Gato class Sub Assembly #1

[toppack]

Hello,
I now have the receiver, servos, speed-control and ADF-circuit all mounted in SD assembly. The servos and speed-control/motors have been wired and tested. Next I'll attempt to test and adjust the ADF which is something new to me and I'm not sure about yet. :o

[toppack]

I tested the ADF, with 2 extra servos connected. As far as I can tell it's working properly and needed no adjustment. (already adjusted). The automatic-pitch-control and ballast-failsafe are worked porperly.
Hey, that was Easy! :)

[toppack]

Well, I got everything 'Crammed' into the Sub-driver-tube, and operational. So Now I can start trying to 'Cram' the SD into the Sub-Hull, which may be even More Difficult. ;)

[toppack]

Since I eliminated a lot of the access room by making the hull separation high on hull (under deck-assembly), I found that I needed to run the forward Dive-Planes linkage-rod under the sub-driver, instead of above it. I made a Z bend in forward end of rod to go up to forward DP linkage-arm and another bend aft of SD to connect it to aft DP linkage-rod. Forward and aft linkage-rods will be soldered together aft of SD since I'm activating all DPs from one servo.
I drilled holes in hull-bulkheads to act as guides for rod under SD. I'm hopeing those 2 guides will be enough to keep it in position.
There will be less chance of damage to the rod, when removing and installing SD, if it's routed under Sub-Driver. :)
And less chance of damage to forward Dive-planes, since there will be some flex in Z-bends of linkage-rod that will absorb the shock if they hit something. :)

[toppack]

I carved out 10 pieces of flotation foam today.
(To fit in hull and under deck assembly)
Man, what a mess! :eek: Little bits of foam stuck to everything on and around my workbench. :(
I only stuck myself one time, with the carving knife, tho. :)

[toppack]

I drilled holes in hull-bulkheads to act as guides for rod under SD. I'm hopeing those 2 guides will be enough to keep it in position.

I found that it needed another linkage-rod-Guide aft, so I cut a piece of scrap plastic to be glued in keel, with a hole in it, under aft end of SD. Now the long push/pull-rod works well with very little flex. :)

[toppack]

I now have the major components of hull and deck assemblies completed, with prop-shafts, struts, cover-holddowns, ballast, velcro, rudder & dive-plane linkages, couplings, etc. installed and ready for testing.
While I'm waiting for the new Mtroniks ESC to get here, I'll work on the sail and gun assemblies some more. Oops, need my Magnifying glass, Again! :D

[toppack]

I now have gray primer paint on hull, deck, sail and gun assemblies and flat black on the parts of sail that need it.
I'm gong to make the sail removable from deck, so I have access to the camera. The sail will be held on by 2 hidden screws.
This model's construction is goin much faster than I thought, it may not be an all Winter project after all. :D

[toppack]

I went ahead and installed the 2 long hull-strakes on the Gato.
I think they look good and correct, but they also act as stops, so the boat won't slide off the base/stand when carrying it. The wooden base, I'm making for it, has the vertical stands fore and aft of those strakes.
I now have final coat of black paint on hull. :)

[toppack]

I've about desided not to paint any Rusty spots on hull, the way so many sub builders do. I think I want it to look like a New Sub, which It Is. ;)
But I would appreciate any comments or suggestions about the final paint tho?

[toppack]

I finished the railings on main and gun decks, so I think that completes all the parts assembly. :)
I still have a little painting to do, when that's done I think she'll be ready for sea-trials. :)

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I finished the railings on main and gun decks, so I think that completes all the parts assembly. :)
I still have a little painting to do, when that's done I think she'll be ready for sea-trials. :)

Man! Why do that, you're going to wind up breaking the deck railing off the first time you play with it, I guarantee it!

Anyway, rig-for-dive would have all those stanchions and life-lines down below deck anyway! Wasted effort.

David,

[toppack]

Man! Why do that, you're going to wind up breaking the deck railing off the first time you play with it, I guarantee it!

Anyway, rig-for-dive would have all those stanchions and life-lines down below deck anyway! Wasted effort.

