Two subs, one driver?

[southern or]

So, I got a gift card for my birthday and used it to get a Type IXC because I want to be one of the cool kids. So, does a system exist that can drive a 1/72 Revell Gato AND a 1/72 Revell Type IXC? I'd also like to start work on them eventually, but I'm holding off until I have the driver(s).

[JWLaRue]

Hmmmm.....are you asking if there exists a transmitter designed to run two subs at the same time or separately?

If the former, I think it could be done with a transmitter having two 2-axis joysticks and two sliders. One of each to control a boat. Since the transmitter would be on a single frequency, the receivers in both boats would be on the same, single frequency. You'd have to arrange the channel assignments so that each boat has a unique set of channels.

A joystick would be used to operate dive planes and rudder. The slider would command the speed controller.

Now I'm curious.....why?

-Jeff

[thor]

I think he may be referring to the WTC.

[southern or]

No, still just one transmitter to a boat, but one cylinder to operate both boats. So, if I take the Gato out I can pull the cylinder out of the 9 and vice versa. I definitely don't have the $2,000+ for both of the Sub-Driver systems. Plus I just looked and discovered that both of their systems are gas systems and I'd prefer a dynamic setup. I'd love to build them but if I don't have the drive system or for the Gato, the bow plane retraction parts, I'm building blind.

[thor]

Build your own! It really is not very difficult at all and the information is readily available.

[southern or]

Build your own! It really is not very difficult at all and the information is readily available.

I've never done it and I don't have the tools Weirdly, I do have 2 long sections of what I think is 2" or 4" acrylic tubing and a few caps, plus a few "X" members, but if it is 4" that won't work. Even if they are 2" I don't have a saw to make a straight cut. I did most of the big cuts on the Oscar at my grandparents shop, but that won't be an option again for a while. Plus I'm the only person I know who can make 7 measurements and get 5 different results. It's part of the reason why the Oscar is taking forever-I want to do it right.

I want dynamic because they'll be pretty fragile and I'd rather NOT have to blindly rescue them from the bottom.

[bob_eissler]

The gato needs a much larger ballast tank than the type IX because it is twice as large. The servo and motor section, possibly battery can be the same and shared. Think of an easy driver with a separate ballast tank.

[warpatroller]

I've never done it and I don't have the tools Weirdly, I do have 2 long sections of what I think is 2" or 4" acrylic tubing and a few caps, plus a few "X" members, but if it is 4" that won't work. Even if they are 2" I don't have a saw to make a straight cut. I did most of the big cuts on the Oscar at my grandparents shop, but that won't be an option again for a while. Plus I'm the only person I know who can make 7 measurements and get 5 different results. It's part of the reason why the Oscar is taking forever-I want to do it right.

I want dynamic because they'll be pretty fragile and I'd rather NOT have to blindly rescue them from the bottom.

Those two boats take a 2.5" Sub-Driver. There should be an EZ Sub-Driver that might work in both of them. The EZ Drivers are around $250 to $300. Dynamic, no ballast system. Trouble is the GATO has a really high freeboard (a lot of hull above the waterline). It would probably have to be trimmed so that it was running decks-awash when on the surface, so that it would be able to submerge, with forward motion and deflection via the dive planes.

SAS Sub-Drivers are not primarily Gas, they use a low-pressure air pump for ballast control. A gas cylinder can be utilized as a backup method of blowing ballast on them, for emergencies, as in panic, my boat is diving and it won't come back up! The RC sub equivalent of, "Help, I'm falling and I can't get up!"

[QuarterMaster]

Wasn't that the original intent of the WTC/Driver or whatever the frak it's called nowadaze??

My D&E Miniatures 3.5 Mod 1 ran 3 Boats for 17+ years ....(granted it had the adjustable ballast tank crank)

Engel PATRICK HENRY, converted from the dry hull Engel Pump to a wet hull gas boat

1/96 Scale James Madison Class USS ULYSSES S. GRANT SSBN SSBN 631

1/48 DeBoer Skipjack Class USS SHARK SSN 591

One Robbe Navy F14 TX, and I did use the 3.5's adjustable ballast tank feature. All the way in for the GRANT, midway for the 'HENRY, all out for the SHARK.

The extremes this worked on: SHARK 63" long, 8" beam, GRANT 53" long, 4" beam.

As long as you think ahead to have the pushrods operate in the same way, why not?

I was also able to use the D&E WTC-3 (did not have his 1/96 Skipjack) in both my 1/96 ALPHA and Manley BLUEBACK, and conversely refitted the Manley BLUEBACK WTC to fit the ALPHA after the WTC-3 went south.

Prior proper planning prevents piss poor performance. aka (you can do anything if you put your mind to it)

What I like the most about sharing the same package among hulls? Standardization! The 2nd most is keeping (hogging) the same frequency flag all day.

[southern or]

Thanks all. So I went through all the stuff I have and I'd need a two way pump controller (I have a reason), ESC, motor (or two, or a single motor gear box for two props), and the stuff to make the Gato forward planes do things like work. My cylinders are actually 3" but it looks like they could actually fit in both boats (trimming required). Revells 1/72 Type IXC is NOT half the size of their 1/72 Gato. If it was their Type VII I'd have problems. I'm thinking I could install an air bladder system into the bow of the Gato. If it works it would drop the bow so that the planes submerge and make for an awesome crash dive. The air would go into another bladder below the conning tower because I made a mistake in my order so now I get to hollow out my Balao tower, but I'm sure it'll still have some wight too it. If the bladder idea works then the WTC "could(?)" be short enough to drive the IX. Again, never done a cylinder before and I feel a lot more comfortable doing dry hulls.

[salmon]

I think a 3" might be too big for both subs. If the cylinder did go in, there would be little to no room for foam to trim the sub.

[southern or]

I think a 3" might be too big for both subs. If the cylinder did go in, there would be little to no room for foam to trim the sub.

The 3" tubes are all I have. I could just save for their drivers, but then I'll have nothing to build when I take a break from fiberglass. I mean, how can I build them without the drivers?

[chips]

While it helps to have the drivers before you start assembly, they are not a necessity. You have lots of limber holes and freeing ports to open up on both subs. Various shaft openings to make. As long as you have something the same diameter and length of the driver, you can set the driver saddles in place.

On my 31" NAUTILUS build, I didn't get the Sub Driver until recently. Before I got the driver, I assembled and painted the hull, installed the prop shaft. installed and wired LED lighting, made a new ram from brass stock, made a prop, and installed the driver saddle. After I received the driver, I found that my saddles held the driver about an 1/8" too high . A little sanding and the driver is in line with the prop shaft.

[bob_eissler]

Here's the 3 subs together with the drivers for them. For dynamically diving, even the 2" motor section of the Type Video would work in all three subs. The gato will take a 3" cylinder but I don't see it working in the Type IX. The above water displacement of the Gato is twice the Type IX and you see the ballast tank is twice as long.

[bigdave]

One other thing to consider is your radio system.
You really should have a radio that has multi model programming.
If not the set up going from one boat to another is a PITA.
Also keeping the boats the cylinder is going into about the same size would make life a whole lot easier as well. BD