Author Topic: Russian Swamp Cooler  (Read 12982 times)

Offline Frank3k

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Russian Swamp Cooler
« on: May 27, 2014, 12:34:25 AM »
I have several 1/35 scale Gaz-98/RF-8 Aerosan kits- an old resin kit by Kirin, the Trumpeter Gaz-98 and the Vision Models double kit. The Trumpeter (as typical for them) is nicely engineered but has accuracy and dimensional issues. What am I going to do with all those aerosan kits? I couldn't think of many snow or ice whiffing options but then I read about the many swamps in Russia. What if the Russians had put the aerosans to work in the swamps and marshes during the Spring through Fall seasons? They could patrol the swamps and streams, resupply partisan groups and harass the Germans.

The obvious solution was to turn one of the aerosans into a swamp boat. I picked the Trumpeter kit because it deviates from reality the most:



I found plans for a swamp boat hull online and drew it up in Rhino, then printed the hull onto thick paper and made a test hull. Jeff suggested that the hull was too small, so I enlarged it, and that was a improvement. The hull sides were built from 0.040" (1mm) styrene sheet, with the hull bottom from 0.020 styrene.

I found some rough cut, flat "soap stirrers" at Michael's, which would make good deck planks. They were glued with wood glue:



The soap stirrers were too short, so I added plates to the bow and stern (they're just on temporarily in the pics)

I placed the ski-less aerosan (the supports aren't glued in) just to see what it would look like:





Next, I smeared the deck with more wood glue, hoping that it would act as "caulking" between the boards. Then I painted the deck with some diluted sepia artist ink, as a wood stain:



The inside of the hull has some spacers and supports for the deck and hull sides. I ran a bead of superglue along the seams to add some extra stiffness.
I'll finish the deck next and figure out a way to mount some rudders on the stern plate. Then I'll finish the aerosan.

 


Offline Weaver

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2014, 01:36:02 AM »
Nice project! The wood looks really good.  :)
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Online Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2014, 01:56:04 AM »
The deck is looking nice Frank.  The curved gunwales you added towards the bow are also an excellent feature as it provides the hull with a bit more detail and a more boat-like look.  Now where is the case of Vodka anti-freeze and the mooring cleats? 
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2014, 02:21:39 AM »
Off to a great start. :)
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Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2014, 04:15:29 AM »
Off to a great start. :)

I couldn't put it better!

The deck is a real testament to your incredible talent, Frank!

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Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2014, 07:47:59 AM »
Nice job on the timber

Offline FAAMAN

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2014, 07:55:48 AM »
Weirdly cool 8) Nice build so far :D
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2014, 10:39:17 AM »
Why is it that scratch built projects often go quicker than kits? I think the hull is mostly done. I taped up the wood deck in preparation for primer and paint. I made the two rudders and temporarily tacked them in place, with a "trellis" (actually a 1/48ish ladder) support structure:






If I keep this, I would add some cross members to force it into a rounder shape:



The rudders will be in a rectangular support. Since the prop isn't in the trellis, I was thinking of a double rectangle with some diagonal support instead:



Any opinions or suggestions?

I also have to make a box for the vodka antifreeze; I think I have some suitable bottles.

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2014, 12:38:54 AM »
That's got to be the most imaginative use of a ladder I've seen yet, Frank!

Love the rudders! They look just right!

Brian da Basher

Offline Alvis 3.1

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2014, 01:08:06 AM »
Looking good Comrade!

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Offline FAAMAN

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #10 on: May 28, 2014, 02:45:28 PM »
DA!! Iz good!! 8)
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Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #11 on: May 28, 2014, 09:18:56 PM »
It's actually almost frighteningly logical! :o

And a great build, too! :)

Suggestions:

If you're going with the trellis as your support structure, I'd do the "double" rectangle with support beams from the bottom of the front rectangle to just out from the rudders on the rear rectangle.

If you're not using the trellis, I'd go a single rectangle.

On both support structure types I'd add shorter supports at the top & bottom corners (on both rectangles in the double frame), so that they form isosceles triangles, & a support beam forward of the vertical sides of the rudder support structure to give support against fore-aft stresses.
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Offline Dr. YoKai

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #12 on: May 29, 2014, 09:01:41 AM »
What a wonderful concept! And the deck does look terrific.

I would add cross-members to the prop guard, and raise it so its the same height/circumference as the prop. I'd then do just the triangular supports and link the top of the rudder supports to the prop guard.

Since you've got an abundance of Areosans, what about a desert version - big wire spoked wheels, with
googles and flowing scarves on the crew? :D

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #13 on: May 29, 2014, 10:24:06 AM »
What a wonderful concept! And the deck does look terrific.