David,

I certainly thought about that, but if the delicate railing post get broken the cable threads will keep them from getting lost and I can glue them back. I even take CA glue to the lake with me to make such repairs. :) I guess I'll need to add plastic-glue to my toolkit now. ;)
I even attached the deck davits, flag-poles, antennas, etc. A sub just looks too plain and unfinished without them, to me. :)
Some of my surface ships have Much more intricate detail than that and they survive.
Not 'wasted effort', remember that Therapy we were talking about. ;)

[toppack]

Since I could Not deside which actual Gato class Sub to make my model look like, I used things from several different boats. I used the number 213 of the 'Greenling', which was the next one built after the 'Gato' (13 is my lucky number,and must have been their's also). I used the Crest-insignia of the 'Growler', the 4th one built, since I like the Scull & cross-bones. Painted the guns to look like those on the 'Hammerhead'.
And I'm painting the deck a little different, than any of them, to give it my personal touch. :D
No bright colors of paint were used, and no Sharks-teeth were painted on. :D
I may paint the Sharks-teeth on later (P-40 style), tho. :D LOL :D

[Boomer]

I'm with you toppack on the rust issue. For one, I think others have overdone it. Secondly, boats coming back off patrol did not have that much rust, just check the numerous photos. There was more paint missing and primer showing than rust. Some skippers would have lost their jobs if thier boats came back as rusty as some modelers make then.

[toppack]

Boomer, you asked about separation cut being high on hull, so seam would be hidden by Deck/cover assembly.
So I thought I would post some pics of my Hull, to which I did that.
Just need a steady hand using a dremel-saw, which can be dangerous, if not careful.
When installing SD, the hull has to be flexed open a little to get it past upper lip, at aft end, but not much. (Maybe 1/8")
It worked out Great, no problems! :)

Click Pics:

[toppack]

I've had enough time in the pool with the Gato to get a Little experience operating it but I really need 2 good hands to do it properly, so I think I'll put it on the shelf until Spring (good weather). If my hand has not improved by then I may have to change transmitters, to one I can operate better with one hand. My pistol-grip type I made, just don't cut-it. (I have several 2-stick style that I don't like as much but should work better one handed)

The Revell Gato was definitely the correct one to build as my first RC Sub, but now I'm ready for a bigger challenge.

So Mike, I'm ready to start construction of the T-class, this Winter.
Is there a problem getting anything ready, such as the drawings?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I've had enough time in the pool with the Gato to get a Little experience operating it but I really need 2 good hands to do it properly, so I think I'll put it on the shelf until Spring (good weather). If my hand has not improved by then I may have to change transmitters, to one I can operate better with one hand. My pistol-grip type I made, just don't cut-it. (I have several 2-stick style that I don't like as much but should work better one handed)

The Revell Gato was definitely the correct one to build as my first RC Sub, but now I'm ready for a bigger challenge.

So Mike, I'm ready to start construction of the T-class, this Winter.
Is there a problem getting anything ready, such as the drawings?


Not to be (too much) of an ass here, but ...

... if you regard the GATO build and getting it operational as a moderate challenge, then may I suggest you will not be intimidated by anything on the market today. Getting that kit up and working via r/c -- and with one bum hand -- ain't bad!

Once you get your ergonomics worked out with a suitable transmitter, you're home free.

Most two-handed asses out there can't achieve what you've done with one.

David,

[toppack]

Thanks, David
It's been a Fun Project, mainly because it didn't sink when it wasn't Supposed to, and I'll attribute that mainly to your Great SD design. :)

[junglelord]

I want one of those beauties.
I will have to save up for one of those boats.
Sweet large model and subdriver.
I'll drink to THAT!

[toppack]

I got more pool time with the Gato today.
Once I was cruiseing along about 3 feet down and all a sudden she shot to the surface very fast.
It must of had the first actual test of the loss of signal failsafe. I had tested it before by turning off the transmitter but it didn't surface that fast then for some reason. May have had more gas in 'er belly this time. :D
Anyway everything is still working perfectly and we had great fun with it. :)

[junglelord]

Cool, you had a emergency surface, explosive moment of excitment.
I cannot wait...lucky you open water.
I'll drink to THAT!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I got more pool time with the Gato today.
Once I was cruiseing along about 3 feet down and all a sudden she shot to the surface very fast.
It must of had the first actual test of the loss of signal failsafe. I had tested it before by turning off the transmitter but it didn't surface that fast then for some reason. May have had more gas in 'er belly this time. :D
Anyway everything is still working perfectly and we had great fun with it. :)


Was it the first blow of a fresh charge? for some reason the fist squirt out of the bottle is of a higher pressure than all subsequent shots.

You operating in heavily Chlorinated/Salted water?

David,

[toppack]

Yes, it was the first blow. I was just using the Snort before that.
I was at my neighbors pool so don't know what he has in it.

