My Akula..

[Richard J]

Three years in the build and in excess of £3500 spent, and now my Akula is completed.

It started off as a Sheerline kit, but I was never happy with the way it performed, so off it went to Ron Perrott at R&R Model Engineering for a complete refit.

She now has a custom designed and built twin piston tank module, MicroGyros auto leveller, Mtroniks esc, a rock crawler motor, working deck and navigation lights, and a very special set of working torpedoes...Ron had to redesign his usual system to be able to install them into the very confined bow space.

Radio is a fully modified Robbe FC16.

To say I'm pleased with the boat is an understatement...I don't get to use it much for various reasons, more's the pity.

[Richard J]

Maiden patrol, Captain Ron Perrott at the helm.

[Richard J]

Couple more pictures...

Motor box showing the 80 turn motor, and the Robbe/Futaba FC16 transmitter in it's tray, with a GoPro camera attached.

[bob_eissler]

That is a very interesting dive system and the torpedoes are nice. A question though, does the top fin move with the bottom rudder? What is the turning radius? I'm thinking about getting a 1/72 scale Alpha running.

[Richard J]

Hi Bob,

In it's original condition, the top rudder does move, it's hooked up via a wire and plastic tube method to the bottom rudder. I got fed up having to keep unhooking and hooking it back together, so now the top rudder is permanently fixed.

My Patrick Henry never had a working top rudder, so I wasn't really worried about not having it operational on the Akula, and it really doesn't make a huge difference to the turning circle, to be honest. The bottom rudder is a large, one piece moulding, and so has plenty of bite...I have no problem turning it at all.


Richard

[scott t]

I know it is probably a national or trade secret... so how does that piston seal on the threaded rod?

[Guest]

Stuffing box in the piston. Thread has to be smooth too, in order to avoid tearing up the stuffing.

I personally don't think a retracting rod is that difficult to accommodate these days with high density batteries and small radio equipment. It was more of an issue years ago, but the fixed threaded rods are a hallmark of Ron Perrott's piston tanks.

[bigdave]

Since we are asking questions.
It looks to me like the torpedo tubes have flip up access hatches on them?
And when the rod is pulled attached to the breech does this push the torpedo off a pin? BD

[Guest]

This is the torpedo mechanism illustrated from a mid '80's magazine article. It's very likely things have been tweaked since then, but I expect much of the details remain the same. Ron or Richard should be able to explain better.

[Richard J]

Sorry for the delay in replying, BD...does this help?

http://www.rcsubs.co.uk/operational-torpedoes

[bigdave]

Hi Richard
Thanks
I never played with torpedos before.
Could you tell me are they preloaded with gas and inserted in the tube as an assembly.
Or filled in the tube?
It looks like a very well designed system. BD

[crueby]

Uh oh. Dave has been scary enough with boats faster than a missle. Now they will be firing torpedos too?!?! Run Away!!

[Richard J]

Hi Richard
Thanks
I never played with torpedos before.
Could you tell me are they preloaded with gas and inserted in the tube as an assembly.
Or filled in the tube?
It looks like a very well designed system. BD

Dave, to arm the torpedoes you fill them with gas (I use lighter gas) remove the bow tube doors (they just push in/out) and pop the loaded torpedoes into their tubes, pushing until you feel a 'click'. They are now ready to fire...I have mine on a slider switch on my tx, pushing 'up' fires the left torpedo, pushing 'down' releases the right one.

Richard

[bigdave]

One more question if I may.
Is the fill valve under the front cap of the torpedo?
I have always found it fascinating how things work.

And Chris you are safe. No torpedos in my future. BD

[Richard J]

Dave, take a look at the picture attached...left hand side of the image you'll see the torpedoes. At the bottom of them you'll see a beige coloured piece...that is the filler valve. Same principle as filling a cigarette lighter...insert the filler nozzle from your can of gas into the valve, and push until it's full. You now have a fully armed torpedo...


Richard