1:100 ТК-17 «Архангельск» (ТК-17 Arkhangelsk) Typhoon class Russian Boomer

[eckloss]

The included water-tight box that comes with the typhoon is not only huge, but is thick fiber and inlayed with steel. i had a real problem with the fiberglass shattering around the drill holes for the securing bolts coming up through the underside of the top. my old drill bits just weren't up to the challenge of drilling through the steel and glass combination. i made a real mess. i wasn't at all happy with it. so i trashed it and made my own. using the exact measurements from the original i fabricated a box out of a strong, dense wood, i filled all the seams with blue silicone and then plasti-dipped everything to give it a waterproof finish. it actually all came out quite well (except for the corner in the photo of the lexan plate where my dremel went wild, but it really doesn't affect the rubber seal thats going on) and it fit like a glove. i've got the two drive motors mounted and pre-wired correctly for the counter-rotating props.




next comes the lead shot in the lower hull. the challenge here was to get the mixture of shot and resin to sit just a hair below the plastic strips running perpendicular to the long axis. i did two aft sections of 1,000g each and a forward section of 800g. they are curing now and should be ready tonight.

[thor]

Very nicely done!

[eckloss]

got the appendages on today. finishing up the linkages as well.....

[eckloss]

The linkages are complete. Engel makes it so easy, having a 1-to-1 scale drawing to follow.

two things were on the agenda next: mounting the wtc, and aligning the hull. the lower hull protrudes outward several millimeters from the upper hull. i needed a way to get it where it should be. so i took a large piece of very rigid cardboard and laid the hull down on it, placing the upper hull on the lower. i built 12 t-shaped blocks to be used as a means to align the hull. once i had the starboard side in place, i simply squeezed the lower hull inward and secured it in place by gluing down a t-block.

the idea is obviously that thew tc, once bonded within the hull, will keep the sides of the hull in position. i hope. i may have to install a center bar within the top of the wtc if it flexes any.

[eckloss]

Ok so i had to back off from fixing the seam. i'm getting a little ahead of myself and not thinking clearly. i'll mount the wtc later, after all the goodies are in place and wired up correctly. to that end, i started putting things in their places. started with the power distribution wiring..... next will be the piston controls, and then finally the r/c connections.

[eckloss]

Some day, a thousand years from now, some archaeologist is going to dig me up tangled to death by wire and cables.

[eckloss]

it looks like a hot mess but the power distribution seems to be ok.... everything is working fine so far.

[Mixvs Minimax]

Hi eckloss,

I am now filling the decal sheet with all the emblems and drafts in 1/350 and 1/100. There are some special Arckangelsk-markings and yesterday I recognized a another version of the sail emblem. So TK-17 comes up with a early, middle (persening) and latest version of the sail emblem.

cheers alex

[eckloss]

keep me posted here