[toppack]

I've not let it get below 3 feet yet. When we get warmer weather I'll try letting it go deeper and see what happens. ;)
Just in case I have to go swimming. :)

[shamrock]

toppack. shamrock here first big test run this weekend having trouble with air trapped under main deck .need to drill holes in deck but where .dont want to make boat look bad.she looks great with all new paint. I also kept all deck rails think it makes the boat look so much better

[toppack]

I put some large holes up thru tower and bridge, as I was assembling the tower.That will be more difficult to do with the tower assembled but you can still drill up from bottom, with long drill-bits or you may want to melt them in with a hot soldering iron, less chance of drill damage to plastic that way. The total area of those holes is about 1", so most of the trapped air goes out sail.
My hull separates at the bottom of superstructure, not down along side of hull and has a gap between it and hull, for air and water, but if you did not build it that way, I think I would drill holes along side of superstructure, just below deck. Maybe a row of small holes, both fore and aft, to start with, see how it does and increase the size of those holes as needed. That would look better than holes in top of deck. Does it have holes all along base of superstructure now? If not, it needs some there first. 'D' shaped holes needed there.
Yes, those railings are easy to damage but they Do look good. I've had to repair mine a couple of times already (mainly because I only have one good hand now). As long as they are all connected together with the line provided in kit they won't be lost when knocked loose.

[VanguardUK]

Man! Why do that, you're going to wind up breaking the deck railing off the first time you play with it, I guarantee it!

Anyway, rig-for-dive would have all those stanchions and life-lines down below deck anyway! Wasted effort.

David,

He's right - I took my gun railings off just getting to the pond, they really aren't worth the grief!
Still looks the part though i think

[Boomer]

Be sure to open up the Access Doors on both sides of the fairwater. There were NO doors on operational boats, just an "Access Arch". This will give you some additional "breathing" ability if you also open up some of the deck under the fairwater. Also, but it may be too difficult for you to do now, on the 1:1 boats there was 3/4" clearance between the deck battens which allowed more flooding/venting space through the deck. The metal deck portion had holes drilled out for venting too.

[toppack]

The open access doors Boomer is talking about can be seen in lower-right of this pic of the USS Cod:

[rwirwin18]

Seeing as I'm new to this forum( but not new at 75 years young) and having built models , Model Railroading and Plastic kits of Aircraft as well as 1/16 scale R/C tanks. I have some question for you'all. I have Revell 1/72 Gato, VIIC/41 and two VIIC u-boats. The Gato I'm going to go full bore with Caswel , but when you all talk about the different componets that you are adjusting, or changing , is it possible to have pictures of what you are doing as I do not understand a lot in this particular hobby.
Until I can understand is there any were that shows what all of these shorts terms (ap) that are used, defined or explained

Thanks
Bob in Beautiful British Columbia
Canada

[rwirwin18]

Can you explain what the following are , thanks
SD assembley DP's
Sail on a Sub ????
ADF
These are all new terms for me, as a new guy in this hobby

Bob in Canada

[toppack]

Hello, Bob
Glad to have you 'OnBoard'.
Don't hesitate to ask questions about anything unfamiliar on the forum and Caswellplating websites.
We will attempt to give an answer.
There's a great deal of Info available about converting the Revell kits to RC. Doing an Internet search, will locate much of it.

[toppack]

SD = Sub-driver (watertight cylinder/ballast-tank assembly)
DPs = Dive-planes (vertical direction control surfaces of subs)
Sail = conning-tower (modern name for tower of a sub)
(except for Robert Fulton's Nautilus, which had an actual cloth Sail, year 1800, and some other early subs, pre WW1, that had mast for cloth sails if needed as backup for unreliable engines)
ADF = Auto-direction-finder (radio receiver with movable antenna for locating source direction of transmitted signal)

[rwirwin18]

Thanks Rick, .........that cleared up a bit, but why a directional signal for reception. ( RDC).......... I have 1/16 Scale R/C Tanks and they do not need a Directional signal for transmitting nor receiving . Is this required because of reception within the Water?


Bob

[toppack]

ADF receivers are used in Fullscale subs, not RC models.
The ADF Antenna is something that can be put on WW2 aircraft, ship and sub Models to make them look more realistic.
A good way to locate where you are in the world, at that time, by tuning into 2 or more radio-station transmitters of know location (position triangulation).
The Direction-finder Antenna is labeled #3 on this drawing of a WW2 British T-class sub (mounted on aft deck with a large triangle shaped antenna coil element, sort of a Christmas-tree shape):
(On most US and German craft the antenna coil has a smaller round shape, tho. The Revell Gato model has a round-hoop shaped ADF antenna on upper tower. In the German VII the antenna could be lowered into wall of tower/bridge to protect it)

[shamrock]

welcome new guy just placed more pics in album.maybe they can help .I am also new to sub building has been a real challenge but have over come every thing so far.the guys here on the forum have been the best help.the only thing still a problem is when I do a full ballast tank blow to surface and achieve proper water line sub leans to side right or left .will set level if i let water into tank but i loose proper water line

[toppack]

when I do a full ballast tank blow to surface and achieve proper water line sub leans to side right or left
I had that problem if the ballast tank is about half full of water, and I've been told by David that can not be fixed.
But if your's tilts when tank has no water in it, then I think it needs a little more lead weight in keel. Shouldn't take much more weight.
Leave the deck/cover off to determine water level in tank, when it tilts.
(If you are using a SD ballast-tank that is?)
The weight of the cover effects it some but you should be able to determine the condition causing tilt, with it removed.
Determining how much water is in the ballast-tank, when at worst tilt, is the first step in fixing the problem, tho.

