My Review and Build of Airfix 1/350 scale Kit #03260,
Trafalgar Class SSN, HMS Triumph S93
Introduction and What's in the Box - July 25, 2015
Introduction - The Trafalgar Class Nuclear Attack Submarines:
The Royal Navy introduced the Trafalgar class nuclear attack submarines to replace the Swiftsure class of nuclear subs that the Royal Navy had built and commissioned in the 1970s. These new submarines were larger, faster, quieter, and had more endurance and a larger weapons fit than the Swiftsure class that they replaced. The Royal Navy also built one more submarine in this class than in the preceding class.
In all, seven nuclear attack subs were commissioned into this class between May 1983, with the HMS Trafalgar, and December 1991, with the HMS Triumph, S93, which this model build depicts.
All seven Trafalgar class submarines were built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The submarines were built in what has been called two batches. The first three, which
have all been decommissioned now, and the second four. The design included a new nuclear reactor core, type 2020 Sonar, a pump jet propulsion system, and anechoic tiles covering the hull which absorb sound making the boats quieter and more difficult to detect. All of them have five 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes which accommodation a mixture of up-to 30 weapons consisting of Tomahawk missiles and/or Spearfish
All four of the second batch submarines, HMS Torbay, Trenchant, Talent, and Triumph received the Sonar 2076 system, which the Royal Navy says is the most advanced sonar in the world.
The boats are being replaced by the newer, larger Astute Class submarines, with three Trafalgar boats now decommissioned. But the four Batch Two boats are all still in commission.
HMS Triumph was commissioned in December 1993 and has been in service now for tenty two years. In 1993 she sailed to Australia and back, covering a total distance of 41,000 miles submerged without any forward support. This marked the longest solo deployment by any British nuclear submarine in Royal Navy history. In March 2011, she participated in Operation Ellamy, the operation in Libya. She fired Tomahawk cruise missiles March 19th and 20th at Libyan air defense targets. On March 24th she fired another series of missiles were fired into Libya at air defense targets around the city of Sabha. Triumph returned to Devonport on the April 3rd, 2011 flying a Jolly Roger adorned with six small Tomahawk axes to indicate the missiles fired by the submarine in the operation.
Characteristics of the Trafalgar class include:
Displacement: 5,300 tons, submerged
Length: 85.4 m (280 ft)
Beam: 9.8 m (32 ft)
Draught: 9.5 m (31 ft)
Propulsion: 1 × Rolls Royce PWR1 nuclear reactor, including:
2 × GEC steam turbines
2 × WH Allen turbo generators; 3.2 MW
2 × Paxman diesel alternators 2,800 shp (2.1 MW)
1 × pump jet propulsor
1 × motor for emergency drive
1 × auxiliary retractable prop
Speed: Up to 32 knots
Range: Only limited by food and maintenance requirements.
Crew: 130
Armament: 5 × 21-inch (533 mm) tubes for up to 30 weapons:
- Tomahawk land-attack missiles
- Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes
What's in the Box:
This Airfix kit comes in a small, brightly colored box. The box has a very nice image of a Trafalgar class sub on its cover.
The model itself is well built with little or no flash, or tooling residue on the sprues and parts. The hull is made up of three pieces, and single upper pieces to which the sail attaches, and two lower halves which glue together to form the lower hull.
The horizontal diving planes fit into the forward portion of the upper hull. The horizontal and vertcial stabilizer planes all attach to the rear of the vessel, as does the propulsor unit.
There are two sprues of gray molded pieces which contains all of the parts.
The decal sheet contains markings for the hull, depth markings, hatch covers, the name of the vessel for either side of the sale, the large name of each Trafalgar class submarine for the stand, and various other markings. There are quite a few of them and will add to the realism of the model.
The instructions are very intuitive and straight forward. The painting scheme is very well done and provided in glossy full color. Here are the pictures of the box, the decal sheet and the instructions:
