First trial of the Fireboat, running at about two thirds full speed, full speed is just two fast

This one is such a beautiful 1:43 model boat. it's my first one and I'm having a great time working on it.

Another glass case model in my collection.
Holds some significance for me as my Grandfather was the Head Chef on this liner. He died on-board near the Bermuda triangle and was buried at sea in 1938.

Found this Dense block of foam, floating in local Ashton Canal, whilst sailing other boats with my brother, whilst rescue a stuck boat from the reeds, in 1996 was temporarily on the dole at the time, struck by her Landing craft shape on turning it over plus realised I could carve it like wood, later using my bits box, after carving a couple of box shaped groves, for battery, motors and rc equipment, literal rammed a prop shaft, and rudder shaft through hull, and fashioned some balsa sheet into superstructure suitable camouflaged , I had a "US Army Vietnamese River Craft" of sorts and with its 1 1/2 to 2" thick Hull virtually unsinkable, hence its name :-). Here she is in 2000 sailing at Ethrow Park. May in the future alter her superstructure, she makes a handy towing barge for both mine and my brothers Tug Boats, and if rc left connected can even act as rescue boat if they pack up or get weeded up :-) - Have delete this from You Tube and replaced with slightly clearer version, but it seems to be still working here mysteriously, may cease working eventually, new version above :-)

Purchased this from Ashton Model Shop at it closing down sale, what a sad time that was, been used using it man and boy, Airfix kits were 2 old shillings 10NP to 12s and 6d (62.5NP) Boeing Superfortess, mind you pocket money was 5/- (25p,) then when old enough got a Paperboys job 13 shillings a 6 day week (65NP), extra for Sunday. Back to the TID she sailed brilliantly all session at Ethrow Park. That is until run down by my Brother David's yacht, even though I'd moved it to what I thought was safe distant, power giving way to sail etc, when he tacked straight into her, tried to dodge but TID not the fastest of the mark. He swiftly got the rescue boat out and after two attempts we got it back, a quick rush to parks gents and a blow over of ESC and receiver with electric hand drier, soon had her running again, but still need a scrub to rid her of lake silt :-)

My scatch built 200th scale model of a KVG V class Battle Ship, the Duke of York. Based 0n 1/720th Revel plastic kit, 30 years old. First sail after a "refit" after being laid up in Garden shed for 10 or so years, fortunately was not as damaged as the Bismark store in same shed, as it was in a drier part of a leaky shed, just replaced some decking (with plastic sheet), added some missing small armament, lockers, Gun directors, Walrus Sea Plane etc I'd left of earlier model. She was original powered by 4 - 540 size motors, running 2mm Props (.50p each those where the days), upgraded her to run two on just twin props (4mm), leaving outer pair as dummies, may re connect at a later date. Brought her electrics upto 2.4 Ghz standard. Sailed well very steady on this her first sail after refit, at Ethrow Park.

Shop bought model given to me by my family Xmas 2012, from Kitshack at first they inadvertently order their internal kit for use with a Fibre glass hull, but kindly sent me complete kit for a small extra charge, and told me to keep the cut down bulkheads and keel etc, so may utilise them in another model.
Pity they seem to have moved on to pasture new these days. This Launches first sail at Ethrow Park, 2013. Still fitting out, at first stable but disappointedly slow on 3 blade prop, powered by a Johnson 600, but after a loan of a 40mm twin bladed nylon Prop, of she went at ssspppeedd, final session is when we re tried her with original tweaked 3 blader, not quite as fast but an Improvement,even better when we changed it for an opposite handed similarly tweaked prop, as we realised ESC was set up to run better that way

Won this through a Marine Modeller's competition, in 2011 I think. Turned out to be solid ready to run boat, ESC threw its hand in though, but took opportunity to replace it and update receiver to 2.4Ghz. Taken a few hard knocks but apart from minor damage to railings still going strong. You May want to turn volume down as ducks and geese were in full song whilst sailing her at Ethrow Park :-)

This is a kit I bought a while ago and it's still in the shipyard. Looking forward to carrying on with it though.

Scratch built model of my ship Uncle Stanley, served on during WW2. Giving a speed boat Impression at times, then going aft and finally Ducks/Geese extract their revenge for being chased and moved on, and it only took a feather, still limped in.

Based on a 72nd scale Airfix Plastic kit, original needed 20volts worth of batteries to get it up to speed, but change of motors, tweaking strakes near bow, and moving batteries aft, now get same or better performance from 7.2volt pack' Since these videos have added 4 torpedo tubes, well rocket launching tubes found on field when walking dog last year day after the 5th Nov, with carved torpedo's poking out,us scratch builders will use anything. ;-)

144 scratch built model of this SD 14 freighter.
Model was a delight to research and build, particularly appreciate the assistance of the Roker Park club some of whose members might have helped build her