[shamrock]

thanks will try just a little more weight .other choice was to remove foam just one of those things that make you think because I followed david's instrutions on how to ballast the boat with rubberbands and foam with full tank and completely flooded .sits just fine under water .

[toppack]

I don't think I would remove any foam, but try more Low weight (at keel), first. It may actually need more foam at or just below the surfaced waterline, to pull it up more, after getting it stable with more keel weight. If there's any space left for that.

[shamrock]

hi guys want to add snort system to my gato sub . caswell has two types which one would be best large or small pump:confused:

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

hi guys want to add snort system to my gato sub . caswell has two types which one would be best large or small pump:confused:

The small one.

David,

[shamrock]

painted small amount of rust on boat did not like at first but after 1 hour test run the water washed off just the right amount .check out new pics in my album let me know what you think .would welcome any input

[toppack]

Looks Great! You even attached antenna-cables on deck. That's being very brave! :)

I'm curious what the metal-plate is for, in the ballast chamber of the SD?
Is it a deflector for the cold gas?
See Pic:

[shamrock]

it is where SD cracked .drilled holes to stop cracking and sealed with alum: tape and silicone

[toppack]

I was thinking about putting something in there to deflect the cold gas, to keep mine from cracking any more. (maybe foam-sheet)
Right now mine only has small spider cracks, around screw holes, that don't leak, but I don't want them to Grow any more.
Maybe I should drill stop-holes and seal them, also.

[Kazzer]

ADF = Auto-direction-finder (radio receiver with movable antenna for locating source direction of transmitted signal)

Here, ADF refers to a KMC Designs Automatic Pitch Controller PLUS Failsafe
Angle Driver/ Failsafe = ADF

[shamrock]

can any body help me please. just recived snort system yesterday would like a little advise on installing in my gato. have read a little bit of info on forum. would like to see some pics if any body could help me would be very greatfull

[toppack]

can any body help me please. just recived snort system yesterday would like a little advise on installing in my gato. have read a little bit of info on forum. would like to see some pics if any body could help me would be very greatfull

Do you have specific questions about a certain part of the installation? Such as tube routing to pump or into SD, connection at tower, E-switch connections, diode across terminals, etc. ?
I think everyone does it slightly differently, but let us know exactly what you need and we will try to help.

[shamrock]

yes i have quetions about everything.at the moment the led is on.have power hooked up to main battery.the pump is not working.i have other questions but right now i am trying to get the pump to work.

[toppack]

Okay, you didn't give us much Info to work with but I'll try. I'll assume you have the MERS E-switch.
The gray wire must be connected to Negative of battery.
Blue wire is connected to Negative terminal of pump-motor.
Positive terminal of pump (red dot) is connected to positive of battery.
If you installed the Diode on pump terminals, the end of diode with a white band around it should be connected to positive of pump and battery.
If every thing is connected correctly, try switching the small slide switch on the E-switch and see what that does.
Does the LED ever go Off when you send a command from transmitter?
Have you determined that the transmitter and receiver are working by pluging a servo into the receiver channel you are using?

[shamrock]

sorry had to step away.have small pump mpc switch raido checks out ok.so does pump and motor.checked and doubble checked every thing for hours with on luck.waited for about three weeks for pump and switch and when big day came it did not work:mad:

[Kazzer]

What radio are you using?

[shamrock]

i am using wfly six channel radio from caswell.i am using channel number six the dial, because of the throw on the toggle switch. it will not work the pump.

[toppack]

I'm not familiar with the MPC switch so won't be able to help much there.
Sounds like one for the KMC Support forum?
It probably is an incompatible Radio system tho, when using the switched channel?
I think there's another thread or two about that or similar problem, there now.
Hey, when using the Latest technology there's bound to some things like that need to be worked out. ;)

[Kazzer]

Yes, Kevin McLeod has worked out this problem I believe, on his tech support section of this forum.

[shamrock]

guys thanks for help with snort switch. sent back to kevin and he is takeing care of it. nice to see these days people standing behind there product. still need to run tubeing and pipeing in sail . any one out there have pics or hints on how to run tubeing