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Electric ducted fan driven Bluebird
hi there, this is a project which I have been working on. It began as a feasibility study to see if it is possible to drive a scale model Bluebird with a ducted fan. As people were saying, the air intake required for the fan to perform at 100% and larger than the ones available on the scale Bluebird. That is why you see on certain videos and in model magazines, a stand-off style Bluebird, with a very large/over scaled air intake.
So, this was my assignment. I achieved it - I would say by 97%.
I overcame the airflow intake problem by manufacturing the canopy from some aluminium mesh and also either side of the canopy on the deck there are 2 openings which are covered in mesh. This seems to give me sufficient airflow for the fan. The fan is 80 mm diameter running on 22 volts and the model is 1/8 scale. It has been clocked by the satellite GPS (which is fitted onboard) at 31 mph which is quite acceptable in my books.
John
JOHN
2 years ago
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virgin boat
new boat
JOHN
3 years ago
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HMS AJAX
1/96 HMS ajax
This model was built approx 20 year ago from Norman Ough plans also other various sources were used. It is plank on frame construction with revolving gun turrets and torpedo tubes. She is now really due a refit as she is a bit dusty and worn out - you will see her in her prime - alongside HMS Nelson which was built at 1:96 scale by a friend of mine Brian Chambers. The next 2 pics you can see her in the garage alongside HMS Exeter. She is actually depicted when she came from USA after a major refit when her new secondary armour and upgraded radar were fitted. Note the catapult and spotter plane were removed on that refit.
JOHN
4 years ago
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MTB from a Model Boats plan
Here are a couple of pics of my MTB which I built from a freebie plan which was in Model Boats - the plans were by Glyn Guest. We had it on the lake last Sunday for a run around - she has a 540 motor fitted; an Mtroniks 15 amp speed controller; and can run for a good while on 7.2 300 mAh batteries
JOHN
6 years ago
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Virgin Atlantic Challenger
Hi there, this is the only pic I have of Virgin Atlantic Challenger on the water, which I built from 'free' plans in a model boats magazine - built all of lite ply - powered by 7.4 NiCad batteries - and there is a Race 5
JOHN
6 years ago
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(Naval Ship) HMS PENELOPE
This model was made by me from Glyn Guest plans - I made this a good few year ago. Of all the scale models I have built I like this one. When you take a scale model to the lake you have to be so careful not to damage anything - with this one you just put the model in the back of the car and throw it in the water - well not literally (you have to drive down to the lake first) - many hours of enjoyment. (Motor: MFA) (5/10)
JOHN
6 years ago
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(Working Vessel) MV DUBURG
scratch built model from Jim Pottinger plans - I made this several years ago - plank on frame and the hull is double planked. 1:96 scale/ (Motor: MFA 550) (5/10)
JOHN
6 years ago
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(Other) RTTL 2751
model was originally built by myself using a mixture of Vic Smeed plans and photographs/plans from a gent called Christian - my model is double-planked. Outer planking is scale sized; props both drive the same way as in the original boats. (ESC: ACTion) (8/10)
JOHN
6 years ago
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Electric ducted fan Bluebird
hi there, this is a project which I have been working on. It began as a feasibility study to see if it is possible to drive a scale model Bluebird with a ducted fan. As people were saying, the air intake required for the fan to perform at 100% and larger than the ones available on the scale Bluebird. That is why you see on certain videos and in model magazines, a stand-off style Bluebird, with a very large/over scaled air intake.
So, this was my assignment. I achieved it - I would say by 97%.
I overcame the airflow intake problem by manufacturing the canopy from some aluminium mesh and also either side of the canopy on the deck there are 2 openings which are covered in mesh. This seems to give me sufficient airflow for the fan. The fan is 80 mm diameter running on 22 volts and the model is 1/8 scale. It has been clocked by the satellite GPS (which is fitted onboard) at 31 mph which is quite acceptable in my books.
