HMS Vengeance

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  • Peter W
    Captain
    • May 2011
    • 509

    HMS Vengeance

    Hello all,

    Well I have decided to put my scratch build of HMS Vengeance out there for others to see. It will not be a fast build due to family pressures and it certainly won't be a definitive guide on how to do it but hopefully it will show how Mr. Average goes about a sub build.

    The scale for the build is 1:144, which is the same scale as Trumpeter's Seawolf. The main reason for this scale is space in my workshop but it will also be easier to handle and is only destined to be a pool sub, however at this scale it still gives a model size of 40 3/4 inches long (1034 mm).
    I shall be building the sub mainly out of Plasticard (styrene sheet) but the control surfaces etc will be cast (eventually) out of Alumilite.

    Anyway I will post more details of my crazy ideas as I go but for now I will post a few of the early pics as well as one that shows roughly where I am at now.

    All comments, criticism and laughing accompanied by finger pointing welcome ( try to be gentle though)

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    Pic 1. shows Plasticard sections cut from 40 thou card.

    Pic 2. shows the start of centre section. hull sections that will allow a 3" WTC in it the 3mm ( just under an 1/8th) styrene rod provides both strength and positional support. There will be about 40 hull sections.

    Pic 3. Shows progress to date the plating is in 30 thou Plasticard. what you can see of the upper hull will be removable to allow access to inside of sub. the bow and stern will be made whole and attached to the lower hull.

    Peter.
  • greenman407
    Admiral
    • Feb 2009
    • 7530

    #2
    A Mighty ambitious project you have there Sir! Looks really good.
    IT TAKES GREAT INTELLIGENCE TO FAKE SUCH STUPIDITY!

    Comment

    • Peter W
      Captain
      • May 2011
      • 509

      #3
      Ambitious, yes. Good thing about it is I am really enjoying it, that is the point after all.Although there have been some stressful moments but I will relay them on the next couple of posts. One of the advantages to this build is just how little I have had to spend so far to build it.Peter.

      Comment

      • Subculture
        Admiral
        • Feb 2009
        • 2119

        #4
        The material cost to build a model submarine is not high. It's the time that is a factor, and of course the skill set. Some lack one or both, so they go for a kit. As submarines are not high volume products, the cost will always be higher than other sectors of the hobby. Model helicopters used to be very expensive years ago, now they're dirt cheap- large scale manufacturing techniques have been employed, along with production migration to China.

        Chris Netherway is building a 1/96th scale Astute. He's made his from GRP. Looks very nice, in a pugnacious kind of way- the Astute may be capable but it's a bit of an ugly duckling.
        Last edited by Subculture; 10-16-2012, 01:03 PM.

        Comment

        • greenman407
          Admiral
          • Feb 2009
          • 7530

          #5
          Subculture, That 1/96 Astute, is he posting that build to a forum? If so, what forum? Probably Model Mayhem. He can always come over here.
          IT TAKES GREAT INTELLIGENCE TO FAKE SUCH STUPIDITY!

          Comment

          • Subculture
            Admiral
            • Feb 2009
            • 2119

            #6
            He posted up a couple of photos on the Dive-in Facebook page. Chris is registered on a couple of forums, including this one I think, but doesn't appear much.

            If you're on FB, it's an open page.

            This group covers pool runs and sailing events for model submariners. Members are encouraged to discuss the craft of model submarine construction and share ideas via dialogue and photographs, but...


            This Chris's first pull from moulds he made-

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            Comment

            • greenman407
              Admiral
              • Feb 2009
              • 7530

              #7
              Sorry, I dont do Facebook. To each his own I guess.
              IT TAKES GREAT INTELLIGENCE TO FAKE SUCH STUPIDITY!

              Comment

              • trout
                Admiral
                • Jul 2011
                • 3545

                #8
                Peter,
                Very nice work there. Keep it coming.
                If you can cut, drill, saw, hit things and swear a lot, you're well on the way to building a working model sub.

                Comment

                • Peter W
                  Captain
                  • May 2011
                  • 509

                  #9
                  Mark , tom thank you for the comments.

                  Andy I am a lot happier with Plasticard it is, in my opinion easier and cleaner to use. I have a friend around the corner from me who is building a bit of a secret project, he has made the Bow and stern of his model from GRP and he moaned and moaned about about it, but each to their own. his results are truly amazing, if I pester him enough I may be able to post some pictures, they are worth seeing.

