Trumpeter 1/144 USS Gato

[crazygary]

Just ordered one of these for a future build and was wondering if
any of "youse guys" have converted one of them?

Pretty decent looking kit!!

Appears that a 2" SD would be the ticket?? Or is there any chance that a 2 1/4" SD might fit it, as in the one that'll power my Kilo?

Any 4-1-1 is always appreciated!!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Just ordered one of these for a future build and was wondering if
any of "youse guys" have converted one of them?

Pretty decent looking kit!!

Appears that a 2" SD would be the ticket?? Or is there any chance that a 2 1/4" SD might fit it, as in the one that'll power my Kilo?

Any 4-1-1 is always appreciated!!

Gotta be a 1.25" SD

[crazygary]

Thanks, M!

!.25 is even better! Should be able to use the SD from my little Skipjack, with the addition of the second prop drive gear, assuming she's to be built as a dynamic diver!

I think the little Gato will be my second sub, thereby allowing me more experience before going static with my Kilo!

Definitely an enjoyable learning curve! As an added bonus, I still have quite a few functioning brain cells left for future destruction possibilities!! Hah!!

[crazygary]

I received this kit yesterday and a quick look shows that it's a nicely done sub!

The hull halves mate up well, and the detail is pretty decent!! The deck is "ribbed" which might suggest that
it was modeled after the original teak strip deck. A relatively easy detailing project!!

No flood holes in the lower hull, so I ordered a flood hole template from AAA Hobby, specifically for the Trumpeter 1/144 Gato.
Good find!! They also have additional detail kits for this sub! Lots of deck weapons to choose from!!

Rudder parts and dive planes look to be beefy enough to use "as is", so I won't have to cast resin replacement parts!

She measures out at about 26" in length. That's probably going to be the max length to be able to run it in our pool!

Looking forward to this build, but not until my little 1/230 Skipjack has gotten wet a few times!! Still waiting on some items needed
to finish her.

I will post the entire build once I get started. ("Film at eleven"!)

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

We now resume our normal 1/230 SKIPJACK WIP ... in progress!

M

[crazygary]

Indeed we do!

A quick "in-and-out" of the paint shop, then "in" goes the SD, trim up the pushrods, charge the LiPo, and in the pool we shall go!!
YEEEhah!!

After necessary "sink trimming", of course, and with the blessing of my dear "other-half", so as to allow me to loosen my death grip upon the dreaded
"honey-do" list long enough to do some much needed "crazy guy stuff"!!??

"Pray for me"!! Hah!!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Go get 'em, Tiger!

M