Darrin's build corner....lotus, sdv, delphin

[ffr2608]

CB is fine Andy. The volume inside the sphere is minimal and it floats about 5 mm from the top. I am a bit concerned about the sizes of the appendages. Should be getting a test in soon.
Almost done with paint and weathering. Went with the test vehicle like many have done before. It will be helpful at my sometimes murky lake.
still need to polish off some of the weathering and clear coat to seal it all in.
Darrin

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

CB is fine Andy. The volume inside the sphere is minimal and it floats about 5 mm from the top. I am a bit concerned about the sizes of the appendages. Should be getting a test in soon.
Almost done with paint and weathering. Went with the test vehicle like many have done before. It will be helpful at my sometimes murky lake.
still need to polish off some of the weathering and clear coat to seal it all in.
Darrin

The subtle, localized rust and chipping at the edges of the fairwater are perfect. An excellent demonstration of the 'less is more' school of weathering. A beautiful, faithful rendering of this iconic German midget submarine, Darrin.

[ffr2608]

Thanks Dave. Glad you caught that…. Going for a captured unit after the war. Sitting outside and forgotten.
Darrin

[ffr2608]

Some shots of the final assembly. Linkages are super smooth so we are good to finish final ballasting.

[ffr2608]

I did finish the 1:12 Delfin ballasting and got base paint on the Lotus. We’ll see how far I can get on the paint trim before Subfest. I was also wondering how much activity is on Thursday? Looks like I am busy Saturday so might need to just do Thursday and Friday camping in the 4Runner.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

A most convincing weathering job on your DECADES-IN-THE-MAKING, Dolphin. But, hay, better late than never.

[ffr2608]

Dang….Don't you have one collecting dust somewhere?
This is the 4th size Delphin I have constructed and the 2nd to hit the water. I’m hoping to start the big one soon and have it for Subfest 2026…

[Subculture]

It’s one of the most difficult subjects to find accurate reference of, with no surviving examples. Photos tend to be either distorted and/or fuzzy. I have a book in German that described some of the features of the four prototypes that were reportedly built. They all seemed different in some way, some had a short nose others a longer one, they experimented with different shapes of streamlining for the dome, and with different power plants. All of them seemed to be a handful, and were almost uncontrollable on the surface.

[ffr2608]

I might tackle another midget in the same scale. 1:12 or bigger is all I really work in now……..

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Dang….Don't you have one collecting dust somewhere?
This is the 4th size Delphin I have constructed and the 2nd to hit the water. I’m hoping to start the big one soon and have it for Subfest 2026…

Yikes!... you're right.

We Shall Never Speak Of This Again!...

[ffr2608]

Paint work and re assembly of the Lotus today. Both boats are ready for tuning trim.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Paint work and re assembly of the Lotus today. Both boats are ready for tuning trim.

Darren,

You steely-eyed Model Builder, you!

Here's a job for you: put a hard point (padeye or some such) where the license plate would be so we can put a tow cable (almost transparent-in-water mono-filament fishing line), so we can get good following shots of your submarine-car doing its thing deep in the Red Cay pool.

https://youtu.be/2xGf--tAXzw

Anyone else attending this year's SubFest: If you think your r/c submarine can be so equipped -- without fouling a screw(s) -- let me know. We want to gather as much B-roll footage as possible for the upcoming YouTube extravaganza.

[ffr2608]

My VS11 hydrofoil is also ready to go and running perfect. I did a repaint, added the mine launcher and the figures. Was an experimental boat in WWII.