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1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:53 pm
by the dark knight
thats right boys and girls! a project ive been planning for years! i am building a 1/32nd scale WWII german u-boat. i will be building the largest u-boat from germany, known as the IXD2 long range attack sub. these subs were designed to sail to the indian ocean, and once there, stay on patroll for a loooong time. i will be building the most sucsesful of this class, U-181. the sub when complete will be 1 inch short of 9 ft long. it will also be R/C, be able to dive with its ballast tanks, and mabey fire torpeados... not sure if i will do that just yet... any who, here is a pic of a real IXD2 (this is U-181 in drydock for repairs)

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and pics of the master plug so far...(it is laying on its deck with the keel up in the photos. basicly its upside down.)
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Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:38 pm
by timbremer
you can use small co2 cartridges to fire off your torpedos!!! just look out for McHales navy.....

Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:26 pm
by the dark knight
that is what most do. however, the torpeados never move fast enough, and air usualy ends up traped in the torpeado tubes causing an imbalance.. my buddy jeff has CO2 torpeados on his IXC/40 and runs into this issue... since electric motors and batteries are so small now, i could build scale electric G7e torpeados. :) just not sure yet, its not like ill be short on empty space in this hull!

on another note, hull is roughed in! next ill sculpt the front of the bow, and stern. then smooth out the plug.

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Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 9:06 am
by cblackthorne
Very cool. :)

Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:45 pm
by the dark knight
soo, sorry for not posting progress pics. but i have been a busy boy. first up is a couple pics of the hull plug. i am using drywall compound to help shape the plug. im hoping this will reduce the amount of work ill have to do later on. we will see.

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and my modified conning tower based on the lengthing the tower and making it match the photos i have of the real deal. so far im pleased with the over all shape im seeing.

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Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:54 am
by timbremer
looks good :rockin:

Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:01 am
by rebelbuttkicker
yeah a crater maker may not work so well underwater, but on the other hand what about one of those model rocket engines like A's or B's? Not for sure what the right size would be... :twisted:

Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:18 am
by the dark knight
lol. thanks.... the IXD2 has been on hold..... i ran into some issues casting the tower..... so i started another test bed submarine, this one is a 1/72nd scale soviet era alfa. the alfa is the fastest and deepest diving attack submarine (reaching over 40 knots submerged).

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here is the plug before fiberglass
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here is the plug with protective duct tape coating to prevent the fiberglass from eating the foam
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here is where it sits now with two layers of fiberglass on it
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here is the link to my main build thread if anyone is interested
http://s181686668.onlinehome.us/phpBB3/ ... 35&t=10396

Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 8:10 am
by rebelbuttkicker
I am quite impressed

Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:49 am
by the dark knight
thank you greg! some guys over at the subcommitte have been trying to convince me to make a mold of this hull. one is a man named Matt Thor. Matt is the king of accurate kit submarines, and his subs are affordable. after talking to him, i decided to mold this bad boy. i will be offering a limited run of these alfa submarines, and will try to keep prices low.

back to the sub..... yesterday i sanded most of my defects out, and applied another coat of resin

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then i got lazy and started using bondo instead of resin.

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Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:33 pm
by the dark knight
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Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 4:28 pm
by the dark knight
primer time! my favorite part of a project! means im almost done....

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here is what is left..... i have to apply a few more coats of primer. then i will scribe the hull lines, free flood vents and hatches on the sub. then i will try molding this bad boy. the first one out will be a test hull. if it turns out, production will start asap.

Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:04 pm
by TK-4484
Very nice, looking good

Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:25 pm
by the dark knight
thanks andy! your helmet will go to primer tomorrow too!

Re: 1/32nd scale submarine

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:10 am
by TK-4484
the dark knight wrote:thanks andy! your helmet will go to primer tomorrow too!
:stormtrooper: :D