torpedochief

Still hard at work on the LEE, however I wanted to share a build with you of a Russian 3rd Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 
This is a High Quality resin Kit from Ships-n-Such from Russia.  For those who do not know most of my adult life was spent chasing or being chased by Russian subs. I love'em!!!
 
Before you close this topic as "Resin kit? Really? I've built the battle of Trafalgar out of one log," I might suggest you give a resin sub a whirl.  There is more detail on a submarine than you think.  Remember in a modern sub, anything on the hull could make noise, so we must come up with ways to make cleats rote into the hull, capstans lower to deck level, chocks are removable. Heck the who darn thing is coated in rubber!
 
So here you see the Ships-n-Such 1/350 scale Russian Project 971 (NATO Code Name AKULA.)  A little bit of confusion here. In the Russian Navy the Akula is called the PIKE Class.  In the Russian navy the huge SSBN TYPHOON as it is known to NATO is called the AKULA. Ok take some time with that.
 
First thing you notice on these late 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Russian boast is the long stern. This is called the Hogner Stern.  So don't cut it off!.
 
Take some time and look over the hull a few times, note the many little boxes and lines that cover the hull. Unlike American submarines and their single hull design, Russian subs are double hulled. (Typhoon has 4 hulls.)  It is because of this double hull design that many access points must be built to allow repair and maintenance work between the hulls.
 
So you have looked at all the neat little do-dads, keep them in mind because you might have to remake them!  Resin kits are made with a pressure pot or the spin method. These methods remove air and allow resin to completely fill the rubber molds. Molds for the Akula are two piece units. The halves are fit together and resin poured in and pressurized or spun.  This can sometimes cause resin to run from one side of the mold to the next creating a lip of unwanted material. This is also caused when heat from the curing resin breaks down the mold.
 
No big deal, but be careful!!  The obvious way to remove this mold line is sanding...right?  Well yes, but you need to plan and use the ultimate in patience or you could really spoil the look of your hull.
 
Remember a modern sub hull is round. If you sand the side flat, you no longer have a round submarine with is what you wanted in the first place.
 
I take some model putty and place under or over the lip at the parting line. This is NOT to fill in the lip.  If you did that you would have a great parting line but an out of shape hull.  The putty is used to let me know when I have sanded the right amount as have still maintained my hull shape.  I tell myself,  "Green-Gone-Good."  It is a slow process, but the results will give you a mean looking underwater killer.
 
Next installment we will get some parts on and make a few extra details and make some decals.  Stay tuned!!        

Getting close to getting this bad boy on the shelf.
 
Found some major problems with the sail. The supplied masts PERT SPRING, (Satellite Navigation) SNOOP SLAB/SNOOP Pair are for the wrong submarine.  The supplied mast is for OSCAR II class SSNGN (KURSK.) The rear most mounted mast is called PARK LAMP (Direction Finder) it is not  easy to build, and if it were or even included in the kit the sail opening is not larger enough.
 
Here is what happened.  The Russian Navy employees several modifications of the AKULA class. Where as the hull of my submarine is an AKULA II  (971M) it seems Boris got his molds mixed up and I have a sail from modification (971MT)  There is only 1 AKULA thus far with this modified sail the GEPARD.
 
Seeing as how I am in a rush to use this for my book signing I decided to make the best of what I have until I have a spare minute to make proper modifications.  Boris was very embarrassed but heck it happen and it gives me a challenge.
 
Following primer the upper hull was painted using Tamiya Paints.  Russian submarines are not painted all black like our boats,  They are a very dark blue.  To make this paint I mixed 6 parts blue to 4 black.  This I airbrushed and allowed to dry overnight. Once dry I applied three light coats of  acrylic gloss. (This prevents paint peel when masking.) 
 
The hull was then masked at the water line.  A little note here: Western submarines are for the most part single hull. This means that when you see the outside of an American submarine you are seeing the pressure hull.  Russian subs on the other hand are double hull.  What you see is an outer hull that provides hydrodynamic shape.  The Russians call this "The Easy Hull."  Double hull boats are slower to submerge however they can be controlled better at periscope depth. 
 
Double hulls can be a bit louder than single hulls due to mechanical linkage and other thru hull systems.  One advantage to double hull is reserve buoyancy.  With the vents grates and Kingston valves shut a Russian submarine is tight as a drum and can trim herself for a sea state.  The biggest advantage for the Russian subs is standoff distance.  Between the pressure hull and the "easy hull" Russian engineers have placed various materials in such a way as to mitigate the blast effect of an exploding torpedo. The theory is the overpressure wave of the explosion will be absorbed by the material and dissipate over the length of the hull rather than in one area.  While this might lesson the damage from an air dropped MK 46 or MK 50 torpedo, it is doubtful the system would lesson the shock and bending stresses imposed by a heavy weight MK 48 ADCAP or British SPEARFISH torpedo. Hopefully it will never be tested.
 
Ok once masked I painted the bottom half a mix of 7  to 3 red and black.  With this done I set it aside to dry while I worked on the masts.
 
Like I said I was having to make do.  The PERT SPRING was not to bad. I added the low horizon plates and painted it dull yellow and the plates black.  The SNOOP array was fixed up by adding the receiver elements at the top. I included a picture of how it should look. The incorrect RIM HAT(Over the Horizon Missile Targeting Receiver. was stepped where the PARK LAMP should be.  One of the hatches was open but no mast provided.  This hatch was for SHOTGUN HF Communications.  I made the mast by trimming the long leg from and LED, and painting the top gun metal. The hatch for the Submarine ID mast was also open. This was made by curing drops of CA on the top of a stick pin then turning it to shape using my moto tool.
 
Something interesting you might notice is the "Hogner Stern." See the long taper that sets the screw some distance from the control surfaces. This is Supposed to aid in maneuvering at high speed by offering less cross section.  One big draw back is that at slow speed and with the towed array deployed the screw seems to want to suck in the towed array. That can be very bad.    
 
