1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

thank you sir!

lol. should have mentioned that... i used a bandsaw that i have here to cut the sections out after drawing them on the foam. once they are all cut, i align my pieces and glue them together with hot glue. it seems to work so far, and doesnt melt the foam to badly while making a decent bond that if i mess up, i can take back apart (with some effort). then i take my handy dandy wood rasp and rough shape my sections, final shaping is done with 60 grit sand paper. lastly, if i need additional contouring, i found drywall compound works well. it shapes easily and crumbles when you hit it hard. time will tell how well it actualy works. i wrapped my alfa in duct tape and have the first fiberglass coat curing now.

[jeffrey j]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

Wow Jon,
You have really come along way since the first time I met you when you stopped by to check out my subs several years ago! Way to go, you really are doing some impressive work. The Alfa looks awesome, I have an almost finished Sturgeon in the same scale as yours. I built it almost the same way.... looking good ,, keep up the good work, most of all, take your time and have fun. At this rate were all going to be asking you for advice. Jeff Jones

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

thanks Jeff!!! that means alot coming from you! it seems like that was just yesterday i was gawking at your type IX and type II. i do have to admit, there is a ton of info out there on the forum here, you just have to dig it up and find it. right now im in my habitat, fiberglass. those years i fell off of the earth, i was a mechanic on a pro drag race team.

here is a picture of our race car-

me on my side, putting the pro jack under the car-

and here at lunchtime!


when the car body needed repair, i was one of the few they trusted to patch the carbon fiber. fiberglass doesnt seem like its too different (i was thinking of doing a carbon hull, but costs kept me from it). once i get to the internals, i will be lost. we need to get together in the near future Jeff! id love to catch up, compare notes.

side note, im glad the race team dried up.... i was only home one week every 4 months or so. i have a new respect for our boys in uniform.

[jeffrey j]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

I had heard once that a radio signal wouldn't pass through a carbon fiber hull. We use carbon fiber at work also on the C-17 skins, kevlar. The internals are easy to build compared to the entire hull, Jeff Jones

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

interesting info! wasnt aware of that, although it makes sense. thanks Jeff!

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

well, while the glue was drying on Alfa, i pulled out the IXD2 plug and started on it again today, resuming the smoothing i was doing before.



i have started repairs onto the conning tower as well where the fiberglass ate into the foam. updates soon!

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

Well, a year later and I finally pulled the IXD2 out. I had to break it into 3 pieces to move the submarine. I recently moved to the Kansas City MO area after getting married this past June. I put the plug back together this morning, and started on the drywall compound sculpting again. After learning some new things about the IXD2 and it's hull, I am starting to incorporate these new things into my master plug. As I found out from the Alfa, I will be molding this one to make life easier. The new plans are to use the Jeff Jones method and paint the plug with latex based paint, rather than the duct-tape method I used on the Alfa. I was not happy with the duct tape, and lost details on the Alfa that I had to re-sculpt. I plan on getting the IXD2 plug finished before October, and would like to have the first hull pulled out of the molds before Thanksgiving. Time will tell!


Jon

[scott t]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

Good to see you back after this project.

Scott T

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

Thanks! It is nice to be able to work on things again!

I have started to re-shape the hull with the new information I found. I found dry dock pictures of a IXD2 showing the bottom of the hull. As some might know, the type IX had a double hull, and some of the pressure hull on the bottom of the boat was exposed. It turns out that the IXD2 did not share this feature. The IXD2 had a fully enclosed hull, with no pressure hull exposed. I had read this, but until I found the pictures, I was hesitant to move forward in fear of doing it wrong. So, with that said, here is the new filling being done to the hull.





Here you can see the filling in of the hull from the IXC frame lines to match the IXD2 hull shape. There is still more to do in the keel areas.





I really think if I can stay on this, she could be in fiberglass by the end of August, and start on the detailing for the master mold.

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

More progress!!!

I have been working on trying to get the damage that was done to the conning tower fixed. It was pretty bad, melted the front half of the foam away, and since I am out of foam, I rebuilt it with HIPS. Here is where it sits for now.





I have started working on the radar housing and the interior of the tower. My goal is to clean up the tower, and mold it. More progress soon!

[thor]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

Wow! That looks great. Might we see another 1/32nd Type IXC at next years SubRegatta?

Keep up the great work!

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

Wow! That looks great. Might we see another 1/32nd Type IXC at next years SubRegatta?

Keep up the great work!

That is the plan Matt! Thanks for the encouragement! Hope to have more done tomorrow!

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

More progress today! After studying IXD2 towers, and U-181's in particular, I think the left side of the tower is closer now than last night.

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

Ok. One more update! Finished filling in the rest of the inner walls on the conning tower. I still need to smooth out the curves on the inside of the tower. I started the periscope housing today as well. Here is where the IXD2 tower sits now.



Cheers!

[the dark knight]

Re: 1/32nd scale IXD2 U-181

well, I have made more progress. I have finally Incorporated the final details on the overall shape of the IXD2 into the hull.





Today I am painting the hull with latex based paint to prepare it for fiberglass this weekend.