John
JOHN
2 years ago
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A QUICK BUILD IN PICTURES OF HMS EXETER
Hi ya, rather than bore everyone with loads of written words of how I did this, that and the other - they say a picture says a thousand things - so here are a few pics - John
JOHN
6 years ago
Recent Posts
๐ Help identify a part completed project
1 month ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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Hi there
Just to give you some idea of what can be achieved with the internals of the boat, without removing the deck - these models require a small amount of power to push them along at quite a speed. So, in this model that I built there was a 385/400 MFA motor driving a 35mm 4 bladed brass prop. I used (I think it was a 7.2 NiCad battery). Bear in mind this model was built in the 90s - the weird looking circuitry either side of the motor on the strip board is an actual home made speed controller. As you can see, there is a standard servo which I fitted and a miniature receiver. There is also room for a power supply of 4.5 volt for the radio gear.
With today's new technology and cheaper speed controllers from China - which we will all have to buy awfully quickly - so we have plenty in stock for future projects - I can see no problems with fitting out this little model.
One thing to note with the model I built, it was plank on frame and not balsa wood.
The funnel was made from a 'Haliborange vitamin C tube'.
John
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๐ Help identify a part completed project
1 month ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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Hi ya there,
Thank you for your kind comments. The model has been made for a while now - something like 20 0dd years - the figures are 1:35 Tamiya make and I think they are the loading crew off the flack gun (if I remember rightly). I think the figure standing at the side with a blue suit on, came from Deans Marine, because he is made from white metal. I have been on the Deans site - but - I cannot find any at 1:35 scale, only at 1:24 and some smaller - as in 1:96 scale.
I have heard reports that the figures you receive, you may have to do a good bit of work on them to make them look respectable. I Hope this helps.
John
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๐ Help identify a part completed project
1 month ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
That model looks remarkably like a Vic Smeed design of a Customs Launch - which was a free plan many moons ago in Model Boats Magazine. There is also a very similar design / model which is slightly larger but I believe it is based on a vac formed hull. Similar style customs launch - give me time to wake up ๐ and I will look for some photographs and plan references.
The plan was first published in the Model boats mag in Jan 1982 ๐
https://www.sarikhobbies.com/product/guardsman/ |
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๐ Bluebird K-7 Obsession
2 months ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
A Plan for a Jet X powered semi scale Bluebird is available from a Company located in Canada who may be producing the plans.
Next picture Don Walkenshaw's gas turbine driven Bluebird K7 - early version.
john
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๐ Bluebird K-7 Obsession
2 months ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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Hi there
I think the maximum speed I would be able to achieve with this model of Bluebird would be possibly 45 to 50 mph that would really be stretching it.
Long story - but I don't fancy the idea of taking more yachts out at the lakeside ๐๐ฎ
For the novice; the basic principal of a ducted fan is a propeller in a tube - what volume of air & speed is pushed out at the back end. It is not increased in volume - it is just whatever goes in the front - comes out at the back - at the same volume and speed.
Unlike a jet engine - where the air is expanded in a gas form and accelerated at a greater speed.
Therefore, with a ducted fan, your critical factor is the power to weight ratio, so, the all up weight of my model Bluebird is just over 4 llb and that is with the batteries in the model. The thrust of the ducted fan is roughly about 6 - 7 llb. Giving a ratio of about 1.75 llb.
To get more speed, I would somehow have to drop the weight of the vessel, or, increase the thrust.
If you want a good headache, my next model which I am in the process of testing further is John Cobb's Crusader (1955). This has 100 mm ducted fan and is a running on 44 volts. It refuses to plane properly - when she starts off she creates such a spray it sucks a lot of water into the fan and therefore flooding the model.
I have sent off for lighter batteries and I am thinking about repositioning the centre of gravity & all sorts. Later this year I think for retesting.
John
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๐ Bluebird K-7 Obsession
2 months ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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My model is 1/8 scale - and the ducted fan is 80 diameter - with 12 blades. Running on 2 voltages for testing - the first was run on 14.8 batteries just to find out the characteristics of how she handled. Then when I was happy and ironed out a few faults, I upgraded the batteries up to 11.1 giving a total voltage of 22.2 volts. Now all I need is a BIGGER lake, to allow the model to achieve its top speed. As I was having to throttle it down 1/3 of the way down the length of the lake cos she ran on 'no power' for a good distance.
