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[Allen A]

Hi Guys, hoping someone can help me with a small project being as I am a a novice on boats.I got a PT Boat, £90 posted and with most electrics, only need a controller and battery it seems.Yes I know we pay for what we get but I didn't want to jump straight in and pay a lot to start with and besides I like fiddling and mending which is just as well, although to be fair there doesn't seem to be much major wrong with it. Its 29 1/2 inches long and as near as I can figure out 1/32 scale, it appears to be a Lindberg, it needs a mast and all guns have the barrels broken, Ive found a single Oerlikon online but the barrels are broken on the .50 cals and cant seem to find any anywhere.The motor does run and runs well, pretty powerful on test when rigged direct to the battery from MY Roc Hobby 1/6 scale Jeep, what I need as I say is I think simply a controller and a battery to fit the elecs that came with it, any advice on deck fittings etc also appreciated as well as paint color and availability, so looking for, actually hoping that there may be some second hand/used stuff out there
Ive been down loading various pics of this model for comparison to mine, give me a better idea of what is missing and that hopefully I can get for it, in the meantime am sourcing transmitter and receivers for it too, all it needs to be a runner I think .. wondered if there would be any going second hand here as I said ?When I floated it for about 20 mins, it sat even and on removing it there was no water inside, of course it may be a different scenario after being under power ??
Initially I put its  its condition as being due to wear and tear but I dismantled it and realised the guy was not a good modeller after all, the amount of excess glue being very evident.Despite all the glue I was able to dismantle most of it back to most of its component parts and after a cleaning and sanding session now have a cleaner area to work on, there will be some minor filling needed but I'm happy it has gone back better and more secure.I'm going to have to remove the motor and put it back in a lower position, its either that or cut a hole in the upper structure that will eat into the floor space of the bridge area and I'm not about to do that I did say in my original post that I liked fiddling, working on stuff and its just as well as to get this to something like it should be is going to take a little more work, It is true that you get what you pay for and I am beginning to realise that this isn't what I thought it was, still and all what I paid for it maybe covers the electrics that came with it ..


Any and all help and advice would be appreciated

[frogman3]

HI AllenA
Well im sellin my meter or so long gun boat for 40 pound with R/C AN IT LIKE an mtb an ive got spare motors  540 motors for about 7 quid each an a bigger 4 cha R/C  with r/x but 40 meg for a cheap price but where do you live as if you want the boat an r/c then you will have to come an collect it hope this is some help to you an if you want a linkpicture of the boat  then i'll put one on here ?
chris  ps boat an r/c need batts

[Allen A]

Hi, thanks for the input, I'm in West Yorks so no chance of a picking anything up I'm afraid, thanks too for the info, problem is In not sure what it is I need to complete the inner workings of the boat .. I have managed to source deck fittings etc to complete the look but it is info on suitable transmitter/receiver and battery type to suit whats already in it Im after if anyone can help ..


It came with a Vision 500 12 volt marine motor, a Futaba FP-R122JE AM 2 ch receiver, an Mtronics Viper Marine plug and play what I think is a speed controller ?? and a Futaba S3003 servo for the rudder.
Im going to be looking to upgrade to 4 channel  if I can and also toying with putting some working lights on it.


If you have anything suitable (and postable) that will work please let me know, Im a complete novice at RC boats to be honest, slowly learning though 

[Allen A]

I thought maybe pics would help .. or not of course .. Shows the boat as I got it and the layout of the existing elecs in it .. with all the different battery types available Im wondering what the best type is for marine stuff ?

Other pics show it in various stages of being dismantled etc. and an example of bad construction by whoever initially built it, talk about excess glue  (if you're of a nervous disposition don't look)   


Advice on color, the best paints and where to get them appreciated too

OOOH KKKAY ... !!  .. so, how do I attach images please, clicking on upload image, get a box asking me to sign in  ( I am already ??) but when I enter log in details get a message saying 'qrong combination ..???

[frogman3]

YES PIC PLEASE
CHRISB

[frogman3]

well Allen
i post my pics to imgbb free hostin site then i just use the image codes to up load a linkpic to this site if you look at my tiger build an click on the links a piture will come up as thats the only way i can do
chrisb

[Allen A]

A couple of other forums Im on, click attach, lets me choose from my PC and then upload .. as I say though, clicking  on upload image (green box) and it brings up a log in box, to what I dont know as Im already logged in of course .. then when I try and put log in details in it says wrong combination of name and p'word ... mods please .. or someone ..


Im not a fan of clouds etc, nothing simpler than adding from your own pic locations I feel .. but then Im old school and sometimes think that depending how it is set up,  technology makes things harder not simpler .. ??

