Today's building

[Albacore 569]

I have a question about batteries. I am using Bob Martin's You tube video to assemble the Dolphin 2 battery packs.

These are Tenergy NiMH SubC 5000mAh Flat Top Rechargeable Battery (with Tabs) - 10 Pack. They will provide 12-volt power / 5 amh.
I selected these as it is the same power batteries of the Argonaute model. This makes the battery charger settings simplified using same
settings on charger for either boat.

My question is do I arrange soldering the batteries in one single row (10 x 1) for a heat shrinked waterproof battery pack. 19 inches long 1-inch
high 1 inch wide? the hull can accommodate. Or two rows (5 x 2) 9.5 inches long and 2 inches wide and 1 inch high?

From a weight balance and inertia point of view - any difference? Which arrangement would be best? A single long battery
along the 'keel' best for metacenter stability or the other? what do you guys do? In the Argonaute there are two five battery packs that lay
outside the WTC at the longitudinal balance point & curve up forming up along the outside ballast tank area of the wet hull.

The bottom hull fairing seen below in illustration - part of the real subs AIP on the model curves around underneath, and is 4 inch's wide and
1 inch deep around its radius, and 33 inches long. Plenty of room for either battery arrangement or any new one you might suggest I have
not considered.

[Albacore 569]

The rods top and bottom are in tubing so you can vary the length and tighten with the ring lock nut, the stern plane X stern linkages, and then yesterday I made a sleave to slide into the brass prop to accept a 4 mm steel prop shaft. The prop was originally planned ot have a 5 mm. But I didn't want t waste money when I already had two 4 mm ones that wll be just as strong.
the control rods have magnets on the ends t make a solid quick connect to the rods on WTC.

The control rods have magnets on the ends t make a solid quick connect to the rods on WTC A similar rod set up maybe similar for the forward bow planes.

The control rods were copied in design like those made by Nautilus subs for my Argonaute French submarine. They needed to be so the same WTC in that model will work fine in the Dolphin 2.

[Albacore 569]

Steven,

I am really impressed with your design and soldering ability on your X tail linkage design. If you are OK with it, I may make an attempt to fabricate a similar system for my 212!? I am starting to have some issues with my eyesight now (Macular Degeneration) I am having to work around the peripherals of the line of sight. Stupid black mass right in the center of sight. Always something when you get old. But we deal with it and MOVE ON!! :-))

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat."

Sure, you can make a duplicate of your own. I am flattered, but I did post here so others could learn from me (or my mistakes...lol) . I am just following others designs too after all. Importantly I would change the overall size and sizes of the same parts to fit into your smaller 212A or there will be clearances issues in a area cramped already.

The first thing in your model is determine (as what I followed first) what is the largest reasonable diameter solid brass rod for the rudder posts possible that slides into the rudders. Smaller will fit but largest you can use will be the more robust. That will determine the Dubro locking collars sizes (the diameters).

If you run out of brass solid rod stock, buy more or if have to wait again ordering online delivery, if you have similar sized brass hollow tubing, then slide in concentric tubes inside the larger and solder together. Just as strong, hell same principle worked well for the Supermarine Spitfire's wing spars.

It took me several tries of making the components to get the soldering down after practice. I used a normal soldering flux, and then silver solder and a small hand torch and a vice, with aluminum tubing acting as fixtures to maintain alignment (critical). I then used rubber wheels in a hand piece to clean up the parts after soldered and smooth out the silver solder. 'Merriman and Martin' have illustrations and you tube videos in various places to help guide you.

Years ago, a suitable anti flux while soldering (creating a barrier where you don't want the solder to flow) could be used with Pencil lead (graphite). Scribble over the area with a pencil. But I noticed that didn't work this time, so I think the pencils graphite must have changed or I have...lol.

Du-Bro nickel plated shaft wheel collars sizes. In my Dolphin 2, I used 1/8". That was the maximum diameter possible in my case on the Dolphin 2. For your 212A, you have to step size down, so they fit the appropriate size rudder posts.

• 1/16" (1.5 mm)
• 3/23" (2.3 mm)
• 1/8" (3 mm)
• 5/32" (4 mm)
• 3/16" (4.7 mm)
• 7/32" (5.5 mm)
• 1/4" (6.3 mm)

Ideally, since you have a 3 d printer, could you follow the public source design and just design and print your own out of suitable strength material? Doesn't Bob provide a suitable linkage for his 212 kits? I see in his videos Bob seems to crank out plenty of his beautiful 212A's for clients too. Just some thoughts.

My eyes aren't the best either. I just went to the optometrist and getting new up close and far distance glasses. I've been diabetic type 1 for 50 years on March 19th, 2024. My eyes seem to have the effects of diabetes over time, but fortunately seem well enough to not need injections or lasers. I hope I pass the DMV drivers test soon. The new Rx glasses should be a huge assist. I got to be able to drive to the ponds to be with you guys' 'simmerly afflicted' lol. Not afflicted with diabetes, though I have run into a lot in our local group a number f diabetics' the same age and time but afflicted with model submarines...lol.

[rwtdiver]

Steven,

I am really impressed with your design and soldering ability on your X tail linkage design. If you are OK with it, I may make an attempt to fabricate a similar system for my 212!? I am starting to have some issues with my eyesight now (Macular Degeneration) I am having to work around the peripherals of the line of sight. Stupid black mass right in the center of sight. Always something when you get old. But we deal with it and MOVE ON!! :-))

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat."

[Albacore 569]

Completed X stern linkages ready for clearance testing and installation. I used a lot of Du-Bro 1/8 inch Dura collars. The smallest Clevises online I bought were still too large, so I soldered up my own making sure the dimensions of both arms were identical. Seeing as an example Merriman's use of Aluminum tubing for alignment purposes while soldering was a big help

[Albacore 569]

Been in garage at bench making a x stern arrangement out of K&S 1/8th inch brass rod stock, A bronze bushing sleave from the hardware store, and some 4 mm wheel collars and locking nuts. Silver soldered with flux and a small hand torch in a vice.

