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I really fell in love with these little Ukrainian models by Mikro Mir. They have a huge selection of rare submarine types, not the 1000th version of a VIIc. so here'e the next one, the Albacore. The kit is simple. The fusealge is made of an upper and lower half. Before joining the two I put a piece of Milliput (2K putty) in the lower hull to have a goo base for the stand support. Then: glue and join...
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Does the kit offer Albacore's different phases? Drawing below created by our Mr David Merriman.
Last edited by Albacore 569; 04-29-2024, 12:54 PM. -
I don't think so, only one version....and I'm not familiar with the different versions. My impression is, that it's the version that is displayed today in New Hampshire, with the sail ending in a control plane and the counter-rotating props.Comment
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Thats great. Sure, someone in that tiny scale will make a 3d printed aftermarket conversion kit. (And charge a ridiculous price at shape ways). The Phase IV is the coolest to me. The distance between the props varied in tests. The exact prop arrangement with a completely different internal propulsion arrangement was used on another Portsmouth NSY sub, the USS Jack (Permit class) using a unique contra rotating steam turbines. Studies showed propulsion efficiently gained was not that significant & not worth repeating. I would love hearing reading Rickover's thoughts and ideas about it. I'm sure he was the final decision not to repeat it on 'his' submarines. Albacore I am so happy is preserved, the reasons historically & technologically so significant. It is all there to read and marvel at. Toured her in the late 1990's with Marshall Clark making a short drive north and back on the way to the Groton subcommittee regatta. They display those notorious pancake diesels passed dwn from the original Tang class boats. My Albacore model and my USS Permit both 1/96 scale won 2nd & 1st place respectfully in static that year. David Merrman was a great help assisting a old modeler to a new exciting first subject and been 'afflicted' ever since. Lol. Not the clap, submarine modeling! ROFL.Last edited by Albacore 569; 04-29-2024, 01:25 PM.Comment
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More stuff.
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Are there infos on the paint scheme of Albacore? Kit says all black, older photos of the museum shop show a black underwater hull with a gray above water section.Comment
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There was a brief period -- during the phase-1 evaluations -- where the ALBACORE featured a very distinctive two-tone black and gray above waterline scheme. Other than that, (as was Portsmouth shipyard practice) the boat was totally black, from top to bottom.
However, during a very short period after the boat was decommissioned it was painted international orange as it was to be used as a 'target' (never happened, thank God!).
https://youtu.be/4NIRblzfz_8
DavidWho is John Galt?Comment
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O.K., then the all black scheme will be it....neice to see the offset in the x-rudder planes on your boat. I thought it was a misteke in the kit until I leraned that the offset was real. Does anyone know, why they did without bow dive planes.
Cheeers AndreasComment
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From the beginning they found the bow planes not only redundant -- the stern planes on all phases of testing were more than enough to effect positive and precise depth-control. Likely the short moment arms on this tiny submarine had something to do with the pitch and yaw rates.
Three things necessitated the extreme offset from the two sets of X-tail tail-feathers: the large diameter outer propeller shaft took up a lot of real-estate at the narrow stern; the tight stern would not accommodate two big yokes along that same plane; and the yokes had to be massive owing to the extreme torque and shear forces presented by the control surfaces at speed.
Who is John Galt?Comment
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Definitely a good looking boat....did the rudder on the sail any good? Was ist for roll controll?Comment
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A pity the little 1/96 Albacore never made it through to kit form.Comment
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Who is John Galt?Comment
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Both my 1/60 and 1/96 ALBACOR's employed a practical dorsal rudder. Very effective. Put there to kill the inboard roll (an artifact of the tall topside sail structure -- foil-roll it's called) in tight turns. Also employed as a 'break' during unplanned depth-excursions (poop in panties time!).Who is John Galt?Comment
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Albacore AGSS-569 May 1954. Added supporting David's post.
There was a brief period -- during the phase-1 evaluations -- where the ALBACORE featured a very distinctive two-tone black and gray above waterline scheme. Other than that, (as was Portsmouth shipyard practice) the boat was totally black, from top to bottom.
However, during a very short period after the boat was decommissioned it was painted international orange as it was to be used as a 'target' (never happened, thank God!).
David
Below the innovative retracting foil shaped 'sleaves' masts. Greatly reducing or eliminating pericope vibration and added stiffening of the masts when using the scopes at higher than usual periscope dept speeds possible now.
When you view Albacore photos, you must remind yourself how all this was radically and excitingly new - pioneered by the Albacore, features we take for granted today introduced by this revolutionary submarine at that time.
Later in Phase 2 (all black) Orange rescue buoys) For visual contrast. Unique retracted bow placns with foils oriented backwards in stowed position. The Bow planes combined in a experiment the mechanism to retract the bow planes and also used for operation when extended. the Arms on the planes were angled out from the hull 45 degrees and rotated around oriented forward when extended. Later the bow planes were ditched, unnecessary hydrodynamically nd technical complexity.
Except for the hydrodynamically dirty stock Fleet boat submarine deck hatch, gazing aft, we see the shape of things to come.Last edited by Albacore 569; 05-01-2024, 08:23 PM.Comment
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Filled and sanded the seams of the hull, assembled the 3-part sail and put everything together:
The masts of the kit are Mikro Mir standard: flimsy, not very accurate soft...in the end not really usable. So I built my own masst using 0,8 mm brass tube and 0,3 mm brass wire. Worked out well:
Then I went on attaching the x-rudders and filled the seams:
The props are unique: coaxial twin screw. Mikro mir does a nice job recreating the props using pe blades that are bent in shape. The joining plastic parts are again really out of shape or not usable. Took a while to fix taht, but the result is worth it:
Then some final brass parts...and ready for paint:
Painting is pretty easy. Tamiya gray primer and the flat black. Quick fix:
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