Ok so i have heard about balse and fiberglass hulls. Whats the deal? do you use a fiberglass hull then make the deck and a small part of the top balsa? i would think that would be smart to have the minimum amount to have to repair. I was wondering how each is used. also about layering wood on fiberglass? i dont get it >_p>
Alot of people use fiberglass hulls. They then cut 'windows' in them to form the penetrable zones. Look in the warship builds sub-forums for examples. These windows are sheeted with balsa (1/32 for fast gun, Big Gun I believe it depends on ship class). I believe in most clubs superstructures and decks can be made from whatever materials you find most suitable for the job.
Ok so after looking at the site I was wondering where i could get a 1/144 scale U-boat (fiberglass hopefully?) hull.
I don't think anyone has produced a fiberglass U-boat hull. The submarine hulls I know of are the French Surcouf and Japanese I-400. These were the two largest submarine designs built during the period allowed under the rules of most r/c naval combat clubs. At 1/144 scale, they are about the only sub models big enough to hold the components necessary for making a battle-worthy vessel (propulsion system, electronics, batteries, cannon system). I also know of at least one smaller submarine that's been made but it is unarmed and used as a convoy ship only. Here is a link to a thread about creating an improved fiberglass hull for the I-400: I-400 Hull
so just to be sure of this i was thinking, a 221 foot long hull would be 18 inches in 144 scale right? (221 FEET NOT INCHES) well anyway, is there anyone who will make custom hulls? I mean, it would be nice to be able to buy one ready made...
Some food for thought.. A VII would be only 18.3 inches long, 1.7 inches at the widest beam and could only weigh probably only about a 1.5 lbs. A IX/D would be a little under 24 inches long, 2 inches at the widest beam and could only weigh 3.14 lbs. A XXI would be just under 21 inches long, 2.1 inches at the widest beam and could only weigh 3.8 lbs. Draft wise I think it would be maybe an inch and a half or 2 if that.. I don't see the hull being more than 36 feet high I don't have any plans for a uboat.. basically a VII which it seems you are looking to do would be micro mini.. and real difficult to do with in the weight limit. Most fast gun does not allow torpedo so the XXI might be out since it has no true deck cannon. Even in 1/96 the VII would be too tight it would have a max weight in the 2lb range.. You would have to set it up to be a dynamic diver due to the weight and it would not be a stable one most likely. Your battery life would be counted in the minutes. Then you wouldn't still have enough weight to be able to put in any kind of weapon system. If you want to do a 1/144 you will will have to do a Japanese I-400 for the Axis or the Surcouf or Argonaut for the allies. Your best bet would be attempt a 1/96th submarine and hope for a big gun group near you.. a better bet would be to find a local group and get involved with their ruleset.
Go to this site www.battlestations.org/ under shipyards is a 1/96th Nautilus (similar to the Argonaut). You can also see how big/heavy it is under the ship registry choose Nautilus under US Submarines.
If you are serious about getting into this hobby, you'd probably be better off starting with a surface ship (like a battlecruiser), learning about how all the systems work, and finding out what makes one kind of ship more effective than another. This experience will give you a better understanding of what it will take to make a submarine that's effective in combat. I don't think anyone has really accomplished that feat yet, though many have tried.
Well if i make any subs it will be in 1/96 scale due to the rules are more well defined, and the scale allows for better construction.
go to the local club look and talk dont think now. go to your local club and you will go home with the right info. and more of what you will build.you should build a ship 1st
1/96 is just fine so long as there's a club nearby that builds in that scale. Otherwise, you'll have a ship with no one to shoot at. Evil Joker is right--you should meet up with a club in your area and they will have plenty of good information for you to digest. It's best to really think through what you want to do before getting started so you end up with a ship you'll enjoy for a long period of time.
Well the problem is that i want to join 1/96 battlestations, but they are spread all over and i doubt they would have any battles withing a state. i live in va so there are 2 groups nearby, one in maryland and one mainly in va, but niether are 1/96 i think and they dont have the 1/96 rules that make it more appealing to me.
Go visit them: it will really enlighten you even if you don't want to battle with them. While I tend to think that joining the nearest club is the most likely way for an interested person to become an enduring member of the hobby, there are benefits of visiting them even if you want to start your own group separate from them with different rules. Look at how to install a rudder and rudder servo, install a pump, cut up a fiberglass hull, sheet a hull with balsa, select a CO2 bottle and regulator, select components for the gas system, where to get props and other running gear, and many more things that you probably haven't thought about. There are so many little things in these boats that I take for granted, and taking a look at how other people do things is a very important boost: you don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Eastern or western Virginia? the MABG does 1/144 Big Gun and I believe at least a couple of other folks in the state besides myself intend upon building in scales other than 1/144; it's a matter of time and money and the other priorities to accomplish first (namely, getting a working ship onto the water in my case). You really should visit an existing club to talk with existing members and see their ships to get a better feel for what is involved with each build. While I don't want to discourage you from thinking big (or small, as it may be with destroyers, torpedo boats, and subs), the smaller the vessel, the more skill and experience you'll need to be able to build and battle. To put everything in persepctive, take a look at (or possibly even print-out and use) the templates here. Then consider having to install electric motors, batteries, cannon(s), a CO2 gas system, servos, and a pump while limiting the finished weight to under 2 pounds. If you can successfully execute a build of an Orfey Class Russian destroyer, odds are that you're ready to tackle a sub (though U-boats would probably require technology far too pricey to afford for this hobby).
I firmly agree with Webwookie. Small boat are VERY difficult. When I had started this hobby, I was thinking of building a PT boat! To teach me a lesson the club asked me to finish a vary large destroyer that someone had started. To date I have not been able to arm the destroyer and have it float at the water line! That destroyer is sitting on the shelf while I now work on Tirpitz. I do plan to one day finish that deatroyer and go on to build a PT boat but that is many years in the future, should I live so long.
Lol im too stubborn to change. I will probably hatemyself for doing it too lolz. But anyway yes i know even at 1/96 scale a u boat would be complex. i am thinking about makeing a other ship first. I dont really know yet.
Here is what was suggested to me. Go for a French Battleship. They have two quad turrets, thus the armament cost will be about half what it will cost me to arm Tirpitz! "Or as one person in the club had said, you get more bang for the buck." We are not saying no it can't be done; just that it takes a lot of ship building skill and expense. We do not want you to get discouraged on your first build.
