28/02/2020. U57. CSS Pioneer 1862. 22" Twin Ballast Tank. Tinplate Clockwork Diving Submarine.
U57 has a 6 plate faux riveted hull with twin dive tanks fwd and aft ,the corresponding vents are either side of the keyhole which is stopped with an M10 fine brass screw cap. I've fitted a fourth gear to the motor to reduce the torque and increase duration in line with the performance of the 1862 hand cranked original. CSS Pioneer was designed and built by McClintock and Watson during the American civil war but never saw action unfortunately she was scuttled to avoid falling into union hands, union troops found and raised her and got their hands on it anyway! I don't normally do scale replicas but this is such a cracking looking boat I just had to build one, its slick, super cool and way ahead of its time these early American submariners really knew their stuff!