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RAF Firefloat refurbishment
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About this boat
This was my first full scratch build - using the plans from my Dad some 23+ years ago she was built in my garden shed (which at the time was probably not much bigger than the average 4 seater dining table!).
At that time I deliberately kept the boat aesthetically different to his original kit built in the 1950's.
Not sure why, I think perhaps I didn't understand the history of the 2 vessels and my dad was a little vague other than he loved the speed he got from his with an ED racing diesel in it originally!!
Anyhow, after his passing a few years ago I gave it a touch up but was never really happy with it. So I gave it a good refurb last year, replacing the deck, forward cabin roofs, installing the forward portholes, a new aft deck, and scratch building all the parts as best I could from the images I could obtain - tow hook, masts, davit etc etc. and adding an LED light kit to the mast, navigation and insides. I obtained a decal kit from the UK to finish her off, and numbered her #93. When I refurbished my Dads before xmas that became #94 (I understand this was delivered first so it seemed appropriate). Fire monitors from SLEC also obtained a few years back for both boats. Still running my original Johnson brushed motor, but upgraded the prop, shaft and stern tube to M4 and replaced the servo driven electro-mechanical speed controller for an ESC instead. Yet to get a video of her on the plane but she certainly scoots along.
Cheers,
Chris
At that time I deliberately kept the boat aesthetically different to his original kit built in the 1950's.
Not sure why, I think perhaps I didn't understand the history of the 2 vessels and my dad was a little vague other than he loved the speed he got from his with an ED racing diesel in it originally!!
Anyhow, after his passing a few years ago I gave it a touch up but was never really happy with it. So I gave it a good refurb last year, replacing the deck, forward cabin roofs, installing the forward portholes, a new aft deck, and scratch building all the parts as best I could from the images I could obtain - tow hook, masts, davit etc etc. and adding an LED light kit to the mast, navigation and insides. I obtained a decal kit from the UK to finish her off, and numbered her #93. When I refurbished my Dads before xmas that became #94 (I understand this was delivered first so it seemed appropriate). Fire monitors from SLEC also obtained a few years back for both boats. Still running my original Johnson brushed motor, but upgraded the prop, shaft and stern tube to M4 and replaced the servo driven electro-mechanical speed controller for an ESC instead. Yet to get a video of her on the plane but she certainly scoots along.
Cheers,
Chris
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Well Done
Ian
Cheers, Pete
btw,like the LED's especially the ones in the cabin's😊
Cheers
Chris
Attached image of what I used to run, I had no idea of what to use so followed the model shop advice all those years ago. I now use it to test motors periodically, my brothers wavemaster in particular was a pain (burning through motors) so this seemed a good option to re-purpose it into a test bed of sorts. Servo obviously omitted.
Cheers
Chris
Cheers Colin.
I'm sure your Dad would approve and be proud of you.
Especially like the lighting, seldom seen or posted on these models👍
I guess the 'servo driven electro-mechanical speed controller' was something akin to the dear old Bob's Board?
Cheers, Doug 😎