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Author Topic: Revell 1/400 Queen Mary 2 Waterproofing?  (Read 1620 times)

Plastic - RIP

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Revell 1/400 Queen Mary 2 Waterproofing?
« on: August 01, 2019, 05:24:29 pm »

 Hi – I’ve been given a part-built one of these models and, looking at it, it’s full of holes!   There’s millions of windows and almost all are open to water ingress – all over the bow, stern and both sides - it has a maximum of 1½” freeboard and only 1” beneath the waterline.
Before I go too far down Tangent Boulevard, Has anyone built one? 
How did you make access into the hull?
How far did you go sealing up all the windows?
Where do you find the water gets in?
Do I just fit a bilge pump?
There’s an awful lot of plastic above the waterline - so just how stable is the model?   Anyone lost one?    Will I need a Lead keel?


 
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Revell 1/400 Queen Mary 2 Waterproofing?
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2019, 05:46:03 pm »

I have built one and it's not a project for the faint hearted! There is an article on the Model Boats website by the late Richard Webb but It rather glosses over some key practical  problems.

https://www.modelboats.co.uk/news/article/a-working-model-of-revell-s-queen/466

A couple of pics of mine below. I will try and take some out of the waters shots showing the inside if you are really interested. I was going to put up a brief article on the MB site but haven't got around to it yet!

The model has twin screws and a Raboesch bow thruster and the whole lot works off a single 4.8v battery.

As far as all those holes in the superstructure are concerned, you need to cover them on the inside with thin transparent styrene sheet. It will float level with internal ballast but the slightest breath of wind will push it right over so an external keel is needed.

Colin


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Re: Revell 1/400 Queen Mary 2 Waterproofing?
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2019, 06:11:21 pm »

Awesome - thanks for that.     That's a great looking model!    I had a feeling this model would be closer to a sailing boat than a speedboat.   I can fit some clinch-nuts into the bottom of the hull for mounting a keel.


What did you do with the open windows in the black part of the hull?   There's large internal balcony/cabins moulding stuck behind the hull sides - did you leave those out to reduce weight?   Did you seal up all those holes below the bridge?    What comes off to get inside?


There's a trade-off between sealing the windows and the weight of the extra plastic adding to the instability.

I'm thinking of cheating and fitting a single 380-size motor and single 2mm propshaft & 30mm prop with single rudder.    I've got some bi-directional windscreen washer pumps too but the weight is critical.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Revell 1/400 Queen Mary 2 Waterproofing?
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2019, 06:28:05 pm »

Questions, questions and all fair enough. I need to get my thoughts together a bit if you are happy to be patient. Only thin transparent styrene is needed to seal the holes and yes, it is also needed for the front of the bridge but it doesn't actually add significant weight compared with the surrounding plastic which offers very little opportunity for weight saving by chopping bits out. As far as access is concerned, one part of the superstructure lifts out at the pondside whilst two other bits are only intended to be removed on an occasional basis.

No reason at all why you shouldn't use single screw for practicality. I tried a windscreen washer pump but it was too heavy. The smallest Raboesch thruster works very well.
Colin
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Re: Revell 1/400 Queen Mary 2 Waterproofing?
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2019, 06:43:43 pm »

Yes - the pumps are way too heavy.   I've seen some guy fitting tiny motors into the Azipods but I think with the complexity of getting this on the water, simple is best so a single prop cuts down the weight.

I just don't want it to do a 'Mary Rose' so the slightest roll = going to the bottom.   
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