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๐ Bluebird K-7 Obsession
2 months ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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new vid of Bluebird K7
JOHN
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๐ Bluebird K-7 Obsession
2 months ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
a ducted fan driven Bluebird is not a simple matter - I myself spent a good few years doing a lot of research -collecting plans and data from all over the place. Any person who is confessing to have built or is building an exact scale of Bluebird K7 to be driven by a ducted fan - I myself would be very sceptical. The reason I come up with this statement is I have done it myself and built the model. My model is pretty successful. My model is driven by a 80 mm ducted fan and I think it was 2 x 6S lipo batteries. The model is made basically from very lite ply and balsa wood. I had to think of a way to increase the flow of air into the ducted fan as on the model the canopy (if it is solid) will restrict airflow (only on a ducted fan and not gas turbine).
The way I worked around it, the canopy is of a mesh, and under the canopy is a hollow tube which runs to the fan and either side of the canopy there is an opening in the deck to allow more airflow.
The model I built achieved approximately 37 - 38 mph. However, the size of the lake restricted me from keeping the power on. I do have a couple of photographs which I will put on.
Also, if you go onto my 'harbour' have a look at the short video and couple of pictures of the build which I put on Mayhem.
There are a set of plans for her which are available on the web also, you may be able to obtain a set of plans from the Bluebird Society which is in the Lake District (Ruskin museum).
john
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๐ฌ Re: Starting to plank the hull
2 months ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
One thing about diagonal planking - you do seem to be going on forevermore putting planks on - getting no where and all of a sudden it is done.
I myself have diagonally planked several hulls; even the one you are building the RTTL hull - and I tend to add stringers from bow to stern - maybe 2 on the side and 2 on the top - of each side of the hull. This serves 3 purposes; 1 it aides a bit more strength to the hull, 2 you can follow the true shape of the hull as in concave of the bottom and on the sides, 3 it gives you an extra place to clamp your planks to.
If you have a look at my photographs in my profile, you will see the RTTL model which I built there.
Are you making it twin prop? or, some of these vessels were triple props if you want a bit more excitement.
Good luck with the planking and the model. It is a lovely model to sail.
John
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๐ Kitshack Vosper 28โ RTTL
8 months ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
Nice project to start on. I am unsure if you are aware of the history of these boats. I found the more you delve into the history of them, the more complicated (shall we say) they become. Some of the boats began life as a Hants and Dorset hull with 3 motors and shafts and ended up having only 2 motors as they were converted. One I do know was fitted with an Oerlikon gun on the rear cabin. They were a bit notorious for splitting the hull open, as they were prone to diving off waves; this was due to the fact that both props and shafts turned in the same direction giving the hull a corkscrew movement. Some hulls were fitted with a wedge shape right at the rear to try and help with this effect. I built a model of the RTTL a good while ago; and I believe it is in my profile dockyard. Here are a couple of photographs which I have managed to find on my computer. I know my build of my model was originally on Mayhem - but after a few crashes of Mayhem a good few pictures have gone missing of the build.
There is also one here of the towing target which the RTTL used to tow.
John
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๐ Operating Cranes
1 year ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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Hi there
This is the Crane from my Seaforth Clansman which I built from plans from Model Boats magazine. I also acquired some plans to go with them - so I could have more detail on my model.
The difference between the model which I built and the plans - is - I added a helicopter deck which the life size ship had when she was on loan to the Royal Navy.
The crane on my model operates on 3 continuous rotating servos - 2 miniature ones which actually fit inside the crane - 1 for operating the jib - the other for the crane hook. The 3rd one which is a full sized rotating servo, has been geared down - and this operates the slowing of the crane.
The whole lot was originally going to be controlled via computer but ended up as being manually controlled on my 8 channel Transmitter.
