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177 posts · Page 12 of 15
rustypiston
Leading Seaman
1 / 4
USAF 94' Crash Boat
This is a 40" long model of a gas powered Berkley Company kit of a US Air Force crash boat from 1955. The plank on frame kit was in production for about 10 years and was meant to be powered by a model airplane gas motor with a single shaft. it depicts an experimental 50 knot rescue boat (painted in a peace time color scheme) during service with the USAF. if successfull it would have been put into production designed to be a replacement rescue craft for all Air Force 65' crash boats. Unfortunately for the crash boat program the Air Force lost interest as helicopters were become a reliable way of rescueing downed pilots along the coast. The prototype and a sister boat were scrapped, as was the entire program.
The model was given to me to be restored(top picture) for the son of a retired USAF veteran that was a crash boat crewman. The model was built in 1957 and had been run a few times on a tether line, R/C was pretty expensive back in the day. I stripped the hull, filled in all the cracks and rebuilt the mast. I added a small boat, davit, liferaft, coxswain station, spray shield and deck hardware among other things. Actually all the owner wanted was a paint job, he was very happy with it's new appearencep! Although I fiberglassed the wooden hull and made it watertight, the owner doesn't plan to run it, just a memorial to his dad's service. I really enjoyed working on this "rare bird".
Liked by RNinMunich and Sakibian
Colin H
Fleet Admiral
1 / 4
Rust Bucket
Believed to be scratch built, evidence of old 1 gallon REDEX oil container forming main deck, bits of Mecano used as stiffening and support.
It has a Basset Lowke model 1461/u (motor, stern tube, prop shaft and prop) Set.This dates from the mid 1930's and would have cost 7/- Shillings for those old enough to remember, that would have been abut a day and a half's wages. The photo's show what the motor looked like as it came out and then after cleaning and testing, and yes it runs very smoothly in forward and reverse, from 3 volts up to 12 volts, seems to be quite good at 6, so will probably use when rebuild complete.
As you will see from photo's there is a lot of restoration to do before sailing again.
Now you've stopped laughing, can you identify the type of ship it's meant to be, I thought a Coaster.
bigmacmodels
Able Seaman
1 / 4
The real/original RAF crash fire tender
Hi, I'm sorry if these pictures are on here already, I did search through and couldn't see any.... I'm after a few peoples opinion on colours etc 💭 As the pictures are all black and white (grey scale) it is difficult to get the colours correct. A lot of model boats seem to be grey on the deck with white roofs, some with wooden decking, some just white and any number of variations. I'm trying to rebuild mine to be as close to the real thing as possible. in my opinion it looks like the top is all in white (as it matches the shade of the "FIRE" sign). The handrails appear to be brass ends with wooden rails?? Most of the other fittings seem to be either white to match the boat or silver for the tie-offs. The spot light seems to be darker than the monitors so I'm not sure if that is a dark silver or maybe black? Any thoughts??? 😉
Liked by circle43nautical
4 comments
  • chrislangWarrant Officer
    I was sailing my 34" fireboat at Portsmouth's Canoe Lake a couple of weekends ago when someone came up to me and said he had been a member of the crew on one of the two actual Vosper Fireboats, and that the cabin sides should be a light blue colour and not grey as on my model - ( I still like the look of the grey though! )
    Regards
    Chris
  • Pete DMaster Seaman
    There is much talk about colours on these old craft,some say Grey, others say Light Blue, and again White also comes into play, These craft were only in service for between 5 and 6 years, during their time in service they underwent maintainance and modification, I have spoken to guys who served on them and on one occasion they had not got enough paint to repaint the mast white, so it got painted Brown, how many of you out there have ever seen one of these craft with a Brown mast?, also you will see that 93 had no breeches connector behind the main cabin, 94 did, most photo's avilable of 93 show no suction hoses on the aft well foam boxes, 94 did, look closely at the photo's and you will clearly see two different types of monitors fitted and in one photo you can clearly see one of each, for what its worth my opinion is Pick a date Pick a colour, I know what we painted ours as taken from V/T drawings.
    Best of luck, kind regards,
    Pete D.
Gregg
Sub-Lieutenant
Mersey 12-26 Lifeboat update 5/12
FINALLY !

