Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Pleasure boats, Sports, Race, Power and Leisure Boats: => Topic started by: Leovilla on January 10, 2009, 07:40:37 pm
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Go to you tube. Type in Bluebird K7 Lazenby.. Its running in the Lake district on 4th January 2009 at the exact time Donald Campbell set off on his fatefull run.(4.1.1967)
I made the 1/6th scale model for my eldest son. Powered by a Wren Gas Turbine jet engine. Its exact scale down to the correct sixe bolt and rivet heads.
Ernie Lazenby
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Link here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JNBRa3oKit8
Bob
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Thats amazing. I would love to see pictures of the build if u have any?
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Theres a lot of close up photos on the astec models gallery.
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Go to you tube. Type in Bluebird K7 Lazenby.. Its running in the Lake district on 4th January 2009 at the exact time Donald Campbell set off on his fatefull run.(4.1.1967)
I made the 1/6th scale model for my eldest son. Powered by a Wren Gas Turbine jet engine. Its exact scale down to the correct sixe bolt and rivet heads.
Ernie Lazenby
Cool.. :-))
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superb video, looks great fun :-)) are there any pictures?
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Ernie,
She looks great , but sounds superb.
I love the sound of that turbins spooling up and down!!
Bob
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It is loud Bob. My wife says she can hear it in our Toiwn Centre which is a mile away from the house. The first time I bench tested it in the garden the neighbours came running out thinking an aircraft was crash landing. It drinks fuel!!
Currently its back on my dinning room table for me to fit another failsafe system. (I built it on the table much to Elaines displeasure)
When the real Bluebird has been rebuilt and ready to be launched at Coniston I will be running the model to keep the public entertained until the real one is ready to go.
I have 3 K7's 1/12th 1/8th and 1/6th. I love the sound and smell of the 1/6th!!
Ernie
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ernie, with a name like leovilla, i just knew you must have a great onterest in Bluebird and the late great Donald C, but to watch that clip of your own K7 was just awesome.
I have never ever seen such a wonderful and superbly built replica as that.
thanks for sharing it with us. neil.
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Ernie,a lovely boat and the speed is awesome,if i may ask a personal question,are those jet engines expensive.
I saw a program on discovery a while back,of a guy who used 4 of them for a model aircraft
Mark
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No problem ask away. The engine with manual start system we have on ours runs out at around £1,400. Its much less coplicated than the onboard auto start system and thus less prone to faults. Theres loads of extras of course as there always is and that pushes the total cost of the 'workings' well above the £1,600 mark then theres the 2 years work! Its a good job my son paid for the engine!
Ernie.
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hi ernie,
can i ask how the engin is held down and attatched to the boat?
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I designed and made my own cradle that allows the angle of the jet thrust to be adjusted manually. The cradle is glassed into the bottom of the hull. I will try and take a picture in the morning.
The boat weighs 14.5 lbs and the jet thrust is 14.5 lbs a 1:1 power to weight ratio as per the full size K7 circa 1966/67. As per the full size boat the model will only get up and plane using full power until shes up onto the planing shoes then off she goes and the throttle can be backed off to suit. After throttling down it takes 8 seconds for her to spool down and come off the plane, in that time shes travels a fair distance.
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it's comparable then with a steam plant. i installed twin engines boiler and pumps into a tug recentlyand those were 1700, so not as bad or costly as thought.superb replica. :-))
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Theres a thought for you Neil, a steam k7
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there was a steam K7 once, craftysod. it was a class of submarines.
they weren't very successful though, kept crashing and sinking.
i'd rather have a gas turbine Bluebird any day.
just wonderfull.
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it's comparable then with a steam plant. i installed twin engines boiler and pumps into a tug recentlyand those were 1700, so not as bad or costly as thought.superb replica. :-))
The Wren is exceptional value for money and its made in the UK. The AMT Olympus jet engine is around £4,000 for the basic engine and Jet Cat is about the same I think.
I assembled the engine at the factory under supervision, spare parts are readily available as is technical advise. Wren staff are very helpfull and alawys pleased to take questions at any time.