[Allen A]

I see a lot of people reading this and so perhaps an explanation is in order


I guess Im having a second childhood, always liked and wanted things like this but never managed to get them so making up for it now. Been a historical re-enactor most of my life, mostly American West, had a full size chuckwagon and camp and ran a successful display team ... I'm now into WWII and recently got a Roc Hobby 1/6 scale Jeep which I turned into a replica of a jeep at RAF Shipdham in 1942 from a pic I found of one .. even gone to the extent of making things for the jeep that don't come with it to make it more realistic, having friends with jeeps that I get to ride in helps too, and now the 1/6 scale is as accurate as I can get even down to a driver and passenger, Action Man of course, about £3 each to buy and over £100 to clothe with DD stuff, what's the point of all that you're probably thinking, well to give you an idea of where Im coming from and what I want to do with the PT Boat.


I don't want to do PT109, everyone does it and from researching the subject of real PT boats, it seems that the only time they all looked the same was when they left the factory, and whereas there may have been a few that looked similar, as in a squadron, for the most part they were, to use a word 'personalised' by their Capt and crew and differed greatly it seems, this to a degree I think gives carte blanche when doing up a model, that's not to say make excuses or take short cuts but actually base the build on photos from WWII, as we used to say in the western hobby, if its in a picture from the time, it cant be wrong ?


So I have been busy and from the research I have done I am getting together bits that are missing from this one to put together what I hope will be an acceptable and realistic representation of a WWII PT boat.
Having learnt a thing or two from doing the jeep, I put rear lights in as it had none and a few other things, I am putting a working searchlight on it, as well as navigation lights and if I can a mast light too. 
This kit doesn't have them or if it did the guy I bought it from lost them, so I need to source the bridge fittings, all that is there right now is a wheel.


Hopefully my questions wont appear to dumb and that this helps folks understand what I'm trying to do and how I want to do it 

[SailorGreg]

It came with a Vision 500 12 volt marine motor, a Futaba FP-R122JE AM 2 ch receiver, an Mtronics Viper Marine plug and play what I think is a speed controller ?? and a Futaba S3003 servo for the rudder.
Im going to be looking to upgrade to 4 channel  if I can and also toying with putting some working lights on it.


If you have anything suitable (and postable) that will work please let me know, Im a complete novice at RC boats to be honest, slowly learning though 

Welcome to the Mayhem!  Unless you really want to go all out for new running gear, the motor and Viper speed controller should do fine, as will the rudder servo.  Obviously the receiver won't, partly because you don't have a transmitter to go with it and because you want to go to 4 channels.  If you can't find a suitable 2nd hand set, I suggest you go for a Flysky FSi6, which is a 6 channel set, is very reasonably priced and has many features of more expensive sets. Also the receivers are easily obtainable for when you get another boat (as you surely will  ).

And if you are looking for fittings, a browse through the Battlecrafts site might well throw up what you are after.


Have fun!


Greg

[Allen A]

Hi Greg .. erm  its a PT Boat, not a PBY .. 


Seriously many thanks, that's the sort of info I'm after and that looks the business, will bear it in mind .. do you know of Modelsport in Otley, dealt with them re the 1/6 jeep, may see what thye have re transmitters etc.
Yes, I have come across BattleCrafts and in fact had some stuff from them in the correct scale, including the navigation lights I was talking about that includes two spare white lights, for bow and mast maybe ??
Also got a single Oerlikon coming as that and the two twin.50 cals were broken on this one, cant seem to find any .50 cals anywhere so managed to re-barrel them with small piping, amazing what you can learn from watching 'The Repair Shop'     ..  now as to battery, what type would be best for marine then please .. Nicad .. Niamh ..  Lipo etc etc ..  ??

[Allen A]

Heeellpp  ... oh boy, I just burnt out my speed controller ... dont ask .. 

So I went and bought the FlySky transmitter/receiver combo and suitable battery, all fitted OK got a response, motor ran but rudder servo wouldn't, Im thinking the servo could be duff ?? so in the meantime  I thought I would play around with sorting the lighting I want to put in when the time comes, ...  long a story short, fiddling with connections, a couple of bare wires and ... ?? !!

Got to get a new speed controller so stepping back from that for a bit and concentrating on the paint side of things ...  going for a dark grey deck, light grey hull and red (ish) waterline .. will post pics when Ive got them sorted .. !

[SailorGreg]

A useful gismo to keep in your toolbox is a servo tester.  It will need a small battery connected to it but it allows you to test servo operation completely independently of all the other stuff in the boat.  And a similar thing to test your batteries is one of these, especially if you decide to go for LiPo batteries as the tester will check the individual cells.

Bad luck with the speed controller, but we've all been there, one way or another.     

Happy bimbling!

Greg

[Allen A]

Hi Greg, many thanks will invest in those I think.. 


Soooo lets try some pics ... titled them so should be self explanatory ??

[derekwarner]

Allen....


The last image...'excessive glue or what' .jpg...appears to be lashings of a polyurethane foaming glue....similar to the Gorilla Glue  product....


Fine for use where recommended, just not designed for use with ABS/plastics



Derek

[Circlip]

Don't start that one again Derek.   


  Regards  Ian.

[Allen A]

Oh Oh .. !! not one of those subjects  Ian ?? 


