The Scale Shipyard

[subcapt101974]

Hi,
I am looking to purchase a 1/96 Akula from The Scale Shipyard. I cannot find photos of the hull itself and there is no info online also about this hull. Has anyone purchased and/or built this hull? Does it need alot of work to finish? Is the scribe work acceptable? I putchased an Alfa from Lee a couple of years ago which was nice. I want to be sure before I purchased one.

Cheers

[Subculture]

The best Akula hull is the Scale Ships Akula kit, which is manufactured in Russia. The detail on that kit is superb, the only downside is that some of the parts are a little fragile for a working model, and are easily knocked off, so it may be wise to leave some of the more fiddly bits off, or make them removable i.e. fix them on with magnets perhaps?

http://rcmodelsubmarines.co.uk/#/196-k-157-akula/4530491251

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Lee's 1/96 AKULA is a POS. I know, I built the masters back in the mid-80's. That was a 'best guess' at the time and not terribly accurate. Take Andy's advice and go for the Scale Ships AKULA.

[subcapt101974]

I purchased a scaleships Akula in 2009 and the hull arrived warped and the scribing on the sail and on the hull sides was bad due to probably a bad or very used mold. This would have needed to have been filled in and rescribed. I was very dissapointed for $500 is what this hull cost me at the time with shipping. I sold it for like $250 on ebay a week later but besides these points it is a very handsome hull indeed. I would repurchase this hull handsdown again if it were better. Has anyone purchased this hull lately?

[Subculture]

The sole Scale ships Akula is the one I linked to. Not sure if he had any problems with warpage, but the scribing looked crisp. I've heard others have had a few problems with warped hulls from scale ships. Odd really, as they're epoxy glass which shrinks a lot less than polyester.

[reddevil]

I also have one of Vladimir's AKULA. Had no warpage problems with the hull, and scribed details were correct. Valdimir also supplied a second set of decals cause the first arrived damaged due to the sheet was folded. I've posted pictures about the building and a link with a video about sea trials. This morning was with her at the pond. Great patrol. There were six or seven sailing ships racing there, so plenty of targets to hunt.

[subcapt101974]

Yeah I'll probably end up taking a leap a faith and purchasing a Scaleships Akula. I will make Vladimir aware of my past purchase with him. I'm waiting for some funds to free up. As for The Scale Ship yard, I am still waiting for Lee to supply me with photos of one of his Akula hulls. It's taking forever. I waited a year for him to send an Alfa that I purchased from him in 2005. It was a nice hull though.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I'll tell you the nice sub hulls to get from Lee: The 1/96 ALFA you mentioned is one of the best. His best is the 1/72 SKIPJACK, I run one and it's a total blast! His I-19 is nice. his little 1/96 GATO/BALAO is a POS. The 1/96 AKULA sucks. The other 'on the shelf' sub hull kits have specific issues, but nothing some hard work and creativity won't fix. The rest of his r/c sub hull items in the catalog are vapor-ware. Quality varies because different guys did the master and glass work.

What takes Lee so long to get you a hull is the fact that he has to deal with 'gypsi' glass guys -- they'll take his tools, do a few lay-ups ... just enough to raise the cash for a good week-ends drunk ... and are never heard from again. That, or Lee is bombarded by transients who are under-qualifed to get a job running the loop-de-loop at the local carnival and come to Lee's door pleading for some glass work saying, "I really need the cash, Man!".

Tough keeping and paying good, skilled, reliable glass guys.


American's today -- even high-school drop-out, nose-picking, mullet wearing, mouth-breathing meth-heads -- won't lift a finger for work offering anything less than fifteen-bucks an hour. And the moment you hire them they ask for a Dental Plan in the hope that it will save the last tooth in their head!

David

[subcapt101974]

Hella of a way to run a buisiness eh?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

And people ask why we take our business to China!?.....

[subcapt101974]

Been trying since monday to place an order with Scaleships for their Akula with no answer. Does anyone know if they closed shop or something?

[Subculture]

I think Vlad has broken his hand or something along those lines. But AFAIK, he's still in business.

[subcapt101974]

Is it the same contact email? No one answers at the sub
marine@scaleships.biz address.

[Subculture]

These three email addresses are on their website-

info@scaleships.biz
submarine@scaleships.biz
vivascalemodels@yandex.ru

You could also try contacting Wayne Frey over on the Sub Committee board. He's currently doing a Borei class with some the Scaleship Akula mouldings, and I think he recently purchased another hull from Vlad as part of that build.

[subcapt101974]

Does Wayne have an email address so I can contact him?
Thanks for the help subculture.