SSN-21 USS SEAWOLF.....pics

Nice looking build, but, yeah, in 1/144 it's a longgggggggggggg one.

Nicely done...is this class still in service?

It's still in service. There are three in its class.  The Seawolf, Connecticut, and Jimmy Carter. They are all based in Naval Base Kitsap, in Washington state. The class was replaced by the smaller and less expensive Virginia Class. From what I gather, the first two boats of the class are pretty much used as spare parts sources for the Jimmy Carter. The Jimmy Carter is about 100 feet longer than the other two because of an addiitional section that was inserted between the existing hull halves. This section contains a lot of classified spy equipment and has allowed this vessel to take up where the USS Parche left off. It is a true spook boat and where it goes and what it does is highly classified.

As far as the paint  and finish of this class's hulls goes, it isn't really like the one in the model above. It is actually rather a dark, flat gray with no red bottom paint. Although during initial commisioning, the Seawolf was done up with the red bottom and rescue markings like they are depicted above. But this scheme didn't last past sea trials. Submarines are no longer painted like this anymore. The picture of Texas below illustrates what I am talking about.  Note the cover over the sub's propulsor. The newer classes (including Seawolf ) don't utilize conventional propellors as in the past. Pretty much highly classified designs now. (Anybody remember the Toshiba scandal?)

Here is a link to an article that helps to explain propulsors: http://www.submarineresearch.com/bull70.html

Wow thats a big sucker. Impressive I must say too. I thought I had problems trying to figure out where I was going to put my 1:350 boomers. Looks like you may have worse problems. Where you going to put this bad boy? 

subfixer

(Anybody remember the Toshiba scandal?)

Cool build and nice history lesson too.

autovomatic88

Wow thats a big sucker. Impressive I must say too. I thought I had problems trying to figure out where I was going to put my 1:350 boomers. Looks like you may have worse problems. Where you going to put this bad boy? 

 

Well there is a large pond just down the road from where I live

Seriously....I don't know.  It currently sits on the mantle of our fireplace and since it is hiding family pictures, the missus informed me that it needs to find a new berth!

Manstein's revenge

subfixer:

(Anybody remember the Toshiba scandal?)

 

No, what was it?

This is a brief synopsis from Wikipedia:

In 1987, Tocibai Machine, a subsidiary of Toshiba, was accused of illegally selling CNC milling machines used to produce very quiet submarine propellers to the Soviet Union in violation of the CoCom agreement, an international embargo on certain countries to COMECON countries. The Toshiba-Kongsberg scandal involved a subsidiary of Toshiba and the Norwegian company Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk. The incident strained relations between the United States and Japan, and resulted in the arrest and prosecution of two senior executives, as well as the imposition of sanctions on the company by both countries.^[5] The US had always relied on the fact that the Soviets had noisy boats, so technology that would make the USSR's submarines harder to detect created a significant threat to America's security. Senator John Heinz of Pennsylvania said "What Toshiba and Kongsberg did was ransom the security of the United States for $517 million."

I think your sub is going to have to give a wide birth to your wife. lol Hiding family pictures is not a good thing. 

Reasoning why I am asking is I am thinking about building a wall mount glass curio. Easier said then done. Just wondering what your idea was going to be. I must say though I do like that build. I give it two thumbs and toes big up with an extra a 10 on the finger scale. 

Now about the toshiba scandal. That tells you about the typical american capitalist. Lots of money is never enough. More money just makes them greedier. There Mercedes is our equivalent to Chevy Caviler. There Ferrari's would be a sweet fully loaded Cadillac STS. You cant buy humble. My opinion though. 

Nice build! I love the looks of subs on display they just look mean!

Thanks for the comments guys.  I love subs also.....especially big ones like this!  I still have Revell's 1/72 Gato as well as Revell's 1/72 Type VIIc on my shelf.......wait till my missus gets a load of those bad boys all assembled

I really liked the Seawolf and as a counterpart for it, I am thinking of tracking down a Trumpeter 1/144 Kilo class so I can have Cold War opponents in addition to WW2 opponents with my Gato and VIIc.

