Fleetscale Yamato

[Irish Yamato]

Hello there everyone,

I have begun work on the Fleetscale Yamato and would like to get to know a few other Modelers who are also building this Canoe of a model.

A little history of my building:
I am an avid modeler, In particular Card models (http://www.cardmodels.net) and battleships. I was into R/C Boats about 10 years ago, then went to college in NYC so sidelined that for a while, Card Models allowed me to continue and my favourites would be the Digital Navy Yamato or Uss Arizona, both @ scale 1/144.(http://www.digitalnavy.com/html/ships.html)

The Fleetscale is a return to R/C ships for me(I am living back in Ireland for now), but there are a few things I would definetly like to throw in for a discussion(4 motors or 2, are the rudders sufficient for the kit).

I think this is the place to discuss it and hopefully you all can help me out.

So question one:

I am undecided about using 2 or the full 4 propellors for powering the kit. Also if I use just the 2 shoudl they be the in-board or out-board props??Im not going to say that price is a problem but I am looking for durability and as much in the water time as possible. Does anyone have any rcommendations?

For now Im just throwing that in...

There will be more...so so much more

Thanks for your time

John John

[ARH]

Why not fit all 4 props and shafts and if you use 2 motors , put a pully wheel on the end of the other 2 shafts and put a belt drive across this will drive all 4 props.

To me the 2 inboard props should be used the ones behind the rudders, this will help with the turning of the ship, I always prefere 4 props 4 motors, ARH

[Victorious]

Take Ron's advice and fit 4, I am building the Marlborough, which is sister to Ron's Iron Duke, and I was debating weather to fit just two or all four.
I have decided to go for all four, as the manouverability factor outweighs the extra cost factor. Using four motors, will put less strain on them and will allow better turning, by reversing one pair and running forward with the other pair.
Long ships, in large scales such as battleships, need quite a large area to turn 180% and by utilising four props, will cut this considerably. I should also imagine that the model will perform more realistically too.

[Kiwimedic]

My experience says use 4 props and 4 motors.
Use two good speed controllers and hook the Port side up to one controller and the Starboard side to the other. Use motors and controllers on the overpowered side of things ................. big models can "sail on the wind" and you need the ability to take control when needed............ You can always throttle back! I am sick of hearing the old adage when a motor is being sold "That should do the job! When it clearly won't."
Buy yourself a computer radio and you can programme it to prop steer. you will have rudder steer also.
I have this on a fleetscale Missouri and I can turn it 360 degrees in its own length in less than half a minute.

[Victorious]

There you are Irish. Your question should be answered for you now

[TommyL]

Almost everyone knows my oppinion on the Yamoto but I'de still like to see pictures.

[Irish Yamato]

Thanks for all your help.

The running set for the ship is all brass (199+shipping Sterling) for 4 props and shafts, the A Frames and the two moulded rudders.

Thats a bit rough for that amount of stuff, Ill do the rudders myself.

Where is the best place to pick up some props, I do not mind plastic blades,

John JOhn

[scousegit]

Contact George Sitek @ 1, Halton Drive, Crewe, Cheshire. CW2 8TA. He will be able to produce for you a complete set of shafts, props and rudders, and I doubt very much if it will anywhere near �200.

I shall be seeing him on Sunday so if you want anymore info let me know.

Regards,

Scouse.

[ARH]

Thanks for all your help.

The running set for the ship is all brass (199+shipping Sterling) for 4 props and shafts, the A Frames and the two moulded rudders.

Thats a bit rough for that amount of stuff, Ill do the rudders myself.

Where is the best place to pick up some props, I do not mind plastic blades,

John JOhn

YOU CAN BUY SHAFTS �30.00 FOR 4, ALSO PROPS �30.00 FOR 2L AND 2R HAND, JUST MAKE YOUR OWN , A , FRAMES, ARH

[TommyL]

Prop Shop of UK has great props.

[ARH]

Prop Shop of UK has great props.

they dont come much better TOMMY L, keep looking in

[Victorious]

Yes, I have just ordered my four props from Prop Shop, 2 LH & 2RH, total cost �27.24 including free postage. These are made from phosphor bronze.

4 prop shafts for roughly the same price, ordered through Steve Webb Models at Frodsham. So the complete running set just over �50. Made my own Rudders and linkages from brass parts, and the blades were made larger using car body filler paste, then shaped.

[Irish Yamato]

Again thanks for all your help.

Does Prop Shop have a website that I would review the props?

Scouse, does George Sitek have something like that?

Anyone got any recommendations for the motors themselves?

IM defibetly going to have to go with reversing one set of props to add to the steering. Does a speed controller exist that would allow for this?

Thanks John John

[ARH]

http://www.prop-shop.co.uk

[Victorious]

The best Speed Controllers are Electronize, maybe not the cheapest, but the best. They have built in relays and in line fuses AND can be repaired if anything should go wrong.
As long as you wire them up correctly, they will ast you years. I use them in all my models, including a 1/40 scale, Type XX1 U-boat, this beast is almost seven feet long. By the way, the other models on display are not mine, but most of the models above the U-boat use Electronize speed controlers.
http://www.electronize.co.uk

[Irish Yamato]

Yup I had been looking at the Electronize range..

Do any of these speed controllers also have the reverse steering options or am I hoping for too much?

Thanks John John

[Victorious]

Don't know what you mean by, reverse steering, but they do have the forward and reverse function for operation of Motor's.

By using 1 speed controler for each pair of motors, you can go forward with 1 pair of props, and reverse with the other pair, if that's what you mean.

[Irish Yamato]

Yeah I guess I didn�t make sense with that post.

I was hoping that there might be a speed controller that would put the appropriate engines into reverse when the rudder is ordered to turn�

Fleetscale themselves suggest that I use the Torpedo 800�s to power, what do you think?

Thanks again

John John

[Victorious]

Yeah I guess I didn�t make sense with that post.

I was hoping that there might be a speed controller that would put the appropriate engines into reverse when the rudder is ordered to turn�

Fleetscale themselves suggest that I use the Torpedo 800�s to power, what do you think?

Thanks again

John John

Never used them, but personally, I would stick to Electronize for your Speed Controllers. Ron will probably agree and as far as motors are concerned, try the Bullah Low Drain type, again Ron will provide you details of these.
If you look at Fleetscale prices for their running gear (shafts, props etc) they are very expensive compared to the same items from Prop Shop.
4 shafts 14" long M4 thread & 4 bronze 30mm props L&R handed �68 the lot. Same from Fleetscale about �110.

Have a look on my post (Building HMS Marlborough 1916 in 1/96 scale.)
I will be posting pictures of the running gear, later tonight.

[Irish Yamato]

Hello all
While I know that the Fleetscale is a class product I am kind of disapointd with the lack of hull plate, or armour belt details that I have seen on their Bismarck Etc. My hull is just too nice and smooth for my taste..

I wanted to scribe the plate lins myself but cannot find any diagrams that would help me?

Anyone got any leads or pictures?
John John