                  Anyway back to the build.
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                  Above is the completed ribbed section of the upper hull, it is going to be removable from the rest of the sub for access to the WTC the bottom half of this section was built next.


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                  above shows the position of the tower relative to the upper hull section.
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                  This is what I came up with to act as a locating lug for the two hull sections there are 6 of these in total and I must say it works a treat, the slight dipping in the plastic will be sorted out down the line when the plating is applied.
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                  And here is the lower hull with first section of plating. I am limited obviously by the size of the plasticard sheets, in this case A3. I had had trouble earlier applying plating by trying to just glue it as I went but I wasn't happy with the result so off it came and i started again. This time, after consultation, I wrapped the piece around a kitchen rolling pin put it into the sink then poured over boiling water from the kettle and there you have it shaped, curved plastic much easier to apply and a much better result. There is a very slight rippling in the two edges but this I have sorted and will explain later.

                  Peter.

                  Comment

                  • Peter W
                    Captain
                    • May 2011
                    • 509

                    #10
                    I had got to point where I had to apply small plates to the lower hull which took a fair bit of time, so I applied the 2 smaller plates that fit to the upper hull below the missile deck hump. After this with the smaller stiffening plates still going in I moved onto the control surface masters.


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                    The bow plane masters. I am making them in 2 halves ( easier to deal with) I will make 1 master and pull 2 from the moulds.

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                    The move-able rear plane master. I will fill it with foam that will then cut with a hot wire using the plasticard to guide the cut. I will then cover this with 10 thou Plasticard and it will be ready for the moulding process.

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                    The planes so far, as this a relatively small sub I won't be making the fore planes as a working item.

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                    The start of the rudders, the smaller bit is not a moving part but serves as a fixed base for the upper rudder.

                    Well I suppose that is where I am up to today, future posts will be of work as it is done.

                    Peter.

                    Comment

                    • greenman407
                      Admiral
                      • Feb 2009
                      • 7530

                      #11
                      Nice. Well thought out, now all you need is the time.
                      IT TAKES GREAT INTELLIGENCE TO FAKE SUCH STUPIDITY!

                      Comment

                      • Peter W
                        Captain
                        • May 2011
                        • 509

                        #12
                        Time, definitely. I find that I build in blocks, what with 3 young kids and all that that entails sometimes I have to just stop for a while. Peter.

                        Comment

                        • Peter W
                          Captain
                          • May 2011
                          • 509

                          #13
                          Well here are the latest offerings.




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                          Above: found I had made the planes a bit to thick due to me changing the thickness of Plasticard used for the base. so i have thinned them down and the foam insert is now ready to be fitted and then cut with a hot wire cutter.
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                          Above: the top rudder has a fixed base on the Vanguard class and here is my master of said item.

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                          And here are the masters for the rudder ready for the foam. The foam will give the masters rigidity when it comes to moulding them, I will face them with 10 thou Plasticard.

                          Peter.

                          Comment

                          • Von Hilde
                            Rear Admiral
                            • Oct 2011
                            • 1245

                            #14
                            Great work Peter, Thats exactly what I was talking about. I did the same with a couple of my type VIIs and big type II, except I used wood for the bulkheads and aluminium for the stringers and aluminium flashing for sheeting. I also use PVC for the actual pressure hull, that I taper and cap both ends. You can cut out access hatches in the top, for driver/battery compartment ect and attach the main keel directly to the Pressure hull. I think you made a believer out of me with the plasticard construction. I just got some plastic sheets in 1/24th diamondplate for my hatches.and open decking. In the past I used aluminium and brass sheeting and hand tooled all the bumps and rivets, and cut limber holes with Dremmel but those dremmel bits get ate up with the metal, and hand tooling is a bit teadious, especially in smaller scales.
                            Last edited by Von Hilde; 11-20-2012, 07:04 AM.

                            Comment

                            • Peter W
                              Captain
                              • May 2011
                              • 509

                              #15
                              Von Hilde, I find Plasticard so easy to use, really can do anything with it. A very good friend of mine has built 2 subs using mainly Plasticard and they are 2 of the best models I have ever seen.All the best,Peter.

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