Japanese 1/16 scale A Class midget submarine build.

[MFR1964]

That first comment evokes an image of two old guys, each with a big hole atop his head with a straw sticking out of it, each leading to the mouth of the other. Thanks for spoiling my breakfast, Manfred!!!! I"m so much enjoying your Type-23 torpedo loading stage. You detail freak, you!

I've sent Adam an e-mail. We'll see. Anyway -- I've got so much work ahead of that potential project that it likely would never get done (by me).


Me too, I would love an r/c model of that thing. We'll just have to see how things pan out, my friend.

M

OK, fair and square, still have the hunger for some new models, have to finish that doomed type XVIIb first, that loading stage was more or less a gamble, i had no intension to build it anyway, i blame you guys for that.
That strange look you have on the picture gives me the greeps, are you sure you plugged up that hole inside your head?, too much oxygen is bad for the brains.
I know it's asking a lot from you, but getting also some drawings would be nice, you never know if i would be so barking mad to build it myself.

Manfred.

[Von Hilde]

Thats a mighty clever camera viehicle. I didnt know the Williams models had a 1/16 scale Kairyu, Ive seen the 1/72 kits. They must be Discontinued kits, like Dinasaurs and 57 chevys and people like us. You have any old Dumas wood PT boat hulls stuffed away in one of those sheds, gathering dust would you? I dont care about the deck and details, I want to build a PTF Nasty some day soon.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I'm wondering about the different tower on the Koryu type C and the hull that has the dive planes amid ships. That type tower came on the Kairyu, as well, which initially had the two tubes in the bow. Different net cutter than the A Kohyoteki, Pearl boats. Two different tail end cones and rudder planes configguration. I guess there is at least 3 different midget models in the pictures.[ATTACH=CONFIG]30019[/ATTACH]Kairyu/koryu style tower[ATTACH=CONFIG]30020[/ATTACH]thiese were late war 1945 varients. Looks like the Kairyu (seadragon) with a Koryu tail end like the one on the boat at the IJN Yamato Museum at Hiroshima, and then the two Ko Hyotekis in different scales. Looking at the different pictures of all the midgets, I notice very few pictures of one running on the surface. The waterline at zero buoyancy would be at the base of the tower.. Hiroshima boat does not have bow tubes. It was a suiside boat, with the bow packed with explosives. Also had the capability to mount two external torpedos. These boats were a couple meters longer than the A models and had a crew of 3 Most were captured or distroyed in the yards by bombing and never quite deployed in numbers.

I pulled the 1/16 KAIRYU pictures into the mix as they amplified the putty-as-weld-lines discussion. As far as I know, the sail and tail feathers of the KAIRYU type was unique to the design. These boats initially slung a suitably modified aircraft type torpedo under each wing, but became suicide boats when those weapons became unavailable. This was a defensive weapon -- intended to engage amphibious forces as the Allies closed the noose around the Home Islands -- many of them were found in bunkers connected to the ocean via narrow gauge railroad tracks.

My model was assembled from an extensively enhanced Williams kit -- I made new appendages and outfitted the sail with a real-time video camera -- the 2.4gHz transmitter antenna hidden at the top of the periscope. The boat is a great performer -- one of the best depth-keeping boats in my fleet.

M

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Thanks Dave,

problem is, I Still want more. The more I see the more info I want.

dave

LOL! See what you've started!! The trick now is to identify something specific that interests you, ask me about it, then I'll develop a narrative with pictures to answer. I may not be able to take in apprentices now, but I can continue the teaching here ... what spare time I have I can invest in a mass instruction such as this.

M

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Is there any way to get one of Gene's full size drawings, like I see on the work bench under the model? It looks like its used as a drop cloth to protect the table. I'd even settel for the copy with all the glue, paint, notes and doodling. If Manfred ever comes over to this side of the pond, I want to be there to sweep the floors and take out the trash. You guys make the mess and swap lies, while I pick both your brains.

We three would not get one god-damned thing done. It would be a gab-fest of the first order. Best we all remained chained to the perimeter of our respective yards where our barking won't disturb anyone else!

Send me your address, Dave and I'll fix you up.

Here's more of Gene's work.

M

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Ok that was one roll of toiletpaper for the drooling, i guess i have to take a trip to the States and stalk you around, getting my ass into the cave and suck your brains.
It would be nice to get permission from Adam, if not, he is Catfood, i personally think there will be enough interest into such exotic subs, gathered a lot of info about this type during the years, would be nice to get my grubby hands at one.


Manfred.