I have no video of the crane being operated on the water, as, to be honest with you - it is a bit of a handful. Still 1 or 2 teething problems to sort out - such as when you turn the transmitter & receiver on - one of the mini servos kicks in and begins to run.
Also, it is a bit nerve wracking when the model is on the water and you slew the crane - the model doesn't have list - even without any weight on the hook ๐ .
At a later date I will have to put some form of counter balance underneath the deck - to work in tandem with the crane.
John
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๐ Servos going crazy
1 year ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
I think the problem here is to do with the pulse width - being slightly different - if you are using a servo, let us say from a well known auction site which comes from China - these servos are a bit notorious for glitching because the electronics tend to look for the centre 'off' position, and this causes them to oscillate back and forwards slightly as they are looking for this signal. I have a Hi Tec sail winch servo which does exactly the same thing when I use it on Futaba set-up transmitter and receiver. However, when I use it on the Hi Tec transmitter and receiver it works perfectly. If you have another spare transmitter and receiver of a different make to the one you are using, it may be worth giving it a try to see what happens to see if the servo still glitches.
John
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๐ Hey Gang, what boat is this?
1 year ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
Yes, Tyne Pilot Boat.
If you send an email off to the Tyne Pilot guys at South Shields at Port of Tyne Authority - they will no doubt be very helpful, as they have been to me in the past with information on boats. No doubt they will be able to supply you with a good bit of information if you ask nicely - you may even obtain some drawings.
Here is a link
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=port+of+tyne+pilot+boat&sca_esv=a56599857971a1 |
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๐ Vic Smeed RTTL Vosper
1 year ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
The actual photograph that Sarik used is actually of the Vosper I built. It is built plank on frame and somewhere on Mayhem Forum - there is a build of my model which I put on there. If you can source the magazine The Model Maker 1958. It was a Christmas special. The plans were inside that mag. I believe it ran over 2 months - the original build by Vic Smeed
https://www.magazineexchange.co.uk/cw/model-maker-magazine-december-1958-issue.h |
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๐ Sealing Balsa & Ply
1 year ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
I am in the camp of the cellulose sand n sealer along with the acrylic sealer as well. In some extreme cases, I will go in with an epoxy resin. Thinned down, to allow it to soak into the balsa wood.
I have found that the cellulose gives a harder finish and is more 'shall we say' 'ding' resistant than the acrylic. The acrylic does tend to be a bit softer - as you can sometimes (if you stick your nail into it) it will leave a mark.
The epoxy can give you a really hard finish The only thing I can think of on the minus side - is to be careful of when you purchase your sand n sealer, there are brands on the market which are used in wood working, as in building furniture and soforth. This has a slight wax in it.
John
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๐ ANATOMY OF THE ESC FOR BRUSHED MOTORS. HOW THEY ARE MADE AND HOW THEY WORK IN THE DETAIL OF THEIR EL
1 year ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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๐๐
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๐ ANATOMY OF THE ESC FOR BRUSHED MOTORS. HOW THEY ARE MADE AND HOW THEY WORK IN THE DETAIL OF THEIR EL
1 year ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
As usual, when you are looking for one thing - you find another - I was looking for the Maplins circuit diagram, I came across two 'old' Electronize circuit diagrams. These can hold up to 15 amp.
Somewhere, I do have a circuit diagram for a PIC chip speed controller but you do have to have the ability to programme the PIC chip. There are bound to be codes for the PIC chip on line though.
So, I will keep on looking for the other circuit diagrams.
I am easily distracted and find something interesting and my mind wanders off....
see what I mean about my mind wandering off. I will have to find the components pages now to see what the value are of the components..... oh well busy is the happiest way to be as the old song also says - they are coming to take me away haha!
๐๐๐
John
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๐ ANATOMY OF THE ESC FOR BRUSHED MOTORS. HOW THEY ARE MADE AND HOW THEY WORK IN THE DETAIL OF THEIR EL
1 year ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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well hello there, as you can gather, the majority of modern day speed controllers rely on pic chips at their heart. These basically replaced the Phillips ZN409CE chip, this chip used to be the main stay of all 'old' pulse speed controllers.
