VC Subscribed How did I miss this thread. 

A real feast to the eyes of a modeler. I must second that.  Really great detailing.






PS: VC I am still a common man who is yet to be significant enough and to be quoted.  However 

Thanks Sandy and Rao Garu.

One lesson that I need to unlearn is that a well detailed model is always the norm. This is masochism of the highest order. Detailing and super detailing is great but not a definite requisite for a working RC model. After all, at a 1:48 scale, details are not very visible from a distance of 5 feet.

However, till I unlearn that and till Roopesh and Maharana continue to inspire me, here is what I have been upto for the last couple of weeks.

The twin barrelled machine gun first at seemed satisfactory., but when I re scaled it, the dimensions were way off. Surgery was unavoidable. Barrel length had to be reduced. The shield has to be re fixed. Once this is painted, it will be unrecognisable, I hope.

Not many have attempted to scratch build the later model Schnellboots. Particularly due to the difficulty of crafting the 'Kalotte' (Skullcap) Bridge. So many individual pieces have to be joined to create this unique structure.

Now that I have somehow managed to replicate this, I am breathing a HUGE sigh of relief. It wasn't easy. Unlike some other genius scratchbuilders on this forum, I won't commit the effrontery of stating 'So easy - no problem'   The detailing is still left. The sectioned plexiglass wind shield will be added last.

Sir,

Your work is going awesome for Schnellboot...!!

You mentioned the highest degree of masochism (Obviously I had to google it) is visible from the finished masterpiece...!

Those guns look stunning... I can't wait to see them painted, mounted and realistically accounted...

Thanks Adi! Hope I fulfill your expectations.

Decided to invest in a Tamiya Soldiers Kit to add realism to the final model. The Wehrmacht figures will, of course, have to be modified to represent their Kriegsmarine counterparts, that shouldn't be too difficult. This particular kit is authentic and supplies a wide variety of accessories and additional weapons. Along with the German Kar 98 rifle and the MP 40 Schmeisser, there are several pieces of the Panzerfaust, MG 42, the American Garland Rifle and, most surprisingly, 2 pieces of early AK 47 rifles. Interesting anachronisms.

Some more............

i just love the machine gun

indeed ! super build, i hope you can make it to the abode of clouds.

I've decided to turn this log into a real time blog. I'll try and post the details of the work accomplished daily.This so that I can recall the chronological sequence of events at a later date.

Yesterday I started the process of filling up the cracks between the chine strips. 3 consecutive layers of Marine Fevicol followed by a spray of sawdust. The 3rd. layer is drying now. Tomorrow I start the Quickfix + Thinner sealant on the outside and the Epoxy sealant coats on the inside of the hull.

Relevant build pictures can be found here (Not posting the pictures here again as that would be deemed repetitive):

Reply#19 http://www.rcindia.org/tools-materials-and-building-techniques/tips-tricks-hints-shortcuts/msg128928/#new

This picture was taken after the final Fevicol + saw dust coat, applied at 9pm.

One of the most difficult phases of this build is going to be the Triple Rudder set up for achieving the "Lürssen-Effekt". This is what made the Schnellboot so dangerous as its visibility changed and speed increased when the rudders were activated. Posting a diagram (modified from one that I found on the net - Danke Herr Guido Hopp) which shows how it worked.

This boat is planned with a triple screw / motor setup.

After the third coat of Fevicol / dust had dried hard overnight, I decided to sprinkle Wood CA all over the hull. This will prevent whatever loose saw dust there is from coming off while being brushed with Quickfix diluted in thinner.

Thereafter it was time for the Quickfix diluted in thinner coat. There was some old red paint in the mixing tin and that blended into the liquid. Hence the red colour!

Three tubes of (15ml x 3 = 45 ml) Quickfix were used - diluted with about 100 ml of NC Thinner

This thread is really inspiring

Please note that this boat is going to be a cumulative of all the efforts of my friends all over India (from Shillong to Bangalore) who have guided me and answered my queries and helped to solve every hitch (still doing so as the build progresses). I may build it, but there are a lot of worthies who have been (and still are) pitching in with help 24 x 7.

I won't commit the effrontery of calling my own workmanship "inspiring" or "stunning beauty" etc. However, if the boat does turn out as planned, my team and teachers are responsible for it. Honest!

Instead of applying an Epoxy sealant on the inside surfaces of the hull, I decided to save time, effort and money. Found an old tin of Soft Cut Automotive Putty and diluted it with thinner. 3 coats of the viscous stuff sealed all nooks and crannies. Looks good too!

Also decided to make new fore and main decks out of 3mm foam. Have roughly cut out 2 sheets of each (one with and another against the grain - yes, I've realised that this foam also has a kind of grain - its easier to cut in one particular direction, not so easy the other way.) Will result in a 6mm deck. That will make it easier to sand off the edges into a bevelled / rounded finish. The entire main deck assembly will be removable and will be attached to the hull with studs. I need to think of a suitable water proof gasket/sealant between the edge of the removable deck section and the hull.

vc
Lürssen-Effekt is more like a 'v' tail, no, great piece of work there

Thanks Gusty, for reassuring me - you will have to work this out for me. It is the '30 degrees out and then 13 degrees in' that had me perplexed. In the original, this was achieved by two soldiers working manually on a pair of winches in cramped quarters - here you will have to guide me on building /activating this with a single servo.

Cheers and thanks for being there.

VC
will send a document on how 2D controls works in 3D (i.e pitch and yaw)

1. Hull sanded down. Labourious process. My forearms remind me of Popeye at the end of it.

2. Now I need to apply Automotive putty and resand all over again.

3. The main deck has a curved surface. Centre line is higher than the sides.

4. Self explanatory.

1. Soft Cut putty applied. It is ready for wet sanding now. Will be using 150 grit Dry/Wet black emery paper.


2. Torpedo exit bays have been cut out.

1. The G 7 Torpedo - Length 7163 mm / Dia 533 mm (approx 23ft.7in. X 21in). At  1:48 scale it works out to 149 mm (just under 6 in.) length and 11 mm dia. This is what and how I achieved the basic structure.

Added a wooden dowel and applied M Seal. Let it dry hard and then sanded it to shape and applied a coat of paint.

It would have been easier making just any torpedo, but I choose to stay in scale. Scratchbuilding involves a LOT of research, if you want your model to be scale accurate. If you want to build something that just about looks like the original and only has to move fast - its a much easier proposition.

An ever trusted brand Reynolds... 
Great work sir... 

                                                                        ACHIEVING SCALE SPEED

The Schnellboot had a top speed of around 43 Knots which translates to approximately 80 Km.p.h. Using the scale speed calculator, this model will have to traverse 1.66 km in an hour. This is equivalent to 27.5 metres per minute or 0.5 metres per second. If I have to achieve this, I need geared brushed motors.

Edit : A lot of argument/controversy, all over the net about scale speed and what I have written here. Will clarify and revert. Need to read up on the Froude Number Calculation to achieve true scale speed.

http://webpages.charter.net/sinkwich/sdventure/html/sd_scale_speed.htm

Anyway, here's just a loose assembly to see what she is beginning to look like.

Thanks Arun!

Pratheesh aka coolpratheesh is working on the electronics and audio effects generator for the boat. Thanks Buddy!