Tugger Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 I thought I'd post my effort up here. Many...Many years ago a mate at work had a 4ft fibreglass hull hanging around and decided he was never going to get round to doing anything with it. He very kindly gave it to me and the original intention was to fit a petrol chainsaw or strimmer engine into it and make some sort of racing replica. However years passed and it languished in my parents barn and it wasn’t until much later that I relieved them of it (rather they said take it or it’ll get chucked out). I had since got into military machines and whilst passing a model shop I saw some rather spangley 5 blade brass props… those…I thought, would look rather smart on that boat hull. So the seed was sown. The decision was made to run twin electric motors, water-cooled with a switch able pump. I wanted motors to be individually controlled so one could run forward whilst the other ran astern (just like in real life!) plus rudders…the whole thing would be as nimble as a …nimble thing. After a fair bit of fudgery and bathtub testing I had the positions of the motors, shafts rudders and battery worked out, then over a period of weeks they all went in. When seaworthy, I took the hull down to the local boating pond for sea trials… bareback if you will. Well that seemed to go pretty well. Now about that superstructure… I’d always fancied myself as a bit of a naval architect, so with some ideas’ borrowed’ from various ships I set to work drawing…sorry designing. I used the technically accurate method of using a profile picture (the first of the previous ones in fact) and sketched on it the sort of shape I was after…as it was I knew the length of the hull so working out the scale was easy…ish. Out then came the cardboard and gaffa tape and the first pattern for the superstructure took shape. The eagle eyed of you may notice some plastic parts creeping in already…these parts were handily available early and helped form the design, such as: The ventilation brick standing in for the rear exhaust. The Pledge top, pipe and Superglue top for the Bofors style gun. And the two halves of a compass cover stuck together to make the radar array. I was happy with the result of my crash course in naval architecture and so the whole thing was transposed on to plastic card and during the many weeks and months it took shape. Time I think for another test run… It floats! It moves! and the little lights come on! Boy I was happy. Extra little bits finding their way on at this point were: 4 hose connectors for the missile tubes and carrierbag hangers as crosstrees... cont... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 It was all coming together rather well if I say so myself and it wasn’t long before a slap of paint was going to be required, naturally grey would play a major part in the colour scheme as would some primer red as antifouling below the waterline. I found other little bits and pieces at the model shop, like lifebuoys, radars, guard rails and stanchions and flag staffs. Other bits I made, like the Hiab crane, its control pedestal and sonar buoy on the starboard side, I designed the markings and had them custom made by a mate who got hold of the waterslide paper. Time then for the official launch (although I haven’t got those pics… trust me she was dressed overall for that occasion) This is her second outing finished… Thank you for allowing me this indulgence…I hope you enjoyed it half as much as I did making it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Everything in its time , Glad to see how good it turned out . Very clever with finding and reusing the verious bits . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 very nice, coming soon to a naval shipyard near you......... Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Big bath required? Lovley piece of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berna2vm Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Nice boat. I once had a R/C model of K.D. Perkhasa Fast gas turbine torpedo boat. I sold it to help finance my first road going motorcycle.... I can probably afford another now, sounds like a good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 nice , great work :shocked: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Very nice. I used to be involved with a local RC boat club, great fun ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Ahhhh The genesis of the PTPC littoral class patrol vessel, also known as the "Pledge Top Patrol Class" Great work there chum, amazing what a bit of imagination and some Grandt Line bolt heads some decals and some paint will do to make it look pukka. Really enjoyed the posts, thanks R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Looks fun Bob, too nice to let the kids near it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartan-ninja Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Nice work, a great big boys toy if I ever saw one :cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papav66 Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Looks great, any chance we could see it at the Victory Show near Leicester in September? As they have a little lake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.