Now, if you can get hold of a book - Electronic Projects for Model Boats by Ken Ginn - there are several diagrams in there for speed controllers - which use ZN409E chips. These chips can be found on various auction sites and if you google it they come up on Google some time. The last one I tried to obtain though - was priced at ยฃ30 for one chip!
I do have, somewhere, a circuit diagram for the 'old' Maplins' speed controller. This also uses a ZN409E chip. This speed controller was only rated at 5 amp.
John
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๐ Bidirectional motor speed reduction circuit
2 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there Lew
I have a feeling, my friend, you may have to bite the bullet with this one and alter the gearing to slow the crane down. I have been reading back through the posting and it does look like an 'all in one' circuit board that you are working with - very difficult to alter / tamper with.
I suppose though the other alternative would be - to gut the old electronics out and replace with say a Futaba receiver. Then, you would obviously have to have speed controller for the tracks on one channel (forward and back of the actual movement of the crane) - then you would require the other 3 channels for the operation of the crane itself and they could be done with small, cheap, speed controllers.
I have done this myself before on a model - but - for the winches on the crane, I used continuous rotating servos with drums attached for the cables & etc.
The speed controllers I bought came from a local Company - and I will try and find the link - because it is a long time since I made this model. I can put the link on for you if I find it.
John
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๐ Bidirectional motor speed reduction circuit
2 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
If you are handy with a soldering iron, I suppose that you could construct this little voltage regulator. This would vary the speed of your motor.
The only downside is that you only have 5 volts input which is on the low side for a lot of I.C control units.
John
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๐ Bidirectional motor speed reduction circuit
2 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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Hi ya Lew
My main concern about what you are trying to do is - the power supply from that circuit board to the crane motor may already be a variable voltage supply, by a pulse with voltage gizmo on the circuit board. Similar to the way the circuitry in a speed controller works. It sends a pulse of signals. I suppose one way of testing would be to replace the motor with a 6 volt bulb. If the bulb dims as you move your lever on your control and it starts to flash, this will be an indication that it is a pulse system. If not, you may be able to replace or fit a little gizmo from China, which I have used quite often and it is a motor speed controller from 'Ali Express'.
I will put a link on here as well, when I refind it for you.
John
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001051202952.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.1. |
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๐ HMS Dido (WW2) 1/96 or 1/128
2 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there
what you need to do is try and find and obtain the drawing from Norman Ough - Norman drew up a set of plans to cover this vessel. They are a bit difficult to get hold of - however, there is an illustration in his book ' The life and ship models of Norman Ough
by Alistair Roach'
If you could enlarge this drawing from the book - it would help you a great deal.
As for fittings, there is a chap who is quite well known, John Haynes, if you find his email address and send him an email. John may help you with bridge fittings - he has helped me a few times - when I built HMS Exeter.
John
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๐ Technical data
2 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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To begin with I used several sets of drawings.
I purchased a CD from a well known site on the web - containing the original drawings of Bluebird (as she was built). Also a few modifications to her.
I purchased a set of plans from the old MAP site; these were of her final disguise.
Then there were several books which I used for reference, which I will list further on for anyone interested.
The materials used for Bluebird model consist of 2mm lite ply and also balsa wood. Obechi strip used for the majority of the planking. She is also coated in purely 4 coats of Z-Poxy finishing resin.
First thing I did was make myself a true and flat building board to work from.
I made loads of little plywood clamps so I could clamp the base of the hull which is 2mm lite ply flat to the building board.
I didnt want the bottom to distort in any way. Then, I added the 2 internal keel frames which I glued in 90 degrees to the hull bottom. Then I started adding the frame ribs. Not once removing the model from the building board, it had to be kept flat and true.
The next thing I did was to plank the internal thrust tube and this gave the hull immense rigidity because it is made in place and glued through the frames.
