Decided to drag the seaplane tender out, as I haven't run it for quite a while, and to test the new camera which is mounted on the TX back handle, rather than on my head. A lot quicker and easier to mount, and you can see what you are shooting. I have modified a backpack camera clamp, so it fits 3 different TXs in seconds.
Probably be making some better couplings for the ST, as the silicone tubes are starting to work up to the motor bearings and rub on the front housings.
Hi Phil, I missed the start-up with the sound/water/smoke bit as I was being distracted, but this was mainly to try the camera mounting. Still have to try my airboat which I've added a better camera mount to, for some 'on the water' videos. Have a way to go to catch up to your vids though😁
Trying a method of producing correct engine sound using BT for the seaplane tender.
I purchased a small BT player which has a number of features including recording. It can output using BT to a BT speaker, so I recorded an engine sound (Detroit 4-53 for the seaplane tender) I found, and copied it a number of times using the player and the vid on the computer (paused the recording, ran the video back, started recording again, etc etc) worked reasonably well. Very hard to find a sound which is continuous for a decent length of time, especially sounds of older engines which may not exist or are in museums. Used the BT feature to send the sound to a small BT speaker sitting in the boat.
Now I need to find out how to get the sound to accelerate and somehow get it into my 'GT Power' engine sound unit files, (the sounds on that are in lots of small WAV files linked to the TX throttle movement (I think they are on an SD card and they just loop where you stop the throttle, and advance or retard to the next file as you move it) A bit of investigation is in order.😀
Hi Peter, the new little BT player can actually record sounds, then you can play them straight to the BT speaker which is quite cool. I can see having a lot of fun with this😁. Re the bicycle spoke idea, you could link a geared motor to run with your main motor to get the correct lower and top end 'revs',
Hi Peejay, I have a number of GT Power sound units and a couple are the sound and light versions for cars, (stop/tail lights, indicators, headlights) which have 50+ sounds, from formula 1 cars to diesels (but not much I can use) and the also have provision to select a horn. Haven't tried any of that stuff yet as not needed on the boat, (could probably use the horn) - hence I have a bunch of LEDs (red, white. orange) which plug into the unit still sitting in the boxes, waiting for the right project. Was going to use some for dash indicators etc but couldn't be bothered with all the extra wires!
Nice one JB - recently found a plan for an Adamcraft version - not sure when it dates from - possibly the 50's - so anywhere up to 20years later than the video.
Made a few mods to the cooling system and was hoping for a quiet day for a video ("yeah right") Too busy watching out for an erratic orange torpedo to have much close up fun! Tried out a few full speed turns with no dramas, sticks like glue with no hint of 'roll out', just a bit of cavitation.
Finally, had a decent day (if you can call calm but fully overcast decent) and managed a try-out of the ST. Unfortunately had the pleasure of some yappy kid asking a thousand stupid questions, then his grandfather started, while I was trying to set it up. Got so distracted I ended up breaking the mast while trying to grab the boat and answer rapid fire questions. Trying to do a video and the kid's yelling behind me, and the grandfather just let him carry on.??😠 Don't mind kids being interested at all, but some are just a pain in the 'transom'
Anyhow, enough grumpy old man stuff, -boat went pretty much perfectly and is plenty fast enough, and also very economical on the batteries, (Vid was twice as long before editing) and when I stopped they were still at 3.9v/ cell (they are only 2200MAh 2s ) and were only 4.1 at the start. All in all, distractions and a bit of mast damage aside, I'm quite happy with it, (did hit the jetty at a 20deg angle at 2/3 throttle while taking photos, - going for that last shot -😀 bounced off without a mark, - lucky the jetty piles are slimy and I build tanks !)
I get easily confused in my old age Doug😐 I've got 2 cars, an auto and a manual, - I've noticed lately, when I shift to P for pass there are funny noises, (noticed the same when shifting to R for race) and in the manual, why does it make funny noises when I pull the stick back to drive off?😮
Confused😐
Re - It was just a loose idea, maybe a bit of copper tube
I think I am just going to run out of room after checking dimensions Martin. It would have to go under the rear cockpit floor and I just have too much in there already, (2 battery packs and all the tubing)so I might flag it for now, and if I get a brainwave later I might re visit the idea.
I agree with what Doug said about trying to get things working in such a small scale. There will be a way, just haven't found it yet. Custom made may be the only answer. If the boat had a full cabin it would not be an issue, but the low cockpit floor layout limits you a bit.
JB
JB we have an odd shop here - called the "Crazy" store - you must have similar ones there - full of Chinese stuff and gadgets etc. One of the pool/beach type things they sell are kiddies paddling pools - usually inflatable - which are not much use as a test tank - however better half found one with a semi solid wall - that does the job admirably . Have a good look - sure you could find one too. Save you the hassle - easy to erect and useful when you need it.......... Packs away into a small box.
Actually thought about that Red, not a bad idea but I'd have to buy a pump as these days I'd probably black out trying to blow one up manually. Nice and soft round the edges as well, won't damage the boats. Main problem for me is my entire section is sloping and the only flat area available is a strip of concrete on the drive, or else the deck. I made this one narrow as it doesn't take too much water to float the boat.
JB
40" Seaplane Tender, new build. Quest for the correct engine sound
Found a sound by accident which sounds quite a bit like the sound of the GM Detroit 453 2 stroke diesels fitted to this boat (still has these today) Vid from cockpit is the sound I discovered while mucking around with some old electric motors, and my new voltage controllers which just turned up.
I'll add the link to the real engine for comparison (next post here). Sounds to be revving really high but being 2 stroke it's only doing around 2800 rpm!
And the prize goes to..., perhaps if I (thr) hum along Doug?😊 (see reply to Martin for answer) It's real hard to get just the right sound to match a model (the sound units I have are not too bad) but there must be ways of doing it without having to spend lots of money on complicated sound units with set programmed sounds. In the case of my sound units, they are real engine sounds, programmed to be proportional on internal SD card but they don't quite match the model). A lot depends on the internal volume of the model (resonator), sound unit and speaker/placement.
The search will continue for a cheap alternative.
JB
🤞I noticed there are a great deal of RAF plans for various fire tender etc but is there a kit for a Seaplane Tender like ST480 (based at Lyme Regis where this photo was taken) that picked up a pilot off Chesil Beach on 8th November 1941. I am about to put on a display regarding the aircraft and pilot and their history and I have a model of the aircraft a Curtiss P40 Tomahawk and would love to have a Seaplane Tender model on display.
This model of Seaplane Tender 200 is another "loft rescue" that I have been asked to refurbish by its owner. This is a static model and along with his other models and mine we exhibit them at museum events to remind and educate people that the RAF used to have a Marine Branch for 68 years until its demise in 1986. Seaplane Tender 200 was the lead craft of the 200 Class Seaplane Tenders designed by Hubert Scott-Paine in the early 1930's. The L.o.a was 37ft 6in, beam 8ft 6in and draught 2ft 6in. powered by 2 x Meadows 828 100hp petrol engines with a range of 100miles. Now before the purists come along and say that the 200 class ST had enclosed wheelhouse not not an open backed one, ST 200 was the only one that was built that way the rest of the class had enclosed wheelhouse and walk through cabin. this model is 1:24 scale and is probably about 25 years old
JB