Japanese Sen Toku I-401 Submarine Build

[Das Boot]

Any updates?

[Sinksalot]

Update on I-400, more top hull parts done. I have also started printed in 360mm long sections. Please note no gluing or sanding has been done yet. I am just mocking it up to see how it will look.

[Sam Victory]

The currently 3D printable model of the I-400 submarine is here: I-400-class submarien | 3D Warehouse (sketchup.com)
the original author modeled it with Sketch Up software.


Then someone changed the original file into an RC version, which can be seen on the "Thingiverse" website.
Comments for I-401 Sen Toku 1:72 RC Submarine by HatsuneR - Thingiverse


One thing to note, however, is that the original 3D model has dimensional errors, both in width and length, which may be related to the inaccuracy of the modeling drawings, as I have studied every aspect of the submarine very carefully. You can see that some people on the Thingiverse site have questioned the dimensions of the model itself, but that's okay, it's still a great model!


Other RC submarine 3D models：RC submarine HMS Gotland 1/48 by Ewolve - Thingiverse



V

[Sinksalot]

Are you using a Resin printer on these? They look fantastic! Good job sir!

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat"

Yes, I used a Saturn resin printer to print those guns The guns even move left and right and the gun barrels move up and down. I can tell you I went thru 15 different updates to the design to get it right. But if i can do it, anyone can do it.

[rwtdiver]

Yea, the more guns I make, the better I get at it. I designed and printed the 3.7cm and 2cm AA guns for my 1/45 scale Engel Type IX.

Here is a picture of those guns. I hope the new gun looks just as good after a few tries with the design.

Are you using a Resin printer on these? They look fantastic! Good job sir!

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat"

[Sinksalot]

Yea, the more guns I make, the better I get at it. I designed and printed the 3.7cm and 2cm AA guns for my 1/45 scale Engel Type IX.

Here is a picture of those guns. I hope the new gun looks just as good after a few tries with the design.

[rwtdiver]

First prototype Japanese triple AA gun for the I-400. I am slowing thickening parts as at 1/72 its small. First try at printing with my Saturn resin printer failed do to thin parts. Will try again after I update file more.

David,

I did manage to get a pretty good representation on those deck guns, but I had to scratch build them!

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat"

[Sinksalot]

First prototype Japanese triple AA gun for the I-400. I am slowing thickening parts as at 1/72 its small. First try at printing with my Saturn resin printer failed do to thin parts. Will try again after I update file more.

[Sinksalot]

Steve, no it all ASA. I did print a top part in resin, however when I design the top parts I had to make them a little thick some of the places. After I finished the resin print on one of the top parts, i was amazed at how heavy the part was. So I went back to ASA for the whole hull of the sub.

[SubDude]

So far I am happy as to how the hull is shaping up for this I-400. I just finished a top part.

David, is that all resin printed?

[rwtdiver]

So far I am happy as to how the hull is shaping up for this I-400. I just finished a top part.

Sinkalot,

Your l-400 is really looking good! I think the way you have the upper and lower hull mating up with inside flanges will make for a nice fit. You might consider using pins to help line up the two hull sections as well!

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat"

[Sinksalot]

So far I am happy as to how the hull is shaping up for this I-400. I just finished a top part.

[Sam Victory]

[Sam Victory]

The third picture has a lot of content, the upper left corner is about the periscope * 2, electric probe * 1 lift, you can see three mini cylinders (can be homemade) ~ can lift independently. Separate control the periscope * 2 and electric probe * 1 . The three cylinders are independently connected to three small solenoid water valves, the medium passed into the cylinder is water, so only a peristaltic pump is required. The top right corner of the picture is about the command tower of the two radar rotating structure, the structure is very simple. The thing you see like a rotating pistol drum is actually a magnetically coupled connector (the top and bottom connectors are not touching), controlled by a gear motor. I use the magnetic coupling connector to control the radar*2 rotation is to consider in the upper and lower hull separation disassembly will be much easier, this structure is also very simple. There is also a geared motor, also using the magnetically coupled connector, for controlling the AA-guns*4 left and right oscillation (need motor PWM control module). The lower part of the picture shows the aircraft ejection device, which is fixed to the deck by magnets and can be disassembled to replace the original deck structure. The solenoid valve ejects a small amount of gas in an instant (I forgot to specify that the gas source for the 10 solenoid valves on the bow is from a U-shaped copper storage tank outside the WTC, and there is a throttle valve on the resin supply line for the 10 solenoid valves, which regulates the gas pressure to the right level to provide the 10 solenoid valves, and I have considered that the gas pressure required for torpedoes, aircraft ejection, and emergency surfacing is roughly similar).
Describing these images would require a lot of text, so this would take a lot of my time, so I think these images are just for show. I probably won't go on about the principles of my design, or when I have the time. My task is done.

[Sam Victory]

The first picture, which is about the bow solenoid, has a total of 10, placed side by side on the left and right, 5 on one side. Eight of them are used for （bow）8 torpedoes launching, and the rest two ：one for aircraft ejection, and the last one for submarine emergency surfacing. The strange "hole" structure you see is actually a resin air guide for the solenoid valves, which Mr. Merriman has done.



Considering the difficulty of production, I disassembled the resin air guide into several parts, and finally glued them into a whole, each part is connected by copper tubes, and then each part is glued.