Truth to tell yes of course that probably what it is Derek, and boy was it a mess, from initially thinking I could get away with a simple breakdown of the model I ended up taking it apart (very carefully) almost completely, it did give me an opportunity to put 'glass' in the window spaces though, there was a lot of filler too, some of which I have had to put back, again carefully and I hope better too .. ??



Well the rest of the bits came today, and Ive got a new speed controller and servo checker on the way too, so in the final stretch as they say, its a long stretch though I think ??


What bits I wasn't able to get online I have either made myself, ie; the glass windshield or whatever it is on the bridge top there .. and in buying some working scale searchlights etc Ive made up fitments for them too .. I wasn't able to find exact size cleats online and I was shy the mast too .. however while at a local model rail club display about a week ago there was someone there with a 3d printer and after having a word with them a few days later I sent them examples of the cleats I removed from the model and after having found measurements for a 1/35 mast online, after rescaling to 1/32 I sent them a picture with the correct (ish) measurements and they have done a good job, visually the mast looks right and when all together will be proportionate to the boat.


Still on with painting at present, deck and structures are done, as is the hull, just got the red waterline to do and also have to add the beading (I dont know its correct name  ) that runs stem to stern along the hull .. will take some pics later and add for those interested ..

[Rob47]

A couple of other forums Im on, click attach, lets me choose from my PC and then upload .. as I say though, clicking  on upload image (green box) and it brings up a log in box, to what I dont know as Im already logged in of course .. then when I try and put log in details in it says wrong combination of name and p'word ... mods please .. or someone ..


Im not a fan of clouds etc, nothing simpler than adding from your own pic locations I feel .. but then Im old school and sometimes think that depending how it is set up,  technology makes things harder not simpler .. ??

This forum let you load from your images, dead easy saves ffafing around with links and images are there straight away


Bob

[Allen A]

Hi Bob


Yes figured it out, I was trying to load by clicking the green box bottom left there above smilies .. hadn't noticed the 'attachments and other options' link .. !

[Rob47]

Hi Bob


Yes figured it out, I was trying to load by clicking the green box bottom left there above smilies .. hadn't noticed the 'attachments and other options' link .. !

Allen well done.


Bob

[Allen A]

Thanks, have to fess up though I was steered in the right direction a little .. !!


A quick update .. concentrating a little on the upper structures, pictures tell the story, the electric leads are for lights fitted in the two cabins and the searchlight, all a little rough finished at present but as the title says .. getting there .. maybe..??

[Allen A]

OK ... a quick question re; Pictures ... when I was 'steered in the right direction' as to how to post them I thought I was told the maximum size was 300 pixels, which is why my pics look small, but in looking at other topics and pictures on them I see some of them are quite big and more visible, so what is the max size picture that can be posted please ..??

[Backerther]

Allen A,


It's a really nice boat model if assembled suitably for RC conversion use. 
I have ever built the same boat a year before, which building steps were posted far below in this column in detail.
One point I should say for your safe run on the water in the future is power system.
You had better replace the reduction gear made by plastics for twin screws props with other methods.
This is a fast running model boat that will require high RPM with a motor and the plastic-made gears will surely
go damaged fatally on the water. Yes, she will stop on the water and drift away far away by the wind unless an adequate
rescue is made quickly.   
My PT-109 is running well enough at 7.4V with twin 540 standard Mabuchi motors water cooled.

[Allen A]

That look s nice .. thank you ...


Truth to tell the purist in me would like to 'put it right' ... but as I said in my initial post, you get what you pay for and in reality I did get a bit of a lemon I think, not something that cant be fixed witness the fact I'm having a go at it, and of course it is a learning curve too, but the way the motor, screw and rudder has been fitted as a single motor system doesn't leave a lot of room for restoring to a twin engine drive, looks like he has actually drilled a hole where there wasn't/shouldn't be one to fit the single motor and shaft .. the two attached pics being somewhat self explanatory perhaps .. ?
I take your point on the plastic gearing etc and will keep an eye on it, my first outings and test run will be in small and easily accessible area should I need to make a rescue attempt 


I bit the bullet a bit and yesterday bought an as new, boxed Italeri 1/35 version, basically it came with two books on PT boats that I wanted but the seller wouldn't split them, I was going to sell the kit on, but as I say this re-build ( I wont say restoration) I'm attempting is a learning curve so may well keep and build the new one as it should be and with twin motor drive .. watch this space as they say !

[Backerther]

These two pics are large and clear enough to show how present conditions are.!
And a single motor drive system I think is much better than twin screw system to use kit-furnished plastic gears
in the original Lindberg style in terms of secure sailing.


 

[Allen A]

Advice please people ..


I got the new speed controller today and have fitted it, (carefully and with no bare wires around) Got power sorted and motor into Ch 2 on the receiver which corresponds to the up and down movement on right hand self centering control stick on the transmitter for forward and reverse .. but .. no matter what channel I plug the servo into I am getting no response at all to left/right movement on right hand stick and none at all on left hand stick ..... also got the servo tester today BTW and have tested the servo and it is working .. soooo  .. what am I doing wrong please .. ??