R/C TOY'S, COMBATANTS, RESEARCH VESSELS, AND THE SUBS OF SCIENCE FICTION
TOY LIKE R/C SUBMARINES
Remember the movie, 'Flight Of The Phoenix'? One of the survivors in the desert crash of a cargo aircraft, Dorfman, convinces the others to convert the wreckage into a smaller plane and escape, as no rescue seems eminent. The new aircraft nearly completed, Dorfman comments to the Pilot, Captain Townsend, that he is a professional model aircraft designer; not a designer of the 'real thing' all had assumed him to be. The flight is almost canceled as the exasperated Pilot bitterly dismisses Dorfman as only a 'toy airplanes' designer - convinced the flight to come will end in another tragedy!
Well, the story has a happy ending (the same can not be said of the stunt pilot who died flying the airplane in the movie) as Dorfman's creation takes wing and carries everyone to safety.
The moral (from my point of view, anyway) is that model or 'real thing', the principles and techniques of flight remain the same, be it an airplane or submarine.
As unfair as Captain Townsend's slam was regarding Herr Dorfman’s aeronautical skills, it is equally unfair for us to describe the many ready-to-go r/c submarine models offered by Nikko, Hobby Lobby and Graupner, as 'toys'. The term 'toy' is used here not as a put-down, but to differentiate the ready-to-go r/c subs from those built up from kits or scratch-built.
Most of the toys are dynamic diving type submarines: they have to be advancing in the water at a good clip before they can be forced under by action of stern or bow planes and hull angle. Being small of size, their turning radius is very small, making these models quite practical as 'pool toy's. A minimum amount of maintenance has to be done with these model submarines, usually all you need to do before a running season is to insure the transmitter and submarine battery are charged, and your ready to go!
(-----Nikko sub)
For as little as $150 you can purchase the Nikko toy submarine and have a blast! A unique feature is this toys use of a keel mounted propeller used to pull the positively buoyant hull underwater - adjusting the thrust permits hovering of the model at just about any depth.
(-----Seawolf sub)
The 'Seawolf', offered by Robbe is perhaps the best of the toys: a spacious interior, permitting enough room to add extra batteries and other devices, and a more scale like appearance than the others, this model submarine is capable of very high underwater speed and exhibits great stability. Operational and ready to go, you'll have to invest about $350. I've seen several of these boats run and they are quite maneuverable. An effective o-ring seal at the hull separation point and well thought out equipment mounting tray make for quick access, adjustments, and repairs. A good buy for the first time submariner.
(----graupner Shark)
The Graupner 'Shark', offered by Hobby Lobby, is a small (22 inches in length) sleek looking rocket! Featuring two propellers and large control surface, this model is reported to be highly maneuverable, fast, but a bit tricky to handle. You can expect to drop at least $300 on this toy and the accessories needed to make it operational.
Products go in and out of production, distributors sell and drop products, and prices change (when was the last time a price went down?). So, if the item you are looking for is no longer carried in the catalogs or you have problems identifying any of these products, use your local hobby shop as a source - most retailers will order what you need.
Most of us prefer to operate a submarine that represents a 'real' submarine, be it a warecraft, research vessel, or a submarine described in a science fiction movie or book. These scale model submarines typically are built from a kit or are scratch-built.
COMBATANTS
The majority of r/c submarines seen cruising the pond are models depicting warcraft. It's interesting, our fascination with machines that kill as opposed to machines that explore or exploit this planets natural resources. I'll put it this way: how many submarine model kits, r/c or static, do you know of that represent non-combatants?
Lets take a close-up look at some of the kits available today and a coupled of scratch-built projects. If there is a particular type submarine not available in kit form, you might consider building it from scratch - a task that is not as difficult as you may think.
(2-1, Krick U-Boat on surface)
Building into a very nice looking generic German U-Boat, and one of the best packaged and outfitted kits on the market today, is the Krick U-boat. Though of wooden construction, each layer of this bread-and-butter type constructed hull is pre-cut and ready for lamination. Rudder, speed control, and bow planes are all that are required to control the model. A great father/son project that completes in a few weeks of nightly work. The Krick kit building into a 3-channel, dynamically diving submarine. Elimination of a ballast system reduces the complexity and cost of the project. This very reasonably priced and well engineered kit is available from Hobby Lobby. The kit, radio, and accessories will run you about $500.
(2-7, Greg underwater controlling his ALFA)
Those looking for a model depicting a modern submarine there is the excellent Thor Design and Development 1/72 ALFA class submarine. The kit builds quickly and captures the menacing look of what has been reported to be the second fastest submarine in the world!
