32" RAF Fire Tender being restored by Salv Bambino
HI all. This is an, RAF Fire Tender 32" that was given to me 30+ years ago by a friend who was going to scrap it. it's been stored in my garage loft all this time. I am about to start the restoration of the boat but havn't done any modelling since I was a youngster.
It has no running gear but was originally powered by a nitro engine, I am hoping to convert it to electric power, the problem is I have no idea what type of motor to use or what length prop tube or prop sahft is required, I don't have any drawings or information about the boat. I am presently cleaning and rubbing the panels down so that I can re glue most of the joints as thay are mostly starting to come loose.
Will post some more photos as I progress.
Dave, I have removed the prop shaft because it was bent and the resin around the prop tube/hull was cracked it was also worn quite badly. I need to purchase a new tube and prop shaft once I decide what motor to fit, I can then decide on the length of prop shaft. Thanks for the info.
HI Shambi, if you need a drawing or other info about the 34ins Fireboat I have plans and drawings etc that may help,if you need anything just get in touch with me via a message on the site, (Fireboat himself knows me well)Regards Pete D (Fireboatfunday Organiser)
Aerokits Solent Kit bought as a present in the 70's. Worked on it on and off until 2000 when I finally made a maiden voyage. Two Buhler motors driving Prop Shop props with Bobs board and 12v 17Ah SLA. Radar works. Realistic scale speed and looks great on the water. To turn I have used micro switches to cut out one motor on full rudder. The large keel was causing the model to cease turning with both props turning. I sail with Crewe MBC at Boundary Park Lake. Oct 09. Have now found out that the cabin door on my model was only fitted to the last three builds 48-014,-015 and -016. At least I can give her a name once I have decided which to use.
BRAVO ZULU SIR! I CAN RELATE, AS I GOT THIS BILLING BOATS USCG 44' MLB KIT IN 1989 BEFORE MY DAUGHTER, AND AFTER A LONG FORCED
HIATUS, RESUMED BUILDING IN 2015. I'M OVERHAULING, BASICALLY, NEW PAINT & ELECTRONICS. MY PERPETUAL WORK IN PROGRESS, LIKE MY KID I RECKON.
I have just acquired this model via a swap for my Al Khubar Tug. I am in the process of deciding which actual lifeboat to model. This is based on the Metcalfe Moulding and is 1/12 scale at 52". in its present condition it has two Buhler motors and some early ESC's. Power is from a 12v 7Ahr dry cell. it looks great on the water but duration is not that great. I am preparing for a complete rebuild including re-prop shafting and different motors. I may rebuild the cabin as the moulding I have was only used on 5 Arun's and I may not be able to get enough details. I have sourced a plan and have detail pictures for City of Glasgow 111 (needs new cabin). Awaiting a book "RNLI Motor Lifeboats" from Amazon to help me progress. The present crew will have to be relocated to a 16th scale model! if I remember to take photos I will post a build blog.
The numbers are obviously wrong on the model,they would be either 52 or 54.52 or 54 is the size eg: 52' or 54' and the last two digits are the station number,so if you choose one all the info will be in the lifeboat book you are getting from amazon,also if you need flags for your model,my friend does them,each one he does are painted free hand on silk not printed
HI baloo
Yes this was a picture as received. I did start to build and there is a build blog on this site. I ran into problems with the hull painting and put the model aside to finish later.
I did several mods to the deck and superstructure to make the detail correct and at some time I will restart restoration. I will use the correct numbers once I settle on the particular boat I will model.
Thanks for your interest and suggestion
Dave
Thanks to all those that made suggestions about making the Suction Hoses, here are my efforts. The boat looks OK now thought there is much to do still. I am using two Johnson drill motors in paralell with one 50 amp ESC & 20A fuses in each motor + supply lead, all running on 8.4V NiMhi. the current props are 40 X 21 three blade. The boat is fast enough but battery life is short and the battery is very hot after the end of the run. I water cooled the motors and ESC. I will try some smaller props and 7,2V to see if there is an Improvement.
Hi,
I thought that my recently finished MTB may be of interest.
It consists of 49" GRP hull ply deck / superstructure. The fittings are from a mixture of ABS and metal, to give a good surface for spray painted finish.
The drive consists of twin 850 motors and twin 50mm brass props, controlled by a JetI Navy 600 on 10 cells, this setup gives excellent scale planing, but with 14 cells the performance is outstanding. I use 4600 capacity and only select the top power run in short bursts, which gives me around 20 minutes duration on one charge.
radio is 2,4 ghz so no bother waiting for a free freq.
hope you enjoy
loz.
Hi. I have just posted asking about the Precedent Perkasa kit. is that what you have built here? What did you think of the kit? Do you think smaller motors might still give planing performance and give longer battery life? I am about to opt for a kit to build and would be grateful for any info to help me choose the right one. You have certainly done a nice job of the build and it tempts me to choose this one
gearbox fitted, tested today with 8.4v graupner, running on 19.2v nimh. GPS Data logger installed, measured at 14.63mph, sound like a jet turbine!!, and this video was the slower of the 2 props tested.