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That must be a fantastic experience,assembling your very own jet engine
Mark
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can you put a link in please, cant find you on the astec site.
Ta
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This might help you Colin
http://www.astecmodels.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=21
Mark
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Hello,
The speed of that boat is amazing.
Is there a World Record Speed for a jet powered boat?.
I think Leovilla should have go at the Record.
John. ok2 ok2 ok2
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cheers mark. lovely model, would love to see it for real.
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Well come on are you going to bring it down to LLanberis in August lake is plenty big enough we ahev a rescue boat be a devil come on down
Stavros
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Hey Dave
That will require ANOTHER upgrade of the rescue outboard :o :o
What is it now - 4000hp :} :} :}
Danny
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Great model.
you should be on the telly.
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i know it's a silly question, because you have the full length of Coniston lake to "play" on, ernie, but what sort of minimum length do you need for her.
secondly, do the lake district wardens not bother you about exceeding the max 10mph speed limit on the lake. %% %%
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Beautiful.
I'm impressed how stable she is, given the wavelts. And compared to the unfortunate original. :((
One question - how long is she in radio range? And what sort of steering control do you have/want to use at speed?
Ok, so that was two questions. Sorry!
Regards,
Andy #1963#
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Do wren have a website?
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Do wren have a website?
sorry i just found it - http://wrenturbines.co.uk/
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i know it's a silly question, because you have the full length of Coniston lake to "play" on, ernie, but what sort of minimum length do you need for her.
secondly, do the lake district wardens not bother you about exceeding the max 10mph speed limit on the lake. %% %%
Its not a silly question by any means. I raised the issue about Windermere and the 10mph speed limit with the oranisers of the annual Windermere Model Boat show. I used to demonstrat my racing boats which were doing over 30mph and some over 40 mph. The organisers said the parks authority did not see model boats as a problem ( I rather suspect they did not realise how fast some were going)
Its usually run early morning before the tourists etc are around and it either gets run on Ullswater or Coniston. I think we will work on the basis that until someone chases off we are okay.
We need a minimum 0f 400 yards to run it.
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Beautiful.
I'm impressed how stable she is, given the wavelts. And compared to the unfortunate original. :((
One question - how long is she in radio range? And what sort of steering control do you have/want to use at speed?
Ok, so that was two questions. Sorry!
Regards,
Andy #1963#
I am happy that it will be within range 300 yards either side of where we stand. Its got two failsafe systems on board to ensure the fuel pump shuts down upon loss of signal. At slow speed off the plane it needs full rudder to get it to turn. At full planing speed minute rudder movements are all that is needed ; any more than that and she will flip.
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4000hp turboed with Phil on the oars
Stavros
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What a wonderful model :-)) Thanks for the video, she runs very nicely. Put a nappy on the driver and let's see her really opened up when you have flatter water.
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My son has asked me to drive it for flat out runs mainly because hes no experience of model boats. I think he did well to drive it at the speed he did.
I may also get brown trousers if something goes wrong at high speed! Sadly I think major damge will occur if the boat flips at the speed you saw and major damage will be done to the Turbine if there is a sudden influx of a large volume of water.
About 6 years ago I say a mono hull powered by an AMT Jet engine flip over and the engine had to go back to AMT in Holland for major repairs.
Its a risk like anything just a more expensive risk.
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Megga, loved the video footage from inside the cockpit :-)) :o :o
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Hi LeoVilla,
Just beautiful- that is a truly great model, and i'm so glad when someone with the expertise you have doesn't just shove them into a museum- to see that on the water was quite emotional- have you seen the clip of Anthony Hopkins in K7 in the tv drama 'Lady Of The Lake' (its on youtube) - could have been your model!!!
If you ever fancy a free trip on Gondola just bring that down, you'll be made more than welcome!!!
You should model the Albatross that Donald used as a tender to K7- if you do fancy modelling it let me know, i'm currently modelling a steam launch (see 'intro new member' thread in the steam section on this forum) for the current owner of said Albatross- a lovely boat in itself (all aluminium monocoque with (I think!) marinised Coventry Climax engine, still good for 40mph) but even better for being painted in Bluebird's colours!!!
Greg