34" 1968 Fireboat built as a Practical Electronics Proj
My Dad built this Fireboat 40 years ago, following the Practical Electronics magazine article. I watched as he built the plywood boat then built the discrete electronics; it was full of batteries but was great fun. I later fitted the 2-channel radio and then dad repainted it blue? its now time to give it some TLC and get it back as it should be.
Where do you sail your boat?... Where you can get the best pictures.
1/36 scale LA Fireboat #2 challenges the Portland Fire Bureau's 1927 fire boat, David Campbell, at the Portland Maritime Heritage Festival 2008.
We Lost...New pumps for next year though. - - - 1/36 scale model uses twin graupner voith schneider drives, and twin ESC. Main power is 12volts for the drives, and auxillary pump, and one 6v for the main monitor pump.
This is my latest project, bought for spares, but I wanted a challenge, so I'm putting her back to how she should look. She's a old one I do not know the make but she is of a equivalent size to my other Fire Floats...
Any info appreciated..
Have added a photo of rudder set up any comments??
HI I have a Fire Boat like this, but did not know about its origins I find it much easier to work on than the Aerokits model. I must remember that it is a Norstar Kit. Regards Graham
HI well due to poor health , I actually sold this boat ( about 2 years ago ) The guy that bought it is also on this site. if I can ffind his name/email , 'll send it to you..
Regards Bob J 😀 😡 👍
Model Aerokits Fire Tender built up over the last few years. (You may have seen the "Find Bob" competition on this site and incase your wondering, Bob is the character operating the water monitor!
For more useless information you may be interested to know how he got his name? To get straight to the point his head is spring loaded!
This is one of the old aerokits models, it was only partly built when I had it at first (the hull only) but four years on and it works great. The added features are a water pump, which, yes is most definitely more fun! Also a horn from action kit, some say they are not as good as jjc-electronics, but in my experience it is great, I have also added L.E.D. lights shown here and the latest addition is the voice box (as I call it), great fun.
I rescued my PT Boat from EBAY in August 2005. it was owned by a young boy in Birmingham whose Dad had built if for him. it is an original Aerokits kit Fast Patrol Boat. When I bought the boat it had a sound hull with a few damaged fittings, which I removed. Since then I have made new guns, extended the front cabin to carry the life raft to make it look like a late World War II Elco PT Boat and added other new fittings.
I have made 6 working exhausts in brass tubing, have fitted a new open prop shaft running an Octura race prop and a Merco 61 glow engine. it still needs torpedos, guard rails around the machine gun turrets and a few other fittings. The number 349 is from an original Pacific Theatre 80' Elco PT Boat whose name in Bee Bee, which I hope to add at a later date.
I have also painted it in an original Pacific Theatre camouflage from a PT Boat book which I bought for reference and to make it look like a standoff scale model. This boat was also photographed by the local Burton Upon Trent newspaper at the Fireboat day in September 2006. I ran this boat at the Burton Model Boat Club's Fireboat day in September 2006 briefly until I broke the exhaust manifold and had to retire it early.
The Sea Queen is an original Aerokits kit from the early 1960's. it was built by my Dad in the early 1960's. it was originally fitted with an ED Seaotter, next it had a Channel island Special, then a 15cc Gannett and finally fitted with the OS 80 which it still has fitted today.
I sail at King Lear Lake at Watermead County Park in Wanlip Leicestershire. it sat in my attic for 22 years and 2 years ago I dragged it out and gave it a bit of TLC and started to use it again and it has been ran most weekends for the last 2 years.
I ran this boat virtually all day of the Burton Model Boat Club's Fireboat day in September 2006. it is currently in dry dock having a full de-barnacle and repaint.
If I may suggest, a 21 size engine will be far too small and you'll be disappointed if you want it to plane, you would need something more like a 52 or even a 61 for a 46" hull. Moreover with the monotonous high pitch whine they'd also sound and therefore look pretty un-realistic. With an abundance of highly efficient brushed or brushless electric motors now on the market, electric is really now the way to go. Although initially electric propulsion is a bit more expensive to set up than I.C. electric motors are now equally as powerful as I.C.,if not more so, and there is a size to suit practically any model. They are also extremely reliable and convenient and due to environmental issues you are going to have a far greater choice of sailing locations to choose from and with the bonus that your model will always stay clean!
