1/72 Virginia Class USS South Dakota

[Timothy L]

Not sure I will call this a full-blown builders thread but I thought it might be helpful to post pictures of the trials and tribulations of a newbie on his first wet hull sub.
Through the wonders of Subex25 I had the privilege of going inside the South Dakota last year. I decided right then and there I would learn how to build RC subs and would eventually build a model of this exact sub.
I built an Engel 212A to get my feet wet - but it is a dry hull with excellent step-by-step instructions. This model comes with no instructions LOL and is a wet hull. It will be a learning experience - not to mention incredibly fun!!!!
The ABS/GG hull was printed by Bob Martin and I am very pleased with it. At this point lower hull sections are welded together. The next step is to fiberglass the interior joints. I generally build a stand in the beginning of a project and throw a cover over it during building. This hull will receive an R&R dual tank WTC.
My primary reason for this post besides just the fun of sharing Is to let other beginners who may be intimidated by this hobby realize that a complete newbie can do it. To my mind it just takes patience and humility as you read and learn from others.

[RazorAntilles]

Looking forward to seeing this build come together! I've got my own batch of subs on the bench (2 LAs and a Typhoon) and I'm learning as I go, as well.

[Timothy L]

RazorAntilles - you might be interested in this. In addition to Bob Martin’s excellent book, Diving Deep, I just acquired a book by Norbert Brüggen titled Model Submarine Technology. It has additional and very useful information on the concept of buoyancy. At my neophyte stage I am finding it to be very helpful. You can get a used copy easily on Amazon for eight dollars. By the way, my schedule pulls me in many directions so posting interim progress pictures may be a bit slow lol.

[Timothy L]

Even though I’m retired - my schedule seems way, way more busy than pre-retirement - that’s another story - But it is the primary reason that projects such as this goes so slowly for me - I simply don’t get that many hours in a week that I can devote to it even though I’m passionate about it.

As I mentioned in the opening post, this isn’t a full build log, not even close. And it’s not aimed at the 99% of you who are so damn good at this it just makes my jaw drop LOL. However, the idea for me is to share, even as a lowly unskilled beginner, the little bits I’m learning that might help the other equally unskilled guy who could just possibly be lurking behind the scenes.

So in this post I want to share a few thoughts to that tiny audience.
1) For me I have found that the ever friendly, sweet natured, gently and kindly offered advice from that puppy dog David Merriman is my baseline. I have made it a habit of looking at his “Today’s Work” postings as a good routine study. If I see something that’s a little confusing, I ask. I do try to search out answers before, but sometimes that takes you down rabbit holes that have so many offshoots you just get lost in the search.
Although we all develop modeling abilities with our own personal techniques I am realizing that every, and I mean every, past technique that I taught myself, can use vast improvement can often be done in a better way If you swallow your pride, Don’t give a dang about looking stupid, and learn.

2) Accept f&#%k ups. David recently described a mishap of his own and it was a GREAT reminder. F’s, to my mind, are some of the best teaching tools If you don’t let yourself to go ape**** because you did it in the first place!

3) Whatever process, idea, technique, etc. are used in building surface ships - when it comes to submarines I think you must do everything better. Submarines are susceptible to a lot more damage and mishaps than target ships ever were. When did you ever have to worry about internal hull pressure on a surface ship - for example.

4) And finally to bring my thoughts home here’s a photo of work in process on some scribing and PE placement on the bow of the Virginia class. My 76 year-old fingers were dreading this process. I questioned a photo in David’s “Today’s Work” and I am now trying (practicing) the technique in his photo. In the photo you can see the first attempts using Bondo Glazing putty to help cleanup scribing. Additional work needs to be done of course - but this is a new technique and I am working on improving it. I have enough confidence that when it is done I think I will be very comfortable with it. Of course it will not have that absolutely professional look that master craftsman David achieves - but that’s not the point. The point is to try your best, learn, and have fun.


And here’s a photo that I’ve learned from by watching DM:
Well crap! Now I cannot find David’s photo! Another lesson learned, If it’s a useful photo save it for cripes sake!

I am in hopes that the behind the scene lurkers or the rank newbies like me will take encouragement in my comments! Thank you for reading.

[trout]

“For me I have found that the ever friendly, sweet natured, gently and kindly offered advice from that puppy dog David Merriman is my baseline.”
You are funny. I laughed at this statement. Not that David is helpful or knowledge, there is no one better, but his approach does not always hit someone in the way you describe. I have been on the wrong side of his hammer, however, if you listen and learn, you will be better at this hobby and in a shorter time.
Thank you Timothy for the laugh.

[Timothy L]

Trout - ahhh, my work is finished LOL. (Although the post just got mysteriously temporarily labeled as spam - ironically funny)

[vital.spark]

Amen Tom! I had No R/C experience I knew absolutely nothing before buying my first Sub with a fittings kit and Subdriver kit from him. I was coming to the States and I wanted to meet His Majesty to show me how to assemble the Subdriver etc. I had to prove to him That I was a true blue Patriot before he let thru his front door with question after question that had to be answered to his satisfaction! I had to dot my i's and cross my t's! It all paid off with 4 hours with him and Ellie I was able to fabricate 5 working subs!!

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!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Amen Tom! I had No R/C experience I knew absolutely nothing before buying my first Sub with a fittings kit and Subdriver kit from him. I was coming to the States and I wanted to meet His Majesty to show me how to assemble the Subdriver etc. I had to prove to him That I was a true blue Patriot before he let thru his front door with question after question that had to be answered to his satisfaction! I had to dot my i's and cross my t's! It all paid off with 4 hours with him and Ellie I was able to fabricate 5 working subs!!