Got some other stuff done but I will cover that later on.
 
Going Deep!!!           
 
 

Some more progress on the AKULA project.
 
Russian submarines trade drag for lack of noisy seawater pumps by using water scoops to feed in reactor coolant. These aft mounted scoops differ depending on boat and year built, so be careful.  I have included a chart to show which scoops go to witch boats.  To add to the detail I photo etched inlet screens for the scoops.  The scoops were then attacked and filets formed from putty.
 
    With all repairs and flaws filled, and sanded I gave the hull a primer coat to see it everything looked ok.  While this dried I began my research and design of the decals I would need to replicate VEPR K-157  (Wild Boar) It seems like a bit of overkill with the decals, however Russian Attack subs feature more than one type of detection system. These include Shark Gill bow mounted Active/Passive,  Hull mounted Flank HF/LF active/passive, MT-70 Under Ice Sonar.  AKULA also carries non acoustic detection systems.  These sensors like sonar are hull mounted above and below the water line.
 
Bumping an array or sensor with a tug boat is really not the best career moves, so AKULA hulls are heavily marked.  Some mistakes have been made and the results are costly and dangerous. Here is a shot of K-154 What you are looking at is the spherical array of the MK-503 (Shark Gill) transducers.  Not good....not good at all. 
 
The norm these days is for Russian submarines to display emblems and other art on the sides or front of the sail and even on the submarines nose.  Again research is needed to get the right emblem or markings.             
 
Once the decals were done. I then made the photo etched hatch covers for the sail.  The non acoustic sensor arrays (SOK) were made and installed.
 
A final coat of primer and we are ready to paint this bad boy! 

Still hard at work on the LEE, however I wanted to share a build with you of a Russian 3rd Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 
This is a High Quality resin Kit from Ships-n-Such from Russia.  For those who do not know most of my adult life was spent chasing or being chased by Russian subs. I love'em!!!
 
Before you close this topic as "Resin kit? Really? I've built the battle of Trafalgar out of one log," I might suggest you give a resin sub a whirl.  There is more detail on a submarine than you think.  Remember in a modern sub, anything on the hull could make noise, so we must come up with ways to make cleats rote into the hull, capstans lower to deck level, chocks are removable. Heck the who darn thing is coated in rubber!
 
So here you see the Ships-n-Such 1/350 scale Russian Project 971 (NATO Code Name AKULA.)  A little bit of confusion here. In the Russian Navy the Akula is called the PIKE Class.  In the Russian navy the huge SSBN TYPHOON as it is known to NATO is called the AKULA. Ok take some time with that.
 
First thing you notice on these late 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Russian boast is the long stern. This is called the Hogner Stern.  So don't cut it off!.
 
Take some time and look over the hull a few times, note the many little boxes and lines that cover the hull. Unlike American submarines and their single hull design, Russian subs are double hulled. (Typhoon has 4 hulls.)  It is because of this double hull design that many access points must be built to allow repair and maintenance work between the hulls.
 
So you have looked at all the neat little do-dads, keep them in mind because you might have to remake them!  Resin kits are made with a pressure pot or the spin method. These methods remove air and allow resin to completely fill the rubber molds. Molds for the Akula are two piece units. The halves are fit together and resin poured in and pressurized or spun.  This can sometimes cause resin to run from one side of the mold to the next creating a lip of unwanted material. This is also caused when heat from the curing resin breaks down the mold.
 
No big deal, but be careful!!  The obvious way to remove this mold line is sanding...right?  Well yes, but you need to plan and use the ultimate in patience or you could really spoil the look of your hull.
 
Remember a modern sub hull is round. If you sand the side flat, you no longer have a round submarine with is what you wanted in the first place.
 
I take some model putty and place under or over the lip at the parting line. This is NOT to fill in the lip.  If you did that you would have a great parting line but an out of shape hull.  The putty is used to let me know when I have sanded the right amount as have still maintained my hull shape.  I tell myself,  "Green-Gone-Good."  It is a slow process, but the results will give you a mean looking underwater killer.
 
Next installment we will get some parts on and make a few extra details and make some decals.  Stay tuned!!        

Thank you for your kind words.  These AKULA class SSNs are a force to be reckoned with.  I have tangled with a couple in my day.  Last year the Russians deployed this very ship to the Gulf of Mexico. He went undetected for a month or so. That means a Russian submarine with nuclear tipped cruise missiles could have taken out any number of US cities within minutes.  It is also very humbling to model a ship that at one time may have been able to kill me in a flash. On the flip side I maybe could have done the same thing.     

Some more progress on the AKULA project.
 
Russian submarines trade drag for lack of noisy seawater pumps by using water scoops to feed in reactor coolant. These aft mounted scoops differ depending on boat and year built, so be careful.  I have included a chart to show which scoops go to witch boats.  To add to the detail I photo etched inlet screens for the scoops.  The scoops were then attacked and filets formed from putty.
 
    With all repairs and flaws filled, and sanded I gave the hull a primer coat to see it everything looked ok.  While this dried I began my research and design of the decals I would need to replicate VEPR K-157  (Wild Boar) It seems like a bit of overkill with the decals, however Russian Attack subs feature more than one type of detection system. These include Shark Gill bow mounted Active/Passive,  Hull mounted Flank HF/LF active/passive, MT-70 Under Ice Sonar.  AKULA also carries non acoustic detection systems.  These sensors like sonar are hull mounted above and below the water line.
 
Bumping an array or sensor with a tug boat is really not the best career moves, so AKULA hulls are heavily marked.  Some mistakes have been made and the results are costly and dangerous. Here is a shot of K-154 What you are looking at is the spherical array of the MK-503 (Shark Gill) transducers.  Not good....not good at all. 
 
The norm these days is for Russian submarines to display emblems and other art on the sides or front of the sail and even on the submarines nose.  Again research is needed to get the right emblem or markings.             
 
