Converting plastic models to R/C?

[modelnut]

I have read the threads where the 72nd scale Revell GATO is converted to R/C. The only changes to the kit look to be cutting out the flood vents etc so that water can pass into and out of the hull --- other than adding a WTC, propellers and mechanics to operate the control surfaces.

Is that all there is to it?

I have seen fiber glass kits and they are very sturdy --- much stronger than styrene. But I haven't seen anybody reinforcing these styrene kits.

Should they?

I'm only asking because I might want to try this myself and I am thinking that maybe I missed a step. I would hate to go through the effort and expense of conversion only to have a major catastrophe happen because I didn't know to strengthen the hull.

It may be six months to a year before I really get going. But any advice you can give would be wonderful.

Thank you!
-Leelan

[greenman407]

Hi, They do it all

Hi, They do it all the time. Go to Caswellplating.com go down and you will see a picture of a submarine, click on that ,then go down and you will see some video files on it. There you can see it first hand

[shadowpeo]

Join as a paid member

Join as a paid member at subpirates.com and get access to David Merriman's CABAL reports, there he shows you how to do the conversion in detail

[JWLaRue]

Hi Leelan,

...or save your money.

Hi Leelan,

...or save your money. The basic answer to your question is: yes.

Also check out the thread in our "Fleetboat dock" for one of the build articles here on the SC forum:

http://s181686668.onlinehome.us/phpBB2/ ... hp5?t=5470

George provides some very good information. There are several other threads there as well that contain excellent advice.

-Jeff

[crazy ivan]

You do need to beef

You do need to beef up the shafts for the control surfaces, or they might easily snap off if bumped. The same for the periscopes on the Gato; I broke mine just transporting it the second time out. There is a lot of other delicate detail on the Gato's tower and deck, but I haven't really encountered much trouble there. I did reinforce small areas of the hull under screw heads where I bolted sections of the boat together, but if you go the more traditional route and glue it all together you should have no problem.

Revell used a fairly tough type of styrene on this kit, and it is not at all brittle (less so than on their Type VII IMHO). Rather, it will flex a little without fracturing. Other kits of other style boats may have fewer appendages to break off, and may or may not use as robust a plastic as the Gato. I can't speak for them (until my Moebius Seaview shows up, that is! ).

Oh, and I believe most of Dave's Cabal report on the Gato can be found in the articles section of his D&E Miniatures website.

[modelnut]

Thanks, Guys!

That's a big help!

Thanks, Guys!

That's a big help!

I've been lurking on the fringe here for many many years. Haven't enough spare cash to really get into the R/C aspects yet. But I can dream and drool from the sidelines until I get there. Besides, it's not the destination, it's the journey.

I have the GATO kit myself and I would love to follow in your footsteps --- that kit just BEGS to get wet! And the +40inch SEAVIEW coming out ---? This is the year to be into subs.

I have a scratchbuilt/kitbash sub in my head and any knowledge I can gain from you guys is money in the bank. I really appreciate it.

-Leelan

[modelnut]

Almost forgot to respond to

Almost forgot to respond to the point of my own thread.

So what you are saying is that for a kit like the GATO it's mainly the control surfaces and the fiddlie bits that need reinforcing. The hull needn't be ironclad or armor thick. It just needs to look good and hold the guts in place --- mostly the latter.

Is that it?

-Leelan

[JWLaRue]

Leelan,

That is correct. The styrene

Leelan,

That is correct. The styrene hull of the Gato (and the Type VII) is very sturdy. Much stronger than the vac-formed hulls available from some r/c sub vendors....and the vac-formed hulls work just fine.

-Jeff