the Lifeboat is looking more and more complete now, deck railings added, pushpit rails on, lifebelts on, deck painted etc. Still loads more to complete yet.
the ACTION sound system is still pulling the crowds every time I switch it on, People passing the pool have to stop and watch it. Ive tried running the Mersey with the sound system off, but naa ! it has to be On , every time [ha ha].
Liked by figtree7nts
13 comments
  • Colin HFleet Admiral
    Well you've certainly grabbed my attention, sound ON definately does it for me, my wife said it wasn't a model but a clever photographer using a real boat.ha ha ha.
    Keep on sailing your doing a great job.
  • peep31Petty Officer 1st Class
    many thanks for your reply gregg I will take all what you have said onboard I will keep you informed on my success when I get my kit,once again many thanks,please have a look at my 60inch crash tender in the build blog and see what you think not yet been in water yet to try this one out
GreyWolf
Leading Seaman
1 / 4
Landing Craft
HI fellow modellers, Another model from the RADMC fleet at the fleetshaven workshop and boat yard in Ponthir.This model was scratch built using a fibre glass hull and plan obtained from a fellow modeller at the Bridgend Show in 2007. The front door and some fittings are made from plastic card and tube, decks are from ply and timber. On board figures are from the pound shop and car boot sales, modified by myself. The on board tank and half truck are RTR models that I have modified their looks to fit into a WWII theme for the craft. This craft has twin drive, 400 motors via 2.5/1 gearboxes. I tend to use both sticks on the TX for drive as this allows me to turn the model on a six pence.The dispatch door works from a rotary pot on the TX and via a rotary sail winch servo in the hull. I have just modified my Planet 5 TX to allow me to change my radio gear in this craft. This model has had meny trips on Cwmbran Boating Lake and at shows the society attend during the year. Still haven't allowed the tank or half track to run off the landing craft up the lake side slipway. one day I might get it on video. Hope you enjoyed the photo's. Regards GreyWolf
GreyWolf
Leading Seaman
1 / 4
African Queen
HI fellow Modellers,
Another model from the RADMC fleet at the fleetshaven workshop and boat yard in Ponthir.This model was built using a Billings Kit, bought for me as a Christmas pressent in 2009. A graupner 6 volt steam unit is fitted in the funnel and to make the boat a little more realistic a maplin steam sound system has been used to generate the sound of the engine. A simple mod allows the revs to be linked to the engine voltage. The steam engine rotates using a stripped down minI servo, fitted under the motor housing on the deck, again linked to the main motor voltage. The two 9.6 volt AA batteries and control gear are mounted under the boats floor, forward locker, a minI servo for steerage is fitted under the rear seat and the receiver is located under the wood pile. Figures are self made from items obtained from the local pound shop. The modal can be seen sailing at Cwmbran Boating Lake or at shows the society visit. Hope you enjoy the pictures, Regards GreyWolf.
Liked by Brightwork and robtroi
BOATSHED
Captain
1 / 4
RAF Crash Tender
HI to all you Fire Boaters,
I have decided to finally bring my Fireboat out of the closet and up for inspection.
This is the first of my many boats I am showing, I will probably show others in the future.
I started to build her back in 2006 after being off work and having a shoulder operation. She was not going to be a R/C boat, just a bit of something to do whilst on recovery.

I have a 34" still in the box unmade, purchased back in 1994 from Aerokits.
I drew round all the parts and then shrunk them on my scanner. She is 27" long I think that's
just fraction over 1/20th scale . She is almost all balsa except the 2 under skins that are balsa laminated with 1/64th ply. The hand rails are 1/4" balsa blocks I cut from a strip and the rail is ally tubing.
The mast is made from plastic strip from packets from the model shop.

When I returned to work she was put into the shed and left unfinished.
I stumbled across the Fireboat website and registered in 2009 when I was off work once again. This then made me think more about working on her again and I decide to turn her into an R/C model. So out she came and I fitted an Electomax Delta 480bb motor and a M3sonik esc.
I also purchased a couple of Robbe fire monitors, put them together shortening the nozzles and cutting the bottom of the base of to try to look a bit moreto scale. I know they are not the correct type but if I want to go down the road of getting them working then these ones will.

Then off I went to Wilkinson's and bought some paint. Then set out to paint her, as I brushed on the paint it seemed to be drying almost as quick as I was painting her. Dragging the paint I had just put on with next brush stroke. What a TOTAL DISASTER !!. I gave up on her and back into the shed she went.

2010 arrived I started again rubbed the paint down a bit and bought some Tamiya spray acrylic and started spraying, underside red, it seemed look all right. I used a nice new roll of low tack masking tape, taped up the underside and the decking and sprayed on the black on the sides. I thought that look all right. Took off the masking tape, which also took off the red paint and the dope from the decks. Another DISASTER. Back in the shed she went once again.

A couple of months went by and I was up in Norfolk on my own boat and watching the workers in the boatyard, ideas came to me and when we returned home, out she came and I repainted the sides
and then with red oxide paint I painted her undersides to make it look like antI foul paint. I used some white stripe to cover the join of the two different paint colours.
I had bought some roundels in Anglia Model Shop in Gorleston and some lettering in a shop in Norwich and after painting put these on.
Not looking fantastic but passable I was a little happier with her, but still not satisfied, back in the shed she went again.

