Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Navy - Military - Battleships: => Topic started by: J.beazley on June 21, 2020, 02:44:50 pm

Title: 1/48 Castle class OPV
Post by: J.beazley on June 21, 2020, 02:44:50 pm
Can those with the 1/48 scale OPV Leeds castle or Dumbarton castle please let me know what your running motors and prop wise please especially Bluebird (John im hoping you have a good memory)


I currently have MFA 500 motors with 2.5:1 geared motors, m5 shafts with 3 blade brass props today in the lake during trials the motors got to the point of i couldnt touch them and burnt my finger leaving a decent blister.


I would usually run this with a pair of 800 torpedo motors as per my HMS Mersey OPV but the shafts are so flat with the bottom of the hull i dont have the option.


Let me know what you are running motor/prop wise please.


Jay
Title: Re: 1/48 Castle class OPV
Post by: John W E on June 21, 2020, 05:49:16 pm

hi ya Jay


Sadly, my personal Leeds Castle has now long gone.


Anyway, props - they were 5 bladers and I am sure they were something like 55 or 60 mm diameter (I think - 80 % certain).


The original motors were 600 but they were too thirsty on the old amps because I was planning on doing a 24 hour scale sail with this model originally.   So, I bought 2 (I think they were Johnson motors) 12 volt - they were low drain - they were very similar to those that you get in an electric drill (size wise) but, as I say, the amps were something like 1 amp on 12 volt free running.   I remember I had the old MFA Olympics belt drive gear boxes in.   I remember I had to open up the mounting screw holes in the plastic gear boxes - also, I had to take a little bit plastic off the bottom of the frame of the gearbox - because the motors were just a little too big to sit correctly in the gear box mountings.   I ran it on 12 volts.   As luck would have it, my computer is screaming at me saying it needs new disc space for more downloads, so I have just ditched a load of pics including Leeds Castle photos - to try and make more space.


Here is one picture of the replacement for my old Leeds Castle - which I am busy building at the moment :-)






Title: Re: 1/48 Castle class OPV
Post by: J.beazley on June 21, 2020, 06:59:38 pm
Super informative as usual  :-))


Many thanks for this i shall go over my running gear again and see if i can work out a way of getting the 800's in her.


Nice to see your doing another, im going with Dumbarton Castle as per my super old plans which are older than me {-)
Jay
Title: Re: 1/48 Castle class OPV
Post by: John W E on June 21, 2020, 07:01:34 pm

Hi Jay ,



Just having a bit think, after reading your posting again - I seem to recall having the propshafts made for me - as they were extra long - they were about 15 inch long.  I had trouble with them - keeping them from bending - it put the motors, not in the middle of the boat, but, about where the back of the bridge begins (you know where the mast and funnel are on the model) - I believe the motors were situated about there - as above them - I had the fan which was used for cooling the electrics because on the starboard side, I think, there is a big square vent in the side of the superstructure which I made form fine open mesh for access for cold air to circulate by the fan around the model.

Here's a link which is showing the internals of HMS Leeds Castle and one of the pics just shows the back end of the motors (sorry that's the best I can do at the moment) but there is a bit of information on Leeds Castle on this Forum.



https://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7172.0.html (https://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7172.0.html)


John
Title: Re: 1/48 Castle class OPV
Post by: Shipmate60 on June 22, 2020, 11:05:48 am
John,
Thanks for that old thread. So many old members on it, so many memories flooding back.


Bob