SSN21 - 1/72 Seawolf

[Slats]

Guys I have been flat out working, so a build thread on my beautiful HMK Creations (Joel Stadnick) Seawolf is forthcoming.

In the mean time I hope you enjoy these photos of the boat that came together so beautifully since it arrived under my Christmas tree on Dec 24, 2011.

The boat here in is done save for stern light, and sail light details.
All I need do now is ballast her and she'll be ready for the Australian Subregatta coming up in Easter long weekend in Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Enjoy























I had an enormous amount of fun putting this together.



The paint job, I departed from my usual airbrush colours to try a new method out.
The whole boat is sprayed with an automotive primer grey
The whole boat is then sprayed with a semi gloss black automotive paint.
Next I spray the whole boat, save the anti-skid deck, with a Tamiya spray - new for me I'll see and report how the longevity of these paints hold up.
The Tamyia spray is called "Rubber Black".
I mark up the sonar windows and sonar bow. I sprayed these with Tamiya "Nato Black" -which has a dark green tinge to it. I deaden the green a little by a light dusting of the rubber black.

Joel's model has a beautifully scribed WL demarcation. Marked this off and airbrushed a fine mist of Gull Grey. Note I don't like a solid bath ring and have gone for a subtle demarcation line. Below this line the fun begins. I airbrushed some grey mist, red oxides, even some greens in, as well as some metalic colours too. I avoided apply this weather scheme to any of the sonar arrays as I understand these are less prone to crappy build up.

An interesting outcome is that the sail is the same "Rubber black" colour as the hull. Yet the sail sitting on and being surrounded by the automotive black colour of the anti skid, in these photos seems more similar to the anti-skid than the hull colour.

I am very happy how this turned out.

J

[Reckless]

nice! ... big boat...

[oztruck]

Looks good John, as does all your boats.

Cheers Chris.

[trout]

That is a very nice looking submarine! I look forward to the build on this!
Cheers!
Tom

[ADDINGTON]

Not to jump the gun, but may I ask:
What type of SubDriver are you using?
Ballast tank capacity?
Does it incorporate SAS?
I recently used a Tamiya spray on a Revell Type7 (styrene). Hasn't been warm enough for testing trials and seeing how the paint holds up, but it seems good so far. I was attracted to the Tamiya range of dark greys and bluish cast they have. I will keep an eye out for the 'Rubber Black,' which sounds like a godsend.
Fantastic job John. Looking very forward to your build thread,
-Kerry

[Reckless]

as for the paint... I used the Tamiya master modeller series spray cans for my boat(s), coat or two of dull coat clear coat over.. no issues at all

[Slats]

All good questions guys.

Kerry,
I just had the boat in the test tank for the first time last weekend.

I am running a 3.5" Subdriver with Snort and no SAS at this stage. I have done some testing with SAS for David and have passed on that feedback to him.

For people building the this 1/72 scale Seawolf TAKE NOTE
I have heard a few discussions on ballast tank size. I am using a 7" long tank, which I can say could be easily 15% SMALLER!!!. (Like all US nukes Seawolf has little reserve buoyancy.) I have 16oz of lead and 12oz of that is sitting right on her COG / COR position.

COG / COR


My subdriver has a forward battery compartment which is 6" and rear compartment that is 9". With this configuration I have a very very long drive shaft (measurement coming), running through 3 bearings (the pump jet, a removable bearing strut that cross the hull ahead of the Z cut that Joel supplies, and a fixed bearing strut I installed ahead of this.

Keep you SD down to the minimum requirements, keep the weight down too, and you will have a great handling boat.

Most would know I am not a fan of RCABS. I mention this now again as its relevant to ballasting choices and decisions. I have said before RCABS does work and works best in low reserve buoyancy boats, BUT in terms of how a boat handles in the water, whether or not it will turn well, all comes down to weight. The size of the WTC that would be required to supply RCABS with the 770ml of lift from the ballast tank I estimate you need, would be 25% longer than the all up length of my subdriver. This buoyancy of the cylinder can only be overcome by one thing - lead and lots of it. So yes RCABS will work well in a low buoyancy boat like SW and there is plenty of room inside, but a ballast system working is only part of the picture. No point having a boat that can go up and down and not go around corners.

Photos coming soon - sorry I have been busy off fighting Communists.

[ADDINGTON]

John,
Outstanding information-plus the diagram! (printout going up on the shop wall)
No one better to chart the initial build thread of this amazing kit.
Are you saying a 6" floodable length would be optimal?
Going forward,I'll hold the reflexive superlative applause replies to a mininmum so as not to clutter this thread, but please know all of your efforts to share here will be much appreciated throughout.
-Kerry

[Slats]

Kerry
I think 6" will be fine for the Ballast Tank. My 7" measurement is o'ring to o'ring (o'ring's of the bulkheads that make up the tank).
My forward section which I use for an Mtronicks 15 Amp ESC and 7.2v Battery could be reduced to 5" and the rear compartment could be cut down too if you used mid sized servos. The decision however to use full sized ones comes from the fact the push rods are very very long and the surface area (particular the rudders) are big. If you use Joel's excellent gear meshed solution to drive the forward planes, the push rod runs aft first then through the gear mesh forward. The combined push rod lengths is almost the entire length of the sub. I thought I have the room in the 3.5" SD so might as well install the full sized servos.