Now after so much nagging from my brother out she has come, I've started again. He talked me into changing and trying a brushless motor and a smaller esc he had in his tool box from his helicopter he was shelving as its rota head was damaged beyond repair.
I have now fitted them and if they work I will change the esc to a forward/ reverse esc in the future at some point.

Sea trials are still away off more than likely in the spring, because the decking has yet to be painted. That will be the next job.

I think that's all for now, as I have probably bored you all to tears. I hope update as I progress further.
Just to let you know I'm Tom (alias BOATSHED).
Liked by circle43nautical and cenbeth and
6 comments
  • SquirtgunLeading Seaman
    I was cruising the blogs, and saw this from 3 years ago, I'm guessing you're retired now%uD83D%uDE06! We're able to finish it? Your perseverance is commendable.
  • BOATSHEDCaptain
    HI Squirtgun, up to no she still hasn't changed, and is still unfinished.
    I did take her out and try her on Clapham Common Long Pond, a bit of a disaster ☺️ , the prop that was on her was a 4 blade 40 mm, was a bit to big and would not steer and tended to react to the torque and pull one way 😭 .
    I have since purchased three smaller prop's 20,25 and
    30 mm 3 bladed brass props. will have to experiment with these at some point.
    Sadly what with work and trying to get some work done on a classic car I have, I haven't had chance to do anymore 😭 .
    Haven't retired as yet, that date isn't until August, but as the law has changed, you do not actually retire anymore I'm told from work, you either work on until you decide or you just resign now.
    So I will get some more done soon but have just been to busy on the classic car.
    Thanks for asking and when done more I will post it.
    Kind regards Tom (alias BOATSHED )
    Liked by Inkoust
aprestney
Leading Seaman
1 / 4
Old Marblehead
Hi" I thought I would put my new rebuild on for all to see ! I found this old Marblehead yacht as a wreck. She was gathering dust in an old reclaim ferniture wherehouse whilst we were on holiday last summer. Been told the yacht had been originaly scratch built in 1950s from a plan. She took me about half a year to rebuild. New parts as follow hiteck sail arm winch with 18lbs of torque. New futaba servo for the rudder. New sails & booms rigs & fittings. New deck made from plank strip wood & varnished. Also finished in painted Ivery white. She sail well in lite to strong winds At my local boating lake at Sheringham Norfolk .
works well on a Spekrum DX5E But can work on any other 2 channal transmitter .
Hope you enjoy the photos .
2 comments
  • zpr25Able Seaman
    WOW VERY NICE IM LOOKING FOR ONE JUST LIKE THAT ONE U HAVE,.,.,.';';'][][ 😎 👍 ARE YOU WILLING TO LET HER GO SOON IM HERE IN SARASOTA FLORIDA (Email removed pm only. Admin)
  • NorthumbrianMidshipman
    that is a nice chinned hull Marblehead you have there I built a similar one called HAREM from a Vic Smeed plan
    I have a Nylet Marblehead called INIGMA with a carbon fibre hull sails are on a swing rig they are great yachts to sail
OLDHSLS
Able Seaman
Another mystery model
Another boat the same as mine seen on a local auction site. Anybody have any ideas as to the manufacturer ?. The dimensions are L 31", W 71/2", H 7" and by the looks of it were Ic powered (or at least mine was and was later changed to electric). Hulls are balsa and planked to 1st 1/4 then finished to the stern with with longer angle cut 'planks'. Cabin top is ply sides with balsa roof and deck is ply and has printed ? planking.
Someone will know but I haven't been able to pin it down to any kit even after going through all my 60s and 70s Model Boat mags.
5 comments
  • OLDHSLSAble Seaman
    Thanks for that bit of info Steve, will head off on that tack and scour the high seas of the internet for any sightings of a vessel of that name. Will let you know if I find her.

    Regards, John.
  • OLDHSLSAble Seaman
    HI Steve, thanks for pointing me in that direction, you were close with the Maycraft and they do look a bit similar, but sorry, no cigar. Your suggestion led me to the Vintage Modelworks site and I was told it is a 'FAIRACRE 11, luxury Thames cruiser' built from Modelmaker plan 709 and designed by Philip Conolly (late 50s - 60s) you were correct on the date though and now I can give it a name, (even if it does sound like a piece of farmland!)
    Mystery solved and thanks to Mike Cummings of Vintage Modelworks for his info. I have found there are still plans available as well and I may purchase one just for the hell of it to go with the boat. Bit of a coincidence to find 2 of these unusual subjects here in NZ, be interesting to know when they were built and where, (may have even been Imported by people coming to live here) next question,- has anyone built one ?

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