Once the decals were done. I then made the photo etched hatch covers for the sail.  The non acoustic sensor arrays (SOK) were made and installed.
 
A final coat of primer and we are ready to paint this bad boy! 

Some more progress on the AKULA project.
 
Russian submarines trade drag for lack of noisy seawater pumps by using water scoops to feed in reactor coolant. These aft mounted scoops differ depending on boat and year built, so be careful.  I have included a chart to show which scoops go to witch boats.  To add to the detail I photo etched inlet screens for the scoops.  The scoops were then attacked and filets formed from putty.
 
    With all repairs and flaws filled, and sanded I gave the hull a primer coat to see it everything looked ok.  While this dried I began my research and design of the decals I would need to replicate VEPR K-157  (Wild Boar) It seems like a bit of overkill with the decals, however Russian Attack subs feature more than one type of detection system. These include Shark Gill bow mounted Active/Passive,  Hull mounted Flank HF/LF active/passive, MT-70 Under Ice Sonar.  AKULA also carries non acoustic detection systems.  These sensors like sonar are hull mounted above and below the water line.
 
Bumping an array or sensor with a tug boat is really not the best career moves, so AKULA hulls are heavily marked.  Some mistakes have been made and the results are costly and dangerous. Here is a shot of K-154 What you are looking at is the spherical array of the MK-503 (Shark Gill) transducers.  Not good....not good at all. 
 
The norm these days is for Russian submarines to display emblems and other art on the sides or front of the sail and even on the submarines nose.  Again research is needed to get the right emblem or markings.             
 
Once the decals were done. I then made the photo etched hatch covers for the sail.  The non acoustic sensor arrays (SOK) were made and installed.
 
A final coat of primer and we are ready to paint this bad boy! 

Still hard at work on the LEE, however I wanted to share a build with you of a Russian 3rd Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 
This is a High Quality resin Kit from Ships-n-Such from Russia.  For those who do not know most of my adult life was spent chasing or being chased by Russian subs. I love'em!!!
 
Before you close this topic as "Resin kit? Really? I've built the battle of Trafalgar out of one log," I might suggest you give a resin sub a whirl.  There is more detail on a submarine than you think.  Remember in a modern sub, anything on the hull could make noise, so we must come up with ways to make cleats rote into the hull, capstans lower to deck level, chocks are removable. Heck the who darn thing is coated in rubber!
 
So here you see the Ships-n-Such 1/350 scale Russian Project 971 (NATO Code Name AKULA.)  A little bit of confusion here. In the Russian Navy the Akula is called the PIKE Class.  In the Russian navy the huge SSBN TYPHOON as it is known to NATO is called the AKULA. Ok take some time with that.
 
First thing you notice on these late 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Russian boast is the long stern. This is called the Hogner Stern.  So don't cut it off!.
 
Take some time and look over the hull a few times, note the many little boxes and lines that cover the hull. Unlike American submarines and their single hull design, Russian subs are double hulled. (Typhoon has 4 hulls.)  It is because of this double hull design that many access points must be built to allow repair and maintenance work between the hulls.
 
So you have looked at all the neat little do-dads, keep them in mind because you might have to remake them!  Resin kits are made with a pressure pot or the spin method. These methods remove air and allow resin to completely fill the rubber molds. Molds for the Akula are two piece units. The halves are fit together and resin poured in and pressurized or spun.  This can sometimes cause resin to run from one side of the mold to the next creating a lip of unwanted material. This is also caused when heat from the curing resin breaks down the mold.
 
No big deal, but be careful!!  The obvious way to remove this mold line is sanding...right?  Well yes, but you need to plan and use the ultimate in patience or you could really spoil the look of your hull.
 
Remember a modern sub hull is round. If you sand the side flat, you no longer have a round submarine with is what you wanted in the first place.
 
I take some model putty and place under or over the lip at the parting line. This is NOT to fill in the lip.  If you did that you would have a great parting line but an out of shape hull.  The putty is used to let me know when I have sanded the right amount as have still maintained my hull shape.  I tell myself,  "Green-Gone-Good."  It is a slow process, but the results will give you a mean looking underwater killer.
 
Next installment we will get some parts on and make a few extra details and make some decals.  Stay tuned!!        

Still hard at work on the LEE, however I wanted to share a build with you of a Russian 3rd Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 
This is a High Quality resin Kit from Ships-n-Such from Russia.  For those who do not know most of my adult life was spent chasing or being chased by Russian subs. I love'em!!!
 
Before you close this topic as "Resin kit? Really? I've built the battle of Trafalgar out of one log," I might suggest you give a resin sub a whirl.  There is more detail on a submarine than you think.  Remember in a modern sub, anything on the hull could make noise, so we must come up with ways to make cleats rote into the hull, capstans lower to deck level, chocks are removable. Heck the who darn thing is coated in rubber!
 
So here you see the Ships-n-Such 1/350 scale Russian Project 971 (NATO Code Name AKULA.)  A little bit of confusion here. In the Russian Navy the Akula is called the PIKE Class.  In the Russian navy the huge SSBN TYPHOON as it is known to NATO is called the AKULA. Ok take some time with that.
 
First thing you notice on these late 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Russian boast is the long stern. This is called the Hogner Stern.  So don't cut it off!.
 
Take some time and look over the hull a few times, note the many little boxes and lines that cover the hull. Unlike American submarines and their single hull design, Russian subs are double hulled. (Typhoon has 4 hulls.)  It is because of this double hull design that many access points must be built to allow repair and maintenance work between the hulls.
 
So you have looked at all the neat little do-dads, keep them in mind because you might have to remake them!  Resin kits are made with a pressure pot or the spin method. These methods remove air and allow resin to completely fill the rubber molds. Molds for the Akula are two piece units. The halves are fit together and resin poured in and pressurized or spun.  This can sometimes cause resin to run from one side of the mold to the next creating a lip of unwanted material. This is also caused when heat from the curing resin breaks down the mold.
 
