Mike and I Are Producing a New Sub Kit

[Slats]

Was going to ask, David / Mike what are the size limits of your machine?

J

[Slats]

I missed this excellent thread.

Why not do a smaller version say 1/20 th of the X craft.
Mike you have the plans for this.

To me the GRP commercial X craft models are so big they cross the boundary for scale model to "toy like", which is why I won't buy one.

You put a vac kit together in this scale or thereabouts of an X-craft and I'd buy it and the SD to go with it.

Also - what about a large scale DSRV - or some sort of research sub?

[Von Hilde]

Gentelmen, I didnt know about this thread, coo beans! I have been building my boats around cigar shaped pressure hulls that will facilitate a WTC cylinders. The fore and aft cone shaped sections are the primary pieces that can be used in various scales with defferent diameter and liengths of center sections. Basiclly, Im saying, if I got my hands on one of those kits, I would chop the hell out of it build a Type II cannoe around it.

[reddevil]

Wait a minute. I think I've missed something. Are you talking about the canoe or about fitting torpedo tubes to the fellow with flippers?

[Subculture]

A Belgian modeller brought along a slew of interesting looking subs to a Dive-in a back in 2010. One of them was a model of the Popular mechanics sub (Plans are online). You can see this from 11:16. I had a turn at the sticks, and it was extremely agile and easy to drive. He has a bunch of these models in various scales, and he told me there was some discussion with Graupner about kitting it, but clearly nothing ever came of it.

[trout]

Figure fans? I still have a GI Joe in the box with his sargeant stripes, still on the peel off paper. I am not speaking from any knowledge or insight other than my guts. You guys might be onto something, it just does not appeal to me. I do believe you, there are many collectors, so we will see and it will be fun to watch the build. Look forward to learning more.

[herrmill]

This is why I like thinking outside the box. Whether or not anything comes of it, that's debatable but there are other chariots worth considering that might of greater interest & not just to the RC sub community.

As I mentioned in my email, something like this would sell with toy figure fans, especially those grown up "kids" who value scale collectables & have the money to invest. Its a big market worldwide, far larger than model subs. Do a search for 1:6 military collectables & you'll see what I mean.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Yes 1/6th scale- known as 'Action man' in the UK.

The 'Sleeping beauty' in the clip was smaller scale, i think about 1/8th. it was later improved by fitting front hydroplanes, something the prototypes had retrofitted too.

And I just had a very nice e-mail exchange with Quentin Rees, author of Cockelshell Canoes (WW2 BMC), and likely the most knowledgble guy in the world on the subject. All this from a steer I got from Chuck Miller. Something might come of all this yet. Thanks, guys.

David

[Subculture]

Yes 1/6th scale- known as 'Action man' in the UK.

The 'Sleeping beauty' in the clip was smaller scale, i think about 1/8th. it was later improved by fitting front hydroplanes, something the prototypes had retrofitted too.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Argue? No. Disagree? Yes. The same reasons you give for not doing the sub mentioned, I would say for the underwater canoe. I do not see anything ominous about it, attractive about it, and question the handling of it. It looks like a toy a GI Joe would go in. The point of the kit you are coming up with is to be an easy beginner sub yes? What do a lot of beginners want to build for their first sub? Something that looks cool, resembles something real, and has the appearance of having some teeth. I would add, unfortunately, easy to build and run. All too often I see beginners wanting the world in their sub and ultimately fail from frustration, but a kit that they can get under their belt will hook them into falling in love with this hobby (or whatever you want to call this insanity we do). So do a real sub (not an underwater sled) or create one that will have an ominous look that modules can be added to it like a torpedo module, electronics module, working mast module, etc.

Who asked you!!! Oh .... wait a minute. I did. And you raise valide points, Tom. OK, it's official -- it's on the 'list'. What's G.I. Joe scale, 1/6th?

David

[trout]

Argue? No. Disagree? Yes. The same reasons you give for not doing the sub mentioned, I would say for the underwater canoe. I do not see anything ominous about it, attractive about it, and question the handling of it. It looks like a toy a GI Joe would go in. The point of the kit you are coming up with is to be an easy beginner sub yes? What do a lot of beginners want to build for their first sub? Something that looks cool, resembles something real, and has the appearance of having some teeth. I would add, unfortunately, easy to build and run. All too often I see beginners wanting the world in their sub and ultimately fail from frustration, but a kit that they can get under their belt will hook them into falling in love with this hobby (or whatever you want to call this insanity we do). So do a real sub (not an underwater sled) or create one that will have an ominous look that modules can be added to it like a torpedo module, electronics module, working mast module, etc.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Have a look from 3:32 onward.

An argument for not doing this as a kit: not that it had a break-down, just that it is a most unatractive subject and a ***** under the water. Thanks for showing us this. Anyone want to argue with my thoughts here? I'm open to comment and suggestions.

Thanks, Andy.

[Subculture]

Have a look from 3:32 onward.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Cool beans!

So when is that diving canoe kit hitting the market? It's perfect in 1:6 scale for my old GI Joe frogman. :wink:

... and since I'm back into figure work I can provide with the kit a commando with removable head! Those Japanese were savage little ****s!

Seriously though ... This is a great idea, Chuck: only four channels, ballast tank, stern planes, rudder, and throttle. You have given me something to dig into. As usual, it's guys like you, Mark, and Andy who turn up the 'good stuff'.

[herrmill]

Cool beans!

So when is that diving canoe kit hitting the market? It's perfect in 1:6 scale for my old GI Joe frogman. :wink: