this is my aerokit fire boat 46 inch fitted with a 600 motor 3 bladed prop 55 mm and a 12v 12 amp battery was fitted with a petrol motor when I got her for A£35.. all the top has been rebuilt the 2fire hygents work very good 2 mrtrs of water either side all lights work a good turn of speed but I can get 2 1/2 hrs on the lake the two men are not right but look ok for 10 p each at car boot gordon
I had a 12 v 12 amp battery and a 800 motor on a 35 cm prop did have a good bow wave could not see the sence of going flat out for 30 mins did not go for speed just indurance thanks gordon
Two Aerokits FPL's 'salvaged' from e-bay. First outing following restoration. each fitted with 400 size motor running on 7.2v. and controlled by a single Spektrum DX5e tx (one on each stick).
I have rebuilt this from a damaged ex IC model. Borrowed a plan from a club member and managed to reconstruct the missing bits. Originally used a fast electric car type brush motor with 7.2 v nicads. Worked ok but nothing spectacular. Recently ventured into brushless and LiPo. Tried an inrunner but ran far to hot and not veryt fast. Changed to an Outrunner (mork torky apparently) and nearly took off! (it is a seaplane tender but should stay on the water!) The LiPo is 11.1v 2800MaH. I use a Graupner Ultramat 16 charger, don't use other than a dedicated LiPo charger and ESC. Battery misuse can result in pyrotechnics, so beware. initialyy tried a two blade racing prop but have changed this to a 29mm 3 blade brass prop to slow down the speed. I have also added more lead and will advise the final weight once I have tried the model on water. I sail with Crewe and District MBC at Boundary Park, Nr Knutsford in Cheshire.
success !! I have done it " my photos of my two boats . the one on the water is the 94 fireboat fitted with a 500 torpedo electric motor and a spectrum rx/tx works very well !! . The other is crash tender 93 under going a rebuild after being rescued on ebay . from a new member A prestney.
HI
Yes it is the Taycol Double Special Supermarine, I have two of these. You say about not using r/c with this motor, probably due to the interference. I don't know how true it is as I haven't tried it yet myself, but I'm told if you use 2.4g R/C this should not be a problem. I'm hoping to put one of them into my Sea Queen in the near future. When I've tried it, and if it works then I will be putting one in her.
Hope this is of some help.
Scoter was built from a Dumas kit ordered from America. it is a planked hard-chine boat reperesenting an East Coast fishing cruiser, She is 2 feet long with a Graupner Speed 500 motor running on 7.2 volts through an MTroniks 10A ESC. The crew are from George Turner Models, 1:12 scale resin figures.
HI All,
This is an update,weather seemed ok so tried her out,very Impressed,got right up on the plane.Handling not that good think a bigger rudder is needed.
Running an 850 torpedo motor on 12volt battery.
Only problem was a leak,water running up prop tube so have removed and re-greased ready to try again.
Fire monitors missing hoping somebody can help.
very nice boat! I have two of these 93/94 thay are a very nice model.
I did try uploading photos of them to the site. Anyway fire monitors do some times come up on ebay for sale. if not try model dockyard or westbourne model ships web sites. Hope this helps from a new member Albert.
HI Boat looking good. From your previous post I see that the model was built in the 1950's. is it possible that an I.c. motor was originally used as they were common during that period? it is possible that the shaft and/or bearings will be well worn. Grease will help but not cure the problem and will add drag and increase motor current (amps), thus reducing your sailing time. I suggest you remove the prop shaft and see if it is worn where the bearings are. if so you may be able to obtain a new complete prop shaft of the same size. if the inner shaft is is a nice fit in the original just substitute the shaft. if the original bearings are no good replace with the new bearings from the replacement shaft. They can be teased out with a blunt knife and gently use of pliers. if you hace access to a lathe or a friend with one, you could just lap the shaft and make new bearings. Good luck dave
Original Aerokits patrol torpedo boat,first time out after referb.This was found in a semi-uncomplete nature but did have the box and plans with it.Power by 600 motor and 7.2 nicad very surpisingly fast,very tight handling around the bouys.Finishing details will be added as I go but for now very pleased with results.
Patrol boat in action latest picture taken on a very grey day at Gang Werily Hants.
Changed battery for a 4200 nicad much better run times now entering 15 mins plus,usually at full pelt.
HI harleydreaml, still looking at your Aerokits Torpedo boat and it is a very nice model from a colonials perspective. if I live long enough I may be lucky to obtain a set of copies of the hull formers and keel for a build . I have the Hebert Adams book of his model boats which he later led to his model boat kit company 'Adamcraft' and he did a set of drawings of a/the Elco type Torpedo Boat in his book. I always wondered whether the Aerokits EVER BORROWED the drawings to make the commercial model? Whatever happened, it is nice to see such a stunner model which was not too populace as the Crash Boat/Sea Queen sales etc. A now passed away mate had one 20 /30 years ago with a I/c 25/30? and it planed and turned flat and nicely. in OZ we still CAN operate I/c easy and do not need to trail out an electric cable for power to get more than 5 minutes on the pond? Keep building good craft. See ya Lyle.
HI Harley
I recently acquired a model that looks very similar to your model.
Its all wood hulled about 3ft by 7ins. I was on the point of dispatching to the tip as it is so heavy I didn't think I could ever make it go on the plane.
However having seen your Aerokits box and model its possible this may be an original or copy. Construction is very similar to the Fire Tender inside.
Any chance that you could post a picture of your model with the lid off?
Model looks the business in action.
HI All,
This was recently purchased through Ebay and undergoing restoration.
The previous owner built it with his father late 50's
This has been in storage for quite some time and lost most of the fittings.
The motor is a torpedo 850 and all is yet untried.
Will keep update on progress.
This boat was scratch built from Harold Underhill plans, available still from Brown,Son and Ferguson. The hull was mahogany on 6mm ply frames. The engine was a Caton from Maxwell Hemmens supplied bya gas-fired Cheddar Puffin boiler. The propeller was a two inch four bladed brass job from Rivabo I think. The displacement of the boat is 25lb- a bit of a lump to carry to the water but it does work well once in the water. She has now been converted to electric using a MFA geared 540 type motor witha 7.5ah lead acid gel cell. Looking again at this video I begin to wish I had left it as steam but there is something to be said for 'switch on and go'.
I started building the boat in the mid nineties and it has now had a repaint- it always been a favourite. This video was taken in the early noughties at Crealy in Exeter.
32" RAF Fire Tender being restored by Salv Bambino
HI all. This is an, RAF Fire Tender 32" that was given to me 30+ years ago by a friend who was going to scrap it. it's been stored in my garage loft all this time. I am about to start the restoration of the boat but havn't done any modelling since I was a youngster.
It has no running gear but was originally powered by a nitro engine, I am hoping to convert it to electric power, the problem is I have no idea what type of motor to use or what length prop tube or prop sahft is required, I don't have any drawings or information about the boat. I am presently cleaning and rubbing the panels down so that I can re glue most of the joints as thay are mostly starting to come loose.
Will post some more photos as I progress.
Dave, I have removed the prop shaft because it was bent and the resin around the prop tube/hull was cracked it was also worn quite badly. I need to purchase a new tube and prop shaft once I decide what motor to fit, I can then decide on the length of prop shaft. Thanks for the info.
HI Shambi, if you need a drawing or other info about the 34ins Fireboat I have plans and drawings etc that may help,if you need anything just get in touch with me via a message on the site, (Fireboat himself knows me well)Regards Pete D (Fireboatfunday Organiser)
Dean