Tornado - an experiment!

Having finished Victoria - she's ready for a maiden voyage when the weather co-operates   - I have been looking around for another project. There are a couple of kits I would like to build, but they go too quickly and it gets expensive   .

I found, on ebay, a plan for Tornado, described as a patrol boat. It is designed to be built mainly in balsa, but I don't like balsa   , so I'm going to try to make it in plasticard. The original is diagonally planked, but looking at the bulkheads, I reckon I can get away with 0.75 mm card in sheets.

This is the plan


There does appear to be a problem with the design as the inboard end of the prop shaft is below the water line, so I plan to adjust that, and also shorten it so that I can fit a single rudder behind the prop.

Maybe it will prove to be not successful, but its worth a try as I have the plastic card.

Barrie

go for it Barrie...after the success of your last model, I'm sure that this will be a cracker. neil.

              

Looks an interesting challenge in plasticard Barrie.  What size is she - cant see from the plans but I am guessing at around 550-600mm?

Actually about 38 cms ! If I can get the hull built, then I think it will be OK. It was designed before RC, so I will need to modify the access to get everything in.

I have ordered a prop shaft, when it comes I can decide on the angle and then the motor placing. I plan to use a 380 motor with probably a 6 volt supply from AA cells with a Micro Viper ESC. The steering servo will be a miniature, and if necessary I'll buy a miniature Rx, if an Orange one wont fit.

Barrie

I have a miniature Planet 2.4 rx laying around if you were on Planet 2.4.

Thanks for the offer but I do actually have two miniature Spektrum compatibles in other models that I could use, however they only cost about £6. I use Spektrum and Radiolink, tending to concentrate on Spektrum now that cheap Orange receivers are available - generally costing less than Radiolink and better quality I think.

Barrie

Today I started work! I cut out the bulkheads and chine and inwale formers. I also cut the keel in one piece - actually two of them as I thought it needed to be thicker than 1.5mm. When I did this I didn't have the propshaft which is why its in one piece. However, I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived in the post this morning. I only ordered it yesterday and expected 2nd class post, but it came 1st   Well done to Riverside Models who also packed it in a strong box so no damage.

I tried a dry run assembling the components as you will see in this photo.



There are still some adjustments to make and I can now cut the slot for the prop shaft. So far its looking OK.

Barrie

I have cut the propshaft slot and added doublers to stiffen it. I was planning to use a bought 2mm shaft and tube, but realised that I didn't have enough thickness for the tube, so will use 3mm OD brass tube with the shaft from the bought unit.
I have now glued all the formers in place - they will need to strengthening with a mixture of dissolved plasticard.



I also made the rudder from some brass strip and rod. It may be too long, but I wont know until I get the prop shaft installed.



Barrie

The inwales and chine formers have been fitted and all joints strengthened with 'mixture'. There is a lot of trimming to do, but its is quite a rigid structure now. I have drilled a hole for the rudder post and the tube and collets for the prop shaft came today, so they can be fitted next session. I will then need to work out a mounting for the motor. There is plenty of room for my proposed 5 x AA battery pack and the servo. I think it is time to order my ESC so I can see how that will fit in.

Barrie

The motor is now installed - permanently     - I don't think it will be possible to remove it and replace once the hull is skinned. I had to carve a chunk out of the keel to get it low enough.
I also made and fitted a mount for the rudder servo, and made up a tiller from a collet and some brass strip. I have trimmed the chine formers ready for skinning. I think I am going to fit the sides first as this will give a better surface for the bottoms to stick to.



Barrie

Looking good 
I'm amazed at how fast your builds progress Barrie well done.          

Damien,

I guess I'm not a perfectionist, so don't agonise over the small details and imperfections.  Although you have all been very kind in your comments about my builds, none of you have seen them in the flesh so to speak ;)Also I get bored pretty quickly, so things have to move on  . I usually spend about 2 hours a day maybe 4 - 5 days a week modelling.

Anyway, today's progress. After cutting some templates in card, I set about skinning the hull.

I decided to fit the sides first as that gave me a better fixing area for the bottoms. They went on reasonably well, and after the glue has had chance to dry completely they will need sanding and filling. Then to decide what to do about the superstructure. If I build as the plans, then I think there will be limited internal access, so I may have to change that.



Barrie

Today I gave the hull a quick spray with primer to reveal any serious imperfections. I find it quite difficult to see these on a white plastic hull   

Barrie

The deck is now fitted and a 2mm half-round beading run round the join but I don't think it will show on these photos.  I then fitted a coaming so that I can make the whole superstructure removable rather than just the cabin roofs.



I have also made a mock-up of the superstructure in card. I had to adjust the sizes to take account of the different material used. I need to cut an access panel in the rear deck - maybe this would have been better done before sticking it down, but I wasn't sure where it should go.    



