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.
Steam launch designed and built by me. I used a computer program called Plyboats to design it and it is a double chine ply hull. The power plant is a twin cylinder Cheddar engine, the Pelican I believe, which was a vee twin. The boiler was designed and built by me being a 3'' dia vertical firetube, gas fired.
This video was taken at Crealy in Exeter one summer evening in 2003 as a fairly new boat. She is now in need of a little TLC.
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)
Aerokits Solent Kit bought as a present in the 70's. Worked on it on and off until 2000 when I finally made a maiden voyage. Two Buhler motors driving Prop Shop props with Bobs board and 12v 17Ah SLA. Radar works. Realistic scale speed and looks great on the water. To turn I have used micro switches to cut out one motor on full rudder. The large keel was causing the model to cease turning with both props turning. I sail with Crewe MBC at Boundary Park Lake. Oct 09. Have now found out that the cabin door on my model was only fitted to the last three builds 48-014,-015 and -016. At least I can give her a name once I have decided which to use.
BRAVO ZULU SIR! I CAN RELATE, AS I GOT THIS BILLING BOATS USCG 44' MLB KIT IN 1989 BEFORE MY DAUGHTER, AND AFTER A LONG FORCED
HIATUS, RESUMED BUILDING IN 2015. I'M OVERHAULING, BASICALLY, NEW PAINT & ELECTRONICS. MY PERPETUAL WORK IN PROGRESS, LIKE MY KID I RECKON.
I have just acquired this model via a swap for my Al Khubar Tug. I am in the process of deciding which actual lifeboat to model. This is based on the Metcalfe Moulding and is 1/12 scale at 52". in its present condition it has two Buhler motors and some early ESC's. Power is from a 12v 7Ahr dry cell. it looks great on the water but duration is not that great. I am preparing for a complete rebuild including re-prop shafting and different motors. I may rebuild the cabin as the moulding I have was only used on 5 Arun's and I may not be able to get enough details. I have sourced a plan and have detail pictures for City of Glasgow 111 (needs new cabin). Awaiting a book "RNLI Motor Lifeboats" from Amazon to help me progress. The present crew will have to be relocated to a 16th scale model! if I remember to take photos I will post a build blog.
The numbers are obviously wrong on the model,they would be either 52 or 54.52 or 54 is the size eg: 52' or 54' and the last two digits are the station number,so if you choose one all the info will be in the lifeboat book you are getting from amazon,also if you need flags for your model,my friend does them,each one he does are painted free hand on silk not printed
HI baloo
Yes this was a picture as received. I did start to build and there is a build blog on this site. I ran into problems with the hull painting and put the model aside to finish later.
I did several mods to the deck and superstructure to make the detail correct and at some time I will restart restoration. I will use the correct numbers once I settle on the particular boat I will model.
Thanks for your interest and suggestion
Dave
hi. the colours I used where, toyota red and toyota black,top will be bmw alpine white.does anyone know where I can get a mast from as original did not come with the boat.I have just fitted a graupner 700bb motor and viper speed controller,cant wait to get it into water, also what size propellor can anyone reccomend
ive just purchased this boat from ebay and plan to get it back into water,it has a really old motor in it and wonder if I can fit a speed controller to it,it has three connections. one for pos and two for neg can anyone help
Thames Fire Service fire boat,this has twin 540 motors,12v pumps(not working yet) and nav lights.Fibreglass hull with wood decks etc.
The model is quite old and has been a static for some time until it fell into my hands,the name Gamma on the bow.
Looks pretty much scratch built and a very good job whoever did it.
Sails occasionally at Gang Werily Fawley Hants.
This is another work in progress,hopefully we will make it to a fun-day maybe next year.
"Gamma' was a sister ship to the well known Massey Shaw fire boat the latter on which I served during the sixties. Both craft did trojan service during WW ll, Fb. Massey Shaw also took part in the Dunkirk Evacuations. Gamma was retired in the mid 50's, the company that bought her removed her pumps and converted her to a Thames Passenger Cruiser whereafter she plied between Greenwich and Westminster Piers for several years.
WOW! BRAVO ZULU! That's really cool that you gave her life. I have built static kits most of my life, but in 89, I built my 1st RC USCG MLB. I still love statics, but watching a boat (or plane) that I've built, actually perform like the actual craft is wonderful.
