Flankerman Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Just spotted this on the HobbyEasy website :- http://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/mhjncdg7rutwunisl9bw.html Anyone heard of Riich Models ??? Is this s new kit?? - it has a different parts breakdown to the Los Angeles class boat in the Cyberhobby double kit of USS Maryland and USS Chicago. They've also done a 1/700 scale Borei - http://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/6u5tvpvcsyskspgtxw2n.html This is listed as 'two sets', so I suspect that this kit is waterline. Anyone ??? Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) Looks new. Some sprue shots on the Riich website. http://www.riichmodel.com/products.asp?flag=1&BigClassName=%B4%AC%C5%9E%BDM&enBigClassName=SHIPS Definitely no relation to the old Dragon kit. The upper hull is one piece, but I suspect that is more for molding the upper hull detail and making separate uppers for the VLS and non-VLS boats, and not so much for a waterline option. Edit: Got my Flight III from SB yesterday. Very nice, much better than the old DML kit. The only think I have a question on is the screw. The blades are swept back (aft), and I wonder if that's correct. Edited January 28, 2012 by Dave Williams Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tracy White Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I've been farting around with one of the flight III boats for a bit. Definitely no relation to the Dragon kit. Short review is that the detail and engineering aren't perfect, but it's a better start than the Dragon kit if you want detail. Dragon's assembly is easier, but that's the only nod I'll give it over the Riich kit. Their detail is fine - so fine that at least two of my periscopes were broken. Upper/lower hull break is "nominally at the waterline, but doesn't reflect how these boats actually sit in the water (bow high). The two lower hull pieces fit well, the upper hull to lower hull is more fiddley and will take more work to minimize miss-match filling. The Flight III bow dive planes need their holes cut out, and the location marks are vague - I thought it was the part where the planes got thicker, but if you spread the hull wide enough for that, the upper piece fit is REALLY ugly. My recommendation is to fit it but to not glue it in place until the upper hull is glued down correctly, then tap it with an Xacto until it's right where you want it. The prop is still wrong too, so it's not a good source kit for casting replacements for all of your Dragon kits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
parche Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Actually, only Flight Is sit bow high... because of the added weight and lost buoyancy in the forward main ballast tanks from the VLS system, Flight IIs and the I-Boats (Flight III) sit on an even keel. Most props on most submarine kits are purely conjecture... or failure of the model company to look up pictures on the internet (almost every Russian screw has an available picture in google search, not the same for US) to get something close... 688s have multiple screw choices... much like most Russian boats... Cheers, Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tracy White Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 No, they're still bow high, it's just not as pronounced: http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=115720 http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=116074 http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=115963 http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=115933 Might depend on loads, I suppose.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChippyWho Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Riich is a new player; I would think the new HB SSN-688 is the better bet: In-Box Review Quote Link to post Share on other sites
parche Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I just want someone to pop a USS Virginia that is accurate for an operational boat so I can build my last boat... Tracy, you're correct for those pictures, but that is also dependent on the distribution of water in the Trim system. If the distribution is balanced across the tanks, Flight IIs, I boats and Virginias will sit on an even keel (0 bubble to a half degree up). The stern of the boat will also tend to squat as speed increases if you see an underway picture over about 5kts or so. Granted, as you said, load also plays a role. If I were to do a diorama with a a group tied up next to the pier, I would make the Flight Is sit bow up...and I would make Virginia list almost a degree to starboard on an even keel :) My first boat USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN705) always sat around a 1-1.5 up in port and my last boat, USS Virginia (SSN774) almost always sat on an even keel with a starboard list...if we corrected the list for a weapons load, we ended up more than slightly bow up... the oddities of submarines. Love to see 688 when it is done and hear more comments on the kit. Cheers, Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tracy White Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I poured the resin in my Riich kit (always put a little bit for the mounting screws to dig into) this week and just need to get the drill press up and running again - and then I can start work on gluing the upper hull on. I'll post pics when I get that started so people can judge for themselves. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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