No big deal, but be careful!!  The obvious way to remove this mold line is sanding...right?  Well yes, but you need to plan and use the ultimate in patience or you could really spoil the look of your hull.
 
Remember a modern sub hull is round. If you sand the side flat, you no longer have a round submarine with is what you wanted in the first place.
 
I take some model putty and place under or over the lip at the parting line. This is NOT to fill in the lip.  If you did that you would have a great parting line but an out of shape hull.  The putty is used to let me know when I have sanded the right amount as have still maintained my hull shape.  I tell myself,  "Green-Gone-Good."  It is a slow process, but the results will give you a mean looking underwater killer.
 
Next installment we will get some parts on and make a few extra details and make some decals.  Stay tuned!!        

Some more progress on the AKULA project.
 
Russian submarines trade drag for lack of noisy seawater pumps by using water scoops to feed in reactor coolant. These aft mounted scoops differ depending on boat and year built, so be careful.  I have included a chart to show which scoops go to witch boats.  To add to the detail I photo etched inlet screens for the scoops.  The scoops were then attacked and filets formed from putty.
 
    With all repairs and flaws filled, and sanded I gave the hull a primer coat to see it everything looked ok.  While this dried I began my research and design of the decals I would need to replicate VEPR K-157  (Wild Boar) It seems like a bit of overkill with the decals, however Russian Attack subs feature more than one type of detection system. These include Shark Gill bow mounted Active/Passive,  Hull mounted Flank HF/LF active/passive, MT-70 Under Ice Sonar.  AKULA also carries non acoustic detection systems.  These sensors like sonar are hull mounted above and below the water line.
 
Bumping an array or sensor with a tug boat is really not the best career moves, so AKULA hulls are heavily marked.  Some mistakes have been made and the results are costly and dangerous. Here is a shot of K-154 What you are looking at is the spherical array of the MK-503 (Shark Gill) transducers.  Not good....not good at all. 
 
The norm these days is for Russian submarines to display emblems and other art on the sides or front of the sail and even on the submarines nose.  Again research is needed to get the right emblem or markings.             
 
Once the decals were done. I then made the photo etched hatch covers for the sail.  The non acoustic sensor arrays (SOK) were made and installed.
 
A final coat of primer and we are ready to paint this bad boy! 

Some more progress on the AKULA project.
 
Russian submarines trade drag for lack of noisy seawater pumps by using water scoops to feed in reactor coolant. These aft mounted scoops differ depending on boat and year built, so be careful.  I have included a chart to show which scoops go to witch boats.  To add to the detail I photo etched inlet screens for the scoops.  The scoops were then attacked and filets formed from putty.
 
    With all repairs and flaws filled, and sanded I gave the hull a primer coat to see it everything looked ok.  While this dried I began my research and design of the decals I would need to replicate VEPR K-157  (Wild Boar) It seems like a bit of overkill with the decals, however Russian Attack subs feature more than one type of detection system. These include Shark Gill bow mounted Active/Passive,  Hull mounted Flank HF/LF active/passive, MT-70 Under Ice Sonar.  AKULA also carries non acoustic detection systems.  These sensors like sonar are hull mounted above and below the water line.
 
Bumping an array or sensor with a tug boat is really not the best career moves, so AKULA hulls are heavily marked.  Some mistakes have been made and the results are costly and dangerous. Here is a shot of K-154 What you are looking at is the spherical array of the MK-503 (Shark Gill) transducers.  Not good....not good at all. 
 
The norm these days is for Russian submarines to display emblems and other art on the sides or front of the sail and even on the submarines nose.  Again research is needed to get the right emblem or markings.             
 
Once the decals were done. I then made the photo etched hatch covers for the sail.  The non acoustic sensor arrays (SOK) were made and installed.
 
A final coat of primer and we are ready to paint this bad boy! 

Still hard at work on the LEE, however I wanted to share a build with you of a Russian 3rd Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 
This is a High Quality resin Kit from Ships-n-Such from Russia.  For those who do not know most of my adult life was spent chasing or being chased by Russian subs. I love'em!!!
 
Before you close this topic as "Resin kit? Really? I've built the battle of Trafalgar out of one log," I might suggest you give a resin sub a whirl.  There is more detail on a submarine than you think.  Remember in a modern sub, anything on the hull could make noise, so we must come up with ways to make cleats rote into the hull, capstans lower to deck level, chocks are removable. Heck the who darn thing is coated in rubber!
 
So here you see the Ships-n-Such 1/350 scale Russian Project 971 (NATO Code Name AKULA.)  A little bit of confusion here. In the Russian Navy the Akula is called the PIKE Class.  In the Russian navy the huge SSBN TYPHOON as it is known to NATO is called the AKULA. Ok take some time with that.
 
First thing you notice on these late 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Russian boast is the long stern. This is called the Hogner Stern.  So don't cut it off!.
 
Take some time and look over the hull a few times, note the many little boxes and lines that cover the hull. Unlike American submarines and their single hull design, Russian subs are double hulled. (Typhoon has 4 hulls.)  It is because of this double hull design that many access points must be built to allow repair and maintenance work between the hulls.
 
So you have looked at all the neat little do-dads, keep them in mind because you might have to remake them!  Resin kits are made with a pressure pot or the spin method. These methods remove air and allow resin to completely fill the rubber molds. Molds for the Akula are two piece units. The halves are fit together and resin poured in and pressurized or spun.  This can sometimes cause resin to run from one side of the mold to the next creating a lip of unwanted material. This is also caused when heat from the curing resin breaks down the mold.
 
No big deal, but be careful!!  The obvious way to remove this mold line is sanding...right?  Well yes, but you need to plan and use the ultimate in patience or you could really spoil the look of your hull.
 
Remember a modern sub hull is round. If you sand the side flat, you no longer have a round submarine with is what you wanted in the first place.
 
