FTFC'18 WWII - Ushakov LPL Flying Submarine by FoamyDM

[FoamyDM]

It's a Ray, it's a Plane, nope it's LPL Flying Sub!

I was listening the FreeFall RC Podcast with Joshua Orchard last night. He says you should only tackle 1 new thing each project that way you can get good at it. I realized two things. 1. That's good advice and 2. I might be in trouble

This project will be tackling a great many new things for me, as ID'd earlier.

@ Hai-Lee - I plan on doing a system where the craft is just buoyant. so when power/signal is lost it floats to the surface. the intake Air tube and antenna will be located in the Periscope tube.

Vented (Low Pressure) Ballast System:
The Vented Tank Model is not a truly static diving boat, but is rather a very close approximation.
In this system, the flood valve is opened and air leaves the ballast tank through the vent, which typically exits very high on the model, hidden as a periscope or mast. Water enters the ballast tank from the flood valve until the model is fully vented, at which time it will be sitting at “decks awash” or slightly positively buoyant. With the reduced buoyancy, the boat’s dive planes can now be used to pull the boat downwards and under the water with little effort and lower speeds.
To surface, the flood valve is closed and the positive buoyancy of the model brings the boat back up to the “decks awash” state. A small pump then pumps water out of the ballast tank, drawing in air from the surface through the vent mast.
Many times this system will be used in conjunction with another system that will allow the model to be taken to neutral or slightly negative buoyancy.

Pros: Simple system, very reliable
Slight positive buoyancy of the model is very safe
Cons: The boat must have the vent above the water’s surface in order to empty ballast tanks
Cannot statically dive

Segment copied from here (Thank you RCSubGuy)


For those looking to try this in balsa I saw this in my searches:

 

[FoamyDM]

Progress Photos - Looking like something!

Previous post prematurely launched. It's best standing on it's own.

I made some progress last night. Enough to do some dry fits. Before I glue, I will need to build an engine pod sleeve, float standoffs, cut the ailerons. I like how it looks so far.

I just had my servo order come in, so I will get the marine grease and conformal coating for the ESC and the receiver and Battery. Any advice on Silicone vs. Acrylic?

I will also be picking up some Minwax to WP the foam in and out.

My goal is to get this to a Flying Boat stage. and ready to experiment with sinking it.

Plan adjustments so far:

• float nose
• conning tower rear panel and
• Add spar cutout on fuselage
• add removable Cockpit/Conning Tower base and inset panel (like the Viggen)
• Rudder Notch

anyway progress pics below:



Note the Notch to accommodate the elevator flap linkage




Wing section - I'm not sure this section will work as a lifting airfoil. Initial test says... maybe








Conning Tower Rear and Front with Patch Panel

 

[wilmracer]

That is looking really sweet! I think you're well on your way to having a solid flying and great looking foamy! Probably even one that can ROW.

To be honest I think the dive option is REALLY daunting. My best guess is that you would need to go with a composite method to make a hollow fuse/wing that could be fully filled with water when submerged. Same for the pontoons/fuse. I'm eager to see what you come up with and how the testing goes!

 

[rockyboy]

Dynamite progress!! :applause:

On the airfoil, I just found a little app hidden inside the Easel program that will draw ribs to scale for a dozen or so different airfoils - and with variable root and tip cord dimensions too!

Here's a simple project I threw to test out my needle cutter that has two Clark-Y ribs that I added spar holes into

http://easel.inventables.com/projects/Js8geflAi5c1YG7ROAkJfg

I haven't seen a way to export SVG (or any export other than gcode) but using this tool to lay out all the ribs with an airfoil you want to use, and then using an SVG or CAD tool to trace out the shapes from screen captures should work.

Of course there is probably some other cool program that will just spit out SVG format airfoils we can drop into plans - and I really hope someone will post a link to it

 

[FoamyDM]

@rockyboy thank you for the link. They look like it would be easy to 3d print the ribs from this!

The Dive option only scares me from the waterproofing perspective. I'm not looking to destroy my esc's and motors. If I manage to WP the plane and components well enough then it'a a only a matter of a bilge pump and a release valve at the top! I realize the pump(s) will act as the air bladder. when pump water out, the periscope pulls in the air to replace it. however, It need chambered sections to provide lifting and sinking buoyancy. Please correct me if I'm wrong rcsubguy.

I hope to get the ailerons cut and get the motors trays mounted and figured out tonight.

 

[SlingShot]

@rockyboy thank you for the link. They look like it would be easy to 3d print the ribs from this!

The Dive option only scares me from the waterproofing perspective. I'm not looking to destroy my esc's and motors. If I manage to WP the plane and components well enough then it'a a only a matter of a bilge pump and a release valve at the top! I realize the pump(s) will act as the air bladder. when pump water out, the periscope pulls in the air to replace it. however, It need chambered sections to provide lifting and sinking buoyancy. Please correct me if I'm wrong rcsubguy.

I hope to get the ailerons cut and get the motors trays mounted and figured out tonight.

Are you thinking about actually submerging below periscope depth?

