1:100 'Typhoon' Submarine Building Thread - Page 4

**Bunkerbarge** · 03-09-2006

The thing that impresses me most with this is the high standard of engineering being used in this models construction.

The planning and forethought that has made you increase the hatch size will undoubtedly be extreemly beneficial yet modifications such as this can only be taken after very carefull thought and the consideration of all related implications.

This is a really nice job and I am enjoying watching it come together.

Mankster · 03-09-2006

Thanks Richard.

Mankster · 03-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajg141

I just wish I'd had the common sense to make that size of hatch when I started mine. Life would be so much easier now! To try and remove the drive motor and relay circuits for the bow planes was bad enough. How I'm ever going to get it all back in I just don't know! It's been sitting for 8 weeks now while I think about it. lol.

Andrew

Hi Andrew, I am not sure why you are having so much trouble getting your components back in

?
When you built it did you bond the pressure hull after installing some components or did you built it per instruction? Its a tight fit and a real pain but you should be able to get everything back in and out through the original opening. As I mentioned I think you can to the lid modification even if it is already boned in. It doesn't have to be as extreme as mine, just lenghtening a little might be all you need to help you get your gear in and out.
Feel free to email me with the problem you have and I'll try and help. I was able to get everything in and out of my original Typhoon a few times whislt I sorted out wiring and other problems.

Mankster · 05-09-2006

Ok, I have tacked the pressure hull on to the lower hull using a small amount of 1 hour epoxy. As you can see from the picture I have had to raise the front of the pressure hull quite a bit to get the top of the pressure hull to the right height. I used 2 fillets of epoxy putty to raise it, then sanded them down carefully to acheive the right height. Luckily my plan to install the front retract gearbox (and the main drive) before bonding in the pressure hull has paid off and the output shaft runs straight down the centre line of the boat.

The instruction require you to bond the pressure hull to the main hull by painting on polyester resin along the joint. So my question is what is the best way to fill that gap (10 mmm at the centre and 5mm around the side) before painting on the resin? My intitial though is to use more epoxy putty as it is easy to work with, without getting much excess around the joint that may interfere when I come to seal it with the resin. Any ideas guys?

**Bunkerbarge** · 06-09-2006

If it was me I would fill the gap with epoxy putty and scrape it with a rounded tool to give a nice fillet then paint it over with two or three coats of resin.

If you can still get to the inside to put some sort of dam for the putty you will fill the gap better and should get a seal with the putty. The resin will then be the icing on the cake.

You should be feeling quite proud of the line of that shaft, it looks perfect!

Mankster · 06-09-2006

Ok, I have filled the gap with epoxy putty, it was pretty straight forward in the end, and the bigger opening made it easy to get to the inside of the front bulkhead.
Now for the fun part.... as you can see the bottom and top hulls to meet flush. There is a flange running along the top hull but its no use to me if the bottom hull is too wide. I will have to pull eash side of the bottom hull in just enough and fix it to the pressure hull. There will still be a gap between the pressure hull and lower hull that will need to be filled even after I have pulled it in.

Mankster · 11-09-2006

Getting there....

Mankster · 18-09-2006

I have fully bonded in the pressure hull. I think I've used far more polyester resin than I need to; theres a lake of the stuff running around the edge. Still, better too much than too little. This thing is now solid as a rock!

**Bunkerbarge** · 18-09-2006

That looks really neat. You should be proud of that job as not enough modellers put enough thought and planning into the engineering side of the model.

It is at this stage that you build in the reliability that will be a characteristic of your model for it's entire working life and I can see form what you are doing that your model will be a reliable, stable performer.

I can't praise it enough, well done.

Mankster · 18-09-2006

Thanks for the compliments Richard. Next step will be building the front plane mechanism. I know a lot of Engel Typhoons have problems with their planes not performing in sync, so I'll be taking extra care and few more photos.