I take some model putty and place under or over the lip at the parting line. This is NOT to fill in the lip.  If you did that you would have a great parting line but an out of shape hull.  The putty is used to let me know when I have sanded the right amount as have still maintained my hull shape.  I tell myself,  "Green-Gone-Good."  It is a slow process, but the results will give you a mean looking underwater killer.
 
Next installment we will get some parts on and make a few extra details and make some decals.  Stay tuned!!        

Some more progress on the AKULA project.
 
Russian submarines trade drag for lack of noisy seawater pumps by using water scoops to feed in reactor coolant. These aft mounted scoops differ depending on boat and year built, so be careful.  I have included a chart to show which scoops go to witch boats.  To add to the detail I photo etched inlet screens for the scoops.  The scoops were then attacked and filets formed from putty.
 
    With all repairs and flaws filled, and sanded I gave the hull a primer coat to see it everything looked ok.  While this dried I began my research and design of the decals I would need to replicate VEPR K-157  (Wild Boar) It seems like a bit of overkill with the decals, however Russian Attack subs feature more than one type of detection system. These include Shark Gill bow mounted Active/Passive,  Hull mounted Flank HF/LF active/passive, MT-70 Under Ice Sonar.  AKULA also carries non acoustic detection systems.  These sensors like sonar are hull mounted above and below the water line.
 
Bumping an array or sensor with a tug boat is really not the best career moves, so AKULA hulls are heavily marked.  Some mistakes have been made and the results are costly and dangerous. Here is a shot of K-154 What you are looking at is the spherical array of the MK-503 (Shark Gill) transducers.  Not good....not good at all. 
 
The norm these days is for Russian submarines to display emblems and other art on the sides or front of the sail and even on the submarines nose.  Again research is needed to get the right emblem or markings.             
 
Once the decals were done. I then made the photo etched hatch covers for the sail.  The non acoustic sensor arrays (SOK) were made and installed.
 
A final coat of primer and we are ready to paint this bad boy! 

Some more progress on the AKULA project.
 
Russian submarines trade drag for lack of noisy seawater pumps by using water scoops to feed in reactor coolant. These aft mounted scoops differ depending on boat and year built, so be careful.  I have included a chart to show which scoops go to witch boats.  To add to the detail I photo etched inlet screens for the scoops.  The scoops were then attacked and filets formed from putty.
 
    With all repairs and flaws filled, and sanded I gave the hull a primer coat to see it everything looked ok.  While this dried I began my research and design of the decals I would need to replicate VEPR K-157  (Wild Boar) It seems like a bit of overkill with the decals, however Russian Attack subs feature more than one type of detection system. These include Shark Gill bow mounted Active/Passive,  Hull mounted Flank HF/LF active/passive, MT-70 Under Ice Sonar.  AKULA also carries non acoustic detection systems.  These sensors like sonar are hull mounted above and below the water line.
 
Bumping an array or sensor with a tug boat is really not the best career moves, so AKULA hulls are heavily marked.  Some mistakes have been made and the results are costly and dangerous. Here is a shot of K-154 What you are looking at is the spherical array of the MK-503 (Shark Gill) transducers.  Not good....not good at all. 
 
The norm these days is for Russian submarines to display emblems and other art on the sides or front of the sail and even on the submarines nose.  Again research is needed to get the right emblem or markings.             
 
Once the decals were done. I then made the photo etched hatch covers for the sail.  The non acoustic sensor arrays (SOK) were made and installed.
 
A final coat of primer and we are ready to paint this bad boy! 

Still hard at work on the LEE, however I wanted to share a build with you of a Russian 3rd Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 
This is a High Quality resin Kit from Ships-n-Such from Russia.  For those who do not know most of my adult life was spent chasing or being chased by Russian subs. I love'em!!!
 
Before you close this topic as "Resin kit? Really? I've built the battle of Trafalgar out of one log," I might suggest you give a resin sub a whirl.  There is more detail on a submarine than you think.  Remember in a modern sub, anything on the hull could make noise, so we must come up with ways to make cleats rote into the hull, capstans lower to deck level, chocks are removable. Heck the who darn thing is coated in rubber!
 
So here you see the Ships-n-Such 1/350 scale Russian Project 971 (NATO Code Name AKULA.)  A little bit of confusion here. In the Russian Navy the Akula is called the PIKE Class.  In the Russian navy the huge SSBN TYPHOON as it is known to NATO is called the AKULA. Ok take some time with that.
 
First thing you notice on these late 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Russian boast is the long stern. This is called the Hogner Stern.  So don't cut it off!.
 
Take some time and look over the hull a few times, note the many little boxes and lines that cover the hull. Unlike American submarines and their single hull design, Russian subs are double hulled. (Typhoon has 4 hulls.)  It is because of this double hull design that many access points must be built to allow repair and maintenance work between the hulls.
 
So you have looked at all the neat little do-dads, keep them in mind because you might have to remake them!  Resin kits are made with a pressure pot or the spin method. These methods remove air and allow resin to completely fill the rubber molds. Molds for the Akula are two piece units. The halves are fit together and resin poured in and pressurized or spun.  This can sometimes cause resin to run from one side of the mold to the next creating a lip of unwanted material. This is also caused when heat from the curing resin breaks down the mold.
 
No big deal, but be careful!!  The obvious way to remove this mold line is sanding...right?  Well yes, but you need to plan and use the ultimate in patience or you could really spoil the look of your hull.
 
Remember a modern sub hull is round. If you sand the side flat, you no longer have a round submarine with is what you wanted in the first place.
 
I take some model putty and place under or over the lip at the parting line. This is NOT to fill in the lip.  If you did that you would have a great parting line but an out of shape hull.  The putty is used to let me know when I have sanded the right amount as have still maintained my hull shape.  I tell myself,  "Green-Gone-Good."  It is a slow process, but the results will give you a mean looking underwater killer.
 
Next installment we will get some parts on and make a few extra details and make some decals.  Stay tuned!!        