 

[FoamyDM]

@Slingshot - Yup as a safety test at least.

I need to know what happens. I don't suspect it will be a big deal as the radio signal won't penetrate the water much, if at all. Rcsubguy explained that with the old 72-75mhz Crystal units water is transparent, but the higher freq. Like 2.4 and 5.8 ghz, it opaque. I need to ensure when I dump this down below the water, it'll come back up. If I change the Rx/Tx it'll work great. but I don't have one. A six channel starts around $140. Unless someone wants to donate one, it's beyond the financial scope of the project for me.

 

[FoamyDM]

Just finished a night of getting a D&D game going... And am exhausted. The ailerons will wait for tomorrow night.

 

[HilldaFlyer]

Didn't realize D&D was still a thing...

 

[FoamyDM]

Go-Go Gadget Resurgence!

All images and logos are property of Wizards of the Coast

Surprisingly, Yes it is... the 5th edition release has caused the game to see quite a resurgence in young'uns.

Just had a 47y.o. join the fun after wanting to play it since she was a kid, but a couple folks blamed D&D for why they killed someone. In Texas in the 80's that means the game is off limits. Sadly she never got to play ('till now).

Hopefully, now my Avatar make more sense.

 

[SlingShot]

I would expect to find that the Big Bang Theory has a lot to do with a resurgence in D&D.

 

[FoamyDM]

*shrug*
Possibly - That show helped to usher in the nerd era. Where it's OK to be un-cool. They did the same thing most shows do. show it as some weird thing that only dorks/nerds/wierdo's do. It's not far off, but I wouldn't call that a seller. Just brought it out to the public's eye again. Wizards(of the coast) made a BIG push on the re-release, to make it more main stream friendly.

I'll take it.

DM Scotty uses DTFB and hot glue to build props for his D&D game and has a you tube channel showing what and how he does it.

I think I can take what I learn here and do neat stuff there (modeling wargame size terrain.) and use some of the modeling techniques there and bring it to detail the models here.

for me D&D is the mentally creative challenge I sometimes need, and a great excuse to get together with friends. If you can enjoy a board game night, you can get on board with D&D. for those who aren't sure, do it.

On a plane note
has anyone ever built a press to make aluminum wing formers from can skins? (something I'm considering) using 3D printing to make the press molds. I just notice my workplace has a RIDICULOUS number of discarded Aluminum cans.
Maybe this should be it's own forum topic... hmm.

 

[rockyboy]

for me D&D is the mentally creative challenge I sometimes need, and a great excuse to get together with friends. If you can enjoy a board game night, you can get on board with D&D. for those who aren't sure, do it.

It's been many many years since I had a like-minded group for a good dungeon crawl, but those are some good memories! Good on you for keeping the torch burning (so to speak)

has anyone ever built a press to make aluminum wing formers from can skins? (something I'm considering) using 3D printing to make the press molds. I just notice my workplace has a RIDICULOUS number of discarded Aluminum cans.
Maybe this should be it's own forum topic... hmm.

That's a really neat idea... yeah - someone should try this out!! :applause:

 

[HilldaFlyer]

Please excuse my ignorance. What is a wing former? Ribs?

 

[TexMechsRobot]

Are we talking about D&D again? Foamy, if you lived closer I'd be joining your games

 

[FoamyDM]

Yes ribs... Sorry.

@TexMechsRobot - you caught me. PM me and I bet we could work out a way to get D&D stupid. (The internet shrinks the world down. )

 

[SlingShot]

Ambitious. I looked back and saw that your dive plan called for maintaining slight positive buoyancy. That's absolutely the best way to go.

As long as you stay underway with water moving over the dive plane (elevator), you should have good depth control. That is also the dive plan used by the tourist subs in Grand Cayman.

 

[FoamyDM]

I found a great detailed clear article on using a 2.4ghz on submarines. I'll re-post bits here for reference.

https://forum.sub-driver.com/forum/...o-adapt-the-new-2-4ghz-gear-to-r-c-submarines

Cut ailerons. And a fat wing makes it more complex.

 

[FoamyDM]

Here's the little fiddly progress so far. I will be using Foam covered Paper Towel cores.





sorry about the focus here.

I hope to progress enough to see if it flies.

 

[FoamyDM]

Baby Steps

Managed to make a little progress.
I spent Sat re-loading a number of Models for RF 7.5 as I restore my computer to pre-HD crash state.

My vision was to get much further... however, nope.
The secondary nacell will be ready to insert tonight and I will be able to attache the CT/cockpit by cutting a square out of the bottom plate and gluing to the top of the fuse... I'm sure to be revising this as I work out the details of the controls and center engine.



I used an empty paper towel roll cut in half for the port and starboard engines. I think they're about 4.5" long. I also made a socket for the back of the A-pack pods to support them and line them up. the squares are a little tight on purpose. There will be a skewer pin to lock it in like all A-pack pods. The long pieces of FB are to keep the socket lined up and at the correct distance from the front as you push/glue them in place about mid-tube.



I'll get the cockpit location references to glue it right.