J

One improvement that could be made to the SD
To best utilise the dry space forward of the 3.5" SD the through tank condutit could be twice the diameter that it presently is. I have a 7.2v power supply running through there, a ESC RX three wire, and the two motor wires from the ESC. If there was a large conduit I could run more;- meaning better utilisation of the space forward.

[Slats]

ok so building this:

Christmas morning the kids had opened their presents and the very best present of all was behind the tree:



Of course the kids got in on the act of playing with that concrete reinforcement tube that housed the Wolf on her 8000 mile trip across the Pacific



So here is what is in the kit.
Basically Joel includes everything, right down to it, if you feel like it - rotating deck cleats!
I have never encountered such a Sub kit like this. It is so complete, so well thought out.









The back end of the two hull halves, note the Z cut piece I have not yet taken the shine of this - a must. I clean up all parts with warm soapy water first, a light sand with some wet and dry, and then another soapy water wash. DO this will EVER PART SUPPLIED


The forward end of the two hull halves. My Z cuts needed a little work and filling - not a big deal.


Lower bow installed to upper hull half, and prep underway to check fit (not install at this stage the rear upper cone).
At this stage the 4 indexing lips are installed in the lower hull half - which aids alignment and is a must for frustration free assembly

[Slats]

Open up sufficient flood holes - I.e. all the scale ones Joel has scribed in plus sensible ones along the hull to allow practical operational drainage.

Work in progress - I use a drill initially then hand file the job.






Ps..nothing IMO beats an ironing board for a portable bench top. Just make sure its not one that collapses easily, - it needs to take some force and punishment.

With the drain holes all opened you can install the rear pump jet assembly. Note here that I have cut a groove in the tab in the hull that mates with this.


Here you see I have installed the lower hull half water tight cylinder saddles - that white substance is Titan Bond Plus - in my view the best 2 part adhesive for this sort of work. The saddles Joel supplies are designed for a 3.5" SD. I have installed the lower saddles so I can sit on them the SD, and line up the centre line axle with the pump jet bearing. Note the very long axle. This is not supplied by Joel, but Joel I think you need to consider supplying a much longer one, as the short one will not practically reach the SD. The axle alignment also has Joel's removable cross hull bearing / support on it but is not yet affixed to the hull.


Once you are satisfied with the geometry of the alignment - just tack in place the pump jet with some ZAP CA drops. The install properly using the expoxy of your choice, in my case I use the Titan Bond Plus and fill that groove up.



Here you see the installation of the removable cross hull bearing that Joel supplies in the kit. To the left of the photo is the ingenious gear mesh system that is linked to the bow planes in the upper hull.

[Slats]

More on that great gear mesh dive plane linkage.

How does it work?
There is a lower gear mounting for the lower hull and when the upper hull is closed down on the lower hull, an upper gear mounting meshes with the lower gear.
The lower hull gear mounting is connected to a push rod from the SD. The upper hull gear mounting runs the length of the hull forward to the forward dive planes. Simple - Joel is a genius!!






Here you see the lower gear mounting section installed in the lower hull, whilst it goes off I positioned the upper hull's gear mounting on it. The upper hull's gear and its mounting are covered in Vaseline so it won't get attached in the bonding process.



Looking inside the hull - yet another reason why the upper cone is left very late in the assembly process.
here I am gluing the upper hull's gear mounting in place. Note the vaseline between the two gears and there mounting. You do not want to glue the gears or their mountings together.

[Slats]

To deal with the position of Joel's excellent mechanical solution to the bow planes I added an extra push rod seal in the lower left hand position of the SD motor end cap.



This arrangement is kinder than an external bend in the push rod from the lower gear's control horn, and mechanically is more efficient with the push rod to the SD following an almost perfectly flat straight plane.

[Slats]

With the pump jet installed lets have a look at it. This master piece is the work of David Merriman - there is no better, and the fact that two superlative craftsman have combined forces on this kit is no surprise when you see the kit's inclusiveness and quality first hand.

First there are two stainless grub screws that hold on the rear cone:








the prop is white metal and weighs in around the 100gm mark. I have subsequently fitted a Carbon fibre propeller which weighs in around 10gms.

[Slats]

I am now going to shamelessly utilise Joel's photos for the installation of the rear planes and appendages. This is by far THE EASIEST time I have ever had doing a rear plane / rudder installation. Note the round ring support. These contain the bearings and the supports for everything back aft. Sorry should have taken my own photos of this but did not. Meaculpa!@







Again - you must remove all that slippery glossy surface from all parts. I am sure Joel above has simply assembled the above to show us how it all fits together, but you must on your installation, before you install anything clean up the parts. Your paint job won't adhere properly to these surfaces.

More later on.
J