Our greatest moment!!!!!!!

[Kazzer]

THIS is the submarine EVERYONE has been asking for!

THE USS SKIPJACK IN 1:72 SCALE

And who designed it?

Who else DAVID D MERRIMAN III

And who is manufacturing it?


MOEBIUS MODELS

And when will it be available? MAYBE DECEMBER


Want a taste of the prototype running as r/c?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qZAU0lO2LY

Sub-drivers - fittings kits - radios - all available for the best boat on the high seas!

Coming soon!


If you are in Chicago this weekend, get to the Rosemont Show to see the model on exhibit!

You'll not see a slicker model!

[Kazzer]

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[greenman407]

Im trying to understand the meaning of the pictures. If its made by Moebius then whats all the setup and detailing pictures about. It looks like maybe Moebius sent you a hull and you correctly detailed it and sent it back to them to make changes in their tooling? Also looks like your making a metal prop for it to replace their plastic one? Im sorry, Im kind of dense.

[Subculture]

I've been tinkering with one of Dave's 1/96th Skipjacks. Looks like the scopes are a bit different on this bigger version. I searched the net for photos, and cross referenced with Greg's Skipjack plans etc. I was sure the observation periscope had a faired mast and the ECM/DF Antenna mast.

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[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Im trying to understand the meaning of the pictures. If its made by Moebius then whats all the setup and detailing pictures about. It looks like maybe Moebius sent you a hull and you correctly detailed it and sent it back to them to make changes in their tooling? Also looks like your making a metal prop for it to replace their plastic one? Im sorry, Im kind of dense.

Moebius has no production facilities here -- just the in-house talent to do the market study, design, sales, and integration chores. I'm one of many volunteer product Lead Men; the 'experts' who research and present the production end guys with the dope needed to render a kit faithful to the subject.

As Lead Man on the Moebius 1/72 SKIPJACK project part of my job was to send the Chinese (they do the tooling and kit production work) the drawings and one of my 1/96 SKIPJACK's as a scanning subject -- from these documents and sample they worked up a CAD file, converted it to dope a 3D copy machine could use, then made a quicky mock-up kit for me to examine and correct. The pictures show me correcting errors identified on the Mock-up

As it turned out I sent the Chinese conflicting information without advice as to which aspect was right and which was in error -- my fault, I should have been more observant and identified the points of paradox between plans, photos, and scanning subject. The result was a flawed upper deck and a few other minor mistakes on the mock-up. Lesson learned. An expensive one for Moebius. I let them down.

Next time (if there is a next time) I'll simply provide a single scanning subject, fully detailed and ready to convert to CNC instructions for the Chinese tool makers. That will shorten production time and will be cheaper to produce.

David

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I've been tinkering with one of Dave's 1/96th Skipjacks. Looks like the scopes are a bit different on this bigger version. I searched the net for photos, and cross referenced with Greg's Skipjack plans etc. I was sure the observation periscope had a faired mast and the ECM/DF Antenna mast.

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Right you are, Andy.

Since working up the D&E Miniatures 1/96 SKIPJACK kit, better information has been found as to mast type and arrangement aboard the SKIPJACK class boats. That 'new' information has been incorporated into the Moebius 1/72 kit.

David,

[Subculture]

Understood. But I'm still confused; if you look at the first image I posted, the position occupied by the observation scope shows an aerofoil shaped fairing, whereas the scope on your 1/72nd rendition is round like the attack class scope. Were the images airbrushed, or did some boats have a faired mast for the observation scope?

[Kazzer]

More photos - this time in a slide show


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM9zIxBiWhQ

[trout]

Here is a link that shows the sub at the iHobbyExpo http://culttvman.com/main/?p=18803
S (http://culttvman.com/main/?p=18803)kipjack
Very cool!

[herrmill]

Thanks David. Always nice to see another sub plastic kit in the works.

[Carter]

I'll second that. Thanks, David. Your work is always an inspiration.

[daveg]

Will the new Skipjack be able to operate with Dave's now discontinued WTC-3? I have one and would love to get a new boat for it to operate.
Cheers
Dave

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Nope, it will take a 3.5 SD

[trout]

I went to the Moebius site on Facebook and there was a post dated Dec. 9th that said "Moebius Models (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moebius-Models/152580141448964) Skipjack is about 6 months out. We're hoping earlier, but that's probably best estimate."
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moebius-Models/152580141448964?sk=wall&filter=12
Is that what you have heard as well?

[Kazzer]

I haven't heard anything, but knowing that the final plug has only been in their hands a few weeks, I'm not surprised. I'd guess April!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

A bit conservative I think.

David

[Kazzer]

Well, a few weeks ago, we were all anticipating before Christmas. But I forget, this is the model submarine business, very little occurs on time!