Took some pics, Should i add more weight or less? - Does my Albacore sit level?

[liftmys10]

Keep in mind, i still need to put in my APC3 and the ballast tank is completely empty.

Should i add more weight or less? Does it sit level?

[liftmys10]

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/8/web/224000-224999/224451_225_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/8/web/224000-224999/224451_223_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/8/web/224000-224999/224451_224_full.jp

[ron]

Shawn,

It appears to be sitting

Shawn,

It appears to be sitting level, a little hard to tell from picture perspective. When you fill the ballast tank where is the albacore sitting. This is the more critical question. With the ballast tank filled you want the sub to just sit with the slightest bit of the conning tower up / even with the surface of the water. Anything more than that and it won't surface on its own without power. Put the APC3 in because even this small amount of weight is crtitical the the sub sitting level and how low it will sit in the water with the ballast tank full.

Ron

[liftmys10]

Thanks Ron,
I charged up the

Thanks Ron,
I charged up the batteries, put in the APC3 but didnt connect it to the servo (dont know how to adjust it yet). I flooded the ballast tank, she sank as if there's no tomorrow! I had to take out 5 oz. of weight. She now sits even with the water line where the sail gets connected to the hull. Almost everything is slightly covered with water except where the sail connects to the hull all the way to the top of the sail. So basically you only see the whole sail from top to bottom when ballast tank is flooded and all radio gear in. Is that what your Albacore looks like when ballast tank is flooded?

My first time spending a total of 8min submerged battling with the radio because its positively buoyant and i didnt have the apc3 connected. I finda like it without the apc3 connected because if i let go of the stern control stick, it will auotmatically go up to surface which is what i want. But i did notice it becomes negative buoyant when you go a certain depth (about 4 ft) It starts sinking to crush depth for my wtc (water starts leaking in at 5ft deep) So thats kinda scary when you cant make the full turn and the nose hits the wall and you have no momentum to pull up. So you start sinking! Very scary for my case. Thats why i want this thing to be fully water tight at the bottom of the pull just incase i couldnt make that sharp turn. I have quite a few scrapes on the side and the nose from hitting the wall just from that 8min run. But once i get her in 3ft of water, i can hold her at that depth for a while until i hit the wall of the pool.

[anonymous]

She is sitting level and

She is sitting level and relatively correct. Maybe angle stern down slightly a 1/8 inch relative to the upper stern rudder. However overall she is floating at surface trim a little on the low side for scale. Raise about a 1/4 inch higher overall if possible. If not possible without enlarging ballast tank (if you are using skips enlarged ballast tank volume - then you should not need to), then keep her as is. Albacore should float at submerged trim with the top of the sail just breaking the surface (slight positive buoyancy). Surface trim she should float slightly higher than in images. I did the master for Skip's kit.

Steve






Edited By Dolphin on 1101343249

[liftmys10]

Thanks Steve, it sits a

Thanks Steve, it sits a bit higher than from the previous pictures now that i took out 5oz of weight. I have never seen that picture of the real Albacore before. That looks like the phase 3? Im consider getting it because my phase 2 doesnt turn that well. I pretty much have the weight figured out. Im running with 30oz of weight. That seems to be postive buoyant till i can trust myself and add an oz or 2 later on. Anymore pics of the albacore?

thanks
Shawn

[anonymous]

Oh gosh, there are plenty

Oh gosh, there are plenty of pictures of AGSS 569 at the Naval Historical Center photo section, and the NavSource web sites. Simply do a search.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/subidx.htm

The photo above is of Albacore in her early Phase 2 appearance. She shows in this photo the then new 'Skipjack like' stern planes with the propeller aft of the stern planes, her uniquely retracting bow planes held over from phase 1, and the absence of her original sail dorsal rudder. Later in phase 2, the bow planes were removed forever.

In phase 3, the stern planes were replaced with a new X-stern arrangement later adopted by other Navies on their submarines, but not the USN. Albacore was the first to test an X-stern arrangement and it worked very well. Albacore was the first to test so many new things on modern submarines. Phase 3 also saw the return of a much larger chord dorsal rudder incorporated back into the trailing edge of the sail (longer than the original dorsal rudder) which remained for the rest of her operational career and is seen presently in her museum guise. This dorsal rudder was helpful in reducing snap rolls (excessive banking) in tight turns underwater. The bow planes were found to be unnecessary, complex, and took precious bow space that could be used for other experiments.

The cruciform stern that comes with the kit as standard makes the model turn very well. It is close, but my 1/40 Albacore could out turn my 1/96 Skipjack! I thought nothing could out turn that excellent D&E skipjack kit. We are not talking here by very much. An X-stern feature retrofitted will make her out turn any other. Turn radius with X-stern would permit turns as tight as the boats length. The X-stern also gives the same turning performance on the surface as it does submerged. Handy if you like competing in regatta courses.

Steve



Edited By Dolphin on 1101448157

[tmsmalley]

The sail looks as though

The sail looks as though it might be cocked a little to the starboard - or is that an optical illusion? If it were, that would throw off your steering.

[liftmys10]

The sail looks as though

The sail looks as though it might be cocked a little to the starboard - or is that an optical illusion? If it were, that would throw off your steering.

VERY good observation! and you're right, it is glued on crooked This was my first complex model and it was one of the first things i glued sooo i was impatient. Should i get an exacto knife and cut the glue as much as possible from the base so i can reglue it? I tried to take it off one time but its on there reallly good. It steers pretty bad even if the sail isnt in the water completely.

[ron]

Shawn,

On my Albacore I can

Shawn,

On my Albacore I can turn the Sub in about a 10' radius on the surface. How much of an angle deflection do you get on the rudder? If it is less than 30 degress you might need to trim the rudder linkage alittle. I shaved the inside corners of the linkage on a 45 degree angle of my Albacore being careful not to weaken it and this gave me alot more mobility on the rudder.

Ron

[liftmys10]

Hey Ron,
I will double check

Hey Ron,
I will double check my radio so it is set to give full throw in the servo to get the most travel of the rudder. Other than that i can get a bigger servo horn but if i remember correctly, i believe the rudder linkage was bottoming out somewhere so it cant possibly turn the rudder anymore. I will have to double check that because i adjusted the servo linkage 4 years ago. Thanks.

[ron]

Shawn,

The linkage I was refering

Shawn,

The linkage I was refering to is in the tail assembly. This is where your servo rod ties into the plastic u shaped assembly that marries to the upper and lower rudder. This looks like a squared u out of the box. If you remove a portion of this piece on a 45 degree closest to the wtc you will get additional travel direction on the rudder. As noted before you have to be careful on how much you remove as you want to maintain the strength of the piece. When you move the assembly back and forth in the tail watch for binding on the linkage. The portion that hits the motor shaft first is where you want to reduce the plastic linkage. Hope this is clearer.

Ron

[liftmys10]

Oh yes, i remember shaving

Oh yes, i remember shaving it down to turn better but i didnt shave too much because it will jeopardize the strength of the piece like you said. I might be able to shave a tiny bit more to help but im not sure. I would have to check. Thanks