Well, here we go, I've decided to build a 1:12 RAF 63' rescue launch, the wonderful Whaleback. It's been a long time since my last model (remember Hill two-valve receivers? Yes, that long!). It was going to be a 34" Crash Tender kit until I called in and talked to Paul at P&S Models in York for some advice on motors. On the same weekend I also went to the Elvington Air Museum and saw a Whaleback model in one of their displays. That settled it, why build a kit at 46" when you can scratch build something much bigger and with the added bonus of a yellow superstructure? Sold.
So, for the last couple of weeks I've been gathering info and reading everything I could find on British Power Boats. I found Model Boat Mayhem and John WE (Bluebird's) brilliant article on building a Whaleback, then onto Martin13 in Oz and finally Todd Smith in the US. Poor old Todd has been answering my queries ever since! The more I look, the more people offer help, information and suppliers.
I have a set of Pritchard plans on the way and I've now amassed quite a lot of photos (and a cd) so I am now almost at the point of no return and committing myself to cutting wood.
The reason for this note is to beg some advice please. My knowledge of electric power stopped at Taycol Supermarine specials, after playing with Taplin Twins and an impossible to start ED Racer. I know the latest developments in Brushless offer amazing performance, but they have quite a few drawbacks for a novice, especially one who is a Mechanical Engineer and tends to treat electronics as black magic. I can cope with brushed motors, just about, so let's stick with those for the time being.
For a 63" high speed launch model I am proposing three CEM 900. Obviously I want it to plane, hence plenty of oomph. What are fellow members opinions of this choice please? Overkill, or about right?
John WE alerted me to the problems of steering with three right hand props. Do you think that a pair of out-turning props on the outer shafts and a right hand on the centre shaft, combined with preferential rudder control on the three rudders (Ackerman steering principle, like a car, sorry, don't know the correct nautical term) and perhaps an idling centre drive on turns, would overcome this?
John, thanks for giving me the inspiration to double diagonal plank, I just hope I can succeed.
Martin, thanks for your input via your article and Todd, just when I thought some models displayed amazing detail, you came along and blew my socks off. Your turret frames are a work of art.
Final question: is a 1:12 scale model a bit over the top? We shall see!