Topic: European Passenger Ferry kits (for RC) (Read 88211 times)

polobeer · « **on:** July 20, 2008, 01:18:18 pm »

Dear Mayhemmers,

Does anyone know if there are, or have been, any kits of European passenger ferries (as opposed to cruise liners) suitable for RC? This seems to be an area of the hobby which is not well covered and there are some very attractive prototype examples out there...

Cheers
polobeer :angel:

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2008, 02:11:34 pm »

None that come to mind. I think the problem is that any scale model of this type of vessel would be inclined to be top heavy and susceptible to wind and therefore difficult to make a practical working model of.

I have seen some scratch built examples but not many of them.

A couple to whet your appetite that I took recently anyway!

Colin

polobeer · « **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2008, 02:22:41 pm »

Cheers for the information Colin and the superb photos! Either of these ships would make fantastic models don't you think? Perhaps a plastic kit manufacturer might offer one in the future?

All the best
Simon

polobeer · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2008, 02:39:07 pm »

Thinking about it, Deans Marine make a few ferry/merchant vessels ("Celastine", MV "Muirneag" and the "Maersk Anglia") and Metcalf Mouldings make the "Graemsey" ferry/supply vessel. However, none of these are quite what I had in mind. The photos of the ferries above (that you took Colin) are exactly what I was referring to.

Simon

polobeer · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2008, 03:36:24 pm »

Having just carried out some research on the Internet I found out that Airfix used to make a plastic kit of the Townsend "Free Enterprise" car ferry in 1/600 scale. Does anyone have one of these kits (unmade) that they might like to sell?

Simon ::)

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2008, 04:04:02 pm »

The Airfix Free Enterprise was tiny, you could never make a working model from it.

In the ferry terminal at Ouistreham there is a full hull model of Brittany Ferries' Mont St Michel. It's quite an eye opener to see just how little underwater body there is to hold the rest of the ship up! To get a stable working model you would have to build the upperworks so light that they would have very little strength - and then you would still have the windage problem. Wind force on a model is disproportionately high compared to the full size ship - and it isn't insignificant at 1:1 scale to start with!

The first model below is of Brittany Ferries' "Bretagne" which I saw at Brighton last year. It seemed to handle well (indoors!) but i don't know if the hull was made deeper to make it more stable. It also had several working features. The P&O Pride of Kent model I saw at Chantry club last year was quite big and certainly seemed to cope very well with the open lake.

The other two pics are Mont St Michel and Normandie belonging to Brittany Ferries.

Colin

polobeer · « **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2008, 05:22:26 pm »

Many thanks again Colin for all the info and the photos (very nice models).

All the best
Simon :)

hama · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2008, 10:22:56 pm »

This is interesting, why hasn't any manufacturer picked up this one? The stability problem could be solved, Deans have there ropax ferries and I believe they sail OK.( BTW, are there any pictures of the model of m/v Muirneag sailing?) There are many nice modern ferries that would turn into lovely models. Here are some pictures of some older ones with a little history as well.

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2008, 10:41:05 pm »

Deans pick their prototypes very carefully to ensure that they will give an adequate sailing performance. Manufacturers like to play safe and choose prototypes which will make stable models. That is why workboats and tugs are so popular. It would take a very cack handed modeller to build an unstable tug! Also, if you look at the kit manufacturers ranges you will see that they are overwhelmingly biased in favour of relatively small full size prototypes. Deans are an exception in this respect.

The big Airfix Queeen Mary 2 has been successfully converted to R/C but there are stability issues. I have a partially completed one which I'm hoping will make a practical model but I'm considereing attaching lead sheet to the bottom of the hull externally.

It would be nice to see more larger prototypes of merchant ships as kits but I suspect it's not going to happen.

But you can always scratch build!

Colin

cos918 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 21, 2008, 09:50:29 am »

hi there .
RC ferry's is a subject i done a fair bit of looking in to. There is stuff out the but not much. Most of what you see is scratch built and most of that from non model ship plans.

I do have deans Celestine and its a lovely boat . if you have any questions i would happy to give you answers.
here what i have found thats available on morden ish cross channel ferry's.

http://www.steinhagen-modelltechnik.de/uebersicht.htm
there is a plane of the Sealink ST Columba done by nexus plans {sorry cant find a link}

john

polobeer · « **Reply #10 on:** July 21, 2008, 10:20:41 am »

Cheers fellas (cos918, hama and Colin) for the extra info, photos and website about ferries! It's good to hear that others think that these vessels would make interesting RC models. There is another RO RO ferry kit available from IMEX - the "Rouen", but again it is not like the ones shown in your photos hama! Keep the info coming gents...