The fan: Electric ducted fan and speed controller
This is of an 80 mm internal diameter. 12 blades. Producing (so they say) just under 7 lb of thrust. Running on 22 volts. The speed controller is 120 amp capacity - 24 volt. This is, bearing in mind, all new to me (new territory that is).
Couple of things for anyone new to the ducted fans which I learnt was - what you suck in the front - you can only push out the back of the fan that is ๐ค . The air is not expanded into a gas as in a real jet engine.
The other thing is you can reach (what they would class as a terminal velocity) where if you are lucky enough the fan will be travelling at the same speed as the air it is pulling in. You have to think about this one a bit - as the fan cannot go faster than the air it is pulling in.
We will leave it at that for a moment.
Couple of pics.
Oh, this is a picture of where the servo is mounted for the rudder and it drives the rudder through an aircraft snake.
John
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๐ Electric ducted fan Bluebird
2 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there, this is a project which I have been working on. It began as a feasibility study to see if it is possible to drive a scale model Bluebird with a ducted fan. As people were saying, the air intake required for the fan to perform at 100% and larger than the ones available on the scale Bluebird. That is why you see on certain videos and in model magazines, a stand-off style Bluebird, with a very large/over scaled air intake.
So, this was my assignment. I achieved it - I would say by 97%.
I overcame the airflow intake problem by manufacturing the canopy from some aluminium mesh and also either side of the canopy on the deck there are 2 openings which are covered in mesh. This seems to give me sufficient airflow for the fan. The fan is 80 mm diameter running on 22 volts and the model is 1/8 scale. It has been clocked by the satellite GPS (which is fitted onboard) at 31 mph which is quite acceptable in my books.
John
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๐ Electric ducted fan driven Bluebird
2 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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๐ฌ Re: Identification Help needed British Warship
2 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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hi there, this looks definitely like a Castle Class hull - John Lambert did some drawings for them and also Norman Ough - you may be able to purchase the drawings from Ebay/or someone may have them to borrow.
I am in the process of building one a plank on frame - its one of my many projects on the go.
John
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๐ From plan to board
3 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

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Agree totally with the photocopying and sticking on card, however, one has to be careful - sometimes the printer distort the drawings to fit onto the paper - this is especially evident when using plans from magazines. I believe Martin the Scots Martin as I call him :-) he had a lot of trouble copying frames, due to distortion. So, anyone photocopying - word of caution check there is no distortion.
John
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๐ From plan to board
3 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

Midshipman)
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Hi there
As has been suggested, there are several other methods for transferring from plans to the building materials. It depends on your own self and your own preference. The more practice the better your skills become with less mistakes. Pick a method or try several until you find one which suits you.
I prefer the tracing method - to me this does have several advantages - especially when producing a complicated hull shape. You can lay your tracings on top of each other to ensure your tracings all run true. The other advantage is, when you place the tracing on the materials that you are going to use, you can move them around so you gain the best use from your materials with the least wastage.
Couple of images from a few builds that I have done. If you would like to read through a few complete builds for the beginner - there are a series of builds in the masterclass section of Mayhem. Starting with a very easy Swordsman build and ending with the build of RAF Whaleback - diagonally planked.
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๐ฌ Re: virgin boat
3 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

Midshipman)
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hi there, nice looking model. Yes I built this one as well. It is a pleasure to sail on the lake - if you have a look in My Harbour you will see there are a few photographs of the one I built.
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๐ฌ Re: Virgin Atlantic Challenger I
3 years ago by
๐ฌ๐ง JOHN (

Midshipman)
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hi there, I don't know what went wrong with my posting - but - anyhow, I built this model a few year ago of the original version of Virgin Atlantic Challenger - the one that sank. I had a similar motor setup to what you have in your model and it would never plane properly. I believe the problem to be where the prop tubes exit the hull; behind the last step; there is a build up of vacuum created by the props. This stalls the boat. It makes the boat underperform. In some future time, I intend to remove the prop shafts from my model and move them further back and also to make the prop tube angle slightly steeper to give the props more clearance from the back end.
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