USS Halibut

I think I may remember the kit you're talking about. The name Halibut doesn't ring a bell, but I do recall (from deep in the darkest recesses of my 53-year-old brain) a submarine that (I think) was made by ITC and had lots of operating features. It had an electric motor and a series of cams that (supposedly) made the thing submerge (by rotating the diving planes; there was no water pump), steer various courses (which could be changed by means of interchangeable cams), surface, and fire a Regulus missile. The latter, if I remember right, was supposed to emerge, complete with launcher, from an opening in the top of the hull. It slid along a short slot, and the sliding motion cocked a small coil spring, which (supposedly) then fired the missile. How you were supposed to recover the missile I don't remember.

I seem to recall some detailed instructions about adding just the right amount of ballast (maybe in the form of water) so the thing would have just the right amount of buoyancy for the diving planes to take effect - in different amounts for fresh and salt water. I had to get my father to explain that to me.

It was part of a series of highly-animated kits that were marketed under the logo "Camamatic Action." I'm having trouble recalling the others in the series; I think there was a U.S.S. Enterprise (ultra-high-tech at the time), which presumably fired miniature aircraft, and a tank. I got my sub for Christmas when I was in elementary school, and, of course, never got it to work. In retrospect, I wonder if anybody ever did.

I'm trolling deep in the recesses of the rotting brain cells here; all the above may be fiction. Maybe another forum member can help more.

John,

I must say you have one great memory. I found a web site that describes the model I am looking for and your explination follows their text very closely. Your grey matter is in much better shape than you might think.

Thanks,

Richard

Richard,

Would that it were so. My problem is that I remember stuff like this (which, let's face it, is pretty irrelevant to anything that matters), but have trouble remembering more recent and crucial facts (like which parking lot I left my car in this morning).

What was the website with the dope on the ITC sub? Sounds like fun.

John,

Take a look here.

http://members.fortunecity.com/jb6290/RCSUBS.htm

http://ourworlds.topcities.com/blackhawk/models/hawksub9.jpg

Richard

That's the beast all right! My weird memory remembered the Regulus on the diagonal track - but I thought it was aft of the conning tower. That anybody has one of these things in one piece (complete with the missile) is remarkable. I wonder if it ever actually worked.

Many thanks for an exercise in nostalgia. On a similar topic, I just had the pleasure of reading a wonderful book: Remembering Revell Model Kits,[ by Thomas Graham. (Schiffer Books, 2004. Barnes and Noble no longer has it in stock, but I found a used copy in their "used and out-of-print" section.) It contains, among many other bits of fun trivia, a detailed account of the great Rickover incident, wherein Admiral Rickover got upset over Revell's cutaway Polaris sub kit.

John,

Two of the Regulus submarines did have the missile launcher behind the conning tower. They were the first two boats, the USS Tunny and the USS Barbaro. The next three, the USS Grayback, the USS Growler and the USS Halibut all fired forward. I seem to remember the Rickover thing. He was a nut anyway. He terrorized the nuclear program Naval officers.

Richard

Admiral Rickover was not a nut. Try reading some of his biographies. He may have terrorized some subordinates but to this day he is the reason that our nuclear navy dosen't rival the Soviets in the number of reactor accidents, lost subs and dead sailors.

ADM Rickover was a perfectionist to the nth degree. The naval nuclear propulsion program is the safest and cleanest of any and it is due to his efforts. I don't know of anyone involved who liked him, but everyone absolutely respected him. He knew his business.