Designed by Vic Smeed in 1964 for the Magazine, Model Maker. Plan No. MM812. Found plans for free on internet and decided to build it as I did not have a vintage motor boat in my collection. Did not like the cabin so redesigned it. Powered by a Johnson 600 motor,2 * 7.2v 3300 mAh battery, 20 amp Mtroniks Viper Marine Controller and a 45mm dia course 2 bladed propeller. Goes really well.
Fitted trim tabs which finished the boats performance. Tested in rough weather and got 20 mins running on a fully charged battery.

Model Scale 3/8"to the foot - Fell in love with hull design and just had to build it. Plans were from the book Sailing Trawlers by Edgar J. March Lent to me by Becky, Master of the Thames Barge Cabby.

Plans were a Xmas present from daughter Wendy to get me off building Dolls houses. Lots of research ending with meeting the1964 owner Jocelyn Lukins and the boats draughtsman Anthony Smith

Hello, I found this old kit and I'm building, they were so many years that I did not do modeling and I'm just having fun with this nice little boat.
My kit is marked "Vladika Model", but is also produced by Aeronaut, having no patterns or instructions I have relied on the aeronaut, found (in German sob...) on the internet, and looking the photo on the box.
On the box it says it works with a Speed400 reduced 3: 1 with a (bad) 3 propeller blades 40mm, but I put a simple speed 600 20T with a 4-bladed propeller brass 45mm bought on ebay in singapore

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

SS (RMS) Empress Queen was a steel paddle steamer, which was the last of its type ordered by the isle of Man Steam Packet Company She was chartered by the Admiralty in 1915 and used for trooping duties until she ran aground off Bembridge, isle of Wight, England, and was subsequently abandoned.
The model was scratch built on a modified fibreglass hull. The plans were obtained from Glasgow University and the model was nearly 7ft long with an overall beam including paddles of about 14 inches. She was independently powered with two geared motors from Wulitzer juke box components. I hope to do a build blog in the near future.
She was purchased from me by the Beale Park, part of the Child Beale Trust Reading.

144 scale Liberty ship model based on much modified "Battlers Connection" hull.
All bulkheads, power train and from deck up scratch build

Bought these two for £50! The smallest is HMS Manxman, a scratch build, 6v electric motor drive. it,s just shy of 3ft long. The second ship came to me as apparently HMS Tanganyika, however, on looking at photos of the ship bore no resemblance. it is almost definitely a colony class cruiser of ww2. Possibly HMS FIJI, Nigeria,Jamaica,or Trinidad. The two pillars amidships with the orbs are not what these ships had(?). So much work has yet to be done. The second ship is 5ft 6inches long, made entirely of wood, with a Marx Decaperm 6v Motor powered by a large 6v 10ah gel battery which doubles as ballast, along with 5 large lead weights. Transmitter is a Futaba t6exa, the receiver and servos are Futaba also. I would be interested in knowing some tips about building techniques, best materials and paints for waterproofing etc. And maybe some opinions on it,s identity as swear it looks like HMS Fiji. I have browsed some lovely builds on this site so far, and they really are a credit to you all. Thanks. Gordon

Completed (nearly, still a few more crates needed) in July after a 2 year build on a Kingston Moldings hull. Not a scrap of plywood has been used, all made from Oak, Mahogany, Beech and brass. All fittings scratch built, boiler from Maccsteam in Macclesfield, engine TVR 1 A BB from Macclesfield model engineering supplies. Runs on 60/40 butane propane mix. Radio 3 channels used on Futaba 6EX 2.4 ghz set, 1 fo1 for fwd/reverse, I for steering.

An electric conversion , was originally I.C powered believed to be from China . it has since been stripped out again and is awaiting another rebuild , possibly water jet drives as this is what the hull was designed for in real life . Model is 56" long and at the time of these pics weighed 15 kg five of which was lead acid batteries . I have however become educated in the dark arts of Lipo usage now

Named after my wife Sheila, the yacht was purchased from the builder, as I don't do yachts, but thought I had better have one for those windy days when scale models become tricky. She behaves well, (as does the wife). Only Radio control on the rudder; the sails are set depending on the wind strength.