Still hard at work on the LEE, however I wanted to share a build with you of a Russian 3rd Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 
This is a High Quality resin Kit from Ships-n-Such from Russia.  For those who do not know most of my adult life was spent chasing or being chased by Russian subs. I love'em!!!
 
Before you close this topic as "Resin kit? Really? I've built the battle of Trafalgar out of one log," I might suggest you give a resin sub a whirl.  There is more detail on a submarine than you think.  Remember in a modern sub, anything on the hull could make noise, so we must come up with ways to make cleats rote into the hull, capstans lower to deck level, chocks are removable. Heck the who darn thing is coated in rubber!
 
So here you see the Ships-n-Such 1/350 scale Russian Project 971 (NATO Code Name AKULA.)  A little bit of confusion here. In the Russian Navy the Akula is called the PIKE Class.  In the Russian navy the huge SSBN TYPHOON as it is known to NATO is called the AKULA. Ok take some time with that.
 
First thing you notice on these late 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Russian boast is the long stern. This is called the Hogner Stern.  So don't cut it off!.
 
Take some time and look over the hull a few times, note the many little boxes and lines that cover the hull. Unlike American submarines and their single hull design, Russian subs are double hulled. (Typhoon has 4 hulls.)  It is because of this double hull design that many access points must be built to allow repair and maintenance work between the hulls.
 
So you have looked at all the neat little do-dads, keep them in mind because you might have to remake them!  Resin kits are made with a pressure pot or the spin method. These methods remove air and allow resin to completely fill the rubber molds. Molds for the Akula are two piece units. The halves are fit together and resin poured in and pressurized or spun.  This can sometimes cause resin to run from one side of the mold to the next creating a lip of unwanted material. This is also caused when heat from the curing resin breaks down the mold.
 
No big deal, but be careful!!  The obvious way to remove this mold line is sanding...right?  Well yes, but you need to plan and use the ultimate in patience or you could really spoil the look of your hull.
 
Remember a modern sub hull is round. If you sand the side flat, you no longer have a round submarine with is what you wanted in the first place.
 
I take some model putty and place under or over the lip at the parting line. This is NOT to fill in the lip.  If you did that you would have a great parting line but an out of shape hull.  The putty is used to let me know when I have sanded the right amount as have still maintained my hull shape.  I tell myself,  "Green-Gone-Good."  It is a slow process, but the results will give you a mean looking underwater killer.
 
Next installment we will get some parts on and make a few extra details and make some decals.  Stay tuned!!        

Still hard at work on the LEE, however I wanted to share a build with you of a Russian 3rd Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 
This is a High Quality resin Kit from Ships-n-Such from Russia.  For those who do not know most of my adult life was spent chasing or being chased by Russian subs. I love'em!!!
 
Before you close this topic as "Resin kit? Really? I've built the battle of Trafalgar out of one log," I might suggest you give a resin sub a whirl.  There is more detail on a submarine than you think.  Remember in a modern sub, anything on the hull could make noise, so we must come up with ways to make cleats rote into the hull, capstans lower to deck level, chocks are removable. Heck the who darn thing is coated in rubber!
 
So here you see the Ships-n-Such 1/350 scale Russian Project 971 (NATO Code Name AKULA.)  A little bit of confusion here. In the Russian Navy the Akula is called the PIKE Class.  In the Russian navy the huge SSBN TYPHOON as it is known to NATO is called the AKULA. Ok take some time with that.
 
First thing you notice on these late 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Russian boast is the long stern. This is called the Hogner Stern.  So don't cut it off!.
 
Take some time and look over the hull a few times, note the many little boxes and lines that cover the hull. Unlike American submarines and their single hull design, Russian subs are double hulled. (Typhoon has 4 hulls.)  It is because of this double hull design that many access points must be built to allow repair and maintenance work between the hulls.
 
So you have looked at all the neat little do-dads, keep them in mind because you might have to remake them!  Resin kits are made with a pressure pot or the spin method. These methods remove air and allow resin to completely fill the rubber molds. Molds for the Akula are two piece units. The halves are fit together and resin poured in and pressurized or spun.  This can sometimes cause resin to run from one side of the mold to the next creating a lip of unwanted material. This is also caused when heat from the curing resin breaks down the mold.
 
No big deal, but be careful!!  The obvious way to remove this mold line is sanding...right?  Well yes, but you need to plan and use the ultimate in patience or you could really spoil the look of your hull.
 
Remember a modern sub hull is round. If you sand the side flat, you no longer have a round submarine with is what you wanted in the first place.
 
I take some model putty and place under or over the lip at the parting line. This is NOT to fill in the lip.  If you did that you would have a great parting line but an out of shape hull.  The putty is used to let me know when I have sanded the right amount as have still maintained my hull shape.  I tell myself,  "Green-Gone-Good."  It is a slow process, but the results will give you a mean looking underwater killer.
 
Next installment we will get some parts on and make a few extra details and make some decals.  Stay tuned!!        

Still hard at work on the LEE, however I wanted to share a build with you of a Russian 3rd Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 
This is a High Quality resin Kit from Ships-n-Such from Russia.  For those who do not know most of my adult life was spent chasing or being chased by Russian subs. I love'em!!!
 
Before you close this topic as "Resin kit? Really? I've built the battle of Trafalgar out of one log," I might suggest you give a resin sub a whirl.  There is more detail on a submarine than you think.  Remember in a modern sub, anything on the hull could make noise, so we must come up with ways to make cleats rote into the hull, capstans lower to deck level, chocks are removable. Heck the who darn thing is coated in rubber!
 
So here you see the Ships-n-Such 1/350 scale Russian Project 971 (NATO Code Name AKULA.)  A little bit of confusion here. In the Russian Navy the Akula is called the PIKE Class.  In the Russian navy the huge SSBN TYPHOON as it is known to NATO is called the AKULA. Ok take some time with that.
 
First thing you notice on these late 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Russian boast is the long stern. This is called the Hogner Stern.  So don't cut it off!.
 