I would add cross-members to the prop guard, and raise it so its the same height/circumference as the prop. I'd then do just the triangular supports and link the top of the rudder supports to the prop guard.

Since you've got an abundance of Areosans, what about a desert version - big wire spoked wheels, with
googles and flowing scarves on the crew? :D

Don't forget the pith helmets & jodhpurs! ;D
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Frank3k

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #14 on: May 29, 2014, 11:36:46 AM »
I'm leaning towards the rectangular supports with the triangular corners and angled braces. Craig, the aerosan has two arms that stick out and act as prop guards (to prevent tree limbs and drunks from smashing into the prop).

The wheeled aerosan has been done: http://www.warlordgames.com/gallery-a-very-british-aerosan/

The real NKL-26 aerosan had a wheeled version for training purposes.

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #15 on: May 29, 2014, 04:01:21 PM »
I'm leaning towards the rectangular supports with the triangular corners and angled braces. Craig, the aerosan has two arms that stick out and act as prop guards (to prevent tree limbs and drunks from smashing into the prop).

The wheeled aerosan has been done: http://www.warlordgames.com/gallery-a-very-british-aerosan/

The real NKL-26 aerosan had a wheeled version for training purposes.


Where did you find that 1:48th scale ladder you were using to support the rudders? 

The Aerosan with wheels is certainly interesting but it makes you wonder how it would handle any kind of sloping terrain feature. 

Will you be mounting the usual navigation and recognition lights on the Aerosan now that it is a small watercraft?  :)
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #16 on: May 30, 2014, 10:25:23 AM »
Where did you find that 1:48th scale ladder you were using to support the rudders? 

Jeff, it's the ladder part of the Plastruct CLS-8 Styrene Safety Cage & Ladder set (in 1/48 or O scale)

Offline Frank3k

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #17 on: June 23, 2014, 03:47:46 AM »
I can't believe it's been almost a month since I updated this thread. Most of the time was spent building (and rebuilding) the rudder structure. This is what I ended up with:



It's mechanically quite sturdy in 1/35, so it would probably be as sturdy on the real thing.

Here it is, almost finished. The rudders are linked with some PE chain that I made years ago (for a 1/350 scale ship). The linkage works, although it is fragile.
The Aerosan is attached to the deck with baseplates from some railroad ties, leftovers from a BA-20 armored car kit that had an option to mount it on a rail. The deck hatches are Stryker leftovers from the AFV Club M151 Protector kit. The treadplate at the bow is a raised detail decal from Archer Transfers:



I skipped a step and painted the hull with Vallejo Russian green; I had wanted to show a rusty hull underneath, so I had to go back and remove the paint. Unfortunately I didn't seal the wooden cross member under the deck and I missed the edges of one of the deck planks, so it warped badly when I got the deck wet. I removed the deck, trimmed and repaired what I could and put it back together.
Then I painted the hull in a dark reddish black undercoat, applied some salt, then painted it with Russian green. I removed the salt with a wetted brush and accidentally pulled up some of the treadplate on the bow. That's why it's "rusted through".

The side view shows the new rudder control connections, as well as a fuel pipe (for extended missions). The rudders look fairly clean because I accidentally placed the Russian stars upside down, so I had to strip and redo them:




I still have to add some vodka bottles, some deck ropes, poles and maybe a crew. I'm thinking of using the white foam board as a base for a wetlands diorama, with maybe the aerosan beached on a riverbank with the crew receiving instructions from an officer.

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #18 on: June 23, 2014, 04:19:44 AM »
This is turning into an absolute show-stopper, Frank!

The weathering is simply masterful. The perfect compliment to that wonderful decking!

I like the idea of the crew getting an earful from their officer. Maybe because of all the empties?

Looking forward to more,

Brian da Basher

Offline FAAMAN

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #19 on: June 23, 2014, 01:00:38 PM »
Museum class work on a Whiff!! 8) Simply sensational!!! :D
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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #20 on: June 23, 2014, 09:07:32 PM »
Frank, the final paint and weathering looks excellent.  Not too much clutter on deck and it looks as if it were ready to go cruising the swamps and marshes of Mother Russia.
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Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #21 on: June 23, 2014, 09:45:43 PM »
Looks bl@@dy awesome! 8)
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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #22 on: June 24, 2014, 02:46:09 AM »
Time to go back to the knitting... :( ;)
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #23 on: June 24, 2014, 03:51:44 AM »
That's a very practical concept and the execution is wonderful!

Cheers,

Logan


Offline Dr. YoKai

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Re: Russian Swamp Cooler
« Reply #24 on: June 24, 2014, 10:41:42 AM »
 Its just about perfect.  If you're going to do a shoreline dio, may I suggest a stack of water skis off to one side? For the celebrated "Fellow Travelers" ski troops?  ;)