Clyde Puffer project showing new water filling pump and electronic level control as yet untested !! Fingers crossed !!

The Police Launch is a Krick kit which I am currently building. it is a really nice project but, as usual, I just have to add things.
The project is to make the blue light flash. The video shows the three stages of prototyping. The first is the circuit built on a Breadboard. The second part is the actual circuit reduced in size ready to hide inside the boat. The third part is the LED fitted in the incorrect position to show how effective it will be.
I have added a trimmer pot to the circuit so that I can select a suitable frequency that looks right at a later date.
Thanks to Doug for his help to get started and give me some hints about how the circuit works.🤓😊

On Sunday our model boat club did a show at Hamilton's Steam Museum . Kind of hard running model & recording video at the same time but I managed to not run into any ones boat .

One month on, new photos showing progress made to date lower superstructure and wheelhouse made motors,props,shafts and Korts fitted in hull.
see you next month.

Brought this vintage Aero Kits RAF Crash Tender for £50 from Newcastle area, it is the 34in version.
To my surprise at home I found that it had a Bullet 30 motor installed these motors were the top drawer motor of early fast electrics in the early 1980's and its the only one I've ever seen, it can run on 24v and pull around 15A giving 300w not bad for a brushed motor.
due to the power of this motor I have modified the hull under the water line with turn fins and trim tabs to reduce torque roll and improve turning stability, the underside is incorrect already as it only has one propshaft, where the original had two and I believe that both props turned in the same direction.

The Pictures here show some of the work in progress I have remounted the motor and added a speed controller rated at 24v
I have remade the stern compartment and rudder gear under it.
I have blocked windows and foamed the front half of the boat.
made missing parts and repaired delaminating ply.

Note old ply is not as good as modern, the glue is not as water resistant.

Have painted the hull and have just ordered the decals from Cornwall model Boats :-https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=hose%20fire&PN=becc_fire_tender%2ehtml#aB_2dFTS1_2e32

The 34in is 1/16 scale

Fitting can be brought but many are cast white metal and can add weight to the boat, I have made two water cannons and plan to buy plastic fittings from this site.

This has turned out to be a task that is difficult to assess how much effort and money to spend on a hull that has been built by someone else (say no more).
Have just finished the steps for the stern compartment.
Painted and now for the test run.
the Bullet 30 motor ran well between 14 and 18v,

A great display put on by the SRCMBC crew. 👍

Just ran across this (compared with most others from the era) incredibly sharp photo, (right click the photo then left click 'Show photo' and then'+' and you'll see what I mean by sharp!!😉) apparently (allegedly?) a
'Vosper 70ft Motor Torpedo Boat V-252 at Greenock in January 1942. in the background is the Flower class Corvette HMCS Trillium(K172)'
(Which makes me wonder if OUR Trillium served on her!?)
+ 2 others! Research continues, I have an interest in both types 😉
Cheers Doug 😎

A tour around the many club stands at the international Model Boat Show. Full playlist of videos from the event here,
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8iHs7pgHqAYXFGEi8-KfQXZOpYa4esno

Photos to show Eaton Park Boating Lake in Norwich.

Westbourne is a Port of London Authority steam Tug from the Caldercraft Mini-Fleet Range - it is 1:48 scale. This model was discontinued a few years ago but I did manage to purchase a brand new boxed one via ebay a couple of years ago.

During her time Westbourne was hired by the Royal Navy as a rescue tug. She saw service with them between October 1916 and July 1919 in the HM Dockyard. Prior to that she was on general towing service duties on the Thames.
She can be found mentioned in “SHIPS OF THE ROYAL NAVY, 1914-1919 - by TYPE & CLASS
Section 3. SUPPORT and HARBOUR VESSELS”

Following the first world war ‘Westbourne’ was one of three tugs attached to the Port of London Authority (PLA) Dredging Service, they were the "Westbourne", "Thorney" and "Brent", they were all fitted with a drag and under running gear.In 1940 during the Battle of Britain. ‘Westbourne’ and many other tugs were used in assisting the berthing of these large ships that entered the Thames.
The photos show from box to construction plus her on the water.

...and some rowing marines. This was a good show to see some quirky watercraft. Not easy recovering the smaller lifeboat but they did it.

Building a German Police launch right now and thought that the radar scanner components were a bit 'heath robinsonish', so decided to see if I could make an alternative unit.

Photo 1 shows the Radar scanner parts obtained from MMB (ebay) for the princely sum of ONE POUND !!!!! plus 28p postage, and construction is of a medium soft resin that isn't prone to breaking or splitting when shaped or drilled, and a short length of 2mm brass rod becomes the drive shaft. This particular unit has a 44mm sweep bar but there are many other sizes available

Photo 2 shows the drive motor which operates on voltages between 1.5 and 6v, ideal for the control driver which is the next item. Available from saih.tan on Ebay for under 7 pounds, and if the motor is mounted on a removable bracket as I have done, this unit can be used in several models without the need for major 'surgery', the motor and radar shaft being connected with a short piece of rubber tubing

Photo 3 shows the receiver driven radar motor speed control which operates from an auxiliary receiver channel and takes the motor voltage from the main receiver supply, thus obviating the need for a separate supply and switch.
This unit is available from www.mr-rcworld.co.uk and costs a staggering 14.50 post free sheesh !

I must add here that I am in NO way connected to any of the suppliers mentioned here, but just though some other modellers may be interested in 'home brew' accessories and suchlike.