RC Submarine Kit -- A Whole New Way to Sub Sim

[Iron Budokan]

I didn't know where to put this thread so I put in in 'models'. Have any of you guys thought about tackling one of the RC sub kits and building it? There are several videos online and while they look complicated (you are running them in an extremely hostile environment -- water) they also look like a good project and a lot of fun.

My little boy and I are thinking of building one of the Akula kits offered by Dumas for the summer. Have any of you done this? I think it would add a new dimension to the whole "sub sim" experience. Maybe links to kits could be offered through subsim, too, like links to games to help out the site? I don't know how that works, though, just speculating. :hmm:

[nikimcbee]

I didn't know where to put this thread so I put in in 'models'. Have any of you guys thought about tackling one of the RC sub kits and building it? There are several videos online and while they look complicated (you are running them in an extremely hostile environment -- water) they also look like a good project and a lot of fun.

My little boy and I are thinking of building one of the Akula kits offered by Dumas for the summer. Have any of you done this? I think it would add a new dimension to the whole "sub sim" experience. Maybe links to kits could be offered through subsim, too, like links to games to help out the site? I don't know how that works, though, just speculating. :hmm:

I've been pondering the same idea.

[Iron Budokan]

I've been pondering the same idea.

I've been finding more and more info about this hobby online. I think both the technology and the fact it's submarines fascinates me. I think my little boy and I might tackle the Dumas Akula model this summer. It will be a good project for us.

I'm surprised how much info there in on the Internet about it, lots of forums and helpful tips which should benefit an all-thumbs guy like me. :D

Some of the kits are very complex but there are just as many "beginner" kits out there, too. And the initial cost outlay isn't as bad as you might think.

[FIREWALL]

A bit of advice... Let the boy build some of it. :haha: :salute:

[U812]

I created and owned subpirates.com but I found being a forum owner after 4 years a bit much. I gave the site over to one of the best submariners in the RC field, Matt Thor.

I now just spend my time making nice RC subs both from scratch and converting plastic kits to RC. Purely as a hobby and for my own enjoyment. No more endless threads of my builds with blow by blow pictures and 100s of email to answer about how one keeps the water out.

I have built nearly 30 subs to date or more for myself and customers when I wasn't working on films.

So from my experience, to answer your question, yes the Dumas Akula is an excellent first kit to start with. It was my first boat and I still have it. It's never stopped running. I use it as a camera boat now.

The hobby is quite elite like nearly all aspects of the silent service. It never has been or will be a large part of the RC hobby. There are few true submarine kits on the market compared to planes and cars. But I think that's part of it's appeal aside from the fact that submarines are just so darn cool!

U812 AKA Steve Neill

[nikimcbee]

Has anybody built the Robbe U-47 kit or the Dumas Bluefish?

bluefish
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXAAC8

U-47
http://www.marinerc.net/submarines/u47/u47.htm

[U812]

The Robbe is a good ship and even better converted to static diving with either a piston or RCABS.

The Blue Fish is a bear to build and get working right. The Akula is much better or the Robbe.

U812

[nikimcbee]

more bluefish stuff:
http://www.marinerc.net/submarines/bluefish/bluefish.htm

I've read about this kit before; some people had issues with parts fitting, etc.

[nikimcbee]

Can you still buy the U-47? this seems to be a tough kit to find.:-?

I'm afraid to ask what it costs to build this.:o

[U812]

They still are being sold. Harbor models for one has them.

U812