Scratch build Skipjack-conversion : Project 1710 Beluga in 1/63 scale

[wlambing]

Are you not going to use a "periscope" so you can see where you're going? Make a 'scope into antenna and go with that. You'll be able to watch the wake from the scope and it will look much better. Modern naval submarines (even old ones) don't drive around with railings or lifelines installed. I don't recall seeing any rails on Beluga, and I think only a rudimentary lifeline topside, for inport.

[Bob Gato]

I could try to use the safety rails as an antenna i suppose!
am confident ill find a solution, but will keep you updated!
I believe that to be the reason for the maker of the kit to sell it, because otherwise the carbon layup is superb, certainly the best i have ever seen. Outside mirror-like gelcoat, inside hard and rough weave, wall thickness 2mm all around...

A good side to carbon fiber on a model sub (besides its light weight and strength) is that the hull is conductive and can be used as a faraday cage to block unwanted stray signals creeping into your wiring and metal work-just ground it to the battery negative wire with a conductive epoxy...BG

[JHapprich]

Thank you! That might be possible! I tried that with one of mine kits but went for the crp hull instead

[neitosub]

Looks great Jörg! Makes me want to do this conversion to my Moebius Skipjack!

[JHapprich]

Yesterday: Installation of the fwd diveplanes and basic filling of the transition from the old hull to the new stern cone.

Jörg

[JHapprich]

Thank you! Slow progress today: Installation of the plane bushings.
3mm brass rod was cut to length and glued into the fins with CA. To do so, i drilled a tiny hole into each opening from one side of the fin, cleaned everything with alcohol and used a steel rod to align the bushings. Once properly placed, i injected the CA through the small holes. This saved me from having to hurry before the glue was cured and kept my fingers clean!

[Davidh]

Beautiful work Joerg. So nice. This hull is going to snap together beautifully.

Dave.

[JHapprich]

A little progress: i finished milling out the hollow grooves at the fins for fitting the planes - i should have included that in the master a long time ago! Started to invidualize the rudder as well, made the lower rudder.

[JHapprich]

I could try to use the safety rails as an antenna i suppose!
am confident ill find a solution, but will keep you updated!
I believe that to be the reason for the maker of the kit to sell it, because otherwise the carbon layup is superb, certainly the best i have ever seen. Outside mirror-like gelcoat, inside hard and rough weave, wall thickness 2mm all around...

[DrSchmidt]

Jupp....you'll have to get the antenna outside. I flew F3E planes and they hat carbon fiber fuselages. They blocked the radio signal not only when the antenna was inside but also when it was outside but the fuselage came in between the transmitter and the antenna...

[trout]

I have a friend that built a carbon fiber hull, thinking of stopping the surface targets from damaging his hull. It turned out signal was not getting to the receiver. He made a fiberglass top half and kept the lower half for ramming speed. If you do 2.4GHz through a scope it is a mute point.
your build will be fun to watch.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Thank you, sir! Took me only ten years...

Good things take time to ferment properly.

[JHapprich]

Thank you, sir! Took me only ten years...

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Damned fine model building practices on display here! A massive conversion project with excellent methodologies employed at each step. Good stuff, sir.

David

[JHapprich]

The present day: I drilled the holes for the forward diveplane bushings and installed the sail with CA. The small deck portions around the sail will later be made from glas/resin/filler using an outline template. I made a 3mm steel reaming rod to finalize the pivot points of the rear plane nishings for the plane axes. I will use 2mm stainless rods gor the shafts and 3mm brass tube for the bushings. The stern tube for a 4mm driveshaft will be installed, afterwards i plan to prepare the hull for grey primer and scribe on the primer surface. I also need to cut out deck "windows" and replace that portions with grp to allow the radio signal to penetrate the hull because of the carbon layup.