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[redboat219]

Some modelers utilize a dry hull WTCless conversions of some plastic model submarine kits like this Japanese gentleman did with a Revell 1/144 Type 214. http://www.excite-webtl.jp/world/english/web/body/?wb_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rc-blueworld.com%2Fdockyard%2F144%2Fuboat214%2Fuboat214_01.html&wb_lp=JAEN&wb_dis=2

My question here is , how resilient are these styrene hulls in resisting water pressure and what is their theoretical maximum operating depth before the hull deforms (crush depth)

[malcolmfrary]

I assume that the hull, and the added bits, are free flooding, buoyancy being provided by the WTC and any trim chambers.  Both sides of the plastic would therefore experience the same pressure, so no bending.
The only question then is, at what depth does the plastic start to crush?  There have been demonstrations on what happens to expended styrene cups when they are taken down to a great depth (several hundred feet, if memory serves), and the structural crushing is pretty graphic, but the moulded styrene in plastic kits is much more solid, and I doubt that any model would go to that kind of depth.  At least, not with any chance of getting it back under control.

[Leaky]

I think you would lose radio contact before you meet any crushing type pressures which would activate any safety systems.(hopefully

[Turbulent]

How deep do you want to go??

P Depth is where you need to be, what's the point of diving deep unless you've got glass walls on a swimming pool!

Have You been reading Bruggen's book about crush depths? dont worry mate, I've had my boats down to 8ft in a pool & the only problem is the increased water pressure effects stability & ballast - boat struggles to surface as the water pressure slows up the emptying of the ballast tank & you need more buoyancy.

[redboat219]

How deep do you want to go??

P Depth is where you need to be, what's the point of diving deep unless you've got glass walls on a swimming pool!

Have You been reading Bruggen's book about crush depths? dont worry mate, I've had my boats down to 8ft in a pool & the only problem is the increased water pressure effects stability & ballast - boat struggles to surface as the water pressure slows up the emptying of the ballast tank & you need more buoyancy.

Yup. I have Norbert's book.
I'm currently building a Trumpy KILO with a David Merriman sub driver unit. As a future project  I want to try a similar WTC-less build.
 I'm just concerned up to what depth you can safely take a single wall plastic hull.

[Patrick Henry]

I know the materials are slightly different (OK, in fact a lot different) but I've had my Engel Patrick Henry sitting on the bottom of an Olympic swimming pool (however deep that is) quite happily. That was a dry hulled boat, no free flood areas at all.

I've got a pic somewhere of it, if needs be I'll post it up here. It was done by Meridian TV(or whatever they were called back then) at the old Prince Regent swimming pool in Brighton, and also formed part of an old Traplet Publication video on model subs.

It ran on an old 27mhz Futaba radio with the aerial lead just coiled up inside the hull and never gave me any reception problems whatsoever.

[DickyD]

I know the materials are slightly different (OK, in fact a lot different) but I've had my Engel Patrick Henry sitting on the bottom of an Olympic swimming pool (however deep that is) quite happily. That was a dry hulled boat, no free flood areas at all.

Sinking stuff even back then Rich ?

[Patrick Henry]

Those were the good old days Dickie...



Rich