All the best
Simon

polobeer · « **Reply #11 on:** July 21, 2008, 10:30:48 am »

Hello cos918,

I've been looking more closely at the web link you gave and there are some very nice model boats available there (not just passenger ships). Have you ordered from this German company before? Is it easy to obtain their products?

All the best
Simon

cos918 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 21, 2008, 10:45:47 am »

hi there no i have not ordered from him. The boat i like he does is the robin hood ferry at 1:100. But have you seen the price . mmm that hell of a lot of cash. The ferry i want to do one day is the Spirit of free Enterprise at 1:100. Of course she will be done in her best livery . Townsend Thorsen. But then there this superfast ferry that taken my fancy.

john

Martin [Admin] · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2008, 10:58:15 am »

There is the Robbe HANSEATIC...... don't know if that fits the bill.

http://www.amodelworld.co.uk/

Welsh_Druid · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2008, 11:17:44 am »

I've been looking more closely at the web link you gave and there are some very nice model boats available there (not just passenger ships). Have you ordered from this German company before? Is it easy to obtain their products?

All the best
Simon

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=

Ordering from Steinhagen can be slightly problematic. He does not respond to emails written in English. I had to enlist the help of Jorge (White Ensign) who carried out an email correspondence with Steinhagen and ordered what I wanted on my behalf. Of course if you can write in German yourself - then no problem. He will quote the price including delivery in euros and you have to send the money by bank transfer to his account. (no credit card facilities). Once you have sent the money everything goes very quickly and smoothly with quick delivery. Excellent quality mouldings and plans (scaled full size layout - NOT model construction plans ) but you are on your own building the model from the hull upwards.

Don B.

With the exchange rate for the euro dropping so rapidly though I doubt whether I would buy now.

polobeer · « **Reply #15 on:** July 21, 2008, 11:26:54 am »

Hello Martin and cos918,

Cost is a problem as always; the Robbe MS "Hanseatic" is a fantastic looking model but well out of my league, price wise, sadly. Something like this a bit smaller maybe, and less expensive would be ideal.

Simon

polobeer · « **Reply #16 on:** July 21, 2008, 11:31:02 am »

Cheers for the info Don B (Welsh_Druid)! Yes, with the weaker Pound it is not a good time to buy abroad >:(

All the best
Simon

DickyD · « **Reply #17 on:** July 21, 2008, 11:45:28 am »

Deans Marine do a few merchant ships.

http://www.deansmarine.co.uk/html/merchant_ships.html

cos918 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 21, 2008, 08:40:44 pm »

there was this kit? on ebay a while a go. I have seen one on there since this one.

john

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230265185558&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=013

Martin [Admin] · « **Reply #19 on:** July 21, 2008, 08:52:06 pm »

And this one! - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170236663325&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=007

polobeer · « **Reply #20 on:** July 21, 2008, 09:40:51 pm »

Hello Martin and cos918,

Excellent research there! The old Graupner kit looked very interesting (but as rare as Hens teeth I would imagine). Thanks for posting the links.

All the best
Simon

polobeer · « **Reply #21 on:** July 21, 2008, 09:45:09 pm »

Hello DickyD,

Thanks for posting the link to Deans Marine kits.

All the best
Simon

hama · « **Reply #22 on:** July 21, 2008, 11:31:58 pm »

Hey, look what I found! :)Probably a bit expensive I guess. www.modellbauwerft.com Look under "Fähren"

Cheers, Hama.

polobeer · « **Reply #23 on:** July 22, 2008, 09:03:20 am »

Hello hama,

Well found!

These German kits (which they appear to be, rather than just hulls with plans) look excellent and not just the two ferries; the merchant ships, etc look very nice too. It would be worth sending an email to the company to find out how much the kits are (with postage to the UK). The two ferry kits are the ones in the photos that cos918 and Colin Bishop posted!

All the best
Simon

polobeer · « **Reply #24 on:** July 22, 2008, 09:21:15 am »

Hello again hama!

I have just sent off an email to the company in Germany to enquire about the prices of the two ferry kits (and hopefully I might get a pricelist for all the other kits as well). I'll post the details if I get anything.

Simon

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Author Topic: European Passenger Ferry kits (for RC) (Read 88211 times)

hama

hama