R/C Naval Combat

Ralph and I talked about hull projects again last night. The R Class is out due to having only one rudder after WWI and being butt ugly.

WWI armoured cruiser Blucher is a possibility and Ralph has access to plans.

So far the WWII rebuilt QE/Valiant hull is the front runner for Ralph's next project.

After I've revised the Krasni Krim/Profintern hull plug (Russian CL) and shipped it to Strike Models I'll start the HMS Abdiel cruiser/minelayer plug, which should be a quick build. That'll be followed by the late WWII IJN Amagi hull. Amagi was a CV similar to Hiryu and Soryu.

Bob

For what it is worth, I would love a Normandy (though it is a behemoth, and would probably turn like a lame dog). However, have you considered a Vaterland? Also a large, beautiful ocean liner that can run Axis or Allied. 

Before the US entered WWI she was Axis, but was interned in the US and later converted and used by the US as a troop transport when the US jined the fray, the USS Leviathan (see: http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-civil/civsh-l/leviathn.htm )

Cheers,

At some point somewhere there was (is?) and SMS Emden mould. I have a fiberglass one sitting in my project room about 50% complete. I got the hull from Brian down in SCRAP who had obtained it in a rather dilapidated condition from another source. It's a great little ship with a bit more weight than a DD and some more internal room. Still only 1.5 units, but at 23 secs is fast enough to stay out of too much trouble. I'm looking forward to participating in the Clash of the Titans battle at nats with her. Would be nice to find out where she came from and possibly put the mould back into production.

Posted By Bob Pottle on 21 Oct 2009 10:36 PM

Ralph Coles and I have been talking about new hull projects. Ralph would like to know if anyone would be interested in buying any of the following hulls: 

HMS Eagle - WWII carrier built after WWI on the hull of a Chilean battleship (Almirante Cochrane - sistership of HMS Canada), The bulged main hull could be used to build HMS Canada after her return to Chile as Almirante Latorre and bulging in 1929-1931, though the bulge shapes were not identical.

HMS Victorious, Illustrious, Formidable, Indomitable - the famous WWII British fleet carriers that served in the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans.

Titanic, Olympic, Britannic - the latter two liners served in WWI as a troop transport and a hospital ship

Aquitania - British liner that served as a hospital ship in WWI and troop transport in WWII

Another large WWII liner suitable for use as a convoy ship: Normandy, QE, Queen Mary, Bremen, Europa, etc.

Ralph would prefer to make a carrier and a large liner as his next hull mold projects

Bob

I have a friend who is looking for a HMS Canada Hull oe plans right now!

Wrenow,

I was probably the first person to build and battle an Espana, completing it in 1998. It did very well in NABS battles and was often avoided due to its small turning circle and large amount of extra impenetrable area. In fact, by 1999 it was no longer fun to battle because all the opposing ships were faster and stayed away. I sold 6-8 Espana hulls before selling the mold to Rich Wands of the OAF, but have seen only one other completed Espana, at the 2003 IRCWCC NATS.  

I think the Erin would be at least as good as Espana for R/C naval combat, with more room for equipment installation. Wish I hadn't sold the Espana as there are now several equally slow ships in the local NABS/NATCF fleets. 

Bob

Posted By Bob Pottle on 02 Mar 2010 11:40 AM

Wrenow,

I was probably the first person to build and battle an Espana, completing it in 1998. It did very well in NABS battles and was often avoided due to its small turning circle and large amount of extra impenetrable area. In fact, by 1999 it was no longer fun to battle because all the opposing ships were faster and stayed away. I sold 6-8 Espana hulls before selling the mold to Rich Wands of the OAF, but have seen only one other completed Espana, at the 2003 IRCWCC NATS.  

I think the Erin would be at least as good as Espana for R/C naval combat, with more room for equipment installation. Wish I hadn't sold the Espana as there are now several equally slow ships in the local NABS/NATCF fleets. 

Bob

I agree with you Bob.  I think one of the most interesting characteristics about the Erin is her length to beam ratio.  She's much fatter then most RN dreadnoughts because she was built for the Turks and not constrained by the RN's existing infrastructure.  She's also shorter then her contemporary KGV class RN dreadnoughts, but maintains the twin rudders.  I think the combination of length to beam with the twin ruidders along with 5 turrets to mount guns in would make her one of the more dangerous Allied pig boats.

I'd be tempted to build an Erin if she wasn't so slow, or if there were more slow ships in the local NABS and NATCF fleets. With a bigger, faster Class 5 hull in the pipeline an Erin is out of the question for me as a hull project.

Bob

Hey Stok -
Bowning Shipyards makes an Agincourt (JM had one a while back, that I believe he sold to someone else in the NTXBG). Dreadnought also carries an Agincourt.
Sadly, the luscious little Erin remains unavailable. Though a guy in France has built one from some plans I did up and shared with him. Lovely little ship, methinks, much akin to the USS Texas, another slow, short, tubby potential scrapper in Big Gun. Speaking of the Texas/NY - I heard on the grapevine that Strike has one planned for the future. I seem to recall the unbulged Texas (If he builds that model) is close enough to the Erin (within the 5% rule) to be built up as an Erin with minimal "cobbling." For clubs with the tighter 2.5% rule, probably not (or at least without substantially more cobbling).

While many captains really want speed, some prefer the maneuverability and compactness of these smaller ships. A lot less to wrestle into and out of the watrer and easier to pack into the car or onto a plane when going off to a distant event. Their fun to weight and fun to speed ratio is way up there, IMHO. Even some of our Richelieu/Iowa captains in our club are starting to look longingly at Espana/Texas/Erin/VU type thips (and one VU is in the NTXBG shipyards nearing completion - hopefully battling at NABGO this summer). If Espana can finish her regunning in time, we should have at least those two bitty BBs in the fray.

Cheers,