Take some time and look over the hull a few times, note the many little boxes and lines that cover the hull. Unlike American submarines and their single hull design, Russian subs are double hulled. (Typhoon has 4 hulls.)  It is because of this double hull design that many access points must be built to allow repair and maintenance work between the hulls.
 
So you have looked at all the neat little do-dads, keep them in mind because you might have to remake them!  Resin kits are made with a pressure pot or the spin method. These methods remove air and allow resin to completely fill the rubber molds. Molds for the Akula are two piece units. The halves are fit together and resin poured in and pressurized or spun.  This can sometimes cause resin to run from one side of the mold to the next creating a lip of unwanted material. This is also caused when heat from the curing resin breaks down the mold.
 
No big deal, but be careful!!  The obvious way to remove this mold line is sanding...right?  Well yes, but you need to plan and use the ultimate in patience or you could really spoil the look of your hull.
 
Remember a modern sub hull is round. If you sand the side flat, you no longer have a round submarine with is what you wanted in the first place.
 
I take some model putty and place under or over the lip at the parting line. This is NOT to fill in the lip.  If you did that you would have a great parting line but an out of shape hull.  The putty is used to let me know when I have sanded the right amount as have still maintained my hull shape.  I tell myself,  "Green-Gone-Good."  It is a slow process, but the results will give you a mean looking underwater killer.
 
Next installment we will get some parts on and make a few extra details and make some decals.  Stay tuned!!        

Still hard at work on the LEE, however I wanted to share a build with you of a Russian 3rd Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 
This is a High Quality resin Kit from Ships-n-Such from Russia.  For those who do not know most of my adult life was spent chasing or being chased by Russian subs. I love'em!!!
 
Before you close this topic as "Resin kit? Really? I've built the battle of Trafalgar out of one log," I might suggest you give a resin sub a whirl.  There is more detail on a submarine than you think.  Remember in a modern sub, anything on the hull could make noise, so we must come up with ways to make cleats rote into the hull, capstans lower to deck level, chocks are removable. Heck the who darn thing is coated in rubber!
 
So here you see the Ships-n-Such 1/350 scale Russian Project 971 (NATO Code Name AKULA.)  A little bit of confusion here. In the Russian Navy the Akula is called the PIKE Class.  In the Russian navy the huge SSBN TYPHOON as it is known to NATO is called the AKULA. Ok take some time with that.
 
First thing you notice on these late 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Russian boast is the long stern. This is called the Hogner Stern.  So don't cut it off!.
 
Take some time and look over the hull a few times, note the many little boxes and lines that cover the hull. Unlike American submarines and their single hull design, Russian subs are double hulled. (Typhoon has 4 hulls.)  It is because of this double hull design that many access points must be built to allow repair and maintenance work between the hulls.
 
So you have looked at all the neat little do-dads, keep them in mind because you might have to remake them!  Resin kits are made with a pressure pot or the spin method. These methods remove air and allow resin to completely fill the rubber molds. Molds for the Akula are two piece units. The halves are fit together and resin poured in and pressurized or spun.  This can sometimes cause resin to run from one side of the mold to the next creating a lip of unwanted material. This is also caused when heat from the curing resin breaks down the mold.
 
No big deal, but be careful!!  The obvious way to remove this mold line is sanding...right?  Well yes, but you need to plan and use the ultimate in patience or you could really spoil the look of your hull.
 
Remember a modern sub hull is round. If you sand the side flat, you no longer have a round submarine with is what you wanted in the first place.
 
I take some model putty and place under or over the lip at the parting line. This is NOT to fill in the lip.  If you did that you would have a great parting line but an out of shape hull.  The putty is used to let me know when I have sanded the right amount as have still maintained my hull shape.  I tell myself,  "Green-Gone-Good."  It is a slow process, but the results will give you a mean looking underwater killer.
 
Next installment we will get some parts on and make a few extra details and make some decals.  Stay tuned!!        

I like this ship! It only sailed in one battle. It was miles from salt water. It was not well built, not for lack of desire but due to being built in an ad hoc shipyard by folks who really did not know what they were doing. She was built as fast as possible. She was a weapon in an arms race with British forces in Canada. The crew; brave as they were had no where near the training to even sail the ship, much less take her into battle.  There were not enough guns. The guns they did have were varied, and there was precious little powder to train with.
 
All the above is the reason I want to build this ship. Those people embraced the cause of Freedom. Although they knew little of ship building, they did it. The crew with everything against them took her to battle with the most professional navy on Earth at the time. They did not win the battle. LEE was forced ashore and abandoned, however her actions along with other hastily build ships tied up the British long enough for the Americans to gain needed  time to prepare and rearm.
 
So those are the main reasons I chose this almost forgotten little cutter. This is my first ever Plank on Bulkhead model, so the learning curve looks more like a corkscrew.
 
I found the plans for the LEE in SHIP MODELING FROM SCRATCH by Leaf.  The plans called for a model that would end up at 16 inches. Don't have that much space and the Admiral even has eyes on my shipyard.......Oh no!  So I scaled the plans to produce a model at 11.9 inches no counting the bow sprit.
 
Now if I can figure out how to put captions on the pictures I'll get you the 411 on my build.
 
Oh almost forgot.  Island Belle is next in line now. I have been assigned a great mentor by the Nautical Research Guild.  I was getting to comfortable with solid hulls and I need to step it up!   
 
 
Looks like I am not that bright. I don't know how to put captions on the pictures So after sizing the plans, the first thing I did was build a ladder out of teak. I don't know why. However it did give me the chance to introduce some of you to a great finishing product, that is also great for tools!  Renaissance Wax was developed by order of the Queen for the British Museum. This stuff really means it when the say a little goes a long way! It goes on smooth and hardens instantly. then a soft buffing brings out beauty in wood like you never thought possible. On tools it lubricates and protects. I use it not only in my scrimshaw but on my band saw table, Scroll saw table, and sander. Make anything move friction free and protects the surface to boot.
 
