MikroMir 1/350 USS Sturgeon Nuclear Submarine For Tom.

[Rhino]

Many moons ago, I worked at a Land Rover Center with a US Navy and USCG vet. CPO Tom White. He was helmsman on the USS Guitarro, SSN-665. She was the second boat of the Sturgeon class and her primary job was gathering intelligence. Sometimes, according to Chief White, a little too close for comfort.

He told me he transferred to the Coast Guard because if the ship sank, a man could walk to shore. He then served aboard CGC Westwind, WAGB-281 and CGC Polar Star, (Polar Pig) WAGB-10. For our purposes here, I shall focus on his US Navy Silent Service career. If you meet Tom, a gregarious as he is, you may see why anything "Silent" may not have been his forte'.

I have the old Burton Island Icebreaker kit, but she is not exactly what I wished for as an 'Honor Model" for my old friend.

 

[moon puppy]

 

[helios]

Nice. I built a short hull Sturgeon awhile back for my dad. Need to give it to him next time I see him.

 

[Rhino]

It irritates me sometimes, when Submarine models and regular model ships are lumped into the same category. Complexity of the build and difficulty of assembly should figure in to judging such a thing. After a surprisingly short visit to Methodist Hospital, and a shiny new pacemaker install, I find my sore arm works well enough to continue to model, and so I shall. I cain't drive anywhere until next Thursday, so I shall regale my mates with modelnesses.
Count your blessings, friends.

 

[moon puppy]

Hey good deal on the new hardware! Keep that ticker tuned up and now it's bluetooth compatible.
Recovery time at the work bench, sounds like we're in for some good updates.

 

[Rhino]

I like to add small plastic guides and ballast to my Unterseeboot hulls. A throw-back to the original Waterline series, I like my model ships to have a little heft to them. With no real positive pins or alignment points, save the bow AN/BQQ-5 sonar dome line, the guides help to keep the hull halves from squirming when they are cemented together. This also means MikroMir sub kits lack the sink marks that usually accompany pins and alignment hole molding points.
The lump of ballast will make sure USS Guitarro floats upright, but probably not at her waterline, in case Tom's grandkids want to play Attack Submarine with Grampa's boat.


Hull half warpage. Bummer, but not unexpected. On the plus side, the plastic is thick enough that it doesn't flex when you fill, sand and cuss along the length of the ship, unlike the horrible Dragon Models 1/350 Florida class SSGN kit does.
You can see how the sprue gates encroach on the flat gluing surfaces of the sail parts. You can clearly see how important it is to beware of this particular MikroMir Models pitfall to achieve a proper fit.

Expect to do a lot of this kind of "Chasing Shinies" C/A glue filling, cussing and sanding on this build, not so unlike other submarine model kits. Overall progress is pretty good! Alan Jackson's "All American Country Boy" is playing, and If I am careful, I can play model submarine without too much discomfort between pain meds and naps.
Thanks for looking in!

 

[moon puppy]

This also means MikroMir sub kits lack the sink marks that usually accompany pins and alignment hole molding points.

So you knew I was about to ask why no alignment pins.