"Red October" Topic

I am considering a conversion of the Hobby Boss 1/700 Typhoon to the Red October as per the movie.

Has anyone done this and can give suggestions? I see that a towed array would have to be added to the dorsal rear fin: anything else?

From what I remember reading the book, Red October is longer and wider than a standard Typhoon. 26 missile tubes instead of 20, and the caterpillar drive tunnels go down the outside of the pressure hulls, which makes her wider.

Wiki gives the dimensions as 198m long and 28m beam, which is 23m longer and 5m wider than a stock Typhoon.

I don't remember how big the caterpillar tunnels are, I don't have a copy of HfRO close to hand.

Wiki also points out that the Red October model used in the movie has a different sail than a standard Typhoon.

Standard Typhoon:

model used in the movie:

See how the base of the sail isn't as bulky?

Personally, I'd just make the sail taller (necessary for hydrodynamic stability) and leave the bottom of the sail the same size. Because there's actually a pressure hull under there! Typhoons have two separate pressure hulls that run most of the length of the ship, a third pressure hull at the base of the sail, a fourth pressure hull for the torpedo room, and a fifth pressure hull aft for the steering gear.

Thanks. Perhaps too much work to make it look right? After all, the other players in our group know diddly-squat about subs, so I can just call the standard Typhoon as Red October.

No one ever sees a submarine in a fight anyway.

Site with more reference for the filming model: link

Ron

Thanks.

Thanks. Perhaps too much work to make it look right? After all, the other players in our group know diddly-squat about subs, so I can just call the standard Typhoon as Red October.

That's what Revell did with their 1/400 scale Typhoon kit. Just re-labeled the box. Didn't even bother to include the very obvious caterpillar drive doors, not even closed.

If you do want to do the conversion, I'd stretch the hull by buying a second Typhoon kit, and widen the outside of the hull with some greenstuff. 2.5m divided by 700 is 3.5mm wider per side, I'd use several pieces of 0.010" and 0.040" plastic card to make the width and then GS the curves. Thin card up near the bow and stern and then thicker amidships.

And then I'd have to resculpt all the limber holes, but you may not be that OCD.

If I was doing that conversion on a 1/350 scale Typhoon, I think I'd add the width just outboard of the missile doors so I could avoid having to resculpt all the limber holes. Limber holes are the vents in the side that let water in and out of the area between the pressure hull and the fairing. They're very prominent on WW2 subs, but most US subs since the Nautilus have used a single-hull design. The Russians have still used double-hull designs, it gives a little more damage resistance but complicates maintenance and may be a bit louder.

And thanks to Coelacanth for the additional pics of the models!

I count 30 missile hatches on the filming model…

Wonder if there was a conscious reason for that.