That first comment evokes an image of two old guys, each with a big hole atop his head with a straw sticking out of it, each leading to the mouth of the other. Thanks for spoiling my breakfast, Manfred!!!! I"m so much enjoying your Type-23 torpedo loading stage. You detail freak, you!

I've sent Adam an e-mail. We'll see. Anyway -- I've got so much work ahead of that potential project that it likely would never get done (by me).

Me too, I would love an r/c model of that thing. We'll just have to see how things pan out, my friend.

M

[Von Hilde]

I'm wondering about the different tower on the Koryu type C and the hull that has the dive planes amid ships. That type tower came on the Kairyu, as well, which initially had the two tubes in the bow. Different net cutter than the A Kohyoteki, Pearl boats. Two different tail end cones and rudder planes configguration. I guess there is at least 3 different midget models in the pictures.Kairyu/koryu style towerthiese were late war 1945 varients. Looks like the Kairyu (seadragon) with a Koryu tail end like the one on the boat at the IJN Yamato Museum at Hiroshima, and then the two Ko Hyotekis in different scales. Looking at the different pictures of all the midgets, I notice very few pictures of one running on the surface. The waterline at zero buoyancy would be at the base of the tower.. Hiroshima boat does not have bow tubes. It was a suiside boat, with the bow packed with explosives. Also had the capability to mount two external torpedos. These boats were a couple meters longer than the A models and had a crew of 3 Most were captured or distroyed in the yards by bombing and never quite deployed in numbers.

[Davidh]

Thanks Dave,

problem is, I Still want more. The more I see the more info I want.

dave

[Von Hilde]

Is there any way to get one of Gene's full size drawings, like I see on the work bench under the model? It looks like its used as a drop cloth to protect the table. I'd even settel for the copy with all the glue, paint, notes and doodling. If Manfred ever comes over to this side of the pond, I want to be there to sweep the floors and take out the trash. You guys make the mess and swap lies, while I pick both your brains.

[MFR1964]

Ok that was one roll of toiletpaper for the drooling, i guess i have to take a trip to the States and stalk you around, getting my ass into the cave and suck your brains.
It would be nice to get permission from Adam, if not, he is Catfood, i personally think there will be enough interest into such exotic subs, gathered a lot of info about this type during the years, would be nice to get my grubby hands at one.


Manfred.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Guy to the left is my running-mate, Kevin Rimrodt. A very talented modeler, and a good friend.
That young man in the center is Adam Carlson.

Adam has come to many of your attention through his ground-breaking work with the design and manufacture of exceptionally small electronic speed controllers. But, I first became aware of this guy through letters and phone calls asking to under-study here to enhance his model building skills.
(I used to do a lot of one-on-one mentoring, but since hooking my wagon to the Caswell company a few years back I no longer have time for such things -- today I mentor exclusively through the Sub-driver Forum. Adam was the second to last student I've had over here. If I remember right he was here, apprenticing, during two ten-day stays).

The boy came here an Aeronautical Engineer, with a few years of full-scale aircraft restoration work under his belt. More important than those two attributes, he had the magic ingredients: Enthusiasm and good hands.

We hit it off from the start. He selected the training subject, masters for a 1/16 scale Japanese Type-A two-man midget submarine.

The objective was to teach Adam the basics of plan and photo interpretation; sub-assembly assignment; materials selection; methodology; lay-out; use of machine and hand-tools; use of fillers, adhesives, and putties for detailing; metal casting; and tool making.

I don't hand out complements unless warranted. So, let me say this about Adam: he came to the table with a great deal of practical and intuitive skills -- he was so much more than a lump of clay for me to beat into shape; this guy arrived already shop-wise, smart, and full of good, sound ideas. He's the best one I've trained yet, hands down!

I started him off laying up some Sugar-Pine blanks for turning. Two lengths were required as my lathe did not have the bed to get it all done in one piece. Here you see we've pre-stamped the tail and head-stock spindles into the faces of the two blanks.

Adam was already fluent in wood-lathe, so I just set him loose with the blanks and a full-scale drawings showing him the diameters at each station. He banged out both pieces in about three-hours.

I showed him how to preserve radial lines on a half-hull using a mold board, perpendicular fence and pen mounted onto a surface-gauge. Just one of the many lay-out tricks one needs in the inventory as you work to maintain datum lines, points, and planes as you cut away on the model/master.

We made use of Gene Berger's excellent Type-A plans for this project. Adam also brought along a book on the Type-A as well as an extensive folder of information on the subject. I was impressed. He came loaded for bear. He knew what he wanted to do. All he needed from me was the 'how too'.

