Your views...

[u-33]

Gentlemen...your views please, on the Robbe Sea Wolf?

Thank you..

Rich

[mike dory]

Robbie Sea Wolf

Every Boat or kit has some good points and maybe some not so good points. It kinda depends on what your looking for. Are you looking for a model of a real Sub or a Toy? In part, when we build a detailed working model of a Sub, we honor those who built the real boats and those who sailed on them, from what ever country they come from. all those who sever on submarines are part of a brotherhood. You loose that, when you just build a toy. But hey, you got to start some where. If a toy is where your interest lie then go for it. For there is one thing for sure If you don't have a real interest in your project, it more then likely will never get built or put in the water. Best Wishes on your project..... Mike Dory

[raalst]

My 0.02 euro http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_cool.gif

The

My 0.02 euro

The robbe seawolf (nothing to do with the real subs called seawolf btw) is a nice low cost
simple kit. it will be a good choice for a first boat if you want to train your constructing skills.
out of the box it is only capable of a quick nose-dive because it has some strange diving mechanism where a " radar mast " is acting as a lever controlling the dive planes.
When the "radar dish" hits the water it pulls the dive planes into the "rise" position.
i.e. a pool toy

nevertheless, it has a roomy dry space (tm) which can be used by a medium skilled builder to put in some other diving system. I have also seen a few with improved hulls so that they
resembled a real sub (from a distance..)

as so often happens, mine got "improved" up to the point that it never saw water at all. But I learned a lot from it.

[u-33]

( This is a copy

( This is a copy of my reply to the same query over at SubPirates.com )


Andy…Ramesh…BD…I thank you for your replies. An explanation is called for, methinks…

Your are quite right, I do have the Blueback, the 212 and also the Gato, all of which are under (slow) construction. The Blueback will be my ‘long term, over the winter’ build, the Gato is too big for my slipway and will be too big for me to transport when it’s finished anyway, so that will completed in time and stood on my bookcase as a display only model. The 212…I’m still working on the X-tails as and when I get the time.

Yes, I have built large working subs in the past….U-117 was big enough for my children to sit in the hull and paddle across the pond, but I can’t do it any longer…my health isn’t what it used to be. I suffer from asthma now, I don’t breathe too good sometimes, plus the ‘dicky ticker’ will always be with me, I have rheumatoid arthritis quite badly (the results of a forty year long distance trucking career) and living in a first floor flat brings it’s own problems of getting big and heavy boats up and down stairs. I need to build something that will work out of the box without delving into the complexities of technical diving systems, something I can go out and sail in a short space of time, something to keep my interest levels up, and something that I can carry to and from the car without needing a crane to do so.

Hence the notion of the Robbe Sea Wolf…yes, I know it’s not what you’d term a ‘scale sub’ by any means of the imagination, but with a decent paint scheme and a few cosmetic alterations here and there, I think it can resemble a half decent looking boat (if you don’t look too closely..) It seems to be an easy build kit, the peculiar radio mast operated dive system can be altered very easily by the use of a third servo and there is an option of a better, almost a static dive system available. Another plus factor is the price…it’s cheap. My wealth has suffered as much as my health just recently with the assistance of ex-girlfriend’s legendary spending powers….

I’ve mentioned before that I’m well behind in modern day methods in model submarines, and I have a lot of learning to do to catch up, I was out of the hobby for nearly ten years, and a lot has happened to model sub technology in that time. The learning curve will be almost vertical…

So gentlemen, that is why I enquired about the Sea Wolf…I didn’t expect a rapturous review of it, but for what it is I think it will be ideal for me at this present point in time. I can build it, sail it, enjoy it and carry on with the building of the Blueback, and still be learning as I go.

Thank you all for your comments...

Rich


Rich

[u-33]

Found this pic whilst looking

Found this pic whilst looking around the web for Sea Wolf stuff...a nicely modified model.



(with thanks to the owner/builder, whoever you may be)

Rich

[fung pang]

how about

Krick U-Boat type VII

how about

Krick U-Boat type VII Submarine

http://www.hobby-lobby.com/uboat.htm

not the best looking model u boat.

or some pvc pipe.

[Guest]

Wouldn't touch it with a

Wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot barge pole.

[ojm]

I agree Andy, That is

I agree Andy, That is not one of my favourites.

[tsenecal]

subculture, ojm,


would either of you

subculture, ojm,


would either of you care to explain your reason, for the benefit of the original poster? are there reasons you "wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot barge pole?"

[Guest]

I've seen a couple of

I've seen a couple of these running- they have a strong tendency to leak if built as per instructions. The pressure hull is poorly designed.

If you want a small sized Type VII, you're much better off buying a Revell kit and one of the conversion kits currently on the market. Much better detailed, and the price is about the same, perhaps a bit less.

[u-33]

I had one of the

I had one of the very first Krick kits when they were made from bread and butter wood construction....easy to build, never leaked a drop, worked straight of the box.
Brilliant kit...I loved it.

But I don't want another one, my question was your views on the Sea Wolf.

Rich

[hampboats]

Since I have one listed in the swap section here's my 2 cent

I listed this one with the idea that some one with some experience could make this a running vessel. But I respect everyone's comments.. Before, I would put it down, I would let the person asking the question understand that one of the purposes of the organization is to help the new guys. I have seen several very expensive, and highly detailed models only sailing the table because they didn't run. I am living history of that and I can thank the guys in Subron6 for helping me over the hurdle and now I truly enjoy the hobby.

[u-33]

The post seems to have

The post seems to have drifted slightly off course...I asked originally for views on the Robbe Sea Wolf with the ideas of buying one and building it with a few (mainly cosmetic) modifications on the way, something to keep me going whilst the Blueback is completed.

I don't want another type 7, I don't want a Galathee..I want something that resembles a modern day sub that's easy to build, easy to modify and easy to transport, and is easy on the pocket...hence the Sea Wolf idea.

Sorry if I ruffled a few feathers (or caused a few feathers to get ruffled)...

Rich

[hampboats]

Back to the basic

Mike Dory is my mentor and I follow his lead. I made the mistake of buying a hull and then the parts and doing it alone and had terrible results. I consider myself a novice and what I recommend to all those wanting to start out, is don't ask about shooting torpedos, cameras and missiles. Get something that will go down when you want it to and up when you command it to. If you want a faster build with less detail then a nuke is better. I have seen several of the Robbe seawolf run and guys really like them. If you want to build it right out of the box then do so. It can always be changed later. There will be problems with anything you build. If you don't want to use the method suggested by the manufacturer then get advice from someone who has done a modification. Again, speaking as a novice, I would not spend a large amount of money on the first one. Many guys have done modifications on really cheap model that perform very well. And finally, the big decision is cost. What do you want to spend.

[u-33]

Thanks Dave, that's a good

Thanks Dave, that's a good way of looking at things. It's not my first sub by a long way, I've been building subs since the seventies with varied degrees of success...some have worked, some have needed work to make them work, but now time is catching up with me fast.
Age, space and transport are the main criteria now, plus the need to see a sub on the water pretty soon.

I thought the Sea Wolf would tick all the boxes I needed ticking, once built and operational, then I can get back to finishing the Blueback. At least with the Sea Wolf ninety per cent of what's needed is in the box, unlike the Blueback which was just a hull kit, the Gato which needs a lot of work on it to make it fully functional and the 212 which also needs a lot more work than simply sticking part A to part B.

Thank you all for your varied views, it's been an interesting post so far.

Rich