Resurgam Submarine

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Everybody, just a comment really on Anthony Dalton's excellent article 'HMS Trafalgar' in this months Mag. The first thing to catch my eye was the 'Rudder Control' section. It really is a time consuming nasty when the prop and rudder shafts intersect. Anthony's solution in such a small model was quite elegant. Next, was one of Anthony's latter comments under photo 23 "its steering capability is not all that good, probably due to the fact that the rudders are in front of the propeller". I think we may have the same problem! Does the Royal Navy have this problem?

Finally, 2.4Ghz, very anti-establishment! Received wisdom tells me that it's not on in a submarine. I just wonder if it's real or imagined. It would be very interesting for submariners if Anthony would tie his sub to a weight and lower it in the bath on a piece of string and report the degree of RC control retained.

Any way, at the end of the day, a super article with lots of lateral thinking (particularly as regards the electronics).

Well done Anthony.

Len

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Everybody, replaced the prop shaft seal which involved removing the complete upper deck and most of the internals. Still it was a good exercise to log down all the steps involved and verify everything on the rebuild. The main hatch has now been sealed with transparent silicone. The picture shows the battery charging plugs out to vent the fumes from the interior.

The next fiddly thing was to sort out a trigger for the reed switch that was accessible from the conning tower hatch. Eventually after much pondering a button magnet was sunk into a bit of plastic on the end of a brass shaft. It runs up a bit of brass tube soldered to the 'superstructure' with a spring to keep it in close contact with the hatch.

A control arm was added at the top on an over centre spring and Job done.

It clangs open and shut with a nice positive action. Bit of a clean up tomorrow and with a fair wind she just might be in the big water this weekend

Len

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

Hi Len, once again I'm really enjoying the clever solutions you come up with, and really loving the whole "steam punk" vibe! (Ok, so I'm into to steam punk….)

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Well that one went right over mi head Amy! Had to do some serious Googling. Apparently I've been into SP for years and never knew it! I now have a new buzz phrase that I shall introduce into every conversation for the next week!

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Len,

Modern submarines are 'flown' like underwater aeroplanes using the hydroplanes so the rudder is perhaps less important in steering the vessel.

The unsuitability of 2.4Ghz is no myth as the submarine boys will tell you. The very short wavelength does not penetrate water to any great extent, worse for salt compared to fresh. I don't think a bath test would be very useful as the submerged aerial would only be an inch or two down and may still work. A very different proposition to when the model may be submerged a foot or more on the pond and the signal has to reach it at an oblique angle which means pushing through a lot of water.

Colin

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Colin, thanks for that. Having flown model planes I can see you point. I doubt I can play that game with mi Resurgam. I suspect she will be an underwater barge!

Mi radio gear is 40MHz so I expect no problem. Just wanted to test the received wisdom.

Forget your your 'foot'. If she goes under an inch I'll be in panic mode. Given fair weather, Sunday will tell.

Len

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Everybody, Two steps forward, one step back. Decided to give her a final coat of matt varnish. It bloomed for England. Now have a white sub. Will have to do the matt black and weathering all again but no probs. the important thing is how she works! Here she is sunk in the bath on her ballast tanks.

She went down very evenly. You can see an errant trim weight on the left stern side. Surprised by her draft which is some 10 inches. Mi bath wasn't deep enough!

Still very happy as she was dead square in static mode bouncing a mill of the bottom. Need to watch this otherwise she'll be grounding a long way from shore in mi local pond!

After some 3 hours of messing about, there was no water inside (I think the new prop seal did the trick) and the radio gear worked a treat. That,s with no aerial on the TX and the RX aerial on the boat underneath the tin superstructure.

Can't wait to get her out !

Len

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Len. Shame about the varnish!! My current project needs varnishing before I can move on, but just as I finished the colur coats it went cold and wet so I dare say it will be a few months yet before I dare spray it for fear of messing up the paint so far.

As Colin has said, radio control in thebath will be a bit different to that in the pond….

Looking really good so far I must say and a worthy unconventional subject. I only hope you can get it to work nicely without too much trouble. You never know with these things.

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Len

What about having an aerial on a tall antenna, for the time being, and let the aerial protrude above the water surface?

It should get rid of the RC problem

Bob

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Ashley and Bob.

Thanks for all that. Varnish and lacquer can be very testing. I warmed the cans up and actually sprayed her in mi heated office but she still went white. I think it must be all down to humidity. With Resurgam it's simply a matter of another lashing of matt black and a redoo on the weathering (good practise exercise). With a multi-coloured model I'd be very nervous about messing up the work already done so I well understand your concerns Ashley.

I agree with you Bob about the aerial and the thought had already crossed my mind. Indeed on her first trip out she'll probably have a table tennis ball stuck on the end of the antenna so I can see where she is! Embarrassing really because the viewing public just won't understand the issues involved!

Len

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Len

Just a thought……….

Is there any logic in simply towing Resurgam behind a chunky tug boat and simply go up and down, using the speed of the tug to determine the correct speed for diving etc?

You could you pretend you were on the Rhyl trip on this occasion, for a touch of authenticity?

Just passing and wishing you all the best for the NewYear and future projects

Bob

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Bob,

Nice idea. How authentic do you want to get? Resurgam sank and then the Elphin sank! In the early days thought about towing mi boat on the end of a fishing rod line but things have progressed! Here she is with her new lashing of matt black and she's on charge as we speak.