As for displaying them autovomatic88, I am thinking about buying some "floating-shelving".  These are neat little shelves you can buy from most home improvement places that work by fastening a backing plate/bracket to the wall and then sliding the ornate shelf down over the top of the bracket.  If you have a large, uncluttered 8' high wall and mount a load of shelves in similar fashion, you could display an entire Naval Task Force!  These shelves have various lengths but for the most part are less than 10" wide.

Of course at my place, I have to remove the cherished portraits and "art" to make the room.  Hmmmm, I could need a Naval Task Force to rescue me if I get too crazy with my wall displays!

RODC

I am just thinking though. Rough estimate about each boat is 21" Thats the Typhoon, Akula, Kilo, Delta IV, Oscar II, Tico Class, Slava Class, Ohio Class, Virginia class and Los Angeles Class. So about this task force for shelving. Looks like I am going to need to find some of these floating shelves. I have seen a Typhoon class as a 1:72 its impressive.......

Someone actually makes a 1/72 Typhoon?  Who and how much?

Sorry I failed. 1:100 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhvRLkgBSuI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0nw7312VJs&feature=related

Google Engel model submarines. It would cost $2370.94 not with tax or shipping.

Ha, Ha, Ha..........goodbye savings, hello divorce lawyer!

I know what my wife would do to me if I came home with that.... She wouldn't need a lawyer. All I would here is "Torpedo in the water" 

You and rodc are hereby awarded the "Henpecked Campaign Ribbon with Rubber-Spine Device"...wear it with pride...

Happy wife....happy life!

Great job on the build...  that is one impressive vessel.... excellent!

Mostly, thanks for sharing!

Manstein's revenge

You and rodc are hereby awarded the "Henpecked Campaign Ribbon with Rubber-Spine Device"...wear it with pride...

A warm welcome to the club!

As long as your not playing with that model in the bath tub I think your going to be fine lol 

You got a really smooth finish on that hull, so I have to compliment you on that.  I would say that you have to have some skill with sealing seams to get it to finish like this.  That is a beautiful display piece.

For anyone who is eying this kit up, a little tale of Quality Assurance and three blind mice.

I don't know if RODC had the same experience as I did, but the hull halves were different lengths.  They were off by about 2-3mm.  Not impossible to work with but...  Since you will be working with it, secure a little weight in the base of the hull and brace the hull halves with some heavy sprue so that they don't flex when you are sanding.  Also, Consider the Yankee Modelworks Decals.  I think trumpeter used arial for the numbers... Not exactly correct.

Subfixer,

I definately remember the Toshiba scandal.  I was onboard USS Pasadena (SSN 751) at the time.  We felt betrayed by those people. To this day, I will not buy Toshiba products.

Bill

Thanks Model_Hoarder.....finish did not come easily.  I agree that fit was not great but my kit halves were close to the same length.  Biggest issue was a "step" after the halves were mated.  These took a lot of sanding and putty and more sanding and more putty......you get the idea!  I never internally braced as per your suggestion but it would have made life a little easier for me since some seams separated during intense sanding......lack of strength caused the bond to break.

Nonetheless, the kit built up OK, finish came out great (all Tamiya TS sprays) but I was not a big fan of the decals.  To me, without doing any research, the lettering seemed awfully large for this scale.

I would still recommend the kit to anyone who wants a large boomer in their collection.......P.S. It still sits on the fireplace mantle......wife hasn't banished it.....yet!

RodC

warshipguy

Subfixer,

I definately remember the Toshiba scandal.  I was onboard USS Pasadena (SSN 751) at the time.  We felt betrayed by those people. To this day, I will not buy Toshiba products.

Bill

Neither will I. I will hold a grudge against them forever.  John Walker is the worst.

Subfixer,

I know many people who hope he never gets out of prison!  The same people will also never buy Toshiba.  They really demonstrated the worst of business practices . . . no loyalty to anything other than money.