1/96th scale Gato

[chips]

I'm working on a 1/96th Gato from Scale Shipyard. I have a Small World Models WTC 2.75, just waiting for a some electronic parts to complete the WTC. I know that Steve Vick has done a 1/96th scale Gato class boat. Has anyone else done one? What problems did you have, and how did you solve them?

R/C control is planned for throttle, rudder, ballast tank and bow planes. I do have a 6-channel radio, so I could control each set of planes independently. I plan on having the front planes rigged out, but operating for depth/pitch control. I'm planning on connecting the APC to the stern planes only, and use the bow planes for diving and depth control. Any ideas or suggestions from the board?

[boatbuilder1]

hello and welcome to the

hello and welcome to the wonderful world of tiny frustrating boats
I have done a few of these 1/96 scale does not leave you a ton of room to get those aft control surfaces done.
I deliberated over how to and where fors for a month and just gave up tossed it all in the trash!
no really I simply cut the top off the stern to a length of 4 inches and installed the control surfaces and reattached to top with ca and filled the seems worked wonders for my peice of mind

chuck

[Stephen Vick]

Hi,

Shave as much weight off

Hi,

Shave as much weight off topside as possible!!! The SWM WTC is great for this boat, I mounted one in Trutta and it worked wonderfully. The biggest problem was topside wieght, I solved this by making the main deck with sentra and scribed styrene, all fittings are resin casts (no white metal). Be prepared to ballast the boat a bit low for the surfaced waterline and add foam for submerged, this narrow hull is very touchy. I also recomend mounting the internals of the WTC in such a way as to slide out of the cylinder together (as much as possible) you don't want to try working on stuff inside the cylinder. I was able to do this with everything but the ballast servo. I have all the electronics mounted on a tray which is bolted to the end cap. a long servo extension conects to the forward portion.
Good luck,
Steve

[chips]

I'm making some progress on

I'm making some progress on the model. I decided to make it one of the Manitowoc, WI built EB boats. I still trying to decide how to do the long narrow limber hole above the ballast tank sides. I'm thinking of opening it in sections, roughly based on the frame spacing; or else not cutting it open at all.

[boatbuilder1]

do the uss cobia she

do the uss cobia she is permanently docked there.
the coolest thing is you can book overnight stays certan times of the year.

[d manley]

Hey, bob, as of last

Hey, bob, as of last week, I now have a new motor mount for mounting my new motors in that wtc, these motors will work well on only 6-v direct drive and your run time should be very good too.
I hope to be installing one in my friends gato soon.

Dave Manley
Small World Models

[chips]

The Cobia wasn't built at

The Cobia wasn't built at Manitowoc, she was built in Groton. I live near Cleveland, and could do the Cod a whole lot easier, but I'm not. Some of the model contests I go to have a special award for "Best Great Lakes Ship". I've asked at those events what is a Great Lakes Ship, and the general answer is "A ship built on the lakes". The Manitowoc 28 fit that loose description.

Dave - thanks for that update. I've already installed a pair of the Sub Tech ADS drive systems. Their aluminum stuffing tube is the same size as the inner bushng you installed. I'm trying to locate a small ESC. I do have one of the Sombra Labs Shadow 1 receivers installed.



Edited By chips on 1112658587