British T-class

[Kazzer]

Phew! That thing looks like overkill to me. My old S class clunks along at about 2-3 miles an hour, which scales to about 12 knots on the real thing.
Personally, I think these WWII boats look much more majestic at the slower speeds so why would you want to do anything faster?

I would have thought the Dumas type couplers would be more than adequate.
But I'm no expert of this.

[toppack]

Mike, you're correct about it being over-kill for most boats and Dumas couplers are fine at slow speeds and low torque. I just like to build with the 'best components available', as long as they don't 'cost too much'. :D
With those I can be going full speed and Slam it into reverse and not worry about brakeing the coupler. :)

[toppack]

I found out that on her first Patrol the HMS Tally-Ho was painted Green, which confirms my assumption that they were Not all painted gray.
It was discribed as 'solid flat Slime-green', with no numbers or badge painted on tower.
I'm not sure what color Slime-green is, but I think it's more of a medium green, not olive-drab.
She must have been repainted several times, so hopefully the book I'm reading will discribe the latter colors also.
I've only started the book.

Mike,
Would you happen to know what color the British consider Slime to be? :D LOL :D

[toppack]

I received the T-class hull this evening.
After about 30 minutes of both my wife and I digging thru packing-penuts we found everything on the Invoice. :D LOL :D
It looks about like I expected. Hey, I wanted a Challenge. :D
The torpedo-tube-door depressions are NOT all the same size, as I thought, but I need to drill those out and reshape them anyway, since I want to add launchers.
There was one D-shaped flat piece of resin in the box, that I have not figured out what it is, tho? :confused:

[Kazzer]

Mike,
Would you happen to know what color the British consider Slime to be? :D LOL :D

Brunswick Green (Hunter Green will do.) Sounds like the boat did service in the Far East?

[toppack]

Brunswick Green (Hunter Green will do.) Sounds like the boat did service in the Far East?

Yes, I think Far East was the Only place during the war.

Okay, Thanks, I'll try to find Brunswick green. That even sounds British. :D

I figured out what the unknown shunk of resin is, The fixed horizontal fins for stern. I'm not sure how it is supposed to be installed, in it's present shape, without making a oversize hole in one side of hull, but I can sand it down and make fit, I think. :) It just looked a lot different than I expected. I thought there would be 2 fins that mounted externally, not 1 piece that slides thru holes to be cut in hull. It will be very strong the one-piece way tho.

Aah, the 'Smell of Fiberglass Dust in the Morning', brings back memories. ;)
Choke! Choke! Where's my Dust-mask! :eek:

[Kazzer]

Yes, I think Far East was the Only place during the war.

Okay, Thanks, I'll try to find Brunswick green. That even sounds British. :D

thought there would be 2 fins that mounted externally, not 1 piece that slides thru holes to be cut in hull.

Just use a FLAT Hunter Green! Stephen Jenner (1st Lieutenant MS Sibyl) told me that was what it looked like.

As for the rear fins, look closely, there are two lines across it on one side. Cut along here to give you each separate fin, throw the middle away, then fix them on with a screw and epoxy.

[toppack]

Okay, Hunter-Green it is. I may have to add some High-lights, here and there tho, with a darker green. Solid green sounds kinda Boring. ;)

I'll have to look at those fins but it looks like they were made the correct width to slip thur slots in hull and epoxy. It sure would be easier and stronger than cutting and attaching separately, if it is the right length.

[toppack]

I got the 3.5" Sub-driver (in kit form) today. :)
I didn't realize none of the holes were drilled in the tube, but no problem, I got most of them drilled (and the 2 tapped), except for the 3 large 1" vent holes.

David,
What is the best way to do those? I have a 1" drill bit, but it is for 1/2" chuck, so I'll have to do those on drill-press, and I can't do that with one hand. My wife can help me tho.
I have a shot-bag-pillow that I could lay it on while drilling.
Or is there a better way, I don't want to crack it?

I think I have a 1" hole-saw also, if that would be better?

How about drilling five or six 1/2" holes instead of the three 1" holes? Would that work?
I would have No problem drilling that size. :D

[toppack]

Hoo-ray! I got the Scary part done . :)
I got All the holes drilled, counter-sunk and tapped in that very fragile lookin' piece of pipe.
Didn't brake Anything, didn't even say any Curse words. :D LOL :D

I used a 1" hole-saw to make the large vent holes.(Cuts Like Butta' :D)

[toppack]

I got the vent/blow-bulkhead & gas-tank assembly installed in lexan tube. That was Fun! Censored
The only problem I had is that the bulkhead/O-ring did Not fit tightly in the tube. It was a little too small.
I had to try to seal it with a lot of RTV (both under and on top of O-ring), which I did not want to do, since it will be difficult to take out if needed.
I have not leak tested yet, I may still have to get more RTV down in there somehow. I'll wait until in the morning to test it.

David,
I wonder why it was so loose, the O-ring was same size as on the end caps, and they fit fine? :confused:

[toppack]

Well, it IS leaking past O-ring. My hand is too large to get in there to push in more RTV, but my wife's will fit in so maybe I can talk her into doing it.

Mike & David,
I suggest that you check the fit of other 3.5" center bulkheads, if you don't know about this problem already, the one I recieved with that SD kit definitely has too small an O.D.
I'll make it work somehow, tho. :cool:

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Well, it IS leaking past O-ring. My hand is too large to get in there to push in more RTV, but my wife's will fit in so maybe I can talk her into doing it.

Mike & David,
I suggest that you check the fit of other 3.5" center bulkheads, if you don't know about this problem already, the one I recieved with that SD kit definitely has too small an O.D.
I'll make it work somehow, tho. :cool:

Send the unit to me and I'll fix it up for you.

David,

[toppack]

Thanks for the offer David but we got, or rather my wife got some more RTV in the gap. I'll leak test again today and see if that fixed it. No need to mail it, if this works.
But if that bulkhead ever Needs to come Out for any reason, I'll be Sure to send it to you tho, because I would never be able to, unless I used a BFH, and I doubt there would be much left of it. :D LOL :D

[toppack]

Yep, I think the SD is ready for those 300.foot dives Now. :D I'll drink to THAT!

Since I was Lucky enough to get an extra piece of 3.5" pipe and end cap, I think I'll cut off part of it to make the forward servo WTC. I'll permanantly plug the back end of it and use the forward removable end cap for mounting the 4 servos on a tray attached to it and the servo-linkage holes thru it, using some of David's handy-dandy push-rod-seals.
I'll mount the gel-cell battery between the 2 WTC assemblies, to get it closer to CG.