This build employs our Encore D-class conversion (using the 400-scale, Soviet Dekabrist-class mold), to produce a model of Stygian - an S3(a)-type boat - in 1:350 scale:
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- and (leaving out the Long Story) to maintain a uniform hull diameter an additional layer was required, forward. Note these half-tubes were themselves partially split at the ends, in order to taper/blend with underlying features. To conform with the hull taper fore- and aft, the cuts are expanded to leave rounded flaps - still visible at at the bow (right) - which can then be further trimmed/adjusted so as to converge, when pinched, flush to the hull taper, as shown at the stern (left). Amidships, the tube was also split, this time the flaps sanded paper-thin at the ends, to fair (when pressed down) against the underlying section.
Also (speaking of tubes), one look in the parts box yielded a very close match for each of the required saddle tanks (middle; wingtip tanks from a 48-scale F-104, IIRC) whose main demand will be reworking/rearrangement into the deep-bellied "guppy" form shown in the drawing.
Meantime, (although not contemplated in the original conversion) the forward taper of the hull was reworked. On the D-class mold it is very straight and knife-like - good for the extreme forward end of the S3 (see below) - but not the immediately following, blunt end of the pressure hull - and a key feature of these (and most of their contemporary) RN subs. So I carefully lopped off the mold's bow (right) and, securing a thick plastic block (white) into the forward hull, pinched the extending ends to bend around the block and form the more abrupt terminus desired.
Now, insanity can take many forms - featured here: what I started on the severed Encore bow:
This bit of plastic, about the size of my thumbnail, was first squared off considerably - a major benefit of the (relatively) thick, Encore plastic - then given the larger torpedo openings characteristic of the S3 (left) and, in the process hollowed out pretty much completely. The increasingly fragile structure did break - repeatedly - repaired with superglue putty (lighter-gray patches) as might be noticeable. A brand-new, razor-sharp No.11 knife blade was a must for any of this. The hollowing-out was not without purpose, but to provide clearance for later insertion of an interior grating of 240-scale PE ladders, superglued along the edges and trimmed to fit (right).
The net result clearly being a major "pop" towards actually resembling an S3 boat:
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Upcoming, in the immediate pipeline: additional details for the nose (what does anybody want to bet I won't install actual, tiny drilled-out torpedo tubes, as well?) in work about equal to the above again, and on the pressure hull about 25% more work to finish it off, plus of course the above-mentioned saddle tanks.
As for the topside features, experience (the hard way) is warning me to re-check/refine the drawings against actual photos - the sail and upper casing being, if not actually out of proportion then perhaps at least incorrectly located. After that, the sail and deck should be very simple work - the top casing (properly detailed), a little less so.
Cheers,
-Matty
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