I spent some of my newfound free time today by getting the ribs of the plug assembled on a 12x48 piece of 1/4" plywood. It looks very cool, but as fate would have it, the camera batteries were dead. So you'll have to wait till tomorrow to see it. It's going to be a tricky layup, but I think it'll be worth it. She's big for a sub, but by 1/96 standards, I guess not-so-big!
but uncle tuggy HE STARTED IT! EDIT: This is what happens when I get bored at work! TUG'S EDIT OF EDIT: I agree that boredom at work is dangerous, but this is a thread to discuss the 1/96 Surcouf vice have a party. Not yelling at you two, just keeping my thread on-topic
How big is she in 1/96? I'd think that subs in general are a little more viable in that scale then they are in 1/144.
She is 3.68 inches wide and just under 4 feet long (45"). She is 4" tall, (not counting the keel) so she has good usable room for systems. When I find the d*^% charger for my nice digital camera, I'll post a pic of the plug as it is now. Subs are viable in 1/96, and we let you arm whatever is on them (like big gun). Torpedoes, deck guns, are all fair game. Mark is building an I-400 plug, which will give us two big sub types to run around with. If people like them, I may do an Argonaut so that the Allies have a sub to play with.
If i was to do a sub in 1/96, it would be this one : http://www.geocities.com/lief99/U-boats_u-cruiser.html Length (oa):115 meters Width: 9.5 meters Draught: 6.2 meters Displacement: 3,630 tons. Armament: 4 bow TT. 2 stern TT. 4 X 12.7cm cannon in two twin armored turrets. 2 X 3.7cm AA cannon. 2 X 2 cm AA mounted in Wintergarten. 1 X Arado reconnaissance seaplane. Also, look at this: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.combatsim.com/memb123/htm/feb99/photo/type%2520xib.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.combatsim.com/memb123/htm/feb99/type-xib.htm&usg=__SM_wBAHZ-LYVQ-gAa-b4ngKaOCA=&h=208&w=576&sz=24&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=6wlNFos-ZE9IbM:&tbnh=48&tbnw=134&prev=/images%3Fq%3DType%2BXI-B%2BU-Cruiser%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B3RNFD_enUS263US287%26sa%3DN
It would have been a monster, but it was never built No, one salvager's claim of finding one doesn't make it real
According to U-boat.net (universally respected for being a hardcore u-boat history site with loads of information from actual KM documents, etc...), U-233 was a type X-B minelayer that was sunk by 2 destroyer escorts in a well-recorded engagement off Halifax. Not by a blimp that was supposedly damaged in a secret battle. The idea that a sub that large would somehow be built secretly in a police state, and make it out of port without being spotted (especially given that the snorkel was not operationally in use until 1944, so the mythic XI-B u-boat would have had to run surfaced to recharge her batteries)... is a bit farfetched. The way those websites sound is like the various conspiracy websites do... It's a fun theory or what-if... but not a realistic prospect. If you want to get hardcore, build a Type XXI u-boat. Meanest of the mean undersea warriors in WW2.
Yea it would. Too bad it only had 24 torpedoes. I know that a working USS Archerfish would cause some jealousy, especially with the Japanese lover
If I were to do one it would be the USS Nautilus or the Surcouf. Nautilus is about the same size size and displacement. Plus the forward dive planes are below the water surface, when surfaced, unlike the Surcouf. I am tempted to try it some time in 1/144th. It should not be any more difficult than the I-400 I would think..It will be after one scratch build and a 1 unit DD is under my belt for a build. But I will keep an eye on this might just do it some day =D
Actually, I built a 1/144 Argonaut(V-4) hull and it is do-able, although the combat systems would be very tricky. In 1/96, I will probably do it. I made progress on filling in the space between the ribs on Surcouf. Slowly starting to look like a ship. For my own Surcouf, I plan on using a Q tank and a stern trim tank besides the main ballast tanks. That'll help get the nose down quickly.
kk... I'll get the camera out to the shop. But I want to get enough done on el Almirante (aka the Othar Trygvassen) to run it around the pool this weekend. I also will be working on Mark's I-400 plug and making the mold of that before I finish the Surcouf plug. Compared with the 1/144 Trygvassen, a 1/96 I-400 has all kinds of room.
