Trumpeter 1/144 Gato build

[crazygary]

Ooo! Ooo!
I figured out what the "gizmo" is!!!

It be a "gun director" of sorts!! Huh?? Huh??

Who'zz yer Daddy!!(LOL)

CG

[crazygary]

A couple photos of the forward gun deck on the con:


The stanchions are .032" diameter brass wire, and the railings are .016" brass wire,
as are the ladders on both sides of the con.

The railings are attached with CA adhesive and once set up well, will be cleaned of
all the "goobers" at the joints!

Still need to put an access hatch to the gun deck from the con. Will probably make that from .020" styrene, with hinges
and latch made from .016" brass wire!

Y'all have a nice, relaxing Sunday evenin' now, ya hear!!

crazygary, out!

[crazygary]

Just thinkin'!

Once the CA "goobers" are gone, it may want to self-destruct, so,
I'll probably' end up going one stanchion at a time and soldering them!!

Oh, goodie!!! Hah!!

CG

[crazygary]

Railing and ladder detailing is finished! CA is doing the job pretty nicely! Paint should help tighten up the joints.


Slow going here lately, as I'm waiting for ordered goodies to arrive! (Still waiting!)

Need carbon fiber rod for control surface pushrods, so I can glue the hull halves together!
Once I can get that done, things should pick up pretty briskly!!

Photo etched brass radar and mast assembly is "out there" somewhere! May even be on the way??

While waiting (Still!! Hah!!) I can add details to the main deck.
i.e.- hatches, bollards, etc.

Oh, yeah!! Gotta make up some watertight doors to cover up the "doorways" on the
sides of the con! Can't imagine why it was molded this way!?

All for now, sports fans!!

crazygary, out!

[trout]

Because during war time, there were no doors on the side of the conning tower. It was left open.

[crazygary]

Wow!! That makes perfect sense. If the crew needed to get below decks in a hurry, they sure as heck wouldn't want to
be fiddling around with watertight doors! Therefore, left open they shall remain!!

A bit of historical information unknown by many, I'm sure. Much appreciated, Tom!!

CG

[crazygary]

Carbon fiber rod showed up today, so I'm redoing my control surface pushrods! Just need to put the SD
in and measure the rod lengths needed. Photos tomorrow!

A little tractor work today, so no major progress!! Got a "bum" well that I'm trying to get back on line!
Gotta maintain 2500 gallons for the firefighters to use, if needed! Major "not good" thing going on there!
Well pump is bound", so I'll have to have a camera dropped down the well to see what's up!

Thank you Murphy! You a** hole!!

Managed to et a little deck detailing done today, but no pix yet!

crazy gary, out!

[crazygary]

Prop question, M!!

While waiting for glue joints to set up, I turned to the plastic, injection molded
props included in the kit, which you thought I could use!

Although the blades look to be functional, they are square edged. That is, the edges
of the blades are .026-.030" thick. My question is, if I, very carefully, sand them so as to end up with a "knife edge"
all the way around the individual blades, is there any way that I can make them a little less susceptible to damage??

They're about 5/8" in diameter, and look really easy to "trash"!! Would something like a coat of clear fingernail polish,
or something like it, be of any benefit? There are brass props out there at about 18 bucks a piece, but you seemed to
think that the injection molded ones would suffice!

I'd try my hand at "rolling-my-own", but me old "peepers" ain't whut they used ta was!! Hah!!

Any thoughts??

CG

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Coat 'em with thin formula CA and you greatly increase the shear strength of the blades. Sure, sharpen the leading and trailing edges. Know yourself out. You're fine.

M

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Coat 'em with thin formula CA and you greatly increase the shear strength of the blades. Sure, sharpen the leading and trailing edges. Knock yourself out. You're fine.

M

[crazygary]

Thank you, Sir!!

CG

[crazygary]

The kits' molded props are "ca-ca"!!
They will require a little rework so that they can effectively
"bite-and-spit" water!!

Here's one right from the sprue:

Notice the "flat" around the entire perimeter of the blades! Not good!!

Here's the same prop after a bit of "massaging":

Oops! Sorry about the focus, or lack thereof!!

The edges, all around, were tapered so as form a bit of a "knife edge"!
Should be quite a bit more efficienter!! Yep! E-fish-en-ter! You heard it here!! (LOL)

Same prop, different color:


Mo' bettah!!!

Back to "da bench"!!

crazygary, out!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Not much pitch to 'em, but that will keep you from over-loading the motor. Slow and easy does it. Looking good crazy-one.

M

[crazygary]

I can live with her going "slow-and-easy"!
Not looking for a WWII hydroplane-sub, anyhowsways!! Hah!!

CG
"Gittin' 'er done!"

[crazygary]

As an afterthought to my last post, I'm hoping that those
"el cheezo" props will have enough pitch to 'em so I don't
have to relegate her to being a surface runner!!??

Since she's gonna be a dynamic diver, I may well end up springin'
fer them thar 18 dollar-a-piece brass goodies!!??

Won't know 'til she gets "plopped" in the pool for her maiden voyage!
Bummer!!!

CG