I showed him how to make a rotating fixture that permitted the easy lofting of longitudinal and radial information from a set of orthographic drawings onto the model proper. This fixture also used to hold and rotate the work as operations were preformed -- such as this in-lay work of fishing line that represented longitudinal and radial weld lines.

A simple plastic sheet stabilizer alignment jig. One of the many tricks-of-the-trade. When I presented such stuff to Adam I could make out the twinkle in his eyes as the bulb over his head clicked on -- it brought back the memories of joy each time something 'clicked' for me as I started to embrace the Craft. Damn ... it feels good to see that in others!

So, so many drooling morons today ... so, so few Craftsmen!

As each sub-assembly neared completion I showed him how to use tape and filler to build up seam-lines, and paneling effects.

And the use of end-plates templates to ensure conformance with shape as dictated by the plan.

Use of the rotary-table and milling machine to achieve even spacing of the tail-cone attachment screw wells.

Adam picked up on propeller design, blade master shaping, use of the blade-hub assembly jig, and low-temperature metal casting.

Here you get an appreciation of how good a job Adam did detailing the tail cone. I can assure you, the rest of the Type-A master had this degree of finish and detail. This kid IS GOOD!

And this is the condition of the beast as it sits in one of my sheds today.

It served its function: Adam left me a much better model-builder than when he arrived. Mission accomplished!

M

[Von Hilde]

do you have the specs on the gear boxes and where to get the nice big fat brass gears. I woud guess some K&S tubing for the internal shafting and brass for the box itself, altho aluminim would do for the container. BTW Cool drawing;) Im going to have to snag it and bump it up to scale to hang in the porcelin conservitory for some serious early morning study time. The big problem is 1/16th is 4'7" compinsating for a boarder and frame....looks like one of them beauty mirrors she got hangin all around the head, has to go. I hate having to look at myself on the can anyway. 1/16 hull would be 4.5 inches, and the boat around 4'7" just a tad large. I think 1/24th would be a nicer scale and full scratch build stem to stern. I fooled around with the (Molested with the notes)) drawing and the 1/24th would have a 3.14 hull and a 2.5 driver is whats compatable with the drawing.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Manfred has the right idea, but I would dangle a carrot before I had to "tacticly persuede" the guy. How about wealth and fame and toss him some silver and an honorable mention in my book. If that dont work may be some strippers and booze. I like Genes version and scale and its the one with the cool gearbox. Scratch building is right up my alley, but Id rather 1/16th which puts the A type 78ft5in at around 4ft7in. The hulls of the two boats are close to the same but I want the H19 tower which was on early type A's that were at Pearl Harbor Gene's detail is quite impressive. Other than the backround in the picture the boat looks exactly like the New London display. Right down to the slack in the jumper wire. If the picture had been taken outside on a concrete slab with some dew on it.....Who has the drawings? That would be nice to hav a copy of.

I fired off an e-mail to Adam. He's a good kid, I should hear back from him in a day or two.

Gene's model was built a long time ago, but he recently finished it -- he was waiting on me to get off my butt and complete the SD for him. Adam and I worked up the 1/16 masters in 2006.

And you're right on the Money, Dave -- Gene's model is based on the drawings he prepared after a trip to the NAUTILUS museum in Groton, right next to the sub-base main-gate.

Well over ten years ago he invited me to take a plane ride with him to the museum to document the Type-A war-prize on display there. here are some shots from that documentation effort:

[Von Hilde]

Manfred has the right idea, but I would dangle a carrot before I had to "tacticly persuede" the guy. How about wealth and fame and toss him some silver and an honorable mention in my book. If that dont work may be some strippers and booze. I like Genes version and scale and its the one with the cool gearbox. Scratch building is right up my alley, but Id rather 1/16th which puts the A type 78ft5in at around 4ft7in. The hulls of the two boats are close to the same but I want the H19 tower which was on early type A's that were at Pearl Harbor Gene's detail is quite impressive. Other than the backround in the picture the boat looks exactly like the New London display. Right down to the slack in the jumper wire. If the picture had been taken outside on a concrete slab with some dew on it.....Who has the drawings? That would be nice to hav a copy of.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Put that boy against the wall and demand his permission or release mister Cat on him, it's a shame that such a model is gathering dust in the Cave, very interested in such a model, size is OK, type is OK, must have!!!!


Manfred.

LOL. Tell you what, I'll contact Adam to get a release on that for commercial use. But ... first ... I have to get that ALBACORE kit on line. And none of this is going to happen till I get out from this back-log of production work.

M