Hi, I am new to the forum and have plans to build a 1/72 scale model of a submarine that has fascinated me for 50 years - the WW1 K Class. I am thinking of doing K26, the last of the line. Now, from reading various threads I think a ballast/gas/snort system is what I will need. The boat will be about 58" long so will need lots of ballast??
In case you don't know what a K Class looks like I will try and attach a diagram.
What I want to know is, is all the ballast best placed in the WTC or can an external tank be used as well? With K26 there is a substantial superstructure projecting above the waterline (red in the diagram). I can envisage the WTC ballast tank being flooded yet the boat COULD still float on the air in the superstructure if it was designed as an open-topped box.
So, flooding the WTC would get the sub down to "decks under water" but "superstructure only half submerged", then a further valve could allow water to enter the bottom of the open-top-box which would dive the sub, or at least get it down to just having the periscopes above water.
Does that make sense, or am I better off having the superstructure totally free-flooding and relying on the WTC to flood down?
Either way, I think I will need Mr Merriman to build me a WTC with a BIG ballast tank!!
Any ideas, anyone?
Kim in Australia
aka Weissman
In case you don't know what a K Class looks like I will try and attach a diagram.
What I want to know is, is all the ballast best placed in the WTC or can an external tank be used as well? With K26 there is a substantial superstructure projecting above the waterline (red in the diagram). I can envisage the WTC ballast tank being flooded yet the boat COULD still float on the air in the superstructure if it was designed as an open-topped box.
So, flooding the WTC would get the sub down to "decks under water" but "superstructure only half submerged", then a further valve could allow water to enter the bottom of the open-top-box which would dive the sub, or at least get it down to just having the periscopes above water.
Does that make sense, or am I better off having the superstructure totally free-flooding and relying on the WTC to flood down?
Either way, I think I will need Mr Merriman to build me a WTC with a BIG ballast tank!!
Any ideas, anyone?
Kim in Australia
aka Weissman
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