R/C Scale Model Boats

[Bunkerbarge]

As I have rather a lot of R/C boat pictures I thought it might be interesting to post one or two scale types up here to show how scale modelling can cross over into many other forms of hobby.

I will start the ball rolling with a couple of shots of a Graupner kit of a Ton 96 trawler. Trawlers lend themselves very well to scale models as there is so much scope for detailing and ad-libbing what you put on the deck.

This model has been weathered and a few figures added to give it some life and a bit of character. It is also equipped with six seperate lighting channels including nav lights, trawling lights, deck lights, wheelhouse, crew cabin and shrimp boiler fire! It also has a sound system that reproduces engine noise, including start up and run down, seagulls, lapping water, telegraph bell and horn.

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[Tone M]

I've always liked RC boats, I used to 'go sailing' as a kid at our local pond

I like the picks of the one you've posted up, like all the detail!

I bet it looks more at home in the water than on a shelf

 

[ojays]

As I have rather a lot of R/C boat pictures I thought it might be interesting to post one or two scale types up here to show how scale modelling can cross over into many other forms of hobby.I will start the ball rolling with a couple of shots of a Graupner kit of a Ton 96 trawler. Trawlers lend themselves very well to scale models as there is so much scope for detailing and ad-libbing what you put on the deck.

This model has been weathered and a few figures added to give it some life and a bit of character. It is also equipped with six seperate lighting channels including nav lights, trawling lights, deck lights, wheelhouse, crew cabin and shrimp boiler fire! It also has a sound system that reproduces engine noise, including start up and run down, seagulls, lapping water, telegraph bell and horn.

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Like this, like this very much!

Any more to post.

Gregg

 

[eddiesolo]

Have seem some of Richard's in the flesh and they are very good. Nice piccies Richard, more soon I hope.

Si

 

[Polux]

Watching these magnificent photos I'm wondering myself if the RC boats are the summum...?

They seems to be an excellent quality kits, you can weathering them with a high level detail and, finally, you can use them...!!!

They don't will be for ever on a stash and you can observe your creation on movement more calmly...different as a RC plane or Car...

 

[Bunkerbarge]

A particular favourite of mine was a conversion of the 1/72nd Revell Type VII U-Boat kit to R/C operation. This required adding all the internal workings, making sure the deck was removeable for access and suitably ballasting. I was really surprised at how well it performed with a couple of very small brass props and the kit supplied rudders. It is only a surface runner as I wanted to put some detail on the bridge as regards flags and crew as though she is returning from a succesfull patrol.

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[eddiesolo]

One of my favourites is your Uboat Richard, looks superb on the water.

Si

 

[Polux]

Nice U-boat!! Looks a great conversion

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Next up is a scale model in 1/12th scale of HMCC Badger. This was a kit produced by a model shop in Grennwich many years ago and long since gone, consisting of a fibre glass hull and a set of plans. The accomodation has been carved and holowed out from a single piece of timber. It was built by an engineer in the London area to a high standard and I pulled out the insides and completely refurbished the internals. It now has a nice diesel engine sound, with horns and whistles, two lighting circuits, remotely operated and a smoke generating unit. I also put an officer on the wheel, which is basically a resin dolls house figure with a scratch made officer's cap.

The hull is lovely and big and the entire accomodation unit lifts up to give perfect access to the internals. It is driven by a large motorcycle 12 V battery with a seperate four cell pack for the reciever. I have always fancied giving it a complete overhaul and repaint on the top but in the meanwhile it is a very satisfying model to operate and will keep going all morning with plenty of battery left.

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[Graham D]

Nice boats, I have been thinking of doing another RC boat. They are fun to sail

 

[Polux]

Beautiful pearls Richard :rolleyes:

The last one is my favorite by the moment

 

[eddiesolo]

My pictures...and boats for that matter are not as nice as Richards but I have fun.

Here is my pusher tug, free plan, and semi-scale, has a kort nozzle fitted and is very manoeuvrable, will turn in its own circle.

Here it is having a float test.





This is the BIG-D fishing trawler, she was slightly battered when I got her, so really went to town weathering it, she met the fate of being dropped when I fell at the boat club-she sank shortly after, thought all was well just a few bits fell off-the hull had cracked and down she went my the stern. Salvaged for spares and the rest binned.











This is my barge 'ALMA' she is a big heavy beast with a fiberglass hull, 50mm three bladed brass prob and large brass rudder-she maybe having a refit.



Si

 

[Polux]

Looking very good Si. Are magnificent

They are on the dry dock...? :D

 

[monica]

wow Richard all Are magnificent, any one would be great to have,

but my fav is the u-boat,:rolleyes:

 

[0ne48thtel]

Some great builds there guys Richard the sub is really something else.

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Another couple of nice scale models. First up is a completely scratch built model by an amazing modeller who is an ex RFA Deck Officer, now retired. All his models are completely scratch built from plans, this one being built from a plan of the SS Leona, simple found in a book. He converted the ship to the SS General Havelock, a general purpose inshore trader found around the North East Coast early in the 1900s.

The model is amazing and could be in a museum and to me captures the beauty of ships of around that time. He is now slowing down his building dramatically due to weakening eyesight and wanted to make some space so he offered the General to me. It currently has no internals so it needs a new motor and R/C gear fitting and carefull reballastig to get her to sail on her marks. I am really looking forward to getting it back on the water though.

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Next is one of the very popular old Aerokits models that were verywhere in the 50s and 60s. This one has been beautifully refurbished by an extreemly competent modeller from my boat club and has changed hands a couple of times since then. It is not true scale as she only has a single prop but above the water is is very accurate to the RAF fire tenders used during and just after the war. It is fitted with a brushless motor and two Tamiya type battery packs so she really flies for around half an hour. It also has a cooling pump circulating cooling water around the motor and the speed controller. A lot of modellers also make the fire hydrants shoot water out but this one doesn't. I have always wanted to get around to adding more detail to the model.

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[Polux]

Scratch build....is amazing!!!

There are some magnificent modelers out there :eek:

 

[Bunkerbarge]

This model is a Model Slipways kit of the Envoy class tug HMS Enigma. It is a fibreglass hull with vac formed superstructure enhanced with white metal fittings.

I bought it built with no internals so fitted it out with R/C gear and started to add deck detail and some figures. I intend weathering it one day and adding a lot more deck detail. It is a very manoeuvrable model and came second in a steering competition the first time i put it in the water.

Inside there is a smoke generator of the water vapour type. It is powered by a 12v motor and uses a large bike battery of the 12 v 7 ah type so will go all morning and still have plenty left. I quite often leave it on the water all morning and switch the radio over to it when I want to move it.

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[Bunkerbarge]

This was the model that started me off in model boating a few years ago. It is a Dean's marine kit of HMS Cossack and consists of a fibreglass hull with plasticard superstructure and vac formed parts such as boats and funnels. The detail is then a combination of resin and white metal fittings.

It has a very old smoke generator in it of the heated oil type and a destroyer klaxon sound. I learned a lot from this model as regards the fitting out internally and progressing the external look. I never actually finished it as the boats never really seemed up to scratch. One day I might just finish it off.

I bought the model partly built, as I do with a lot of models, as I simply don't have the time to build them all myself.

This allows me time to progress my own build whilst getting some boats on the water for a bit of a sail on a Sunday morning. My own model has now taken nearly ten years and still isn't finished so I think it was probably a sound philosophy!!

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[flyjoe180]

Superb boats chaps.