Trumpeter 1/144 Gato build

[Scott T]

Take a penney and hold it at the prop location to see if .75 inch prop will fit.

[crazygary]

G'mornin', M!!

Got a prop question for my little Gato. The plastic props provided measure out at .640". Just a "taste" over 5/8".

I found something that'll work at Harbor Models, but the diameter choices are .6 or .75! I'm guessing that the .6 dia. will be o.k.,
but would rather have a little more blade working for me! Not sure if the .75 will clear the hull?? Any thoughts?? Also, would the extra weight
be an issue?

I know I'm way ahead of the game, but would rather get something ordered now so I'm not waiting
for props when I need them.

As always, I appreciate your input!

crazygary

[crazygary]

Dee-dee-dee!!

O.K., O.K.!!

Ned to retract everything I said about the aft dive planes. Don't know what the heck
I was thinking of, but the planes are not molded in! Must have been thinking about an
entirely different sub!!

My bad!!!!

So, that's one less brain-tweaker I have to deal with!! Cool!!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming!
Had this been a real emergency....yadda, yadda, yadda!!!

[crazygary]

Houston, we have flood holes!!



After inventorying my remaining and "still-vibrantly-active" brain cells, I chose not to pursue the opening of
all the really small limber holes, as 67 years of excellent eyesight is no longer the case, and rather than do
a "munch" job, I decided to pass on them!! (Good call!)

Today I'll be "massaging" the molded in "pressure hull" cradles so my 1 1/4" SD will nestle in them with a bit
of a snug fit. Am also contemplating adding some limber holes to the outer edges of the deck. Notice that
I said, "contemplating"!! Hah!!

My Gato will be built as a dynamic diver, which will mean that the molded-in aft dive planes will have to be
"reworked" so as to become functional. I may end up having to cast some out of resin, but the Jury's still out on that!
It will depend mostly on my ability to successfully cut the molded in planes from the stern of the sub, without
doing a "hack job" on them! (Film at eleven!!)

Back later with success or failure! I'll post the end results, whatever they may be!

crazygary, out!

[crazygary]

O.M.G!

Somebody shoot me if I ever decide to scab in a bunch of limber holes in anything smaller than 1/72 scale!!

The "bigger" (notice the quotation marks!) holes are about 5/32" x 1/4". I did the pin vise "thing" also.
No power tools were abused or otherwise harmed during this operation! (Gratuitous insertion for the "friends-of-the-power-tools" coalition!!)

Piloted them first with a 1/16" drill bit, and followed that up with a 1/8". Close enough to 5/32 for me!
Put a little "mileage" on my pin vise corps!! Hah!!

Looks pretty good, too!!

Next up will be to do something with the internal bulkheads so that the 1 1/4" SD will sit in there nicely.
Will do that in the morning, and post photos and witty commentary, as I'm off to a VFW meeting shortly!
Being Post Commander sometimes has it's drawbacks!!

crazygary, out! ( Of my mind???)

[Sublime]

O.K., O.K.!!
On to "Plan B"!! (Duh!) After a short break to let the blood return to me fingers!! Arrgh!

Smart*ss here has, with some reservation, decided that just "maybe" ALL the flood holes aren't so important to me!! (LOL)
As in, the little 1/16" x 5/32" ones! Me old peepers just ain't up to the task!

At any rate, a pretty fair representation of what the 1:1 had will be present!!
Had this been the 1/72 Gato, mighta coulda been a different story! Howsomever.....!

Ennyhoo, enuff updatin'! Back to work.

Photos to follow!!

I sooo owe you a drink for calling attention to the limber hole issue in 1/144 scale. I was using a 1/32 drill bit in a pin vice to open up the deck on my Type XXI. I am now reevaluating that plan. I have a chuck and a foot switch on order to make my Dremel more precise and slooower.

[crazygary]

O.K., O.K.!!
On to "Plan B"!! (Duh!) After a short break to let the blood return to me fingers!! Arrgh!

Smart*ss here has, with some reservation, decided that just "maybe" ALL the flood holes aren't so important to me!! (LOL)
As in, the little 1/16" x 5/32" ones! Me old peepers just ain't up to the task!

At any rate, a pretty fair representation of what the 1:1 had will be present!!
Had this been the 1/72 Gato, mighta coulda been a different story! Howsomever.....!

Ennyhoo, enuff updatin'! Back to work.

Photos to follow!!

[crazygary]

Also, many thanks for that link, Tom!!
Plenty of really good information there!
Will become my new best friend in short order!

[crazygary]

Holy frijoles!!!! My Virgo "analism" is gonna drive me to the nearest "rubber room"!!

"So, wiseguy, ya want flood holes, huh??? Take ye a gander at these bad boys, ya swab!! AAARRGH!!!!"

Mama MIA!! There be a veritable plethora of f*#*#*in' holes!!" Gees, Grasshopper!! Be mindful of what ye ask!!"

Well, shoot howdy, like "The Man" said: "Less talk-more work"!

I'm off to "la-la" land!!

[trout]

Get familiar with the sub here: http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/04idx.htm

I love this site.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Less talk, more work. Hubba-hubba!

M

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Less talk, more work. Hubba-hubba!

M

[crazygary]

Never even crossed my mind!!
Good call!
Thanks, Tom!!

Guess I won't fill them in, then!! Hah!!

[trout]

Those holes look like exhaust ports.

[crazygary]

Day numero two-o!

Got the upper hull cutouts finished. After separating the hull halves, I cut from the centerline to the "red line" with a fine toothed hobby saw, then clamped a straightedge along the red line, at the ends of the saw cuts, and scribed away with a hobby knife until about half way through the thickness of the hull. From there you can carefully bend the unwanted piece back towards the center until it "snaps" off. A little filing and sanding and it's a done deal!




There are 2 bulkheads inside the hull which will need to be "massaged" to allow a 1 1/4" SD to saddle into them! (Way to go, Trumpeter!!) They molded them in there to fit the included "pressure hull", which I will not need to use 'cuz I'm actually gonna take her out to the pool for some serious "play time"!! The red arrows in the next photo points these out! More on these later!



I noticed something unnecessary on the port side of the upper deck!! For whatever reason, they molded in a few holes on the edge towards the stern that have no apparent reason for existing!! The plans show nothing to be attached there, so....?? They're circled in red.



Next up will be to address the lack of molded in drain holes on the bottom of the hull.( I know!! I'm being a bit anal here M, but I want 'em in there!)
I picked up on a laser cut flood hole template, made specifically for the 1/144 Gato. Not sure from whom I actually placed the order, but it was shipped from AAA Hobby! About $15.00 with shipping. A quick "gato flood hole template" search will get ya where ya need to be. You can, also, print out a drawing that shows what goes where!! Pretty cool find!!



I'm anticipating being lost in "flood hole land" for a while, so if ya don't hear from me by the end of the week, send out a search party, and for heavens sake....Don't pay the ransome!!

crazygary...out!