Brass washers for the inner ring were considered but are not really all brass, but an alloy mix and had a lot of metal inside to remove, but a bronze bushing looked perfect. Cutting disk removed the cylinder to leave the flange as a bronze brass ring, so its heating properties would be close enough to the 5/16-inch diameter brass tubing to be silver soldered to it aligned to accept the 4 mm wheel inserts.

Aligning the outside U connector used 1/8th inch aluminum tubing to keep all aligned.

The two Rudder arms, one for each part should be arriving tomorrow. Super strong.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Yeah. Agreed. At some time, before one of use assumes room-temperature, we gotta hook up at a venue somewhere and show these other bum's how it's done, Steve.

David

[Albacore 569]

Very cool. That boat looks HUGE!

Thanks, If it will fit in the car trunk - fine. It is smaller than the Argonaute but she's 1/32 scale. The Dolphin 2 is 56.25 inches long and is 1/48.. It makes a nicer bow wave moving through the water when its larger. Many of the subs around in my area are 1/48 or 1/96. Dwayne Hill subs are also all 1/48 I believe. It would be an honor & fun to sail at the pond with hm someday. But first in line would be to sail models with Mr Merriman!

In the more traditional methods, changing scales to larger is a lot more in time cost materials to make larger patterns, molds and material and a lot more time in sanding finishing labor.

By contrast I think as long as you have a PVC pipe that will match the models' shape and scale requirements, 3 D printing has allowed much more freedom of choice of scales and more in cost, 1/96 parts are not that much more in cost and time than if they were printed in 1/48. Just a bit more time to print, (1-2 days more?) and material and if the printer has an adequate base to print larger parts. It's not that much more in cost going to a larger scale within limits.


Adding the towed array to the fixed centerline stern fin. Most research photos do not show this It was either not added when the photos at yard were taken or censored out.

Naval photos or most public builders' photos do not show this array, but some photos I guess for lack of a be better term third party photo sources (civilian photos from a sailboat in the same harbor) show something. The other secret thing added was the scribing for the large vertical deck hatch midships for a mission package for various missions and weapons and gadgets. I wouldn't be surprised if there were many more secrets, it is a submarine after al damn it. lol but for the model to be accurately represented visually it is all we need and not compromise the real boats and their sailors (except for the Russians ...lol). Fuc* 'm

The towed array on top is Brass rod turned on a lathe into a bullet shape, with the back OD reduced in diameter to except a small section of brass tubing of same outside diameter. epoxied, puttied, sanded & primmed.

The last illustration should hint what I'm tackling next.

[JHapprich]

Very cool. That boat looks HUGE!

[Albacore 569]

More progress today and last few previous day and nights. The sanding to make casing sections all straight and true. The sections already were excellent, but I block sanded & things shored up a little tighter if possible. The 5-inch PVC pipe now needed adjusting to its final length (5.25 inch outside diameter) for exactly 1 /48 scale.

PVC pipe was slightly 3//32 inch too long deliberately. Used a metal strap common in all hardware stores as both a reference line and metal barrier guard to align perfectly for sawing and sanding.

Last I placed glass on a wooden board on the shop floor and placing the pipe upon it to look for rocking, then adjusting the high points off filing off so it sits completely flat and true. The Egyptians pored a thin layer of water over their pyramid foundations bases to assure the foundations were flat and true. My way is a lot simpler, But the pyramids are still around..lol

Now things are coming together and preparing to glue the sections together. The PVC pipe now adjusted and proceeding smoothly.

[rwtdiver]

Steven,

I have gone through all 3 pages of your Dolphin build, and the similarities to the 212 A are in line. Especially the stern section and the "X" tail design. Looking at it, you must have had the same type design features for the linkages that I am currently building.for the 212!

Your boat is really coming along great!

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat."

[JHapprich]

Very cool sub! To me, Heavy Metal does the trick. Keeps the workflow steady ;-)))

[Albacore 569]

More work. ...Progressing well. Sorry sometimes I just like to stop, loosely place the masts in the c sail, and just look at her and see how far I've come and what's next. Cleaning the gray primer off my hands.

Deck details near done then will connect the top and lower hull casing sections together. Actually, detailing each casing section individually makes work scribing, putting, sanding priming and more sanding much easier before making into one. The new torpedo tube shutter scribing looks very good Bob, thank you for stencil.

Sanding in my cold shop, raining heavy outside (California), my internet pocket radio on KDFC classical music. Look them up on net. Classical relieves stress and promotes concentration I find.

The German 212A family lineage is seen here, but these Dolphin 2's are much bigger boats.

[Albacore 569]

Using a you tube video on how to cut my 5-inch diameter PVC pipe clean straight and perpendicular I cut and added the main hull section tonight. Coming together

[Albacore 569]

I used my computer to make a simple diagram based on the you tube video 'still' above of the vertical launch tube canister.

The canister insert is designed to accept multiple mission packages. Question without a drawing, how does one extrapolate the size in 1/48 scale?

We see the canisters shape and there are 7 missile containers. based on this knowing the caliber of the Popeye long range cruise missile which we know is fired out the 26-inch diameter bow torpedo (4 farthest most starboard) bow tubes,

calculated my best guess the canister deck hatch is 6.5 feet in diameter. This is 1-5/8 inches in 1/48 scale. Placing the canister midships longitudinally on its longitudinal balance point because the weights of the varying cannisters will vary in weight - based on this I scribed in the 'missile hatch on this logic for what It's worth.