Improvements with gearbox, motor is stone cold (it is water cooled, but was still hot as direct drive) , quieter, longer run time, esc cold, now able to upgrade from 2 blade 40mm prop to 3 blade, and possibly 4 blade, amp draw much less. Video taken at Newsham Park, Liverpool. Handling is now difficult, as its going way too fast, but its great fun! and might go faster, with the motor thats been fited tonight, watch this space!!
well that was the distant memory of brushed motors!, way back when we had gas lanterns instead of LED's 😀
Unfortunately I cant remember the ratio, I think it was 2:1 from memory. it was later converted to brushless. Has not been run for two years since the bigger brother fireboat came along. I keep thinking just put a brushed motor back in it, and have plodding speed, it looks silly doing all that porpoising, and the bigger brother can give me my speed fix 😁
Maybe a little more bow weight would stop the problem , my Spearfish used to do that all I did was put lipo length ways and it stopped , but yeah if your happy with the bigger being the faster then go for it 😊
This is my Sea Hornet which was rescued from Ebay see photo 1. Gray (Froggyt996) recognised it as a Sea Hornet even with the hideous cabin attched which the prvious owner had made. Also see the propshaft angle in photo 1 - would this have ever worked? Gray again restored this for me, I wanted a mahogany boat which looked like an italian speedboat and this is what he did for me see photo 2. Photo 3 sees the Sea Hornet on the sea at Southsea just after the start of the Round Britain Race in 2008. The receiver battery failed and a very nice Lifeboat Man from Southsea happened to be watching me run the boat and rescued it when it stopped running. it was put in dry dock over this winter to be tidied up again after a couple of years constant use and photo 4 sees it with its 2 new screens, re-varnished and 2 new rubbing strake. it is powered by 2 Graupner Speed 600 motors, a Ripmax sea sprint watercooled speed controller and 2 x 3 blade prop shop props on 2 x light weight shafts. it is also filled with bouyancy foam it case the inevitable happens which makes it quite heavy. it is ran on 2 x 8.4 volts nicad sticks and gives me a running time of approx. 20 minutes with quite a good turn of speed.
Marie (alias Mrs Froggyt996)
Hi" there, I like your sea hornet " You have done a brilliant restoration job on it 👍 . What was the last owner thinking of when he put that propshaft in and that hatch cover on the top 😯 ?
Anyway I have just bought one like this and looking forward in restoreing mine too !! Hopefully it should look as good as yours !
Albert .
Here is a video of our boat (Vigilant star) sailing at New Brighton boat lake on the wirral every Wednesday.
The boat is a semiscale (Coast Guard Cutter), designed by Hal-Harrison in Marine Modelling. I have doubled its size and put two 540/1 Mfa motors in, driving quanta 45mm props. She is 36" length 8" Bow, runs of one 12 volt 7Ah SLA battery.
It is made from Balsa/Fibreglass resin. Runs well no leaks to date. Gerry.
This is a video of my re-make of the Aerokits Sea Queen. Build commenced in the autumn of 2006 and it was to be a winter build project for when the weather was too bad to fly R/C elec planes. The boat was finished mid 2007 and was launched in May.
My closest water to sail on is Lake St Clair, but one slip up and the boat's next stop would be Canada. its seen here sailing in the confines on an ornamental pond in Wahby Park, St Clair Shores, Mi, USA. The music has been added to cover up the sound of fountain just out of picture to the right.
The supplied motor has been replaced with an MFA Torpedo 850 which has substantially more power and 3x the RPM.
A week before the video was taken I lost the prop and its seen here running on a temporary prop while I awaited a replacement. The performance on the video is a little more sedate than normal.
BRAVO ZULU! I CAN RELATE, MY LATE FATHER BUILT RC AIRCRAFT INB THE 60S & 70S. HiS BUDDIES COMMISSIONED HiM TO BUILD THEIR KITS BECAUSE HE HAD A GREAT HABIT OF OVERBUILDING. IF THEY MISSED THE LANDING, THE PLANES WOULD LIVE TO FLY AGAIN! MY DAD WASN'T A GOOD PILOT, SO HE HAD OTHERS FLY HiS AIRPLANES. I BUILD MY BOATS IN SIMILAR FASHION. OVERBUILD!
Of all the data files on the Crash Boat I have not ever seen any details/ drwgs for the vehicle specifically used to transport the Crash Boat types ( Ie the British Power Boat co ) had transporters for their craft. Anyway I enclose a picture of the OFFICIAL English designed TRANSPORTER vehicle for the Crash Boat and a photo of verification as modelled by Peter Dimberline. I have kept my model stock standard, still have the original plastic red Graupener prop of old I think it is a 30 with a nick or two. Soft copper brake tubing pipe (1/8 I/d) is only around the head and one of the inline exhaust resonators has a water tube outer casing to cool the exhaust piping and inner tube gas temperature which takes out the energy/heat of the exhaust gas and dramatically reduces noise. Hope my hints help .All the best Lyle.
Some 25 to 30 years ago I wrote to Peter Dimberlins for details of the Crash Boat following a mention of him in 'Model Boats '. Peter supplied me with data and we have been so close ever since. These and more Images are of Peter at the helm of my Steam boat' Lady Halina ' and his successfully (ha ha) steering my Crash Boat as I did not know it was so fast/ ballistic. More pictures to follow of this gracious man at the helm at our pond/ tidal creek during his momentus visit to OZ in early 2008. My model is some 30 years young and is with the third engine as the others were worn out with use ( OS35, ENYA35 now a S/C 40 a bit too much) in a 25 pound plus model, yes she is heavy. She has been re done over and over(paint resin paint resin etc) and only had the 1/8 inch steel prop shaft (yes 1/8) replaced recently. I have a "leather flange coupling"as on all my power boats and never let me down and vibration free. Exhaust system 1:muffler to a 2.tar lined tin can to a 3.small resonator (equals quiet ) More to come of my Crash Boat as a result of this gracious man and his service to modelling even to a colonial.
