LA class semi kit.

I am pleased to hear that "Richard's shipyards" are still working at a prodigious rate!

So as you know Rich, the absolute maximum width of the tank is 126mm (yes I've tried) and the opening is 114cm long.

It's a fantastic set of mouldings, you'll love it...

Here's where I am with mine (note the deck doesn't sit in right yet, got a little more sanding to do) When I get the shaft from Mark, it'll probably be finished in a couple of days after.

Get the dremel out with the sanding drum on it, and sand down the lip on the lower half of the hull. Seeing as your tube will fit right in that should be about it, but I'm going to have to sand some out of the hull and deck too. Purely because my Sheerline tank is so big...

It's gonna take you ages then mate.... I wouldn't use a file personally, you'd be better off with a sanding block and about 80 grit...

Is the water level going to be any higher than the top of the baffle? Its the sloshing of water when the tank is 'full' when you're underway that causes problems.

I agree with that.
The baffles are best going all the way up, I think.
I don't even bother to drill holes in the baffle because with my workmanship the water leaks round the sides!

Hi to everyone
my name is geof and this is my first post here and what a great site.
I have been modelling for nearly 30 years started with boats (which I still had in the loft and have gotten back into through my son who is nearly 7 )then model aircraft which has been my main part of modelling since.
Since I have been sailing my boats a round Bushy Park the old dream came alive once more
When I was 12 I went to the model engineer exhibition with 2 friends there we sore the AMS.
There some one had a small dynamic fun sub witch hooked are imagination so home we went in top secret we designed 3 subs mine been one
The idea of us telling our parents that we were going to send are new 2 channel radio gear under water did not sound like a good idea
So the design was from a 12 year old all 3 subs worked well one did sink with out trace in a gravel pit with all servos on board (his dad was not the happiest man around)
As we were 12 are designs was floored all were made of balsa thinking this would be easier to cut we did not like the idea cutting all the bits out of ply with a junior hack saw.
So mk11 of mine was designed and has worked perfect made out of ply based on a square box
It is now in for a refit trying to fit a ballast tank and a car tyre compressor so far so good but running out of space.
So to the topic i have promised myself a proper model sub for my 40th birthday in july and I have come across this thread and the LA looks great and seems quit straight forward in construction and at a very good price I believe that MMB can supply wtc end caps and the link that has been added in useful links for the clear tubing http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/clearplasticsupplies&ssPageName=STRK:MEFSX:SELLERID
It cost just over £20 for a 1 meter length and 90mm in diameter I feel it is a lot cheaper than the Robbie U47 £340.00 for the standard kit and I will learn a lot more from the LA.
Would you guys be happy in explaining in more detail about your blast systems i.e. is it a water pump compressing the air in the tank and how you are building it and electronic equipment used the reason I ask is the old up scope articles from the mid 1980s that I have in a folder at home may be out of date
One question do you use the main 6-volt battery to run the radio gear
Sorry for my rambling if any one is looking for old up scope articles from the mid 1980s including torpedoes loss I may be able to help.

Many thanks geof

Hi Richard,

I would suggest full height baffles - you really want to reduce sloshing.

Try filling it 3/4 with water and try tilting it. You want to delay the slosh by a good second or two.

(I'm getting sloshed.)

Welcome Geoff! Have you looked at the description of dive systems on our main website? Also our manual, available free when you join the AMS. Only £12 per year membership. Nudge! Nudge!

Hi Richard
Many thanks for getting back to me sorry to hear about the deck and hope you can get back to the LA soon.
Do you think I could build the wtc and ballast tank from 90mm diameter clear pipe instead of 90mm wtc and 75mm ballast tank and buy 4 wtc end caps from mmb to seal of the wtc and ballast tank.
For your ballast pump is this a 12 volt motor car windscreen pump and do you change the motor to 6 volt
When you fill the ballast tank up how much pressure does this build up
In your post you made reference to using a bec to reduce voltage I fly electric aircraft only up to 9 pound in weight spitfires
i all ways use 6 volt bec or 5 cell receiver packs were i can the only thing that restricts me some times is the servos as long as the servos can handle 6 volt there should not be a problem.
On spectrum we use 6 volt all the time as brown outs were a problem a few years ago and the plane then went into fail safe due to low voltage on 4.8 volt if a servo staled in flight due to high loads

Sorry about all the questions thanks again geof

Hi David

i have looked at the systems on your main site and all starting to make sence the problem is were to get some parts and trying to find the best way of doing things
many years ago i started making a HMS resolution from scratch as my building at the time was slower than it is now things kept changing from this idea to that idea drove me mad now i look at it my building skills were not great ether made a bannana tail cone on the back
if i could find a way of sealing it up i may give it another go
I made the preasure hull from a 4 inch drain pipe like the robbe u boats with wooden end caps for the wtc at each end a trip to B&Q may be in order see if i can find something
This was to have a car tyre compressor and solid ballast tank in the middle then i started to run out of space so i needed a smaller compressor and so the problems kept building up now sitting up in the loft
this sub was a first for a lot of things first static diver made the moulds all by my self and so on all back in 1987

as i keep asking a lot of question i shall find the application form and send it to you with some money

many thanks and all the best geof