(2-7B, on display stand)
The 1/72 ALFA builds into a great looking display piece when mounted for display at home or office. Adding to the kits simplicity is the molded in place sail above the upper hull half. Assembly has been reduced to installing the four control surface stabilizers at the stern, punching out the hull flood/drain and limber holes, and paint the model. Of course there is the little mater of how to contain and install the ballast, propulsion, and control devices. But, that's why we developed the WTC-3.5!
(2-7A, overhead shot, top hull next to inner workings in lower hull)
The ALFA kit comes complete with a drawing showing a recommended water tight enclosure and placement of internal equipment if the builder wishes to build his own water tight space and ballast system. The tooling for this kit was created by Greg Sharpe of Deep Sea Designs, source for the finest plans of modern submarines available today.
(2-11, Dave preparing his OHIO for an outing)
(2-19, Copeland 1/96 OHIO kit parts on table)
Typically of many GRP hull kits is Dave Copeland's 1/96 OHIO.
Copeland Scale Models also produces a 1/96 GRP kit of the OHIO. The hull splits (as most kits do) horizontally at the longitudinal center line. An indexing lip along one hull half does much to ease the task of hull assembly. A complete set of working drawings guide the builder to make and install water tight boxes to house the internal equipment. The control surfaces and other appendage are solid cast polyurethane resin.
(2-12, Dave holding his wet OHIO)
Dave's OHIO is a surprisingly well handling model on and under the water. Of the wet-hull type, his model interior floods with water, making the model much lighter in weight out of the water.
(2-8, 1/96 OHIO by 32nd Parallel, with MK 3 box)
32nd Parallel too offers a 1/96 OHIO kit. Their offering features a very comprehensive set of instruction and scale drawings. A very useful feature of the kit is a removable 'tail cone' which permits easy access to the stern control surface linkages. The models only shortcoming is a very thin and weak sail structure heat formed from plastic sheet - unlikely to survive any but the lightest of collisions with a model boats hull.
(2-9, 1/96 OHIO by 32nd Parallel, Ellie next to it)
Unlike other manufacturers, 32nd Parallel offers standard and deluxe versions of each kit they produce. For example, their deluxe version includes motors, all hardware, and their MK-3 water tight container used to house the battery, r/c, control, and the propulsion elements needed to animate the submarine. Drawings and instructions describe either a gas or pump type ballast system. Purpose built ballast tanks accompany the deluxe version of this kit.
(2-13, Dave's 1/96 LA kit)
Another kit offered by Copeland Scale Models, is their 1/96 LOS ANGELES class attack submarine. This GRP kit also features an indexing lip along the length of one hull half and has additional parts to permit you to build either the flight 1 and 2 (sail planes, with or without vertical launch tubes) or flight 3 (bow planes, vertical launch tubes). Instructions are a bit sparse, but the drawings indicate where everything goes and the reasonably astute model builder will have no problem assembling and making this fine kit operational.
Copeland Scale Models also produces a line of water tight boxes suitable for installation within either their 1/96 LOS ANGELES, 1/96 TYPHOON, or 1/96 OHIO r/c submarine kits or other manufacturers submarine kits.
(2-14, SKIPJACK next to WTC, instructions, and transmitter)
In model aviation there is a form of kit called ARF - Almost Ready To Fly. These r/c plane kits come to you with the major subcomponents (wings, fuselage, etc.) completed and ready for assembly to one another. Typically, an ARF plane kit can be assembled in an evening and can go fly/crash it the next day.
A number of years ago 32nd Parallel introduced the first truly r/c submarine ARF type kit, but called it an ARS - almost ready to submerge. An excellent scale model of the German high speed coastal boat. Their ARS 1/32 Type-23 kit is a wonder of engineering and indeed can be assembled and operated after only a weeks evenings of assembly.
Recently we introduced our own ARS r/c submarine kit, a 1/96 SKIPJACK class attack submarine. The kit arrives with the hull assembled and painted primer gray. The stern planes, rudder, and all linkages are attached and ready for hook-up to the recommended WTC-3. The only task this kit demands of the modeler is the opening of the lower hull flood/drain ports, procurement and installation of the WTC, and a quick paint job. Two nights of work and your ready to make the lake safe for Democracy!
A fully capable model like the SKIPJACK runs about $1100: $350 for the kit itself, $350 for the WTC-3, and the rest spent on r/c system, battery, battery charger, angle keeper, fail-safe, glue, paint, and miscellaneous items.
