power outage.



The grid should be restored fairly soon as crews have been in the area making the needed repairs. When that happens I will start to make the rest of the components to the new forward torpedo tubes. For now I will keep working on these parts to get them ready for assembly. The new forward tube assembly has been modified to slide backwards and out of the one piece bonded lower hull. Two screws are only needed to firmly secure the whole assembly it in place or remove it for maintenance.

Nick

[Monahan Steam Models]

Let me know if I’m boring you guys with this build. I don’t wanna be that guy

[rwtdiver]

Let me know if I’m boring you guys with this build. I don’t wanna be that guy

Nick,

It is a pleasure to watch and follow all your building! You are a master in everything that you do! I think you are aware that I have the 1:48 scale Arkmodel VII coming from Nautilus Drydocks, so I am following your build very closely to learn from you how it's done! BORING!! No way Nick, keep all your build coming!!

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat"

[SubDude]

Let me know if I’m boring you guys with this build. I don’t wanna be that guy

Are you kidding? This is fascinating stuff.

[Monahan Steam Models]

Ha ha okay, sounds good. Even I get bored at times with this build and need to take a break from it.

[goshawk823]

Let me know if I’m boring you guys with this build. I don’t wanna be that guy

hell, yes. keep them coming. this is some cool work.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Keep pounding that keyboard, Nick. I'm busy here taking notes. Don't confuse silence (stunned silence in most cases after seeing your work) with disapproval. Between shoveling snow and playing Electrician keep at this thread.

David

[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.

[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

[SubDude]

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

[Sinksalot]

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

[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

[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.

[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]

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