Full Size Printed Plan & Building Notes
No material plans only
SEARCHER
Full-Size Plan Printed on two 17” x 11” sheets
Four page article with building notes
FREELANCE
R/C SUBMARINE
LENGTH 15 INCH
WIDTH 11 ½" o.a.
3 ELECTRIC MOTORS
THREE CHANNEL RADIO CONTROL
Design& Layout, Graham Goodchild.
The thing with submarines is that they all look similar, i.e. sausage shaped hull with a conning tower sticking up amidships. Obviously this arrangement has proved to be the most efficient over the years. However, to try and design an R/C model to fit in the format of these pages, would, I thought lead to a very odd looking craft indeed — or would it.
I remembered some of the futuristic underwater craft (or submersibles) featured in science-fiction films, and some of the James Bond movies. These craft certainly look very impressive with their streamlined rounded contours, but to actually build a working model of one, would, I thought be too complicated. The shape, therefore has to be simplified without losing that streamlined appearance.
I eventually decided to base the shape and also the controls, on similar to that of an aircraft. After all the two modes of transport are not dissimilar, one flies through water and the other through air. The only difference is that water is 800 times the density of air.
You will see that Searcher has a typical aircraft fuselage type hull and tail plane, with stubby looking wings. These are of course hydroplanes, and are made to pivot for dive and ascent control. As on aircraft, steering is by rudder, hinged to the rear of the fin. The linkage to this passes through a watertight gland on top of the hull. A short piece of silicone tubing is used for this, as with the pivoting hydroplanes, where the shafts enter the sides of the hull.
Thank you or looking