Need to do the weathering again but she's going in the big water before New Year warts and all. Mi daughter is going to stick a video of it on Utube and hopefully I can get the 'Link' thing to work. At the end of the day you have to read your own hymn sheet 'don't sail um unless your'e prepared to sink!

She'll sail initially as the original boat with marginal positive buoyancy and dynamic diving. I'm intent on knowing if she worked or not. Exciting!

Now to the really good bit, Have sorted the static diving. Here are all the bits involved.

The main bits are the vent valve

From a Vauxhall car inlet manifold, and the blow cylinder from the bicycle world .

There's a trick to the job that I'll go into later.

Best wishes to you Bob and indeed all the other members of this site. We might meet one day and that would be excellent!

Len

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

Getting exciting, Len!

she'll be great…

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Everybody and Happy New Year!

Resurgam sailed the day after boxing day!

Here's a pic of the launch.

In traditional fashion, a good dousing in Champers –

Setting the trim proved a hard game to play. Essentially neutral buoyancy is a hard tack master –

The main problem proved to be venting her ballast tanks using the 'fish tank' pinch valve on the exhaust tubing. It just did not have the accuracy required and was not robust at all. Ended up sailing her about half an inch above her normal water line so that the prop and rudders were just submerged.

No probs with the RC even with the aerial under the tin superstructure. Turning circle about 6 feet. Lots of thrust if required to the point of 'cavitation'. No perceptible effect from the hydroplanes. Probably a result of the buoyancy issue but first time out I didn't dare take her static trim any lower without any means of bring her back up.

Excellent day out. Learnt a lot. The local public onlookers (and particularly the children) really enjoyed it! Trying to get the videos on You tube. Need to sort out the blow system but I have a cunning plan!

"No Swans were harmed during this exercise!"

Len

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Any sailing pictures?

All the best, Len

Bob

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

Happy new years, Len, may it bring you the very best!

Congrats on the launch, good to see her in the water! I'm sure you'll get the tank issues sorted. (no doubt you all ready have some cunning scheme…)

Aj

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Bob,

Such is the progression of modern technology that nobody took a simple static picture of her sailing. They all took videos! Trying my best to do the You Tube and Link bit.

Len

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Everybody,

Just to see if this works –

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sNWyvYyUQAY?rel=0&amp;controls=0&amp;showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>.

Well that answered that question! I'll be back!

In the mean time, if anybody would like to see her official launch just type Resurgam Submarine into Youtube and you'll find it very quick;y. It only shows her being splashed with champers and being placed in the water.

Len

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Found your launching ceremony, Len…..It looked a bit hard on the knees?

It looked as precarious as the real thing!……I'm surprised you didn't use a tether for safety, though

All the best with your next sailing

Bob

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Bob,

Didn't feel a thing. I was so focused on mi boat nowt else mattered. The pond in Victoria park Nelson is really nice and you can get a car parked within 20 feet of the water so carrying the kit is no problem. It's not an official model boating pond and I suspect I've infringed no end of local council rules but the public and children love it when I take a boat down there.

Have put a second video of her actually sailing on U tube but for some reason or other it only appears in 'My Channel' and not the general postings (am working on it). Only reason I mention it is that it shows the 'crew' with 'tethering tackle' and the 'missus' arriving with a long recovery branch! Oh ye of little faith! If she had gone down I would have straight in to get her! Trying to get the sailing video sorted.

Len

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Everybody, just another attempt a a Utube link. Len

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Everybody! It worked! Not the best bit of video in the world (probably the worst ever) but I've now got the bit between mi teeth!

Len

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Well done Len

Your model looks a bit too high in the water for a dynamic dive?

I would recommend a safety line, before it's too late

What's the next move?

Bob

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Bob,

Yes she was well too high in the water. Problem was that I could only bleed her tanks and not blow them. The fish tank valve proved totally inadequate. Had to the farmer's solution!-

It worked but gave no real control over her waterline depth. Had to settle for a high water line for safety. Still I was very pleased for a launch. She has bags of thrust if needed and the rudders worked better than expected. Running astern she was dipping with the hydroplanes at neutral so need to work out what all that's about but full ahead the hydroplanes had little effect.

The next move is to sort the diving gear so that I have accurate control over her buoyancy and water line. This means some simple soldering to plumb the tanks back into the hull and then plumbing the Vauxhall solenoid valve to vent the ballast tanks. Then I have to sort the blow system. Here;s the start-

It's a needle valve with a massive outlet designed to be pushed onto a bike tyre and inflate it in seconds. The cylinder pressure is 900 psi. Job one, take it apart-

Chuck most of the gubbins away and make a restricted outlet. This is a very small hole at 0.25 mm (10 thou) so you need an accurate set up. Notice the chuck held in a chuck!-

Here it is fitted to the valve-

And here it is with the feed tube attached-

The small hole completely desensitizes the control valve. allows a progressive blow and keeps all the high pressure stuff within the confines of the valve itself. I works a treat! Have spent much of the holidays sinking and surfacing Kitty Kan tins in the bath. Now just need to get the stuff installed.

There is no way Bob she is going in with a safety line. Have ordered mi wet suit off ebay!

Len

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

The U-tube presentations were very interesting. I didn't think anything about the depth of the model in the water, and at one stage even thought it was going to sink but it came up again on slowing down. Look forward to seeing the modified version. Also so another much smaller Resurgam on U Tube, that was dashing about all over the place and completely submerging from time to time!

Bob

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