|
James,
I altered the mounting frame. First I built a
Styrofoam pattern then a mold then the finished part. I didn't build the
frame until I was fitting up the finished part. Most of the frame
modifications were to accommodate the big steel pot to contain the three head
lights in the nose. If you know how your going to alter the MBT I don't
see why you can't build your main frame first and then weld on five or
six mounting tabs when your mounting your tank. You can touch then up with
a brush.
One note of caution.
I discussed my MBT alterations with Kittredge
before I built them. He cautioned me to be careful enclosing to much of
the bottom so I wouldn't find myself in
a situation where the sub was nose or tail up like a buoy, with no way to
vent the air from the upper MBT and no way to hold air in the lower MBT.
I never tested this in practice. But just in
case, I added a few half inch holes to the most forward part of the forward MBT
and the most aft part of the rear MBT. In case I end up in that situation
the trapped air can vent and I won't have to swim out, scuttling the sub in the
process. A K-350 may be stable enough that this wouldn't happen but
I didn't want to chance it.
Dan H.
|