With the ladder done and waxed I next traced the false keel and bulkheads on parchment and then laid them out on my 1/8 ply.  With the false keel cut I reinforced the area where the Main Deck goes to the Poop. This was done since the weight of the aft end is more and the center of force is higher. That adds up to a snapped part if you are not careful. I  also cut the mast step.
 
When the bulkheads were cut and trued I test fitted them. The last Bulkhead tapers way thin near the keel.  I cut a channel on each side so the thickness of the bottom of the bulkhead and the thin ply of the keel would work  out.  First try was close but a little off the mark which I corrected by widening to one size and shimming so the fit would be snug.
 
The model will be left natural wood as a tribute to those who built her.  I fashioned the Keel, Stem and Stern Post from walnut. The scarf joints are not correct on purpose, again to indicate the haste the ship was built in.
 
I next cut slots into the Keel and the false keel to receive wooden "Tabs" these assured alignment and gave me a very tight bond and providing my surface area for the glue.
 
Oh Yea!! Those little brass planes you see. I picked those up at Harbor Freight $10 for the three. Let me tell you, these things are just wonderful to work with, and too look at.   
 
Once dried I proceeded to try cutting rabbets. I ground down the tip of a #11 blade. I made a line along the keel and a bit at a time removed the wood. Three hours later and with 600 grit paper to smooth it out the rabbets were done.  SCORE!!!
 
Next I trued the bulkheads and using my FAIR A FRAME (Which I do not care for in the least,) I glued in my bulkheads. Oh no first timer here... gonna be a disaster! Nope. Everything went in square! How I did that I will never know and most likely  will never be able to again.  I strengthened the bond with four small piece of bass wood where the bulkhead transverses the false keel.  Using such small ply I beefed the whole frame up by using 1/4 basswood. I alternated the how the supports met the bulkheads to spread any stress while planking and what ever time and humidity can do to my little boat.
 
All for now my sisters and my brothers .     

Brother's and Sisters,
 
Sorry for the long delay. Life gets in the way of ship building. Hate it when that happens!  LEE is going slowly, but I think that is okay. I read in Anatomy of Nelson's Ships that the author took 12,000 hours to build the Victory.
 
I have the hull almost ready to plank. I have been extra careful in the fairing of the bulkheads. Planking scares the jibbies  outa me, so I am polishing that cannon ball to the extreme.
 
I also have been wrestling with the transom and counter. It has taken five attempts but I now have it done correctly. I am still doing some looking but I think the stern of the plans is not correct. If I were building a framed model the plans for the counter would not work as the last frame would be too thick. In the bulkhead version I was able after a few tries to move the bulkhead to make the counter work. At least that is my findings. I found an old book  NAVIES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION that shows a color plate of the "LEE, " that features the stern as the way I built it. However the rest of the plate is nothing like the LEE in Mr. Leaf's book.  I bit the bullet and carved my fillers from bass wood instead of balsa. I want all the advantages I can get.
 
I did take a break and gave building a cannon a try.  This is by no means a finished ready to fight cannon. It is just me trying my skills with the Dremel lathe, and making a template. Not to terrible for a first ever try, however the guns of LEE will be much better, (I hope.)  I also took a better picture of the Windless I built
 
I get such a charge out of all the projects I see going on. You folks are all top shelf!  Oh by the by, if anyone is interested I have a way of making Poor Man's Photo-Etch Parts, for less than $40.
 
Ok time for me to get back to writing the "Great American Novel."  Yeah Right.
 
Chief  
      

Hey Shipmates!
 
Still at it. Tons o stuff going on round here. Sorry for the delay.
 
Okay now LEE is moving along slow but sure.  I made my first grating from walnut and cherry. I found a 4 inch table saw and I used the blade kerf and a small rip fence to make the slats. Turned out nice, not perfect but nice.
 
  As I was fairing my frames.....ugg, I would take breaks and build this or that for the ship.  I went with an older style windless as LEE was built hastily and by folks who did not have all the proper tools. I turned the barrel from maple. The pawls are of walnut as are the supports. I made the rings by sawing thin slices of brass tube then sanding to the proper size.
 
Although there is no record LEE may have had a small boat.  I almost went with a canoe but found no evidence of any involvement of local Native Americans. I did do some looking in to boats built around that time. This is an educated guess as to what it might have looked like. Fast to build and able to navigate shallow waters.  I used thin cherry to build up a bread and butter hull.  The keel, stem, and stern post are of Walnut and the interior is maple, as are the oars. Again I wen to brass tube to make the oar locks.
 
More to come my friends!!  Having a blast.  I think once LEE is built I will have acquired the needed skill to attempt a kit,,,,but we shall see.
 
 
Chief Going Deep!!     
   

Hello Again,
 
Sorry for the delay. Had computer problems. LEE is coming along nicely. I have the maple deck in place. To make assembly somewhat less difficult. I made the top of the bulkheads removable. When I am ready I just slide the key into a slot and glue.
 
The entrance to the great cabin is planked in cherry. The door is lemon trimmed in walnut.
I have the windless turned. I also took a stab at building a gig for the ship. Not looking to bad. If it turns out I will build one in lemon and walnut.
 
I am now in the process of drilling the deck for the trennels. I will use bamboo for the dowels.
 
I woul like to have the great cabin interior visible through the windows. However I have not a clue what it sould have looked like.      

Shipmates, Here is a way to make your own photo etch parts for a few Bucks, Euros, Yen, Rubles. or Pounds.  I wrote this tutorial for those in my RC tank community. However it started while I was and still making parts for 1/110 whale ships.
 
I sure hope you all find this useful!! 
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Yes sir I sure have. You can do 1/700 railing and radar with ease. I am working up a set for 1/700 Type IXC U-boat.  And getting ahead of myself I am doing some work on my scratch EDMUND FITZGERELD in 1/350.