Asheville Class gun boat model is 51” long weighs 22 lbs. hull covered with 2 layers of 2 oz. fiberglass cloth and resin. All plywood and balsa construction finished with fiberglass resin and Model Master paints. Working radar mast, turrets, desiel sound, whopper sound, general quarters sound, sierene. Power is MACK
Drives 12 volt system 2 x 2 6volt 3000 nimh each drive. Very fast in the water.
Boat looked great.The boat ran just fine.Not too much over scale speed.It's good to have a little more speed to avert obstacles,especially oyher boats that don't know where they are.
Scratch built from a 1975 free plan, hull is balsa frames sheeted with basswood and covered with 3/4 oz fibreglass cloth, superstructure is styrene sheet, missile launcher from balsa block, forward bofors torpedo launcher from styrene sheet and wood dowl, photo etch ladders, white metal handrail stanchions, other fittings are brass and resin, lw-02 radar and directors are from shape ways rudders and stabilizers are balsa block, you get the idea.
A very nice execution of the old Model Boats free plan. I still have those plans (somewhat tatty after all these years) as well as the MB magazine they came with. How does she sail? Best regards, Glyn
Many thanks for your kind words, I've not sailed her yet, only test tank and had to up the water line a little bit for more stability, I also scaled up the plans to true 1/96 as the plan is around 1/100, the 1/96 fittings I bought from fleetscale were out of scale to the plan, and using the 1.1 water line length noted in the magazine article.
Hi.all.new to.my.fleet is this lovely 42"x11 tug called Amsterdam. I' am going to put her back to original and use her for towing. But before I start the over hall. I need some help people can't find this kit Any where all the ones I van find are pvc hull and thus one is full wood plank hull and and top and all the fittings are.led.and.brass. So want to no.the.age make and any other info someone has.to make.her.right
PT 109 was one of the hundreds of motor torpedo boats (PT) of the PT 103 class completed between 1942 and 1945 by Elco Naval Division of Electric Boat Company at Bayonne, New Jersey. The Elco boats were the largest in size of the three types of PT boats built for U.S. use during World War II. Wooden-hulled, 80 feet long with a 20-foot, 8-inch beam, the Elco PT boats had three 12-cylinder Packard gasoline engines generating a total of 4,500 horsepower for a designed speed of 41 knots. With accommodations for 3 officers and 14 men, the crew varied from 12 to 14. its full-load displacement was 56 tons. Early Elco boats had two 20mm guns, four .50-caliber machine guns, and two or four 21-inch torpedo tubes. Some of them carried depth charges or mine racks. Later boats mounted one 40mm gun and four torpedo launching racks. Many boats received ad-hoc refits at advanced bases, mounting such light guns as Army Air Forces 37mm aircraft guns and even Japanese 23mm guns. Some PTs later received rocket launchers.
This Proboat PT 109 model was brought in 2013 for £100 these boats are rare now, This one had a few faults with the propshafts they were bent and noisy both were replaced, with quality 4mm shafts, motors twin 600s were also replaced by Graupner versions along with mounts and couplings, basically all the running gear, also two ESCs by Aquapower were added and a 2.4G RC system.
A favourite model boat there must have been hundreds if not thousands made.
When I brought mine there was a choice between two sizes 36in (90cm) or 48in (120cm) and then you could choose between a wooden hull or a fibreglass hull. I went for the smaller boat with the fibreglass hull. this was back in the 1980s.
Background of the boat
The boats Perkasa class consisted of three motor torpedo boats built by Vosper (UK) for the Malaysian Navy as follows:-
Perkasa 150
Penula 151
Handalan 152
This model has 3 motors, port & starboard are Graupner 600s and one 700 type in the centre runs 3 ESCs front and rear guns operate via servos, with flashing LEDs down the barrels.