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!

And Ellie went that one-step-farther by showing Fanny how to do her nails. Good times.

[vital.spark]

Now you want me to start tearing up? Ellie radiated and was so so special!!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Now you want me to start tearing up? Ellie radiated and was so so special!!

Stop blubbering, you old softy. Get back to work! (and... yes, yes she was very special; much more than a good set of hands in the shop).

[Timothy L]

The neophyte happily trudges along among giants…… learning lots…….it’s actually beginning to look like a submarine

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

The neophyte happily trudges along among giants…… learning lots…….it’s actually beginning to look like a submarine

Excellent prep work on the VIRGINIA so far. So glad that your deferring heavy priming and paint till the little **** is done... and done right.

Yeah... r/c submarines are new to you, but you evidence above averate skills you obviously developed down other paths of the r/c vehicle hobby.

All your humble-pie bull-**** ain't fool'n me, Tim: You come at this game loaded for bear. A couple of years and you'll be teaching me new things.

David

[Timothy L]

The ABS/FG? This stuff is tough (the pro) but you really need to sand, sand, sand (the con). The striations are so great that I slapped a brush coat of acrylic primer on the upper hull before doing anything - and sanded the crap out of it. The lower hull will be approached the same way. This way I can “see” what I am up against before the “real” priming and sanding starts. I used 3 of the resin masts and fabricated 3 out of brass. Not super detailed - but fits in my “on the water practical scale” viewpoint. Sail is esily removed - just two screws. So jazzed it is beginning to look like a submarine! Now for coffee and off to teaching - I’m outa here for the day LOL.

[Timothy L]

More from the neophyte trudging among giants……the sail is now primed and will be set aside while I finish upper hull details and prime it. I am pleased with the sail.



As I mentioned, I am not a rivet counter, but I thought my fellow neophytes might like this photo of a Virginia Class sail. I have opted not to attempt the stressed surface. I really like this photo though!

[Timothy L]

Musings from the trudging neophyte are posted here only for one reason - to possibly help others who will not ask questions because the incredible expertise on this forum might seem intimidating and questions might feel embarrassing.
Sharing the occasional foibles of a sub-rank rc sub newbie might encourage you. As a “quasi build log” anything I post here is likely of no interest to the supreme craftsman who so wonderfully infuse their knowledge into this forum LOL!
BUT fellow, likely quiet, neophytes here are a few quick thoughts on things I’ve learned so far:

1) if you buy a printed hull make absolutely sure you know how much sanding and prep work you’re getting into. There are trade-offs between having details cleanly and accurately portrayed vrs strength. I chose to focus on strength and therefore I’m working with an ABS/FG (plastic with bits of fiberglass thrown in). Mucho sanding.

2) if you’re looking for answers on this forum or the Internet at large, you will have to do a little bit of work. Take the time to learn how to search the forums, search Dive Tribe sessions etc. Giving yourself the tools to find answers is no different than getting the right tools to do a job.
a) Sometimes those answers are like jumping down the rabbit hole because they simply lead to more questions. And that can get confusing. This is definitely a hobby where a basement tinkerer newcomer may very well suffer from “ You don’t know what you don’t know” conundrum.
b) and that’s about the point where you might want to ask David Merriman a question. Despite his reputation for being a softhearted mush-mellow, he’s an unbelievable crafts person with a knowledge base that I doubt will ever be duplicated. As I mentioned in an earlier post you might be well advised to daily follow his Today’s Work posts.

3) PE (photo etch): I was dreading using photo parts when I started on this project. I got over that hurdle - this is what I learned; 1) make sure you cut the PE parts out on a rock hard surface 2) anneal parts that will fit to a curved surface (heat it up and then cool it - lots if videos on it) 3) make your own application tips when using CA glue (I sharpen a 1//16” sprue and use it with thin CA). 4) depends on your view towards detail, but in my opinion don’t sweat the really tiny stuff that you can barely see - (2 feet away from you no one will see it).

4) Fitting the upper hull to the lower hull. If you’re used to building surface models, this is a whole new focal point that you may never have given a second thought to! However, it is super important! This is something that’s not too difficult to research on the forum - BUT here’s the thing: for me, doing it was a ***** LOL. There are things going on. First, you want the upper hull removal to be a trouble free 2 second procedure. Second, you want a really clean seam between the hull sections. I experimented with several of the suggested methods. How you approach it will probably vary depending on the type of sub that you are building. For this hull only a small bolt in the stern needs to be removed to lift off the upper hull. After trying several methods I found that the Vaseline / Gold Evercoat filler combo worked best. You MUST use thin CA to harden the filler as a last step.

5) Turning radius: Larger, longer subs have very poor turning radii. This should be part of your decision on what sub you want to build. If you really love the looks of the larger nuclear subs, Make sure you understand what its operating characteristics will be and whether or not you want to change those characteristics during your building process.

Well, that was a lot of jabbering. The point for sharing these rather simple thoughts is that they might help somebody who’s sitting there scratching their head like me. Like me, you may not be somebody that’s fond of reading instructions and just want to try everything your own way. I don’t advise that though. This is a different kind of hobby and you need the experts and need to expect you will run into things that are not common to any other RC hobby! I hope my musings will be of help. As I trudge along with this most enjoyable model I’ll try to share bits of my experience that might be of worth.