I've started a fresh thread here as I'm planning on doing something a little different with my build but basically it follows on from here...

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=262761

As a break from figuring out the lighting I thought I'd get a bit more done on the hull, particularly since I intend to do some modifications before the thing goes together.
One important job was to give the outside a good sanding all over to eliminate the various mould seams and slight sink marks that are visible.
My next task was to drill out the top hatch as I intend to have this open. I did this by simply reaming it out using a 22mm flat bit.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010017-2.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010018-2.jpg

Now a request...does anyone have a pic of the inside of the top hatch? Presumably it has a wheel on it but what about rib detail etc?

The other question is a bit more obscure...what is the purpose supposed to be of all the vents that surround the top and bottom hatches? I've always assumed that they were part of the propulsion system that allowed the thing to fly or am I wrong?

Ballast intakes.

Probably functioning in tandem with some sort of vectored-thrust/ vertical lift ram-jet of some sort.

Or not.

Thing is, if those vents aren't ballast intakes than the thing doesn't have any. Which, you know, for a submarine, that's a problem.

Thanks, I figured they were something like that or maybe intakes for the engines...although quite where they fit in around a cabin the size of my lounge I've no idea!

I had always assumed the 'venting' around the upper and lower hatches were docking latches, or for ballast... or both.
As for the upper hatch I would look to the floor of the control room in the Seaview. From me recollections of recently rewatching the series, I don't think you ever get to see it, but I would hazard a guess that it looks the same as the hatch in the observation nose, but the concave side would be on the interior of the sub.

The inside of the hatch ought to be concave with a wheel in the center and a hatch dogging mechanism of some variety.
I'd guess that photos of a typical hatch as seen on any real life submarine would give a good idea of the general arrangement of such a hatch.

Dave

Thanks guys....I figured it was concave but the kit part is flat so I'll have to break out the dremel...

I always thought the "vents" around the top were the receptacles of the docking mechanism that holds it in the Seaview.

Which of course still leaves the question of what the heck the bottom ones are!

I figured those vents around the hatches were for purging water from the airlock.

I always thought the "vents" around the top were the receptacles of the docking mechanism that holds it in the Seaview.

Which of course still leaves the question of what the heck the bottom ones are!
The Flying Sub also docked with the ventral collar on the Sea Labs in several episodes.

.

Well, thanks for all the suggestions but for the purpose of what I have in mind and at the risk of upsetting the purists I'm going to assume that they are some sort of propulsion system that maybe forces water in different directions when submerged and does the same with air when flying...after all, how do they steer the thing when it has no discernable control surfaces?
Why all this is important will become apparent in due course...

Some more work tonight...

I've cut out two access hatches on the rear deck...I think some of you will guess where I'm going with this build...and yes, I realise the access tunnel crosses one of the apertures but that's all part of the plan.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010001-1.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010006-2.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010002-3.jpg

Some more work tonight...

I've cut out two access hatches on the rear deck...I think some of you will guess where I'm going with this build...and yes, I realise the access tunnel crosses one of the apertures but that's all part of the plan.


Hi miniature sun, I truly look forward to seeing your build come together, so far it look very nice and I'm intrigued.....:thumbsup: I love looking at your pictures......:wave:

After some weeks of inactivity I've made some more progress.
As the rear tunnel is seen through the open engine hatches I've added some detail to the outside...
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010001-2.jpg

The insides of the engine compartments have been scratchbuilt using sheet styrene and lots of trial fitting to avoid fouling the rest of the interior...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010002-4.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010003-3.jpg

One of the issues with the design of the tunnel is that it doesn't leave a lot of room for engines. I figured that much of the engine assembly must be mounted in the 'wings' so it was then off to the local hardware shop for some plumbing fittings,22mm obtuse bends in case you're interested...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010004.jpg

After some surgery with a hacksaw and the addition of some plastic strip I ended up with these...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010009-1.jpg

...which when fitted look like this...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010006-3.jpg

Lots more detail and plumbing to add yet but I'm pleased with the progress so far...

Hi

This is looking interesting and different from the other builds. Looking forward to seeing more WIP images and the finished model.

I really like where you are taking this...

.

That's looking really great. I always liked the engine room in the Aurora kit. Nice to see a scratch build that shows something similar and still accommodates the tunnel.

This should be fun........nice job.alex

That's looking really great. I always liked the engine room in the Aurora kit. Nice to see a scratch build that shows something similar and still accommodates the tunnel.

I agree there with you OzyMandias. :)

Keep it going Iain, as said above it's looking great. :thumbsup:

Cheers,

Alec.

I agree with the others - I really like your solution to the engine/tunnel issue. Very well done!

Nice job so far. I'm gathering parts and info for mine. Good to see something "not off the shelf". Thats the tough thing about all of us building the same damned things, they all start to look alike! LOL. But, we want replica's, so we gots lots of replicas!!!

Keep us posted on your progress, great photos as well. I love following along!

Oh yeah!! Keep goin that way

Another quick update...

