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Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Mini Nautilus Minisub
Title: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Mini Nautilus Minisub
Hi Dave,
Me, silly? Yeah, right. About as silly
as a life jacket! ;-)
Anyway, long time no E; and glad to see you're
still up and running on two. How goes your sub project?
About the model: I've wanted one for a long
time. I made a model of the sub on the trailer back in '91 using a Disney
replica and a scratch built metal trailer; but never had a model of the
Van. Looked for years. No '66 Chevy window vans anywhere that I
could find.
I could BS you and say I scratch built this van
model (how would you know?) but the truth is I found an old Lindbergh model of a
60's van, but it wasn't a window van. So I modified it to
include the windows you see, bumpers, license plates, and authentic weak
spring / weight-induced "rake"; and then I painted it "dilapidated red" to match
the old van a.m.a.p. The tires and wheels came with the kit. (Heck,
I don't even own a lathe! Wish I did!)
The model submarine and trailer are both scratch
built right down to the tail lights; except for the wheels which came off some
kind of "Hotwheels" toy. It's not easy working this small; the
close-up vision fades after many years of burning 'trodes and getting
flash-burned. But the scale is accurate.
I believe modelmaking is a legitimate part of the
submarine design process. I think everyone should make models of their
designs, especially in the development stage. There are valuable things to
be learned from models, static or functional. (For example, back when I
was building the HYPERSUB and NAUTILUS MINISUB, I made functional models of
the hull and ballast system which we tested in the pool. Learned a
lot, improved the designs, and avoided some bad mistakes that
way.)
And years after the boat's a proven success, a
model's something to do (on a rainy night when you've got a cold) which
produces an enjoyable bit of memorabilia recalling a moment dear to the
heart of any experienced subber: the day you first put your boat in the water,
and bet your life it would work. ;-)
At this point, I have 39 submarine models ranging
from the Hunley to modern Nuke boats and my own homebuilts. I will no
doubt have more before I am through. In my own humble opinion, submarine
models are a good thing that all subbers should be involved with.
(Ahem!) OK, I'll get down off the soap box
now. Good hearing from you, Dave. Take care, and all the best in the
future.
VBR,
Pat
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2002 5:33
AM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Mini
Nautilus Minisub
At 22:11 -1000 6/8/02, Captain Nemo wrote:
Back when we were testing the
NAUTILUS MINISUB in '91, our primary launch vehicle was
a ratty old red '66 Chevy Sportvan. That's what shows in the
test videos. Anyway, I made a micro-miniature model of the van,
trailer, and sub as they looked back then. I'll post a pic on the
exchange for a few days, and then remove them so they don't take up
space.
Pat, bless you, you are a silly man.
I must know: did you make it all from scratch, or did you match
everything to the scale of an off-the-shelf Chevy van model kit? ('Cuz I'd be
frightened to meet you in person if I learned that you had turned out its
little wheels on a lathe in your shop, and cast its tires out of real
rubber...)
Fabulous.