First Russian combat submarine: Delfin (display model)

[DrSchmidt]

New little project: A 1:144 scale kit of the first operational Russia submarine „Delfin“. Besides being the first, there is not much positive to report about the boat. It looks like directly derived from a comic book, it sank twice without enemy contact, killing 25 crewmen in one incident, and all in all it proved pretty much incapable. Guess what, when they tried to scrap it, it sank again. Nevertheless a unique looking little thing that will be a good addition to my collection. Kit is again by Ukrainian company Mikro Mir. Started by opening the limber holes and then joining the port and starboard halves of the hull. Then I put some epoxy putty inside the lower hull to later act as anchor point for the stand.









Then I attahed the deck and filled all remaining seams and gaps. Then I glued the conning tower (3 parts) into place and addes some firts external tubes...

[Albacore 569]

Delphn the net reports was 64 feet long divided by 1/144 scale = model is 5 .3 inches long?

[DrSchmidt]

13,46 cm short....that's about right. Tiny. And it held a crew of 22-25. Insane.

[Subculture]

Looks heavily influenced by Simon Lake's designs, whom I believe worked with Russia alongside Austria and Germany on their submarine designs.

[DrSchmidt]

Wikipedia has to say this about the designers:

Delfin was designed by Naval architect Senior Assistant Ivan Grigoryevich Bubnov, Lieutenant M.N. Beklemishev and Lieutenant I.S. Goryunov of the Construction Commission for Submarines (later the Rubin Design Bureau). Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_submarine_Delfin

But who knows where they got their inspiration. German engineers "lended" theit two hull design for the U1 from French designers.....

[Subculture]

Lake was contracted to work for the Russians from 1902, the Delphin was constructed in 1903.

[DrSchmidt]

Lake was contracted to work for the Russians from 1902, the Delphin was constructed in 1903.

That makes perfect sense then....

[DrSchmidt]

More details added on the tiny 1:144 scale Russian submarine Delfin. The periscope on the conning tower has Ben added together with tiny brass support struts. The stern got the two stabilizer planes and the fragile metal structure got the external torpedo release mechanism. Finally a plethora of vertical control planes have been added….funny looking boat.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

The number and location of the hull mounted horizontal planes is a clear reflection of Lake's inputs to this project (active or 'borrowed') -- he being the main champion of the 'even keel' method of depth control; his hand is most apparent in this boats design.

Looking good, Doctor.

David

[DrSchmidt]

Thanks Dave!

I installed what I think is the hinge for the hatch with the periscope. As this hatch must have been rather heavy, it was balanced with a counter weight. The two flag poles of the kit were scrapped and replaced by brass wire of the same diameter and crowned with plastic caps. The window frames on the conning tower are small photo-etched parts. Flimsy, but it went down really good.

[DrSchmidt]

Progress on my 1/144 scale Russian submarine from 1903: Dolfin. I added the flimsy photo-etched rudder guards. The rail stanchions of the kit were not usable and therefore have been replaced by ones made of 0,3 mm spring steel. I added a brass exhaust and finally plenty of photo-etched brass eyes found their place on the hull. Rigging is next.Tricky job, but I‘m happy with the result. Interesting build so far.

[DrSchmidt]

Finished my 1:144 Russian Delfin submarine project. Painting turned out nicely. Stand is 3D-printed and the base plate, that will host another 1/144 sub, was made of stained and clear coated maple wood.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

The Drzewiecki drop-collar: every Torpedoman's nightmare!

Beautiful presentation there, Doctor. I'm a fan of your work, sir. Keep pumping out this good stuff!

[redboat219]

Any ideas how the triple dive plane set up was used.

[DrSchmidt]

The torpedo mechanism looks very flimsy....but it stems from a time when torpedoes could only run straight. So it makes kinda sense to angle and aim the torpedo.