This free sailing pond yacht has remained a treasured model from childhood. it “escaped” one holiday and sailed out across the bay at Tenby. it was retrieved a mile out to sea by persuading local boatman to pick it up. Hull carved and hollowed from wood. Must be well over 100 years old now. Sails well without rudder fitted.
So here’s my partly completed Riva Aquarama, to be named Ciao Bambina, a scratch build from plans, with laser cut marine ply as the base structure. I started her in April 2016 and got to the stage of balsa wood stringers as per the plans and got into a real pickle, breaking pretty much every strip and gave up after six days of struggle. I then focused on Plan B, which was Project 2, a smaller Riva Aquarama, and again a scratch build, for an event planned with friends at the end of April 2016. I’ll come back to Ciao Bambina once I have completed my Sea Commander and the smaller Riva I think. The stringers will be made with laminated 3mm strips Okichi or similar, which is the way the Sea Commander has been done, so I have learned something from the experience. Balsa doesn’t really work on a big stringer! I will update as I progress the project.
Have you tried soaking balsa in boiling water and pre forming it to shape ? (bend around pegs on a board) works well for hard wood as well. Shape, allow to dry, check and repeat as necessary. Be gentle with it and if the curve is tight, do it in stages.
Scratchbuilt WW2 1/24 Scale Vosper 73' Type 1 MTB. Built in 2016, in company with a friend's 1/24 scale BPB MGB.
The Vosper hull is built from balsawood and fibreglass. The upper deck and superstructure is from balsawood. The weapons and fittings are from brass, aluminium and plastic. The 20mm and gunner can rotate.
ON THE WAYS: 1:48 SCALE USCG 140' BAY CLASS ICEBREAKING TUG; FIBERGLASS HULL WITH WOODEN CABIN/SUPERSTRUCTURE KIT FROM COAST GUARD MODELS IN CHICAGOLAND. WILL BE REPRESENTING ONE OF THE CUTTERS I SAILED ABOARD IN THE EARLY '80s.
USCGC KATMAI BAY (WTGB-101), H/P SAULT STE. MARIE, MI, USA.
This is my latest progress on the Barracuda RC Boats 52' MLB, US COAST GUARD "TRIUMPH"CG- 52301. I was up until 0500 this AM attempting to finish sheathing the hull. The deck housings are just about ready for paint. I really don't enjoy covering natural wood, but it's a must to achieve proper detail, I reckon. I'm awaiting 1/8" scribed sheathing for the deck, the fantail semicircle will be 1/16" sheathing, and the outboard perimeter of the deck will be 3/16" light mahogany strips. She's powered by a 775 Johnson-type 6-12v motor turning a 4mm shaft and a 75mm 5-blade Raboesch wheel. The 5-blade isn't OEM, but I reckoned she needed some extra muscle to get to the party in distress.
Here is the Sea Scout Ship Voyageur former 4433. Also Triumph II out of Cape Disappointment and the 44331 from last Saturday's Coast Guardsman Memorial taken next to Cape Disappointment Light
Great seeing your model. I look forward to pictures of her underway. I served at the National Motor Lifeboat School in the '80's (30' SRB's and 44' MLB's) and Station Cape Disappointment (47' and 52' MLB's).
Built in 2016, she is a 1:14 scale Dumas 40 ft. UTB, which I did my best to keep natural wood wherever possible. Powered by twin 775 size 12 volt Johnson type motors turning Raboesch 50mm 4-blade brass wheels. I properly illuminated her with Lighthouse 9v LEDs and adorned with a BECC USCG Ensign. I overbuilt her like my Father overbuilt his airplanes.
Thank you for your interest and kind words. She's my pride and joy, and has given me much enjoyment. I believe she's sturdy enough to break 1/2" ice! Here's a few more pics of the CIRCLE 43 NAUTICAL CRAFTWORKS/ILLINIWEK MARINE SCALE SHIPYARD FLEET
Beautiful US Coast Guard model. I really like the look of their ships and what a superb looking flag at the transom!
I'd love to see some on water shots.