I gave the engines a squirt of grey primer to get a better feel of how they look so far...now I need to add some more detail and then paint them up before installation...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/f2.jpg

I've also done some work on the upper docking collar, drilling out some holes for the propulsion system and adding some ribs...more of this to come...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/f3.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/f4.jpg

To give myself a break from the engines I spent this evening detailing the upper hatch.
The kit part looks like this on the inside face...it's just designed to glue straight onto the docking ring to portray a closed hatch...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/g4-1.jpg

I've hollowed it out using a dremel bit and detailed it using styrene strip and rod, and a wheel to match the one on the outside. I also replaced part of the hinge mechanism with brass rod...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/g3-1.jpg

Oh my stars and garters... That is just amazing scratch building!

This build is a hoot!...wonderfull work. It must have been a bear to get the hatch hollowed out as well as you have done, and the engines/ducting looks great!

Steve

Thanks for the comments guys...the hollowing of the hatch was a bit scary as I was terrified of going too deep and ruining the part. I took out as much as I dared with the Dremel fitted with a fairly large spherical grindstone, then finished it off by scraping using a curved X-acto blade.
I'm very pleased at how the engines have turned out...I'm keen to get all this finished so I can get back to the lighting.

Thanks for posting pics keep them comming..
Good to see our kits getting built!!

Dave

Nice work! I like your approach. :thumbsup:

This is very cool! Thanks for posting!

Ooh, I am very intrigued by your version here. Keep 'em coming!

Some more work on the docking ring tonight...plastic strip and aluminium tube to provide some detail...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010001-3.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010002-6.jpg

...and some hydraulic pistons made using telescoping brass and aluminium tube...more on what these are for later...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010003-5.jpg

OK, now I'm getting really intrigued by your build. (I was impressed before, but these last images are really slick and point at something totally unexpected!)

A little more progress tonight...
I'm now awaiting delivery of some EL sheet for the floor so I'm doing lots of small jobs to speed things up when it arrives....
I was fortunate enough to obtain some of these from Gene Kozicki (GKvfx) on this very forum...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010004-1.jpg

...not sure what they are made for but they certainly look the part as fan blades for the engines and are the exact diameter of the kit parts.
I bored out the end of the kit engine then painted the inside with Games Workshop(Citadel) Boltgun Metal.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010005-4.jpg

I then combined two of the fan pieces, slightly offset so that the spokes of one show through the gap between the spokes on the other, with the front end of a missile also painted Boltgun Metal...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010017-3.jpg

...sorry about the blurry picture...

Finally the fan assembly was attached to the rear of the engine....

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/P1010019-3.jpg

Some more scratchbuilding...
I'm still waiting for the EL sheet so I've been playing around with those pistons I made earlier and some old kit parts and plasticard...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/h1.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/h2.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/h3.jpg

...are you all intrigued at what is afoot here?....

It would make a better set of landing gear (arced pads on piston-jacks) than the 'official' big spirally wheel gear...

.

It's not landing gear as such but will become clearer as the thing comes together...

Since you been doing work on enhancing the docking ring perhaps the pistons are an extension of that, something that locks the FS-1 into the hangar bay?

Since you been doing work on enhancing the docking ring perhaps the pistons are an extension of that, something that locks the FS-1 into the hangar bay?

Actually, I'd never even thought about that until now...sounds like a good idea, but not what I've got in mind...:)

I was betting that it's the docking collar. How about a connection to the Underwater lab?

The double fan thing is a great idea too!

Very nice work, this build is instructive and fun to see!

...are you all intrigued at what is afoot here?....

You bet!

Spill it! (please :))

Underwater landing cradle display thingy?

Underwater japanese monster sushi tongs?

OK- I am tired of the 'guess what I am doing"... game-
I am going to leave this thread and check back in a month to just get the answers instead of dribbled clues...

.

Underwater landing cradle display thingy?

Pretty much on the money Steve although there are some more bits to add yet, so I guess it will be pretty much finished when Richard checks back in next month...:thumbsup:

At the risk of upsetting anyone else with my drip-feed of updates...

...here's the landing cradle (thanks for the name, Steve!) painted up. I wanted to go with a colour to contrast with the yellow of the hull so I chose orange (Volkswagen Brilliant Orange in case you're interested)...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/o1.jpg

I'm going to be incorporating some figures and have chosen 1/35. I know the scale is slightly off but there are lots to choose from and they seem to fit the hatches better...also they make the size of the sub even more impressive...

Here's one for scale...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/o2.jpg

Finally here's the rig beneath the hull...I'm still constructing the ends that attach to the tops of the pistons...I guess they would be some kind of magnetic clamp...watch this space...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii213/jargonking/o3.jpg

Cool!

It's always fun, seeing what different modelers come up with to make their models stand out.

Cool!

It's always fun, seeing what different modelers come up with to make their models stand out.

Thanks...that's the problem with building such a popular kit. Then again, the beauty of our chosen field is that we can make things up as we go along without the rivet-counters getting involved...:)

That is not only cool looking, but "realistic" to boot - it looks like working hardware.

I like the single control box - it's nice to see non-symetrical stuff. It looks more like "it's here for a purpose and we only need one of 'em".

At the risk of upsetting anyone else with my drip-feed of updates...

You keep on posting.......:thumbsup: I love the great work you've done, just amazing...... It's like a new prize each time I see your work......