New project

[drschmidt]

Almost like Christmas.....the props arrived today. Very nice:







Meanwhile the boat got some weld beads from Archer:





The torpedo hatches are masked and then painted over, resulting in slightly recessed areas:

[drschmidt]

First layer of base color:

[drschmidt]

Base colors are on. Looks quite nice. But when I put the boat outside today to get the colors dry, I recognized some minor bubbles in the dark paint. Something I'll have to take care of tomorrow (pain in the a.....):





The bow planes are finished as well. Those were the last moulds I made:

[thor]

Extremely well executed and brilliant use of new technology. I tip my hat to you, Sir!

[drschmidt]

Started the weathering. Below the waterline the boats usually look quite shabby. I did this using David Meriman's tooth paste weathering technique. Not that bad for a first try:

[wlambing]

Dear Dr.,

The bow planes need to deploy to the horizontal. They did not stay at the angle at which they are deployed now. I can't find any pictures, but they would only work if they went to horizontal, same as our earlier classes with "fold up" planes.

Take care,
B^)

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Photo
Desk Top Model

[drschmidt]

I'm pretty sure they did not deploy horizontally.....
And of course to angled planes work a well. You get lateral forces as well, not just up and down, but as those are symmetric, they cancel each other.

[thor]

Bill is an ex submariner in the US Navy. I think he probably knows what he is talking about.

[drschmidt]

And I've been looking on these bow planes allot. The inner part of the planes are straight. If the planes could be put horizontally, they could not turn against a 60° sloped hull. As the inners ides are straight, the only way these planes can turn when extracted is when they are perpendicular to the hull slope, which puts them in a v-arrangement. And there are a few pictures form the Nautilus in dry dock with the bow planes extracted.....in a v-shape.

[drschmidt]

Today's work - upper bow sonar dome. Archer rivets and some paint:

[drschmidt]

Another one for the bow planes:

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

I am sure your research is extensive.

I looked for a couple of hours and I did not see any photos of the bow planes being level.
I only found models with level planes.
At this point I have to conclude you are the expert on this subject boat.
Angled planes it must be.

[bwi]

And I've been looking on these bow planes allot. The inner part of the planes are straight. If the planes could be put horizontally, they could not turn against a 60° sloped hull. As the inners ides are straight, the only way these planes can turn when extracted is when they are perpendicular to the hull slope, which puts them in a v-arrangement. And there are a few pictures form the Nautilus in dry dock with the bow planes extracted.....in a v-shape.

I'm with drschmidt here....on the pictures you can see clearly that the hull shape would restrict the movement if they were horizontal. Further, why should they bother to install the wires that keep them angled if they would be designed to go all the way to a horizontal position. You can see also that the piston is already in contact with the slot in the hull.
Grtz,
Bart

[thor]

I looked through the dozens of drawings that I have, including the Jim Christley prints. A sum total of zero of the drawings show the planes in the deployed position so I cannot argue Bill's point. Also, I have no photos of the boat underway with the planes deployed to prove they go to the horizontal, but I am certain that they do. Go with your gut.