This is a 40" long model of a gas powered Berkley Company kit of a US Air Force crash boat from 1955. The plank on frame kit was in production for about 10 years and was meant to be powered by a model airplane gas motor with a single shaft. it depicts an experimental 50 knot rescue boat (painted in a peace time color scheme) during service with the USAF. if successfull it would have been put into production designed to be a replacement rescue craft for all Air Force 65' crash boats. Unfortunately for the crash boat program the Air Force lost interest as helicopters were become a reliable way of rescueing downed pilots along the coast. The prototype and a sister boat were scrapped, as was the entire program.
The model was given to me to be restored(top picture) for the son of a retired USAF veteran that was a crash boat crewman. The model was built in 1957 and had been run a few times on a tether line, R/C was pretty expensive back in the day. I stripped the hull, filled in all the cracks and rebuilt the mast. I added a small boat, davit, liferaft, coxswain station, spray shield and deck hardware among other things. Actually all the owner wanted was a paint job, he was very happy with it's new appearencep! Although I fiberglassed the wooden hull and made it watertight, the owner doesn't plan to run it, just a memorial to his dad's service. I really enjoyed working on this "rare bird".

Based on the US Coast Guard 36' motor lifeboat, the Canadian Coast Guard operated a number of these boats modified for cold weather operation. The model is a fiberglass hull, the reat is scratchbuilt using baltic birch wood, brass, and plastic. The model measures 28" based on the scale 3/4 inch equals a foot. it's powered by a 6 volt Dumas motor and operated with a 2 channel radio. A fun build!

I've just been given this fiberglass hull and am wondering if anybody can recognise what it might be please .
It's 71cm overall with a beam of 23cm.
Any information appreciated
Chris

Not your typical submarine but certainly an unusual semI submersible. Scratch built by fellow club member Brian Clewes this is a most striking looking vessel. Fiberglass hull and moulded perspex window. Home built waterjet uses a large 900 (I think) brushed motor, water cooled speed controller and 14.4v LiPo. Looks really spectacular on the water and Brian is working on the ballast to enable the model to remain just submerged. Video to follow in due course.

this hydroplane had to have major work done to strengthen both sponsons internaly as well as filling with expanding foam,this stops it from sinking in the event of a flip over and to put a little weight in the front to help keep the nose down.
fitted a tuned wrap to center pipe,water pump and also added extra fiberglass on the bottom because this was so thin it was flexing at speed and was hitting the bottom of the engine!!!!!. re-painted it too and put my own choice of graphics on.
I fitted the pulse water pump because I wouldn't be running flat out all the time and needed to cool the engine at lower rpm's,and the pulse water pump would do just that with twin inlets and outlets to keep the exhaust and engine head cool.

HI fellow modellers, Another model from the RADMC fleet at the fleetshaven workshop and boat yard in Ponthir.This model was scratch built using a fibre glass hull and plan obtained from a fellow modeller at the Bridgend Show in 2007. The front door and some fittings are made from plastic card and tube, decks are from ply and timber. On board figures are from the pound shop and car boot sales, modified by myself. The on board tank and half truck are RTR models that I have modified their looks to fit into a WWII theme for the craft. This craft has twin drive, 400 motors via 2.5/1 gearboxes. I tend to use both sticks on the TX for drive as this allows me to turn the model on a six pence.The dispatch door works from a rotary pot on the TX and via a rotary sail winch servo in the hull. I have just modified my Planet 5 TX to allow me to change my radio gear in this craft. This model has had meny trips on Cwmbran Boating Lake and at shows the society attend during the year. Still haven't allowed the tank or half track to run off the landing craft up the lake side slipway. one day I might get it on video. Hope you enjoyed the photo's. Regards GreyWolf

HI " I thought I would put my biggest model from my collection for all to look at ! HMS Avenger took approx 3 years to build . " She is a type 21 frigate at 1/64 scale . At 6 feet long . Scratch built on a fibreglass hull from plywood plastic card & metal parts . Works on a six channel futaba skysport .
Full working red & white leds on deck and cabin , lynxs helicopter with working rotor blades with landing lights. Working radars, bofor gun , A ships whooping sound . Runs on two speed 700 motors off a 12volt gel sell battery which give a good 1hr sailling time . Controlled by a 50 amp speed controller with two brass propshafts behind good size rudders which give a excellant turn .
My model HMS Avenger is a copy from the real ship in which took part in the Falklands war in 1982. Painted in the same grey with a green deck . She looks great on display or on the water . Avenger gets a lot of interest from the general public . please enjoy looking at the photos shown at Sheringham & Eaton park Norwich Norfolk .
" thank you .. A Prestney

HI all, I was given this model in a rather sad state as it had been in a junk box in a farm out-building and had been subjected to the weather from time to time . it had been there for about 20 yrs or more and the balsa hull was 60% rotten . I think it was originally IC powered but had been fitted with a Graupner Jumbo 6v motor and an old style rheostatic sc, ( I did try using the sc but it sucked so much power I gave it a miss - also had no reverse)
Amazingly the motor and sc still worked and with a bit of oil and cleaning the motor is still running well ! I'm using a 1975 Futaba 24v 10A sc and 3cell LiPo which pushes it along nicely. I stripped everything and replaced large bits of the hull, (which was fun as every time you picked it up you would poke another hole in it it was so fragile !) I got it to the stage where it would hang together fairly well and glassed the hull which has made it like the proverbial "brick one". The rest was very careful sanding of the deck and cabin, (they were ply so fared a bit better) and a lot of little filling bits to get it right.
Nav lights and cabin lights all work from the micro switch board, the curtains are left over Graupner Commodore (1975), I've added a mast, new windows,flag pole, cleats, ladder and handrails. Any ideas as to its manufacturer would be great. I have seen another one on our local "Trade Me" web site recently.

First trials of freshly restored 1970s Aerokits Swordsman rescued as a wreck from ebay (I was the only bidder it looked so bad....!) earlier this year. Was diesel powered and had loads of lead ballest glassed into hull which had to be cut out and replaced with new ply with the rest of the structure lightened and stiffended with new ply. Now fitted with Turnigy 600 Typhoon Brushless and 90A Seawing ESC and 55 min Graupner prop. Handling is excellent and turns really well using a small size Graupner rudder with fast acting large angle Hobbywing servo. Joined my collection of 34 and 46 Fireboats, Sea Hornet, Sea Queen and Commander, all restored over the past 3 years. Aerokits have come into their own with clean and quiet brushless power we could not dream of in the 1960s

Hello Bob ,Finally got started on the fireboat. Have stripped all the paint and varnish from the deck up and also inside the hull. Now have separated all the cabin roofing and upper bulkheads for access to the keel which has delaminated in places. The complete shaft just pulled out of the hull, the glue had no adhesion at all and a new oil fed shaft will be fitted. The next job will be to strip the paint on the hull, check it out and glass laminate it. More photos soon. Regards Graeme.....

Thames fireboat gamma,stationed in london cherry tree dock about WW2 used in blitz raids.
Fibreglass hull,wooden deck,twin 550 motors,single working fire monitor,twin working spot lights,and nav lights.
Was a older display model now fully working but steam generator is a bit temperamental.only used at shows has been at Twyford water works open day recently.

Can anyone tell me what boat this is?
I think its a modified Aerokits fire boat or Sea queen,
The deck is different because it steps down, the cabin looks to be modified, the hull is all fibre glass with wooden bulkheads.
Nice 10cc Merco engine.
Will upload more recent pics as the pics are from about 18 months ago, I've since started re building the boat to sail then in future sell.