(2-6, Gene standing over uncompleted GATO model)
Without a doubt the Cadillac of r/c submarine kits is 32nd Parallels 1/32 GATO. Gene Berger - current Editor of the SubCommittee magazine, The Report - built his GATO into one of the most capable r/c submarine around. Its capabilities are awesome: it can fire ten very scale looking MK14 torpedoes gas-type torpedoes; the retractable radar antenna rotates; the on-board CO2 gas source and distribution system pneumatically controls and operates the ballast system, torpedo firing, and bow plane retract mechanism; and a hydraulic system operates the retractable scopes and radar antenna and discharges 'cooling water' from the diesel exhaust ports either side of the superstructure.
And at nearly ten feet in length it's a big model and makes for a stunning sight underway on the surface cruising by the light of a setting sun... until time comes to haul this monster out of the water for the trip back home!
(2-18, AKULA underwater in Tom's pool quarter stern from stb.)
The experienced model builder may wish to get into the game as I did: by finding a subject of interest that may not be commercially available, and making it from raw materials.
My first scratch-built r/c submarine was a 1/96 Soviet AKULA class SSN built up from tools (molds) left over from a job for a defense industry client. That model has gone through quit a few alterations over the years - three specific phases in fact. Later, I'll point to the various installations to show you what went right and wrong with the various systems tested.
(2-4, Johann Sauer holding his Type-18b)
Johann Sauer, An exceptionally skilled scratch-builder, constructs his models using the 'lost foam' process. His Type-18, for example, is constructed of carefully carved styrene foam. Set within the foam structure he places the wooden frames that later form a seat upon which secures the Lexan lids used to access the models interior, the stern horizontal stabilizers, and metal reinforced stem.
Once Johann finishes cutting and sanding a hull to shape he applies epoxy saturated fiberglass cloth over the structure to form a water and pressure proof GRP 'skin'. He then digs away the foam from within the access lid frame until only the GRP shell remains.
THE SUBMARINES OF SCIENCE FICTION
(2-3, FLYING-SUB in Carl's hand)
A surprisingly large number of possible submarine subjects originates from the worlds of science fiction. Be the inspiration a book, film, or TV show, many interesting and challenging designs exist.
Proving that just about anything can be made to operate well underwater, I offer Carl Kalkhof's amazing r/c FLYING-SUB model built up from the old plastic Aurora FLYING-SUB kit. Equipped with three miniature toy water pumps for propulsion, turning, and depth control, Carl dispenses with a ballast tank, using two upward pointing 'jets' to push the slightly buoyant model under the water. The two jet nozzles at the stern, working differentially, produce large turning moments that permits his FLYING-SUB to literally turn on a dime.
An excellent example of what you can do with an old model kit, today’s miniaturized equipment, and some careful thought.
(2-2, Ray Mason's NAUTILUS on table with squid)
This NAUTILUS r/c submarine is a scratch-built model constructed by America's master r/c fantasy submariner, Ray Mason, from the Disney movie, '20,000 Leagues Under The Sea'. This, another example of a model submarine working effectively without the aid of a ballast tank, Ray's model when outfitted for in-water operation receives a set of non-scale bow and stern planes.
(2-2A, NAUTILUS on surface, dead in water)
Faithful to the movie, Ray's NAUTILUS cuts a dangerous wake as its alligator like upper works slice through the water. A popular subject with scratch model builders, the Disney NAUTILUS is perhaps the most distinctive looking submarine ever conceived. This model is a show stopper wherever Ray takes it.
(2-5, Ray's SWORD)
Competing for the honor of most bizarre practical r/c submarine ever built is another Ray Mason creation: the SWORD. This fictitious craft was featured in a European film based on the Joules Vern story, 'For The Flag'. As is his practice, Ray constructed the SWORD from GRP. Unique features include a steerable propeller and two sets of oscillating 'duck feet' for propulsion. When positioned together the duck-feet work as dive planes.
Always the tinkerer, Ray even equipped this Victorian era model with a telescope equipped crewman who, on command, opens the hatch and sticks his head out!
These are but a few examples of the types of submarines that have been built by skilled r/c submariners and made to operate in a realistic manner. I've seen SEAVIEW's, a STINGRAY, and even a YELLOW SUBMARINE cruising on and under ponds and swimming pools.
The above should make the point that r/c submarining is an established hobby and that a broad range of submarine subjects can be made to work on and below the surface.