The Ship Model Forum

Hello, I will be starting my First R/C project soon and looking for some advice on picking the right motors.
i'm build a 1/72 Halifax Class frigate. Length 6ft, beam 9in, Draught 4.5in.

Drive layout is 2 Over-the-top and inwards rotating shafts and 1 rudder.

As i said this is my first time making an R/C model. I have some experience with electrical equipment but i'm not sure what a good size motor would be to give the model a realistic look on the water. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you
Rob

G'day Rob! Well some to the world of 1/72 RC boats! In my AWD I run two 12 volt crest motors run individually. If your Halifax has only one rudder I'd suggest to do the same as having independent motors helps maneuverability. She's longer than 6ft but can easily do a scale 35-40knots by adjusting the pitch of the props.



They are brilliant motors and most of the guys at my club with ships over 2m use these motors.

Here's a link to their website

http://www.crestmi.com.au/DC_precision_gearmotors.php though someone Canada or the US might have another option.

Here's also a link to my club task force 72 we all build to a constant scale of 72 and have fleet bases around Australia and a few members overseas. Were a mixture of ex navy and civvies alike. I'll have to check through my pics but I'm sure there's a HMCS Halifax in our fleet on the easy coast.

http://www.taskforce72.org

Thanks for the info perth, Thoughs seem right for the job.

Rob

Not a problem rob, should hopefully give you an idea of what to get at least they've got an online shop too! I found one pic, it's of the HMCS Toronto not Halifax, but I believe it's the same class. I knows there's more pics of her.

Yes, Same class. Looks like a very nice and well done model. Would love to see more photos. Good references are always a bonus. Going to be making another Sister ship HMCS Winnipeg.

Not a problem, I'll send the owner an email and see what I can get

We have some amazing modelers around the country at TF72, I'm hoping my Brisbane will be up to some of the standards of these guys.

Will you be building her pre- or post-FELEX?

Some pics of the Toronto. The hull and basic fittings are from APS here in Australia the rest is scratch built. An awesome looking model. When I get more details I'll let you know.

Very Nicely done, and pretty optimistic putting the Cyclone on her lol.

Plan is to build as built. however depending how the first one goes, will potentially build a second post Felex.

She is indeed a striking vessel and class of ship. I believe the Canadian defence force received the cyclones in February this year? Perhaps why Kieth - the builder of Toronto has added one. The RAN have NH-90's in 'can't see me suit colours' (army camo) to be deployed on the new LHD's also to replace the seakings as with the Canadians as I believe. For something different I'd like to build a RAN NH-90 for Brisbane - just for something different to the Seahawk helo's.

Is your Halifax from a semi-kit or scratch built?

Well, Cyclones are touch subject here. We have pretty much thrown so much money into that we will get them no matter what now. Only 2 or 3 of the Halifax hulls have been converted to operate them for trails, Plan is to have them full operational but 2018 but i think that's a bit optimistic.

I guess i will consider it a semi kit. There is a guy in Ontario that makes the hulls and a few other varies parts. Much of it will be scratched built using either a friend's 3D printer or good old fashion handtools.

Sounds like us and the Seasprite debacle! Spent millions on helo's that weren't appropriate for Navy's use. Long story short when the Anzacs were built, no helo's had been procured. At the same time Navy was in talks of producing an OPV for the Malaysian navy which needed a helo smaller than that of the seahawk - the British version of the Super Lynx was also a contender as at that time Sikorsky (manufacturer of the Seahawks) weren't making any friends in Canberra, hence why a new order of the Seahawks which were on our FFG's weren't placed for the anzac FFH's. Long story short, the Malaysian OPV with helo capabilities didn't go through and Australia was stuck with a paid order of seasprite's! Navy and Canberra pretty much went very quiet on the seasprite's as the $1 billion Seasprite fleet was due to enter service in 2001 but was indefinitely grounded in 2006. 11 were ordered in total but an upgrade of a 1960s airframe with 21st century avionics, the helicopters are unable to be operated reliably in poor visibility conditions and at night. It was 2008 when Navy went into talks with Sikorsky again this time for the Seahawk S-60 Romeo's which are now entering service and will be based off the AWD's (what Navy should have done in the first place) and the NH-90's which will be based for use with the LHD's.

Back to your Halifax! Haha looking forward to you starting your build! With APS and fleetscale already producing hulls and fittings, this class seems to be coming out as quite a popular vessel so will be nice to see a build

It's true, always such a pain to get new equipment for Navies.

On that note, what is APS? I tried looking on online about that but can't seem to find much, other than a catalogue from 2007, and pictures of some APS models.

APS is the brain child of Allan Pew. He produces semi kits, hulls, plans and fittings in mainly 1/72 though also some hulls in 1/96 of a large range of world navy ships from the Second World War to present. He is a founding member of Task Force 72 here in Australia but doesn't have a website - can be contacted by email and is usually quite prompt in replying. Lead times can be some time as he does this on his own but does carry a large range of standard fittings and weapons on hand. My AWD hull is from Allan though my fittings are DMG. Most of the models within the task force 72 association are based on his kits. Allan starting producing kits of Australian ships over 20 years ago as the local selection of producers were nill. Within the club we have a few others producing state of the art hulls southercrossmodels.com.au mainly larger WW2 ships to modern missile cruisers and aircraft carriers and bjsbittsnpieces who makes brilliant Russian fittings. Again mostly in 1/72.

I have a current full catalogue if you would like it, I can email it to you.

OK thanks Perth.

Welcome to the board.

I will be watching the build as I plan on having a Halifax class at some point in 1/72. I have a 1/72 DDH 280 class hull, HMCS Huron planning as pre trump build after "Bones" is done. If you search the build board, you will find my 1/72 HMCS Assiniboine DDE 234(circa 1960) but it has been stalled for a long while due to work and life. Also there is a very nice 1/96 static HMCS Nipigon by Russ Clark too.

I hope you'll post some updates or any progress on this project. Interesting ships and we don't have any build topics of this class. Build topics always bring up interesting facts and details about ships!!!
Good luck with this project

Hey, Well I will be making a thread ones i start the build. Right now I'm waiting to the Hull to be made. I have no experience in fibre-glassing/ hull making. Plus I don't have the proper tools to under take a task like that. Once i do receive the Hull (probably July) I will be creating the thread. Right now, really just mocking up varies components, to help promote a quicker and easier build, first time building at this scale. Will also start scratch building fitting.

That's the hardest thing about building ships in large scales. Nothing's off the shelve so will always take time for items ordered. If you want to get started though, you can always start making some of the superstructure and other fittings. Keeps you busy and once the hull arrives you'll have a great start ahead