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Model Boats Website
RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
3 Photos · 25 Likes · 13 Comments
Boat Length
34" (86.36 cm)
Motor Type
Brushed
Drive Type
Direct
Props
Single
Max Amps
15A
Battery Type
NiCad
Battery mAh
5Ah (5,000 mAh)
Prop Type
3 Blade
Prop Size
15mm
2 years ago by 🇬🇧 PeteJev
I purchased this unused very early kit at a car boot sale for £3.50!!!! over 30 years ago and laid the keel, bulkheads & stringers in the early 90's. It then went up in the garage loft until 2021 during lockdown when it was resurrected and work has progressed. I had been an avid aero modeller but that had been abandoned when I took up classic car restoration in 1994, so now I have more time on my hands I thought it would be a good idea to get this model finished. Even after all this time (kit over 50 years old) the ply and timber all in good condition with only minor delamination (surely a testament to kit suppliers of old) I have nearly completed the hull, decking and superstructure and trial fitted the propshaft and motor. I am struggling with getting the rubbing strakes right at the moment, planning to use steam bent 1/8" obechi and cyno glue with six pairs of hands!! I am planning to seal the hull and use aerosol spray paint. Father Christmas gave me a full set of deck fittings but that is a long way off. Also noticed a recent post about the Mid Thames Boat Club which is not too far from me, so planning to make contact and get a bit more advice. Really pleased I found this website as it helps a lot. I will keep you in touch with the progress Happy New Year everybody Pete 
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
1 year ago by 🇺🇸 chugalone100 (
 Sub-Lieutenant)✧ 37 Views · 0 Likes
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Yo my opinion, the £3.50 You spent many years ago, it was one of your best investment and now it’s paying off.
Great looking model with very slick lines, I like it. I will follow your model till completion. Best of luck. Jul ▲
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Remove Ads 💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
1 year ago by 🇬🇧 PeteJev (
 Master Seaman)✧ 30 Views · 4 Likes
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Hi just to let you know I am still progressing albeit very slowly. I took advantage of a very large rainwater puddle at the bottom of my garden to check water tightness. All good and very pleased to see that it floated. I have just started to do the windows and portholes glazing and surrounds it seem to be taking an age. Enjoy the good weather Pete
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Trident73
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
1 year ago by 🇬🇧 flaxbybuck (
 Captain)✧ 47 Views · 1 Like
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Its looking good Pete. I'm a bit surprised at your choice of paints because the different mediums used do not always agree with each other. Have you noticed any reaction when using acrylic on enamel or vise versa ?🙄
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chugalone100
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
1 year ago by 🇬🇧 PeteJev (
Master Seaman)✧ 48 Views · 8 Likes
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Hi all I seem to be working in parallel with Neil W my ancient fire boat kit is in a similar stage of painting. I decided to aerosol spray paint and after 2coats of sanding sealer and 2 coats of Isopon grey filler primer both inside and out the red underside (2 coats) was Rust-oleum Balmoral acrylic and the black 2 coats of Hammerite smooth. Just doing the cabin roofs in white again using the acrylic craft enamel. I am planning to spray the whole boat with clear varnish as the final finish. (Question should I do this after all the deck fittings have been installed) One other task is the glazing and window surrounds, I am using the SLEC pre-cut system but with no instructions I am planning to glue the glazing in 1st to the openings and then put the surrounds on after. (is this the best way?) at this rate I might be operational later this year.
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
2 years ago by 🇬🇧 DuncanP (
 Lieutenant)✧ 84 Views · 0 Likes
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Hi Stephen. In response to your query about the water outlet it comes out at the side of the boat directly in line with the black ESC. The water intake is immediately behind the prop.
