John Robinson's huge Gato...

Will you just look at the size of this thing...the word 'leviathan' springs to mind, does it not?



That's John's son Robert standing by the brute.

now thats what you call a sub, bet you can't get that one up your stairs Rich

Magnificent!

HI ALL
Glad you liked it you do get a idea of the size when you see Robert standing behind it, im trying to talk Robert getting into a small boat and going to tow him around charnwood waters with the sub but he said if you think im getting in a boat for you to dive the sub you can get lost, as if i would do that ha ha

johnrobison wrote:HI ALL
Glad you liked it you do get a idea of the size when you see Robert standing behind it, im trying to talk Robert getting into a small boat and going to tow him around charnwood waters with the sub but he said if you think im getting in a boat for you to dive the sub you can get lost, as if i would do that ha ha

What a fabulous build!
What are the dimensions?
Regards,
Giovanni

Couple more pics of the big beast posted up for John.

First pic is of John's friend hanging on for dear life to the brute.


Second pic is of the operational firing deck cannon made by the late Nick Burge.

I seem to recall a photo of Bernie Wood laying on the deck.

John has asked me to post up these pics of the Gato's torpedoes...at over 12" in length and packed full of nasty stuff that goes bang, you don't want to get in the way of these...

how big is your test tank john

Tattooed
HI Andy Sorry for long delay in replying, test tank for the sub was digging up the front garden when the misses came back from down town my mate had come round with a digger job done, she was not very happy to say the lest. The kids thought it was going to be a new paddling pool, but they was wrong.Test tank at the minuite Andy is a big plastic paddling pool my friend that was in the water with the sub when we first did a static dive with it Derek had hold of the front of the sub and as it was diving he was shouting stop but as Derek was always playing about i took no notice and kept diving now the sub is taking him with it and of course he is worried he is going down to Davey jones locker. I blow the tanks and what had happened was he had got his fingers court in the front vents and could not get free how i would have talked my self out of that one to his wife don't know. Other thing that springs to mind had got sub on Charnwood waters and they where having model yachts race and the sub when though the lot they was not happy chaps at all but these things do happen ha ha !!!
ALL THE BEST JOHN

LoL! (Sorry Richard!)

I just have this amazing picture in my mind of your wife coming back to find a digger and a very large hole in the garden!

I would worry that the picture in her mind was a very large skip with a submarine in it!

HI DAVE
She would not have put it in a skip or she would have joined it no messing ha ha her nick name is snap dragon
JOHN

Here's a few more pictures of John's Gato...


The operational deck gun as made by the late Nick Burge...made from alloy, brass and s/steel, it fires .22 blanks.








John and Nick Burge standing by the Gato's deck, gives you an idea of the sheer size of the boat.

Couple more...

Simply outstanding!!!!!!!

HI Bass player
Thanks for comment on sub
All the best John

hi all i thought id post these pictures i have found of the sub they are from 1993 so along time ago now

Very nice. The wake looks just like full size but come to think of it is almost full scale!

David

HI David
It's a pity the quality of the pictures are not a bit better but they have been laying around for a long time, i suppose one of the pics with the wake coming off the sub does make it look quite real i like the pic with the top of the periscopes shears sticking out of the water

To be honest the sub was so controlable you could just stick half a inch of the periscope above the water and it would stay there all day depth control for the front hydroplanes would even compansate for the turning of the sub and keep it there. Unit is very sensitive and works on in-fa red light
SUB JOHN

Jesus the last time I saw robert he was 2ft nothin. See your still very modest about the old gal. Do you still have the picture of the sub at Olympia? love a copy if you have I think I got wet more than once John. I would also like to say I went through a messy divorce and this bloke helped me through some tough times. His lovely wife fed and watered me more than once. Spent many happy hours round John's. Do you still have the trailer or as it fell apart ???? Regards Wrecker (derek)

johnrobinson wrote:Tattooed
HI Andy Sorry for long delay in replying, test tank for the sub was digging up the front garden when the misses came back from down town my mate had come round with a digger job done, she was not very happy to say the lest. The kids thought it was going to be a new paddling pool, but they was wrong.Test tank at the minuite Andy is a big plastic paddling pool my friend that was in the water with the sub when we first did a static dive with it Derek had hold of the front of the sub and as it was diving he was shouting stop but as Derek was always playing about i took no notice and kept diving now the sub is taking him with it and of course he is worried he is going down to Davey jones locker. I blow the tanks and what had happened was he had got his fingers court in the front vents and could not get free how i would have talked my self out of that one to his wife don't know. Other thing that springs to mind had got sub on Charnwood waters and they where having model yachts race and the sub when though the lot they was not happy chaps at all but these things do happen ha ha !!!
ALL THE BEST JOHN

I'm still here you mad bugger. Not many strong men can hold a quarter tonne sub on one finger. I don't think what I shouted is printable.

HI Wrecker Derek
I can not beleive you have found me on hear i don't think i have seen or heard from you in 20 years, it's really nice to hear from you again. If you send me a private message on hear and give me your phone number i will give you a ring.
Been working on loads of electronic stuff to go in the sub, butat one point i was going to saw it up and put it down the tip lol i did'nt think i would ever go back to subs again. Yes Robert has got bigger about 6ft now but still a pain in the neck it's his fault that i have ended up going back to the sub.
The trailer is still ok have just repainted it, and won't to take the sub out agin this year with a bit of luck. I saw your son about 8 month's ago fishing he said you had moved away, which picture do you mean at olympia, i still have the one's in the picture frame you did, Pauline sends her love
All the best John



PS HAVE A LOOK AT VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE CLICK ON TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER WHERE IT SAYS FOUR VIDEOS AND YOU CAN SELECT DIFFERENT VIDEOS ON THERE HERE IS THE LINK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmPEnRv5wWM&feature=channel