Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: RTR Lifeboat conversion  (Read 7094 times)

gribeauval

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,079
  • Tidy Bench -Tidy Mind, Messy Bench - BUSY!!
  • Location: Wakefield West Yorkshire
RTR Lifeboat conversion
« on: May 08, 2010, 05:09:20 pm »

I have three of the small scale model lifeboats sold by the RNLI and decided to upgrade the motors and radio to "proper" systems.

I also wanted to have different boats and not all Severn class lifeboats so one will be kept 'as is' with new motors, rudders and radio plus a few better details than those supplied. The second I decided to have a play around with and produce a 52 ft stand off scale Arun. This is possible because the Severn, Trent and the new Tamar Lifeboats are all of the same 'family' of hull designs that started with the Arun class.
This will be a fun build for when I need a break from the serious builds of a Trent and a Watson I have on the stocks at the moment.

Picture 1) The model as bought.

Picture 2) Stripped down into its main parts.

Picture 3) The hull and deck are to be used in the new boat.

Picture 4) Parts for the spares box.

Picture 5) The hull was modified by removing the lower spray rail at the bow and the two bilge keels under the stern.

Picture 6) Two small prop shafts were added and twin rudders made and installed with a micro servo for control.
Logged
True Lifeboat Nutter!!

gribeauval

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,079
  • Tidy Bench -Tidy Mind, Messy Bench - BUSY!!
  • Location: Wakefield West Yorkshire
Re: RTR Lifeboat conversion
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2010, 05:22:19 pm »

PART 2


Picture 1) The motors and radio have been fitted and the controller is a Bob's Board from the spares box, cheap and cheerful but does the job at very little cost. :-))

Picture 2) The outside of the hull was rubbed down and repainted in the correct colours.

Pictures 3 & 4) The deck was modified by having a large hole cut into it and the rear battery box filled in. A raised coaming was also fitted and the deck given a coat of plastic primer.

Picture 5) The basic superstructure was scaled from the RNLI drawings I have and made from plasticard to fit on the coaming.

Picture 6 & 7) The rest of the superstructure has been made , the flying bridge added and the whole given a coat of primer.

More to come when I need another break from the main builds.  ;)
Logged
True Lifeboat Nutter!!

gribeauval

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,079
  • Tidy Bench -Tidy Mind, Messy Bench - BUSY!!
  • Location: Wakefield West Yorkshire
Re: RTR Lifeboat conversion
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2010, 02:39:24 pm »

latest stage of the conversion with an original model alongside for comparison.

Windows and mast next on the agenda.
Logged
True Lifeboat Nutter!!

ayrshire andy

  • Guest
Re: RTR Lifeboat conversion
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2010, 03:45:25 am »

Greetings Gribeauval,

A cracking rebuild, I attempted a brushless waterjet conversion of mine a few years back but did n't succeed in getting the motor to turn, have checked every connection to death so I may just buy a cheapo brushless motor+ESC combo if the Treasurer will allow (may have to forego luxuries like food for a while!) and have another go...how did your all-up weight work out in the end? I recall that the AUW of the RTR version from the box was about 1100grams, compared to a scale 800-odd grams...thanks for the inspiration to revisit my attempt which is currently gathering dust on top of the fridge freezer! :embarrassed:
Logged

gribeauval

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,079
  • Tidy Bench -Tidy Mind, Messy Bench - BUSY!!
  • Location: Wakefield West Yorkshire
Re: RTR Lifeboat conversion
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2010, 03:24:22 pm »

Never bothered weighing it Andy!!   It floats where it should and goes well on the water.

It is still waiting for some more work to be done on it as I just build bits for this when I am bored with my main builds. I am still in the midst of the 1/12th scale Whitby Trent build.

Mike

Logged
True Lifeboat Nutter!!

spongie

  • Guest
Re: RTR Lifeboat conversion
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2010, 04:25:53 pm »

I should post up about my one!!!
Logged

ayrshire andy

  • Guest
Re: RTR Lifeboat conversion
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2010, 02:55:21 pm »

Greetings to Gribeauval and Spongie, RTR lifeboat converters extraordinaire, how about a few details Spongie old bean to show us how its done, I am on the verge of retrieving my old attempt from on top of the fridge freezer, have got a Graupner mini waterjet, HiTec HS-81 mini servo for steering, Topgun ETRONIX 25A brushless ESC and small 12 pole brushless and radio on/off toggle switch all installed, the steerable jet nozzle protrudes through the modified transom above an approx 4x8cm, 4mm ply platform which mounts onto two aluminium rails screwed parallel to and inside the bilge keels for rear crash protection...now I might have a last attempt to get the radio, ESC and motor to talk to one another, if unsuccessful  :embarrassed:will sell to anyone who fancies a bash?!

Keep us informed you RTR converters out there, the little Severn is a real cracker crying out for all sorts of conversions, and a smashing reminder of the sterling work of the good folks of the RNLI.

'Til next time,
 
Andy
Logged

spongie

  • Guest
Re: RTR Lifeboat conversion
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2010, 06:06:35 pm »

Mine has been shelved for a little while but I'm converting the Severn into a Tamar or something... not sure yet may try trent...

I've got as far as filling the hull and modifying the deck hatch, need to start glueing bits back in next.

Will post up pics later :)
Logged

ayrshire andy

  • Guest
Re: RTR Lifeboat conversion
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2010, 07:19:02 pm »

Hi folks,

Before I set about my shelved RTR Severn conversion with the multimeter and beady eye with an view to resolving the Mystery of the Non-rotating Brushless, if it's any help to future converters, a quick calculation tells me that to get our RTR 1/36 Severns to float to the line, their All Up Weight should be (from the good old RNLI factsheet)

                                                               42tonnes divided by 36 cubed which equals 900.2grams

which made me think OOPS mines is tipping the scales at a hefty 1200g with 8 old 2200mAh NiMH's at the moment, thankfully there's only a receiver, a few screws and a spray of paint to the modded transom to make a sailable Severn, but a structural diet required methinks!
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.095 seconds with 22 queries.