Barrie

I cut an access hatch in the stern deck this morning - much easier than I expected   It is covered with an oversize piece of card held in place with square section plastic strip on the underside making a tight fit in the hole. I think it will be sufficiently water tight and allows good access to the servo and tiller. I need to adjust the tiller. The hole I drilled for the linkage ids too big, so creates slop in the rudder. I shall try some heatshrink on the link rod to see if that cures it - easier than making a new tiller   
I also cut the basic cabin pieces - front, rear and two sides - which have been glued together. There are three intermediate bulkheads to go in to make it more rigid, then the roofs. Its only 0.75 mm plastic card, so I hope it will be rigid enough.

Barrie

              

Thanks Damien - I'm actually trying to go slow on this build, but it progressing pretty quickly  

Barrie

After another couple of hours today, I now have all the cabin bulkheads in place and the roof on the rear cabin. There will be some adjustments needed once the glue has dried completely and the front end has been completed. At the moment the structure doesn't sit quite right on the deck   

Barrie



Apologies for the picture quality - its is quite difficult to get sharp photos with the current lighting conditions. If I try with the model in the sun, then its all washed out because of the white shiny plastic card, in the shade I don't have much depth of field    Also I am reluctant to take my decent camera into the workshop, so am using a fairly old 4 mega pixel one.

Today I finished the cabin. It is waiting for all the glue to harden, then it will need some filling and sanding, but I think it looks OK. I was sure I had a small ships wheel in my bits box, but can't find it so will have to buy one   

I gave the bottom of the hull a coat of paint - not quite red oxide, but near and I had a tin - I am never sure which Humbrol colour is best for the underwater area. I now need to decide where to put the water line as its not shown on the drawing. I think the top of the hull will be either dark blue or black. The cabin will be white, with possible a blue stripe. I suspect this boat is intended to represent a naval patrol boat and should be grey, but I don't do grey boats    

Barrie

I seem to have a problem   The paint I put on the hull yesterday has still not dried hard. I am sure I have used Humbrol enamels over Halfords yellow primer before. I have brought it inside to see if a bit of warmth will harden it, if not it looks as though I will be scraping it off tomorrow   

Barrie

Don't rush it Barrie.  I would leave it days until I was sure it wasn't going 'off'.
Humbrol is quite good paint but if it's thick then it needs time.

Cheers

Ken

Thanks Ken - a bit of warmth overnight has done the trick    I will not be applying a second coat until Monday, but I have applied masking tape so that I could paint the sides. We'll have to see if that brings off the paint   

On the final straight now - windows glazed, mast built, life rings and ventilators painted ready for fixing. I rather think this will fit in the alternative test tank - a washing up bowl - for its ballasting trials.

Regards,

Barrie

      

hi barrie ,
              I like these old plans in the magazines, after 30 odd years the styles haven't really changed much , this has worked out great you must be pleased with it.
You must be like me now, with that many boats what to do next I have half my garage full of boats,

david

Yes David - its turning out well. I selected it largely on the basis that it was hard chine and therefore suitable for plastic card construction. I think I should have used thicker card for the hull and cabin sides, but that may have made it too heavy.
Its almost finished. I did a little this morning as I got up too late to go sailing and it was also very wild.   I had planned to paint the hull bottom again, but noticed I hadn't got the water line even on both sides so had to touch one side up first - I've also run out of masking tape  

I now have about 16 boats including this one. I really must sell one or two as my workshop is full. I have set myself a maximum size of about 24 inches so that they don't take up too much space, but that's only for new ones - I have some bigger than that  I have also sold at least that number of boats already.

Barrie

My masking tape arrived this morning, so I was able to finish painting the hull and add a stripe round the cabin. I'm still waiting for a ships wheel, then I can finish it off. The fittings are still to be glued, and the hull needs some varnish, but it should be ready for a sail at the weekend, weather permitting   

Barrie

looking excellent Barrie...........I'll bet she flies...........top job.
neil.

Excellent Barrie.                  

You have made a smashing job of that.  She looks great.    

Cheers

ken

Thanks ! I don't think she's going to fly though Neil. I could only fit a nondescript motor in her so I suspect she will be quite sedate - which is OK as my reactions aren't fast enough for high speed    

Barrie

For various reasons she didn't get wet at the weekend    However I have finished the painting and just need to see if she floats.

On Saturday my next project arrived.



This is completely different. A kit made in Czechoslovakia with instructions in German and entirely wood. This will involve plank on frame and much carving of balsa blocks for bow and stern and a fretsaw to cut out the parts - no laser or die cutting here  
Quite a bit different to Tornado! I don't intend to do much before I go on holiday in March and will start a new thread when I do. First job is to see if its possible to translate the instructions using a scanner and Google   If not there are some very good exploded drawings showing where all the parts go.

Barrie

Very nice Barrie. And very quick turnaround too!!  But no loss of quality for such a quick build.  Looks like it will be a nice fun sail too.

Thanks - it was a bit too quick, but at least it was quite cheap    I thought it would take longer - however the next one will definitely be a lot slower   

Barrie

Well, I finally got Tornado in the water last Sunday. As I suspected the motor was underwhelming    A really pedestrian performance, so when I got home I stripped all the electrics out of it for use in Artur   

Barrie