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
2 years ago by 🇬🇧 DuncanP (
Lieutenant)✧ 86 Views · 3 Likes
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Hi Pete. In response to your query here are some photos of my installation. Immediately behind the wheel house I have the battery installed laterally against the bulkhead and held in place with velcro (not shown in photo). It's a 2200mAh Lipo battery. Also in here is a water-cooled ESC. The next 2 compartments have the motor and a plastic box containing the RX and a r/c switch for the spotlight. Also the rudder servo is mounted here. The rear compartment has the rudder and a battery box with 2x AAA batteries for the spotlight. There is no other ballast. Hope this is helpful. Cheers Duncan
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
2 years ago by 🇬🇧 PeteJev (
Master Seaman)✧ 94 Views · 1 Like
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Hi Duncan P many thanks for that additional info, that was a similar strategy I used for the hull skinning so I will try that again with the rubbing strakes. Have you any photos of the RC and motor installations as I have not yet decided on the locations of the kit. Also did you need to ballast the boat. Thanks Pete
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Colin H
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
2 years ago by 🇬🇧 DuncanP (
Lieutenant)✧ 95 Views · 6 Likes
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Hiya,
Further to my earlier reply I perhaps should have said that on taking the strips out of the steamer I immediately fastened them to the hull shape using automotive (stronger) masking tape and left them until they had fully dried out. I then attached them as I mentioned previously with Deluxe Materials Roket Max thick cyano glue. I can see from another post that someone questioned using cyno glue but I haven't had any problems with it coming adrift even though it was bonding to paint rather than bare wood. The photo shows the crash tender prior to the spray rail being fitted and you can see a lot of water ends up on the deck! The video shows the boat now running at a much better angle and very little water finding its way onto the decks.😊 Cheers Duncan. 
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Colin H
RNinMunich
PeteJev
MouldBuilder
pressonreguardless
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
2 years ago by 🇬🇧 johnf (
 Warrant Officer)✧ 120 Views · 3 Likes
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Keep going. I am sure you will find model boat building and sailing far more satisfying - , and much less frustrating than building and almost immediately and invariably afterwards crashing model planes.
Welcome on board! John. 😊😊 ▲
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PeteJev
MouldBuilder
Martin555
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
2 years ago by 🇬🇧 Colin H (
 Fleet Admiral)✧ 125 Views · 4 Likes
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RodC, here is a link that should explain your query about RAF fire boats.
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Nerys
DuncanP
MouldBuilder
Martin555
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
2 years ago by 🇭🇺 MouldBuilder (
 Vice Admiral)✧ 127 Views · 1 Like
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Looking really good so far. I would, however, question the use of cyano glue for this purpose. I will wait for others with far more experience than me with wood, but I do believe there are far better ways to do the bonding.
Peter. ▲
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Colin H
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Remove Ads 💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
2 years ago by 🇨🇦 RodC (
Lieutenant)✧ 125 Views · 2 Likes
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Thru out my reading of posts here I hav seen multiple references to "RAF fire boats". I recently purchased this complete,running model from another member of MMM...Metro Marine Modellers...here in Toronto,Canada. Is this a RAF fireboat? Can someone please explain what/who "RAF fire boats" are?? I thought RAF=Royal Air Force,am I correct in assuming this?Or am I missing something? & why does the RAF have so many? Growing up in Toronto I seem to recall the City having one fireboat,under the municipal fire dept,to deal with houses on the Toronto Islands & industrial fires along the waterfront.
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MouldBuilder
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💬 Re: RAF Fire Boat 34" Original Keil Kraft Kit
2 years ago by 🇬🇧 DuncanP (
Lieutenant)✧ 128 Views · 7 Likes
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Hiya,
I too have this kit which got mothballed for many years until the lockdown. I had built it in my 20's (I'm now 72) and then decided to refurbish it during the lockdown for something to do! Having done a test run at the local model boat club I decided to fit a splash rail because it was nose diving a bit and getting lots of splashes on the decks. I used a wallpaper steam with some sink waste pipe with a rag pushed in the end. This softened the 1/8" strips enough to allow it to bend around the shape of the hull. I used a form of superglue and just did a few inches at a time and used strips of masking tape to assist with holding it in place. This spray rail made a massive difference! You will have the advantage of gluing the rail wood to wood whereas mine was already painted. Hope this is helpful to you. Please get in touch if you want any further information. Good luck! 
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